Warsaw – Swietokrzyski

In 1912, pediatrician Janusz Korczak opened an orphanage for Jewish orphans in Warsaw. These children were often underprivileged with little chance of survival. But Korczak gave these children an opportunity by giving them shelter, education, medical care and a chance to succeed in life. When the Germans established the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw October, 1940, Korczak was forced to move the orphanage to the ghetto and worse premises. Korczak and his helpers nevertheless continued to provide for the well-being of the children. The search for food and medicine was the most important. By the end of July 1942, the Germans begun deporting Warsaw Jews to Treblinka extermination camp where they were killed. On August 5, 1942, the Germans came to the orphanage to pick up the approximately 200 children for eastward transport (Treblinka). Korczak was offered free rein to the Aryan side, but declined and instead chose to be deported along with the children to Treblinka. They were murdered in the gas chambers on the day they arrived.