Envision a man surrounded by children. This is the Janusz Korczak Statue. It stands as a testament to a remarkable life.
The Janusz Korczak Monument honors Janusz Korczak. He was an educator and author. He was also a champion for children’s rights.
Janusz Korczak was his pen name. His real name was Henryk Goldszmit. He was a Polish Jewish doctor. He founded orphanages for Polish and Jewish children. Korczak drafted a children’s constitution in 1919. He hosted a radio program in the 1930s. He promoted children’s rights there.
At his peak, his books were world-famous like Peter Pan. He ran a house for Jewish orphans in the Warsaw Ghetto.
In 1940, Nazis closed the Ghetto. Korczak rejected an offer for personal sanctuary. He chose to stay with the children. In 1942, the home closed. Employees and about 200 pupils went to Treblinka. They were executed. Korczak was never heard from again. He refused to abandon the children.
The idea for a monument arose after the war. Fundraising began in 1999. This was thanks to the Shalom Foundation and Janusz Korczak Polish Association. Bohdan Chmielewski and Zbigniew Wilma won an international design competition. The Mayor of Warsaw placed the cornerstone in 2003.
The Janusz Korczak Monument was unveiled in 2006 on Children’s Day. It is in Świętokrzyski Park near the orphanage site. Every year on Children’s Day, Warsaw schools visit.
The inscription reads: JANUSZ KORCZAK, DR HENRYK GOLDSZMIT, 1878-1942.
The monument shows Korczak surrounded by children. They stand under a dead tree. The branches form a menorah. The figures are bronze. The tree is granite. It is on an artificial hill. The hill is covered with paving stones.
The Janusz Korczak Statue stands on the site of a former Jewish orphanage. From here, Janusz Korczak began his final journey. He went to a concentration camp with his pupils.
There are other monuments to Janusz Korczak in Warsaw. One is at the Jewish Cemetery on Okopowa Street. It serves as his symbolic grave. Another is at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem.
This monument is the largest. It is visited most often by school trips and tourists. It is a powerful reminder of a man’s dedication. He gave his life for the children in his care. The Janusz Korczak Statue is a testament to love and sacrifice. Take a moment to reflect on his legacy. Remember the children.