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Irena Sendler was a Polish Catholic humanitarian who saved the lives of thousands of Jewish children during World War II. She worked as a social worker in the Warsaw ghetto and smuggled them out in baskets, coffins and suitcases, often under the cover of darkness. She helped arrange for the placement of the children with sympathetic families and in convents, often using the false documents she had obtained from the Warsaw city government. Sendler was arrested by the Gestapo in 1943 and tortured, but she refused to reveal the identity of the children she had saved.

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The finals words Irena said to Life in a Jar group

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The finals words Irena said to Life in a Jar group

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"You have changed Poland; you have changed the United States; you have changed the world. I love you very, very much.”

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During World War II, Irena Sendler played a crucial role in saving approximately 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto, risking her life in the process. Here’s an overview of her actions during this period:

Early Efforts and Zegota

Irena Sendler was an active member of the Polish underground resistance, particularly the Council to Aid Jews, known by its Polish code name Zegota. This organization was dedicated to helping Jews in German-occupied Poland.

Smuggling Children Out of the Ghetto

Irena used her position as a social worker and her ability to enter the Warsaw Ghetto under the guise of conducting health inspections to gain access to Jewish families. She and her network devised numerous ingenious methods to smuggle children out of the Ghetto:

False Identification: Children were given false identity documents and placed with Polish families, orphanages, and religious institutions.

Concealment Methods: Infants were sometimes sedated and hidden in toolboxes, luggage, or other containers. Older children were taken through sewers, underground passages, or hidden in ambulances.

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Irena Sendler's symbol, "Life in a Jar," originates from her remarkable efforts during World War II to save Jewish children from the Holocaust. As a Polish social worker and nurse, Irena Sendler was part of the Polish underground resistance. She devised a daring and compassionate plan to rescue children from the Warsaw Ghetto, where Jewish families were being persecuted by the Nazis.

Sendler and her network smuggled approximately 2,500 Jewish children out of the ghetto, providing them with false identity documents and placing them in safe locations, such as with Polish families, orphanages, and convents. To keep track of their original identities and ensure they could be reunited with their families after the war, Irena wrote the children’s real names and their new identities on slips of paper. These slips were then placed in jars, which she buried in a garden.

The phrase "Life in a Jar" symbolizes the preservation of these children's identities and lives. The jars represented hope and the future, safeguarding the children’s true heritage with the hope that they could one day reclaim their identities. The buried jars were a testament to Irena Sendler's courageous and selfless acts, as well as her determination to protect and remember the innocent lives affected by the atrocities of the Holocaust.

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Irena Sendler was born as Irena Krzyżanowska on 15 February 1910 in Warsaw to Dr. Stanisław Krzyżanowski, a physician, and his wife, Janina. Her father died in February 1917 from typhus contracted while treating patients whom his colleagues refused to treat in fear of contracting the disease, among them many Jews.

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Recording ID and Arrest and Imprisonment 

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Recording ID and Arrest and Imprisonment 

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Recording Identities

Irena meticulously recorded the real names of the children, their new identities, and their placements, noting everything on slips of paper. She buried these records in jars in a neighbor’s garden, hoping to reunite the children with their families after the war.

Arrest and Imprisonment

In October 1943, the Gestapo arrested Irena Sendler. Despite severe torture, she did not reveal any information about her network or the locations of the children. Sentenced to death, she was saved at the last moment when Zegota members bribed German guards, and she was released from prison, though officially listed as executed.

Continuing Resistance Work

After her escape, Irena continued her resistance activities under a false identity. She remained deeply involved in efforts to aid Jews and continued to coordinate with Zegota.

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The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler (2009) trailer - behind the scenes

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Legacy and Recognition

Irena Sendler’s efforts went largely unrecognized for many years. However, in later life, she received numerous honors for her bravery and humanitarian work, including being named a Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in 1965. Her story gained wider recognition through various books, documentaries, and the play "Life in a Jar," created by American students in the late 1990s.

Irena Sendler's courageous actions during World War II remain a powerful testament to the impact of individual bravery and compassion in the face of immense evil.

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The Irena Sendler Project: Life in a Jar

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