Show notes
Irena’s Children, is the story of Irena Sendler, a Polish Catholic woman and Modern Athena. In her early 20s during the time period covered by the book (Irena's Children by Tilar J. Mazzeo), and standing 4’11” tall, Irena was not physically imposing. But anyone that underestimated her was sorely mistaken. It was this young woman’s iron spirit, sense of purpose, and bravery thathelped her to organize dozens of ordinary citizens, across the divides of religion, into foot soldiers for her human network. Between 1940 and 1945, this network saved the lives of 2,500 Jewish children who otherwise would have perished with their parents in the Warsaw ghetto, in the rail cars destined for the Treblinka extermination camp, or in the gas chambers at Treblinka. Listen now as we tell her story. INDEX0:00 Intro and Background of the Book1:52 Warsaw at the Start of World War II3:38 The German Purges Begin6:13 The Germans Target the Jews7:48 Irena’s First Resistance Efforts10:48 The Ghetto is Created16:53 The Winter of 1941-194218:20 Escaping the Ghetto: Saving the Children25:08 Escaping the Ghetto: Saving the Families26:55 Gross-Aktion Warsaw30:50 Trying to Save the Children: Umschlagplatz and The Ghetto Hospital36:05 Trying to Save the Children: Dr. Korczak’s Orphanage38:20 The Money Runs Out40:45 The Lists of Children Grow44:00 The Final Liquidation of the Ghetto49:45 Irena’s Capture55:00 The Warsaw Uprising59:16 The Fate of the Lists1:03:00 Outro and Next Episode Visit www.modernathenas.com for links to all episodes. Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or YouTube. Send us feedback or leave a review! Thanks for listening.Follow us on Twitter/Facebook @modernathenasFollow us on Instagram @themodernathenaspodcast