Ursula was a young Jewish girl who was rescued and hidden by the zookeeper’s wife, Antonina Żabińska, during the Holocaust. She was one of the many Jews who found refuge in the Warsaw Zoo, which had been turned into a safe haven by Antonina and her husband, Jan Żabiński.
In the film “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” Ursula’s story is a particularly harrowing one. She is introduced as a traumatized young girl who has been sexually assaulted by two German soldiers. The Żabińskis discover her in a very distressed state, and Antonina takes her under her wing, providing her with care and shelter. Ursula’s presence in the movie highlights the brutality of the Nazi occupation and the risks the Żabińskis took to protect Jewish lives.
In the broader context of the Żabińskis’ efforts during World War II, Ursula represents one of the approximately 300 Jews who were saved thanks to the couple’s clandestine activities. The Warsaw Zoo became a part of the Polish underground resistance network, with the Żabińskis using the zoo’s cages, pavilions, and underground tunnels to hide Jews escaping from the Warsaw Ghetto. The Żabińskis’ story, including the rescue of individuals like Ursula, is a testament to their courage and humanity in the face of immense danger and atrocity.