Dykyi Vasyl, Hanna and Mykola

Vasyl and Hanna Dykyi with their son Mykola lived in the village of Kulyha in Vinnytsia region. The Ukrainian family was friends with the brothers Yakiv and Volf Nakhlis, whose home was nearby. In July 1941, the Germans occupied the settlement and immediately began persecuting the local Jews. On August 18, Volf was shot, and his daughter Ida was born in October. In order to save the girl, Vasyl Dykyi convinced Volf's wife Nehama to give up her newborn daughter to the childless couple. As he expected, those people immediately took the baby from the porch to the house, not even suspecting that it was Jewish. Nehama was forced to move to the ghetto in the village of Lityn. Jews from the surrounding villages were moved there; they were driven behind barbed wire and distributed among the barracks. Five or six families lived in each. On December 19, 1941, almost 2 thousand people were shot in the village. In total, in the period from June 1941 to March 1944, more than 3,200 Jews were exterminated there. In June 1942, Vasyl Dykyi, bribing a guard, took Nehama Nakhlis out of the ghetto. Since then, she has been hiding in his house. Hanna, Vasyl's wife, began to take little Ida from the neighbors, supposedly to play, so Nehama had an opportunity to spend time with her daughter.

In their home, the Dykyi couple also hid the family of Yakiv Nakhlis – his wife Ryva and daughters Fira, Hanna and Betia. Mykola Dykyi built a safe hiding place for them, which could only be accessed through the attic. In September 1943, Yakiv himself joined the family. The man escaped from the labor camp for Jewish artisans and found refuge with Mykola Mukomel for a few days.

Vasyl Dykiy found a reliable guide who agreed to transport all six Jews to territory controlled by Romania. A few days after their departure, the house of the Dyky family was searched. Vasyl was arrested, and Mykola was lucky to escape. Only after long negotiations and intervention of residents of the Kulyha village the police officer agreed to accept money in exchange for Vasyl's release. Members of the Nakhlis family, including Ida, survived the war. For many years, they maintained warm relations with their saviors.

In 1994, Yad Vashem recognized Vasyl and Hnna Dykyi and their son Mykola as Righteous Among the Nations.

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