Irena Sendler

Date of Birth: February 15, 1910

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Date of Death: May 12, 2008

Biography

Irena Sendler, born Irena Krzyżanowska, was a Polish social worker and humanitarian who played a critical role during World War II. She was born in Warsaw, Poland, and is best known for her efforts in rescuing Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto. As an employee of the Polish welfare department, Sendler had access to the ghetto and used her position to smuggle out children and provide them with false identity documents, ensuring their safety in Christian orphanages and homes. Despite being arrested and tortured by the Gestapo in 1943, she did not reveal the identities of her co-conspirators or the children she helped save. After the war, Irena continued her social work and was eventually recognized for her heroism with numerous awards, including Poland’s highest honor, the Order of the White Eagle. She passed away in 2008, leaving behind a legacy of courage and compassion.

5 Interesting Facts about Irena Sendler

1. Irena Sendler saved approximately 2,500 Jewish children from the Holocaust.

2. She was a member of the Polish underground organization Zegota (Council to Aid Jews).

3. Sendler used various methods to smuggle children out of the ghetto, including hiding them in ambulances and toolboxes.

4. She kept records of the children’s real identities in jars buried in her garden, hoping to reunite them with their families after the war.

5. In 1965, she was honored as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem, Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Irena Sendler

1. “Every child saved with my help is the justification of my existence on this Earth, and not a title to glory.”

2. “I was brought up to believe that a person must be rescued when drowning, regardless of religion and nationality.”

3. “The world can be better if there’s love, tolerance, and humility.”

4. “We who were rescuing children are not some kind of heroes. It was a normal thing to do.”

5. “You see a man drowning, you must try to save him even if you cannot swim.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Irena Sendler did not accumulate significant wealth during her lifetime. Her work was driven by humanitarian values rather than financial gain.

Children

Irena Sendler had three children: Janina, Andrzej, and Adam. Sadly, Andrzej died in infancy, and Adam passed away in 1999. Janina, her surviving child, continued to live in Poland.