The Legacy of Janusz Korzcak
Artist: Patricia Brintle
Quadrant #1: Janusz Korcask was born Henryk Goldsmit in Poland. At the age of 10 his pet canary died. He went to his yard to bury it and wanted to put a cross on the little tomb when his neighbor told him that he could not put a cross on the tomb because the canary was Jewish. This experience was instrumental in his thoughts about religion. He wrote many books, the most famous being “King Matt the First.” It is about a ten year old king whose reign was devoted to the growth and development of children. King Matt’s official flag was green.
Quadrant #2: Korczak became a doctor and administered a Catholic as well as a Jewish orphanage. He would bring the children to the Little Rose summer camp where they would enjoy the fresh air, greenery and flowing rivers. Often, he could be seen at the window of his office at the orphanage feeding the birds.
Quadrant #3: Korczak had a radio show called “The Old Doctor” where he’d give advice on how to raise children. As the political situation worsened, the show was cancelled and the administration of the Catholic orphanage was taken away from him. Janusz and the children from the Jewish orphanage were moved to the Ghetto. One day, a wagon of potatoes destined for the orphanage was confiscated by a Nazi guard. Janusz fought to get it back and as a result was beaten and put in prison for a month.
Quadrant #4: Time came when the orphanage was required to take the train to Treblinka. Janusz was given the option to save himself but he refused to leave his children. On August 6, 1942, Janusz Korczak boarded the cattle train along with his 192 children. From the sea of silent children a small hand could be seen holding King Matt’s green flag.
Summary: Each of the quadrants represents a part of the life of Janusz Korczak. In order to know the full person, one must put the four quadrants together. Only then can you see that the quadrants form the cross which represents the Catholic orphanage and only then can you see that the Star of David, which he refused to wear as a sign of shame, lives and shines within each of the quadrants.
Symbolism:
- Poland is represented by the Polish eagle topping King Matt’s flag.
- The canary’s head is down in spiritual reverence.
- The red by the window shows the sunrise over the summer camp but becomes the fiery furnace of Treblinka once you follow the road of the cattle train.
- The cart of potatoes is strategically placed between the Old Doctor and the Nazi guard. It is also painted red to show the defiance of the Old Doctor and his fearlessness in the face of danger.
- The flag pole held by the child on the way to the cattle car brings the viewer back to the beginning, showing that life is a constant renewal and nothing is forgotten.
- Follow the flagpole down beyond the artwork and it would pierce the heart of the soldier who confiscated the wagon of potatoes.
- There are 192 circles to represent the number of children who boarded the train to Treblinka.
- The unfinished characteristic of the sea of children represents their unfinished lives which were taken so early. Their faces are blank to show the effort of the Nazi to erase them. They cannot be erased. Their memory lives on.