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Pole who saved WWII Jews honoured | Pole who saved WWII Jews honoured |
(about 13 hours later) | |
A Polish woman who helped save the lives of 2,500 Jewish children during World War II has been honoured by Poland's parliament. | |
Irena Sendlerowa, a former social worker who is now 97, organised the rescue from the Warsaw ghetto with the help of the Polish underground army. | Irena Sendlerowa, a former social worker who is now 97, organised the rescue from the Warsaw ghetto with the help of the Polish underground army. |
Ms Sendlerowa was arrested and tortured by the German Gestapo. | Ms Sendlerowa was arrested and tortured by the German Gestapo. |
She refused to divulge her activities and narrowly escaped execution when her guard was bribed to release her. | She refused to divulge her activities and narrowly escaped execution when her guard was bribed to release her. |
The BBC's Adam Easton in Warsaw says that unlike Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist memorialised in Steven Spielberg's award-winning film, Irena Sendlerowa is not known throughout the world. | The BBC's Adam Easton in Warsaw says that unlike Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist memorialised in Steven Spielberg's award-winning film, Irena Sendlerowa is not known throughout the world. |
She lives quietly in a Warsaw nursing home. As a young social worker, she was allowed to enter Warsaw's Jewish ghetto. | She lives quietly in a Warsaw nursing home. As a young social worker, she was allowed to enter Warsaw's Jewish ghetto. |
When the Nazis began the deportations of the ghetto's Jews to the death camps, she organised a team to rescue the children. | When the Nazis began the deportations of the ghetto's Jews to the death camps, she organised a team to rescue the children. |
Some were smuggled out in workmen's toolbags. Others left by the sewers or secret passageways. | Some were smuggled out in workmen's toolbags. Others left by the sewers or secret passageways. |
At least 2,500 children were placed with Polish families and Catholic convents. | At least 2,500 children were placed with Polish families and Catholic convents. |
Poland's 3.5 million-strong Jewish community was almost completely wiped out by the Nazi Holocaust. | Poland's 3.5 million-strong Jewish community was almost completely wiped out by the Nazi Holocaust. |
At a special session, the upper house of parliament unanimously approved a resolution honouring Ms Sendlerowa for organising the "rescue of the most defenseless victims of the Nazi ideology: the Jewish children." | |
President Lech Kacyzinski said she was a "great hero who can be justly named for the Nobel Peace Prize". |
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