Irena sendler was born irena krzyzanowska in warsaw on february 15 1910 into a polish roman catholic family. Irena sendler ap photoalik kepliczwhat happens when an ordinary polish woman encounters extraordinary evil. And yet, while she was hailed for her work by those she had helped, for years, she wasnt permitted to tell her story. The courageous heart of irena sendler is a 2009 television film directed by john kent harrison. Unlike schindler, mrs sendler or sendlerowa, a polishcatholic, was in real danger of her life, as were, fellow poles who worked with her to save thousands of jewish children. By the time of her death in 2008, irena had been honored by the governments of poland and israel, pope john paul ii, and. Trained as a social worker, sendler became 1942 a member of.
The list was in the parcel sendler threw out the window that day, reburied by her compatriot. The director of the film, mary skinner, was there to answer questions following a screening of the film which was a. For instructions on how to use this banner, please refer to the documentation. She had saved 2,500 children and put their real names in a jar and kept the only record of the names in a neighbors back yard, buried under an apple tree, at the address of 9 ledarska. His subject was waitstill sharp, a unitarian minister and his wife martha, who, during world war ii, helped smuggled at least 150 jews out of nazicontrolled areas, operating first in. She is recognized as righteous among the nations and was nominated for a. There was a huge turn out november 7, 2011 at buffalos canisius college to view mary skinners documentary irena sendlerin the name of their mothers. Words of irenas father on february 15th, 1910 born into a catholic family, irena krzyzanowki later became sendler when she married her first husband was born. Irena stanislawa sendler nee krzyzanowska, also referred to as irena sendlerowa in. Students are fascinated by the inspiring story of a young p. This documentary just won the 2012 gracie award for outstanding documentary in public tv mary skinner is a former marketing executive turned documentarian. This article is within the scope of wikiproject biography, a collaborative effort to create, develop and organize wikipedias articles about people.
Irena sendler was never anyone to bragshe always said that she simply did what she had to do. Petition reward irena sendler the nobel peace prize. In the name of their mothers is a perfect supplement to your world war ii, holocaust, or anne frank unit. Mother of the children of the holocaust hardcover muza sa editor. May, 2008 according to irena, the greatest heroes of these rescue missions were not the rescuers, but the mothers of the children, who intuitively sensed the end of their lives approaching and knew that was the only way for their beloveds to be saved from the horror of extermination.
Sendler was captured by the gestapo, tortured and sentenced to death in 1943 but she refused to divulge anything about her underground operation. In the name of their mothers is the first historical documentary made outside poland which highlights the true record of sendler and the women who worked with. Schindler robbed and exploited the 1200 jews he saved. Irena sendler, irena krzyzanowska, polish social worker born february 15, 1910, otwock, russian empire now in polanddied may 12, 2008, warsaw, pol. In the name of their mothers together, they rescued over 2,500 jewish children.
Mieszkowska lets irena tell her own story in her own words. Check local times here, and you can buy the dvd here. Permission is granted to copy, distribute andor modify this document under the terms of the gnu free documentation license, version 1. Irena sendler died 12 may 2008 aged 98 in warsaw, poland. Irena sendler, in the name of their mothers, the story of a. Irena s story would also be an interesting study for womens history month. Irena sendler poland when world war ii broke out, irena sendler was a 29yearold social worker, employed by the welfare department of the warsaw municipality. B this article has been rated as bclass on the projects quality scale.
Irena sendler biography childhood, life achievements. In the name of their mothers dvd,this is the story of 29yearold irena sendler who saw the suffering of warsaws jews, and reached out to her most trusted colleagues for help, and outwitted the nazis during world war ii. This viewing guide for the pbs documentary irena sendler. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in.
What she did, however, was nothing short of extraordinary. 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. Jan 20, 2011 like the steady stream that creates a canyon, irena sendlers consistent courage, day in and day out, changed the fate of over 2,500 jewish children during the holocaust of wwii. This film expertly captures the will and character of the women of the resistance against the backdrop of. The real ending in the movie was was edited from the book. Life in a jar the courageous story of irena sendler. It is the inspirational story of protestant students from kansas, each carrying her own painful burden, each called in her own complex way to the history of a catholic woman who knocked on jewish doors in the warsaw ghetto and, in sendlers own words, tried to talk the mothers out of their children. Jan 01, 2007 unlike schindler, mrs sendler or sendlerowa, a polishcatholic, was in real danger of her life, as were, fellow poles who worked with her to save thousands of jewish children.
All interested editors are invited to join the project and contribute to the discussion. The inspirational story of irena sendler, who knocked on jewish doors in the warsaw ghetto and, in sendler s own words, tried to talk the mothers out of their children. Irena saved thousands of polish children during the second world war. It provided much of the source material for the beautiful pbs documentary, irena sendler. Sendler is the polish holocaust heroine who, with her team from the clandestine organization zegota, saved about 2,500 children from the warsaw ghetto in world war ii. This article is within the scope of wikiproject poland, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of poland on wikipedia. Sendler is the polish holocaust heroine who, with her team from the clandestine organization zegota, saved about. Irena was a candidate for the 2007 nobel peace prize. Irena sendler a polish social worker who helped save some 2,500 jewish children from the nazis by smuggling them out of the warsaw ghetto. A hero of the children and their mothers i was taught by my father that when someone is drowning, you dont ask if they can swim. Irena sendler saves jewish children from the warsaw ghetto. Unable to promise safety for even herself, irena would respect their decision even though she knew the. Mary skinners special film irena sendlerin the name of their mothers 1 june 2011 mary skinner is a former marketing executive turned documentarian.
During the wwii she saved about 2,500 jewish children from warsaws ghetto. Irena sendler 1910 2008 when hitler and his nazis built the warsaw ghetto and herded 500,000 polish jews behind its walls to await liquidation, many polish gentiles turned their backs or applauded. An unfamiliar name to most people, but this remarkable woman defied the nazis and saved 2,500 jewish children by smuggling them out of the warsaw ghetto. Memorable quotes and exchanges from movies, tv series and more. From october 1943 she was head of the childrens section of zegota, the polish council to aid. The research is thorough and come alive through the many interviews the author conducted with irena herself and the people who knew her. In poland, she is affectionately known as the mother of the holocaust children. Irena made me believe that not all europeans were bad during the holocaust. New book on holocaust heroine irena sendler by tilar. A mustsee film for those who want to know the true story of irena sendler, a true polish hero. Irena sendler, in the name of their mothers, the story of a group of young polish. After the german occupation, the department continued to take care of the great number of poor and dispossessed people in the city. Ive written about irena sendler before, here and here.
It is also the story of the students from kansas who rediscovered her, each carrying their own painful burden and each called in their. This is the story of 29yearold irena sendler who saw the suffering of warsaws jews, and reached out to her most trusted colleagues for help, and outwitted the nazis during world war ii. Childhood, family and early life if you see someone drowning, you must jump in and try to save them, even if you dont know how to swim. In pawiak prison, the nazi soldiers broke sendlers feet and legs, crippling her for life in their efforts to pry information from her. At 95, irena sendler reveals how she and a group of young polish women risked their lives to save thousands of jewish children from the warsaw ghetto. In 1943 the gestapo captured sendler, tortured her and sentenced her to death, but she refused to divulge anything about the women or the hidden children. The director of the film, mary skinner, was there to answer questions following a screening of the film which was a more complete version of the pbs version. This file is licensed under the creative commons attributionshare alike 3. This page is dedicated to her memory and to honour such a courageous woman. Whoever saves a single life, it is as if he had saved the whole world. Irena sendler stories of women who rescued jews during the.
Irena was polish and did not have to help the jews but decided to help without anyone asking her. In the name of their mothers is a documentary film about the polish social worker irena sendler, who saved 2,500 jewish babies and children from the warsaw ghetto and almost certain death at treblinka. Mary skinners special film irena sendlerin the name of. Her film about irena sendler, in the name of their mothers, is an official selection at this years united nations association film festival unaff. Irena sendler stories of women who rescued jews during. The irena sendler project is a holocaust history and more. She escaped miraculously on the day she was to be executed. Irena sendler 1910 2008 polish catholic social worker people and their households caught hiding jews risked death sentences in germanoccupied poland. And yet, while she was hailed for her work by those she had.
In the name of their mothers 2010 polish social worker irena sendler and other women save thousands of jewish children during world war ii. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks. Throughout the german occupation in world war ii, irena worked tirelessly to help save polands jews from the nazi horror. In the name of their mothers 2011 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. As a jewish sympathizer since childhood, sendler sendlerowa and her friends produced thousands of false documents to help jewish families prior to joining the resistance group zegota council for aid to jews. At times, mothers and families would not wish to let their children go, fearing they would never see their children again or that their children would lose their heritage. Book on holocaust heroine irena sendler sheds light on her longsuppressed life she was only 4 ft 11 in tall, a wisp of a catholic girl in her early 30s, a fairhaired blueeyed beauty, and an. During the german occupation of poland during wwii irena lived in warsaw as early as 1939 when the germans invaded poland, she began aiding jews she and her helpers created over 3,000 false documents to help jewish families. From irena sendler in the name of their mothers youtube. Irena saved at least 2,500 jewish children from certain death during the holocaust. This past week, pbs premiered the latest film by ken burns. They smuggled thousands of jewish children out of the warsaw ghetto and kept them safe until the end of the war. In the name of their mothers 2011 starring irena sendler and jan becker on dvd and bluray. Working as a nurse and a social worker, she was active in the polish undergroundthe polish resistance movement in world war iiin germanoccupied warsaw during the world war ii.
Visit life in a jar for more information about the play. Irena sendler was born into a catholic family in poland in 1910. For more current information about the irena sendler film, visit this facebook page. The film is a coproduction between american and polish companies. Sendler s authorized biography can also be purchased on the website. Trained as a social worker, sendler became 1942 a member of zegota council to aid the jews, the polish underground organization established to help save. During the war irena risked her life in order to save other people.
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