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Janusz KorczakPolish teacher, writer, doctor of Jewish origin
Date of Birth: 22.07.1878
Country:  Poland |
Content:
Janusz Korczak: A Biography
Janusz Korczak, a Polish educator, writer, and physician of Jewish descent, was born in 1878 (or 1879 according to some sources) in Warsaw, Congress Poland, Russian Empire. His real name was Henryk Goldszmit, but he adopted the pseudonym Janusz Korczak.
Korczak's father, Józef Goldszmit, was a respected lawyer, and his family belonged to the Jewish intellectual community. As a child, he was often called "Henryk" in the Polish manner, but he recalled in his diary being referred to as a "scatterbrain" and a "fool," with only his grandmother believing that he would become a great scholar. He attended a Russian gymnasium in Warsaw, as the city was then part of the Russian Empire, and began working as a tutor at the age of 15 to support his family, as his father's declining health required additional funds.
In 1898, Korczak enrolled in the medical faculty of the University of Warsaw and obtained his medical degree by 1903. During this time, he developed an interest in child institutions such as schools and hospitals, which would become the focus of his life's work. He also started writing for several Polish newspapers.
Work and Contribution
During the Russo-Japanese War from 1905 to 1906, Korczak served as a military doctor. Simultaneously, he began writing for children, and his books "Child of the Drawing Room" ('Dziecko salonu') and "Children of the Streets" ('Dzieci ulicy') brought him considerable fame. After 1910, Korczak decided to leave medical practice and dedicated himself entirely to his project, becoming the founder of the "Orphanage" for Jewish children. He remained its director for his entire life, located at 92 Krochmalna Street in Warsaw. Though the institution was supported by philanthropists, Korczak managed to maintain complete autonomy in the educational and administrative aspects of the orphanage.
Korczak's reputation as an educator and pediatrician grew, and he began working on establishing a home for Polish children in Ukraine. During the war years, he served as a field doctor once again. His pedagogical methods were innovative and even revolutionary. He introduced child self-government and a children's court in his orphanage, where violence, inequality, and injustice were not tolerated. He was known for "creating a children's republic...a tiny core of equality and justice within a world built on oppression."
Korczak was also involved in Zionist activities. He participated in the Second Zionist Congress and held great respect for Theodor Herzl, the leader of the movement.
Final Years and Legacy
As the Nazis came to power and anti-Semitism grew in Europe, Korczak sought ways to leave, but he was unable to abandon his orphaned children. In 1940, together with his "Orphanage," he was transported to the Warsaw Ghetto. Despite offers of help from his non-Jewish friends and admirers, Korczak chose to stay in the ghetto. During that difficult time, he selflessly cared for "his" children, providing them with food, clothing, and medicine. In 1942, following the deportation order for Jews, Janusz Korczak, along with approximately 200 children, his close colleague and friend Stefania Wilczyńska, were loaded into wagons and sent to the infamous Treblinka extermination camp. It is known that even at the last moment, Korczak had the opportunity to escape, but he chose to stay and share the tragic fate with everyone in the gas chamber.
Every year on March 23, in memory of Janusz Korczak and all the children who perished, kite-flying events are organized in Belarus and Poland. There are still Holocaust survivors who were once under Korczak's care and remember their educator, ensuring his memory lives on. Korczak left behind several books, including "Children of the Streets," "Child of the Drawing Room," "King Matt the First," and others. In addition to his literary works, he also wrote numerous professional works, such as "Educational Moments," "How to Love a Child," "The Child's Right to Respect," "Jocular Pedagogy," and many more.
Janusz Korczak believed that "goodness is a thousand times stronger than evil" and that it is a misconception that it is easier to spoil than to correct. His unwavering dedication to the well-being and rights of children continues to inspire generations.
