Physician, educator, writer, journalist, social activist

Janusz Korczak was born as Henryk Goldszmit on July 22, 1878 in Warsaw, in an assimilated Jewish family. He was a doctor, educator, writer, journalist, social activist. In 1898 he took part in the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Literary Contest for a theatrical play. In accordance with the requirements of the contest he signed his work with his pen name Janusz Korczak. Starting from 1900 he published other works as Janusz Korczak. He wrote scientific works, articles and books intended for general public and for children, including such well-known as The Bankruptcy of Little Jack or King Matt the First. In addition to treatment, which in many cases he provided free of charge, he was also involved in changing attitudes towards bringing up children. In 1912, he founded a Jewish Orphanage in Warsaw, where he took care of their upbringing. When the occupiers decided to deport the children to the Treblinka death camp, Korczak accompanied them on their last journey. The date of his death had not been known for a long time and it was only in 2015 that the Lublin-Zachód District Court ruled it to be on 7 August 1942. In 1947 he was awarded the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.  By a resolution of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, the year 2012 was designated the Year of Janusz Korczak.

The exhibition was prepared by the Janusz Korczak High School in Więcbork.