A hero of the Warsaw ghetto. Januz Korczak was born Henryk
Goldszmit to a secular Jewish family in Warsaw, in 1878 or 1879
(his father failed to register his birth, hence the
uncertainty). A physician, educator, and author, he is
remembered for his unique attitude toward children, and for his
utter dedication to the young Jewish orphans in his care in the
Warsaw ghetto. Doctor & Educator Korczak received his medical
training in Poland, then continued his studies in Germany,
France, and England before beginning his work as a physician at
the Berson-Bauman Jewish children's hospital in Warsaw. In 1912
he became the director of the Jewish Orphans' Home, a position
he held until the home’s liquidation by the Nazis in 1942. In
addition, Korczak founded the Child Rearing Institute, a home
for Catholic children. These institutions put into practice
Korczak's unique approach to education, which emphasized respect
and compassion for children. Both homes featured a self-
governing society that included a parliament, cou