The King of Children: The Life and Death of Janusz Korczak

About this book

The life of a moral exemplar comes alive in this acclaimed biography of the first known advocate of childrens rights in Polandthe man known as a savior of hundreds of orphans in the Warsaw ghetto. A pediatrician educator and Polish Jew Janusz Korczak introduced progressive orphanages serving both Jewish and Catholic children in Warsaw. Determined to shield children from the injustices of the adult world he built orphanages into "just communities" complete with parliaments and courts. Korczak also founded the first national childrens newspaper testified on behalf of children in juvenile courts andthrough his works How to Love a Child and How to Respect a Childprovided teachers and parents with a moral education. Known throughout Europe as a Pied Piper of destitute children prior to the onslaught of World War II he assumed legendary status when on August 6 1942 after refusing offers for his own safety he defiantly led the orphans under his care in the Warsaw Ghetto to the trains that would take them to Treblinka.