The Journal of Jansu Korczak,

or Dr.Henryk Goldszmidt

One of many who helped begin the Warsaw ghetto uprising

July 22 1942,

Hello again! As I'm writing this, my wife Henrietta Goldszmidt is making me a delicious cake out of whatever we can find, for it is my birthday! I am finally 64 and I think that I will have some friends over, maybe Sefta and a few others. But I will mostly spend my day at the Orphanage, as that is where my life work is. As you know the children in the orphanage are just like my own. In my late twenties I really began to realize that I had a bad childhood. My father, a writer of books, became mentally ill when I became eleven. Because of that our income greatly decreased and it was with great difficulty that I was able to go to Warsaw University to study medicine, but that wasn’t where my future lied.

In 1901 I published my first children’s book titled, Children of the Streets, and was so successful that soon led me to write many more. It was then that I noticed that my future wasn’t about just writing children’s books and curing them of illnesses but to give children who were having the same experience as I did as a kid, a better one. Since I loved my Jewish roods I decided to apply for a grant to build an orphanage in Warsaw, Poland. I received the grant and began building it on Karmelicka Street, where I am now. I will write to you soon again, but right now we must be happy and celebrate!

 

July 26, 1942

             It is getting worse here, in the ghetto. As it has been for two years ever since that accursed Hitler man has taken control of Germany and has forced all of us Jews into ghettos where the conditions are horrible and many are dying. Luckily though, the ghetto is in Warsaw, so I could stay with my children in the orphanage. Now though, they have begun to send people away, to who knows where, all we know is that they don’t come back.

August 2, 1942

            Horrible news! Rumor has it that the people being taken away are being taken to be killed in massive gas chambers, and they’re sending us by the thousands! What is even worse, is that they have called for the orphanage to be sent away as well! I don’t know what to do.

August 5,1942

            Dear journal, this is the last time I will be able to you, for tomorrow the orphanage is being sent away. There is word of rebellion in the air and that there may be and organization forming that will combat the Germans holding us, but that is just a rumor. I must get the children ready though. Oh, and the reason I will not be able to write to you again, is because I have decided that because the orphans are my kids, my family and my responsibility, I will go with them, to the end. Goodbye.