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Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw G...

Tilar J. Mazzeo

Start date: April 1, 2017

Finish date: April 30, 2017

Discussion leader: Kris (My Novelesque Life)

Why we're reading this: Our April Mixed Bag features remarkable women.
[close] Our April Mixed Bag features remarkable women.

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Nov 05, 2016 Candi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, history, biography-autobiography-memoir, ww-2

"Great, heroic acts sometimes come from small beginnings…"

The story of Irena Sendler is one that some readers may be familiar with and many more may not. I hope that this incredible woman’s name will be proclaimed the world over as a true humanitarian, a courageous woman, and an admirable leader. I had first heard her name two years ago, when my son began an assigned reading for school titled Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project by Jack Mayer. He insisted that I would love the book and sugge "Great, heroic acts sometimes come from small beginnings…"

The story of Irena Sendler is one that some readers may be familiar with and many more may not. I hope that this incredible woman’s name will be proclaimed the world over as a true humanitarian, a courageous woman, and an admirable leader. I had first heard her name two years ago, when my son began an assigned reading for school titled Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project by Jack Mayer. He insisted that I would love the book and suggested that I get a copy to read for myself. I’m so glad he did – he knows me so well. Without his prompting, I may have remained in the dark about Irena’s story. At least until now, when I have had the honor of reading this well-researched, in-depth look at her life and her commitment to saving the lives of numerous Jewish children who would have doubtless perished during the Holocaust. Author Tilar J. Mazzeo presents a compelling piece of non-fiction in this work titled Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto.

As Mazzeo states, this book is not simply Irena’s story, it is also about the network of brave citizens that assisted her tremendous effort; furthermore, it is the story of the Polish people, and in particular the residents of Warsaw, during the German occupation of World War II. Mazzeo tells us that fifteen percent of Poland’s population, or approximately 6 million people, were killed as a result of the war – including ninety percent of Poland’s Jewish population. These statistics are simply heartbreaking and downright unthinkable. With the help of the political underground, the Polish welfare offices, and the Jewish community, Irena and her band of heroes and heroines were able to save the lives of nearly 2,500 Jewish children by daring acts of rescue. Many of these were smuggled out of the walled ghetto and placed in Polish homes, convents, and orphanages with the use of forged identity papers. Irena herself was able to come in and out of the ghetto for some time due to her social worker status as well as with the use of an epidemic control pass. As a mother it is hard to imagine entrusting the life of your child with another – to allow your baby or toddler or other cherished son or daughter to be taken from you, with great risk, in order to have a chance at survival in a world that is both treacherous and essentially foreign to your own culture and beliefs. But that is exactly the choice many of these Jewish mothers and fathers were forced to make. It’s just astonishing, really. Irena went through great efforts to make a list of those children rescued, with the hope that one day they could be reunited with their families. Of course, all are familiar enough with the disheartening survival rates of those that were transported to places like Treblinka to know that this dream of Irena’s could never be realized. Nevertheless, those that were saved had a chance at life thanks to people like Irena who took extraordinary risks every day, while the shadow of Pawiak prison loomed large and the prospect of execution was a constant threat.

With the end of the Cold War, many of these true-life dramas like Irena’s were uncovered, and I hope that they continue to get the recognition they deserve. In 1965, the name of Irena Sendler was rightfully added to the list of those “Righteous Among Nations”, the highest honor awarded by the Holocaust memorial organization in Israel. With the exposure of more and more ordinary citizen turned ‘hero’ stories, it should be an inspiration to everyone that even one person can begin to make a difference in the lives of others.

"She was at once a heroine—although she disdained that word, too—and a flawed and average person. But she was also someone gifted with a sense of purpose and righteousness so powerful that she was able, by her example, to persuade others around her to be better than they otherwise might have been, and to do something together amazingly decent and courageous."
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98 likes · Like · see review

Apr 08, 2017 Tasha rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fic, ww2-stories

I finished this morning and it was a wonderful, albeit heartbreaking, read. The bravery, strength and fortitude of the people in this story will stay with me for a very long time. Irena did not see herself as a hero but to me she surely was just that, a Hero. As were her many contacts and friends.

3 likes · Like · see review

Feb 03, 2019 Kelly marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Sep 13, 2016 Sharmon marked it as dnf

Apr 12, 2017 Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Jenn Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Schu rated it it was amazing

Shelves: history-non-fiction

Feb 11, 2017 Stacey B rated it it was amazing

4 likes · Like

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