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Janusz Korczak: Children's Rights Champion and Holocaust Victim

Hector Blair

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Published in Janusz Korczak S Children Gloria Spielman

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Janusz Korczak was a Polish-Jewish educator, pediatrician, and author who dedicated his life to the care and education of children. He is best known for his work with the orphans of the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust. Korczak died in 1942, along with the children in his care, when they were gassed at the Treblinka extermination camp.

Janusz Korczak's Children

by Gloria Spielman

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	7306 KB
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Print length	:	40 pages

Early Life and Career

Janusz Korczak was born in Warsaw, Poland, in 1878. His father was a lawyer and his mother was a teacher. Korczak studied medicine at the University of Warsaw and graduated in 1899. He then worked as a pediatrician in a Warsaw hospital.

In 1905, Korczak founded his first orphanage, the House of Orphans. The orphanage was based on the principles of self-government and respect for children's rights. Korczak believed that children should be treated as individuals and that they should have a voice in their own upbringing.

Korczak's work with orphans was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I. He served in the Polish army as a medical officer and was awarded the Cross of Valour for his bravery.

The Warsaw Ghetto

After the war, Korczak resumed his work with orphans. In 1919, he founded the Our Home orphanage in the Warsaw Ghetto. The orphanage was home to over 200 Jewish children. Korczak and his staff provided the children with a safe and loving environment, and they encouraged them to develop their own talents and interests.

When the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939, they sealed off the Warsaw Ghetto and began to persecute its Jewish inhabitants. Korczak and the children of Our Home were forced to live in increasingly cramped and unsanitary conditions. Despite the hardships, Korczak continued to care for the children and to advocate for their rights.

Death at Treblinka

In August 1942, the Nazis began to round up the Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto and send them to extermination camps. Korczak and the children of Our Home were among those who were sent to Treblinka. On August 6, 1942, they were gassed to death.

Korczak's death was a tragedy, but his legacy lives on. He is remembered as a tireless advocate for children's rights and as a symbol of the horrors of the Holocaust.

Korczak's Legacy

Korczak's work has had a profound impact on the field of child welfare. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of the child rights movement, and his ideas have influenced child care practices around the world.

Korczak's legacy is also preserved through the Janusz Korczak Academy, which was founded in 1992. The academy is a non-profit organization that promotes Korczak's ideas and works to improve the lives of children around the world.

Janusz Korczak was a remarkable man who dedicated his life to the care and education of children. His work with the orphans of the Warsaw Ghetto is a testament to his courage and compassion. Korczak's death was a tragedy, but his legacy continues to inspire people around the world.

We can all learn from Korczak's example. We can all strive to be more compassionate and more respectful of children's rights. We can all work to create a world where all children are safe, loved, and respected.