:04:01
Korczak was a Polish-Jewish
pediatrician.
:04:04
He was very famous,
especially as a children's writer.
:04:10
He wrote King Matt the First.
:04:12
It was as famous in Poland
as Alice in Wonderland is.
:04:16
It's about a child who becomes king,
and his decisions.
:04:22
He saw poor children
on the streets of Warsaw. . .
:04:26
. . .and was determined to help them.
:04:29
He set up progressive orphanages
in Warsaw.
:04:32
This orphanage of Jewish children
was ordered to go into the ghetto.
:04:37
And everybody expected that Korczak,
who was Jewish. . .
:04:42
. . .but was so renowned and such
a treasure to the Polish nation. . .
:04:46
. . .and regarded even by the Germans. . .
:04:49
. . .that he wouldn't have to go.
They'd find a way to get him off.
:04:53
But he was determined to go.
:04:56
The children ran the orphanage.
:04:58
Had their own newspapers
and parliaments. . .
:05:02
. . .because he wanted
to teach them justice.
:05:05
Even though all they knew
was injustice.
:05:08
He told them
they would continue life as it was.
:05:11
He was not going to let the Germans
defeat all his lifework.
:05:16
It was almost like his life
was a continuous challenge. . .
:05:20
. . .to answer the most
hideous circumstances with dignity.
:05:25
Recognizing
the precarious situation...
:05:28
...Emanuel Ringelblum,
a prominent historian...
:05:31
...begins to document
what is happening.
:05:34
Memory is part of resistance.
:05:37
They figured, even if they were going
to die, memory can outlive death.
:05:42
And the Jews wanted to make sure
their role was preserved.
:05:46
The records are sealed
in milk containers and buried...
:05:50
... with the hope that someday
they'll be found.
:05:55
One reason these Ringelblum archives
are so important. . .