Justyna Dawidson was born in Krakow in 1917. By 1938 she was one of the leaders of the Akiva movement. After the occupation of Poland by the German Army in September 1939, she helped establish the He-Haluts Ha-Lohem, and underground combat group in Krakow. The following year she married another member of the group, Shimshon Draenger.

In January 1943 Shimshon was arrested. She now surrendered to the Gestapo, as both had pledged to do if either was seized. While in Montelupich Prison she wrote about her experiences in the form of a diary. These were smuggled out of prison and were read by members of the underground.

Justyna and Shimshon escaped from prison on 29th April 1943. They immediately resumed their underground activities in the Wisnicz Forest. On 8th November, 1943, Shimshon Draenger was captured. The following day Justyna, as a result of her pact with her husband, surrendered.. Justyna Draenger and her husband were both executed soon afterwards.

Fifteen of the twenty chapters smuggled out by Draenger survived the war. The book, Justyna's Narrative was first published in Poland in 1946. An English language edition appeared in 1996.