Description:
(Polish Humanitarian & Social Worker)
Irena Sendler was a Polish woman who along with her trusted network is credited to have saved the lives of 2,500 Jewish children during the Holocaust. Working as a nurse and a social worker, she was active in the ‘Polish Underground’—the Polish resistance movement in World War II—in German-occupied Warsaw during the World War II. As a young woman she was deeply influenced by her father who was a doctor and also one of the first Polish Socialists. She grew up watching her father tend to the poor patients and this instilled in her a desire to help the needy and the underprivileged in whatever ways she could. When the Germans invaded Warsaw in 1939 and started inflicting unspeakable tortures on the Jewish population, she made it her priority to help out the Jews by offering them food and shelter. She collaborated with some of her trusted allies and used her position to obtain thousands of false documents to help the Jewish families. As a nurse and a social worker, Irena was in charge of the Children’s Division of Zegota, a Polish underground group to assist Jewish people. In this position, she worked tirelessly with her helpers to smuggle around 2,500 children out of the Warsaw Ghetto and provided them safe shelter outside the ghetto
Birthday
February 15, 1910 (Aquarius)
Alternative names
Irena Krzyżanowska, Irena Stanisława Sendler
City
Warsaw, Poland
Died on
May 12, 2008
Spouse/Ex-
Mieczysław Sendler, Stefan Zgrzembski
Parents
Stanisław Krzyżanowski
Janina Krzyżanowska
Children
Adam Zgrzembski, Andrzej Zgrzembski, Janina Zgrzembska
What role did Irena Sendler play during World War II?
Irena Sendler was a Polish social worker who helped to rescue over 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust.
How did Irena Sendler save the Jewish children during the Holocaust?
Irena Sendler and her network of collaborators smuggled the children out of the ghetto, provided them with false identities, and placed them in homes or institutions to keep them safe from the Nazis.
What risks did Irena Sendler face while rescuing Jewish children?
Irena Sendler faced the constant threat of arrest, torture, and execution by the Nazis for her activities in helping Jewish children escape the Warsaw Ghetto.
Was Irena Sendler recognized for her heroic actions during the Holocaust?
Irena Sendler was posthumously recognized for her bravery and compassion with numerous awards and honors, including the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest civilian decoration.
How did Irena Sendler's legacy impact future generations?
Irena Sendler's legacy continues to inspire people around the world to stand up against injustice and help those in need, reminding us of the importance of compassion and courage in the face of adversity.