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Born on February 15, 1910
Irena was the only child born to Janina Krzyżanowska and Stanisław Krzyżanowski. (https://sprawiedliwi.org.pl/en/o-sprawiedliwych/irena-sendler) -
Her father dies
Irena's father dies on February 10, 1917 when she was a child. (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stanis%C5%82aw_Krzy%C5%BCanowski.jpg) -
Joins the Zegota
With Irena being a social worker she was able to get into the ghetto area where she joined the Zegota which was a council to aid Jews. https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/irena-sendler/yAKy_XNxPh8dLQ -
Begins saving Orphans
Irena and the Zegota started with saving orphans from the ghettos and bring them to safety by carrying them out in caskets, potato sacks, or even underground tunnels. (https://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/exhibitions/righteous-women/sendler.asp) -
Saving other children
She began asking jewish parents to let her try and get their children to safety also, there was no promise they would survive but they had a chance. https://www.lowellmilkencenter.org/programs/projects/view/life-in-a-jar/hero -
She is Arrested
The Nazis arrested her and they sent her to Pawiak prison where they tortured her trying to get her to reveal her associates. She refused and was sentenced to death. https://sprawiedliwi.org.pl/en/o-sprawiedliwych/irena-sendlerowa/biografia-ireny-sendlerowej -
Released from prison
However Zegota bribed the prison guards and Sendler was released in February 1944. https://irenasendler.org/ -
Spouses
Her first marriage to Mieczysław Sendler ended in divorce, she then went on to marry Stefan Zgrzembski and after he passed she married her first husband again and shortly divorced him. https://artsandculture.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/asset/irena-sendler-with-her-husband-stefan -
Her children
She had 3 children her daughter Janka and sons Andrzej (who died in infancy) and Adam with her second husband Stefan Zgrzembski. https://sprawiedliwi.org.pl/en/o-sprawiedliwych/irena-sendlerowa/biografia-ireny-sendlerowej -
Honors and Awards
In 1965 Israel’s Holocaust memorial organization named her Righteous among Nations for her work, and in 2003 Poland honored her with its Order of the white eagle. She was also nominated for a Noble Peace Prize. https://www.pinterest.com/cassandranighte/irena-sendler/ -
Her Death
Irena died in Warsaw, Poland on May 12, 2008 at the age of 98. (https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna24574531) -
Book and Website
She has a book and website made about her about her "Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project" the book is written by Jack Meyer. https://www.neh.gov/article/irena-sendler-and-girls-kansas -
Movie
Irena had a movie made about her in 2009 titled "The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler". https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/The-Courageous-Heart-of-Irena-Sendler/70115426 -
Sources
Irena Sendler
"Irena Sendler". Biography, 2021, https://www.biography.com/activist/irena-sendler. Accessed 30 Apr 2021.
Facts about Irena - Life in a Jar
"Facts About Irena - Life In A Jar". Life In A Jar, 2021, https://irenasendler.org/facts-about-irena/. Accessed 30 Apr 2021.
Irena Sendler
"Irena Sendler". Jewishvirtuallibrary.Org, 2021, https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/irena-sendler. Accessed 10 May 2021.
