“What would it mean to build a home, a ‘Nasz Dom’, for children who have lost everything?” That question resonated in the heart of Janusz Korczak. Here, we stand before the former site of Były sierociniec Nasz Dom utworzony w 1919r. przez Janusza Korczaka. It is a place filled with history and compassion.
Były sierociniec Nasz Dom, meaning “Our Home,” wasn’t just a building. It was a sanctuary. It was established in 1919 in Pruszków, born out of a dire need. World War I had left countless children orphaned. They were the sons and daughters of laborers. These laborers had fallen in battle.
Janusz Korczak, alongside Maryna Falska and Maria Podwysocka, spearheaded this project. They envisioned a place of care. It would nurture these vulnerable children. The Central Commission of Trade Unions supported their vision. In 1923, the “Nasz Dom” Society formed. It aimed to provide financial assistance to the institution. Even Aleksandra Piłsudska, the wife of Józef Piłsudski, became involved. She helped raise funds for a new building in Bielany.
Designed by Zygmunt Tarasin with contributions from Korczak himself, the new building was erected between 1927 and 1929. In 1928, Były sierociniec Nasz Dom moved to this location at al. Zjednoczenia 34.
Nasz Dom also offered a boarding house. From 1930 to 1935 young people seeking pedagogical qualifications lived here. In the early 1930s, it housed two primary school classes. This was a school where no child was held back. By 1934, part of the building was adapted. It served the poorest children from the Zdobycz Robotnicza settlement. There was a community center, a library, and a feeding program. As many as 160 children used the kindergarten every day.
During the German occupation, many young people from Nasz Dom joined the resistance. They participated in the Warsaw Uprising. In September 1944, the Germans ordered the evacuation of the children and staff to a camp in Pruszków. Maryna Falska died of a heart attack. She was buried in the garden of Nasz Dom. After Falska’s death, Aleksandra Staszewska, her long-time colleague, took over. In October 1944, the residents were evacuated to Sokolniki village.
After the war, Zdzisław Sieradzki became the new director. He had been a caregiver during the occupation. In 1946, the authorities transferred the assets to the Workers’ Society of Friends of Children. The “Nasz Dom” Society was not revived until 1991.
Today, the building houses Children’s Home No. 1 “Nasz Dom.” It bears the name of Maryna Falska. Over the years, Nasz Dom has sheltered and raised about 4,000 children.
Były sierociniec Nasz Dom stands as a testament to compassion. It reminds us of Janusz Korczak’s dedication to children’s rights. It symbolizes hope amidst adversity.