The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler

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CHILDREN OF IRENA SENDLER

ln the memory of all the known and unknown

who are, ''Righteous Among the Nations''.

Yes?

Yes.

Yes, l will come right away.

l will walk, so twenty minutes.

Please, stay calm.

Irenka?

lt's all right, Mama.

Go back to sleep.

- Thank God, you are here.

- Where is she?

ln the cupboard.

Tonight, when Krzysztof came home

the way our neighbours looked at him

we were betrayed. l just know.

l'm sorry, Irena.

lf the Germans find us hiding a Jew,

they will shoot us.

Hello, Anna, it's Irena.

You do not need to be afraid.

And tonight...

you will stay with me.

Would you like that?

How many mothers do you have?

l just have one.

Already, l had three.

Shh.

Why do they not like me?

Who does not like you?

My mothers.

Your mothers love you.

And l love you.

And l will always love you.

Go to sleep.

- We have to go now.

- Here.

lt is safe to take

her out in broad daylight?

She looks like one of us.

Are you worried?

Not one bit.

Mama, hmm?

- Ahh, good.

- Eva will love it.

lt's perfect.

Mama! Take your medicine.

Mama, please.

You are so funny.

You're a wonderful girl.

The second doll with the long

locks was called Bella.

Come in Anna!

Anna, this is Miss Jadwiga.

Hello, sweetie.

Come in.

Thank you. Come in.

Anna, you can play with

Miss Jadwiga's children while

l find you a lovely place to live.

You're a good girl.

- Take care of her.

- Hello, sweetie.

She has passed outside the ghetto

all this time. There must be

- a Polish family who can take her.

- Not any we know personally.

l'll ask father Godlewski

he will know some we can trust.

- Wait. You mean now?

- His soup kitchen's on my way.

- You're going to the Ghetto?

- Yes. l will see you later.

Get out of here.

Irena Sendler, you work?

Department of Social Services.

l see that, my question is about today,

why are you here?

Inspection of the refugee centers.

Prevent the spread of typhus.

You Poles must solve this problem,

it's a disgrace.

Go in.

Next please, documents.

Only bread today, take it.

Go.

l told you once

l won't tell you again.

You're not hungry?

Please, please buy it from me.

Father Godlewski. Good morning.

Ah, Irena.

What do you hear?

ln the last two weeks, they have filled

train cars of Jews in Luxemburg and

Vienna, deported them all

to the ghetto in Lodz - and here,

every day they bring more.

You know we are doing all we can to

help Jews survive outside the ghetto.

- Yes, l know, very well.

- And today l have a little girl

- and no Polish family to hide her.

- It's not easy for Poles either.

- Perhaps in your congregation?

-Irena, please...

...of all people you know

the risk for a Polish family.

Even so, is it not possible there are

some or even many Poles who want

to help but don't know how?

Yes, yes, yes. It is possible.

Eva.

Irena.

Come, come.

- Good morning, Hannah.

- Oh, Irenka.

Always such a faithful friend.

God bless you.

Rabbi Rozenfeld.

Dear Irena, how are you this fine day?

ls this work for a Rabbi?

We all must live with dignity,

especially in days of hatred.

Miss Irena! Miss Irena!

Karolyna! Or should l say, the famous

Miss Nijinska, Prima ballerina?

Do you know what l learned to do!

Do you want to see?

Of course, you must show me!

Brava!

- How is your mother?

- Well enough, if she behaves.

- And your Jacob?

- Last week he came back into

- the Ghetto to hug his daughter.

- And to kiss you, l'm sure.

Maybe yes, a little.

l brought a few things.

Let me, let me!

And this.

Irena, what do we have here?

You made this?

Can you imagine me putting

two stitches together?

- Then your mother.

- She misses you.

So do l.

My dearest friends in the whole world.

Please thank her.

Eva, l need to talk with you.

Over the last few weeks,

they have deported freight cars

of Jews from Austria to

the ghetto in Lodz.

We heard last night. The Jewish Council

says they will send to workcamps.

Eva, your Jewish Council was appointed by

Germans. How many years have we listened to

their terrible propaganda? What they say

about Jews, what they say

- they have in mind...

- It's just talk, rumor.

Who can believe it? These are

cultured people. Anyway, we're

almost five hundred thousand in this

Ghetto. What could they do?

Yes, yes... l know.

lt's so confusing.

One day somebody says something

is true, another says it's not.

Every day l wake up, my body is cold.

We have to get you all out of here.

They would never leave.

l could never leave them.

l can find Polish families

willing to hide you.

Most people believe it's better

to stay all together, inside the wall.

l want you safe...

- ...all of you.

- Irena, what is safe?

Where?

Good morning, Miss Irena.

Good morning, Doctor Majkowski,

have you had a chance to consider my--

Yes, l have selected your friend,

Maria Debinska to join your department.

Thank you, doctor.

- Good morning.

- Good morning, Miss Irena.

Maria, welcome to our little

department, thank you.

My thanks to you.

- Good morning, Miss Irena.

- You missed an exciting meeting.

Issued today, the new ration card.

ghetto.

So we will have starvation along

with a Typhus epidemic.

And winter almost here.

We'll need to bring in food,

clothing, medicine - Maria,

talk to Doctor Majkowski, see how

much Typhus vaccine you can get.

Since The Occupation Jadwiga

has done a brilliant job of trying

to balance an impossible

budget.

But...

But, if we continue to spread our

services over every district in Warsaw,

we will not be helping anyone.

From now on we must focus

our full attention on the ghetto.

Excuse me, Miss Irena.

The Jewish Quarter is not our problem.

Why not?

The Germans put them

there to protect us.

Protect us from what?

Maria, you are a nurse,

you know very well.

What do l know, tell me?

They have lice, spread disease and...

You know what l'm talking about.

Danuta, how can half a million cramped

people stay in good health.

One reason, another reason

what does it matter.

All l know is l am not going to bring

Typhus home to my family.

Whatever it is you're thinking,

l am sorry - l can't be part of it.

Anyone else who does

not agree with this direction,

l will arrange a department transfer.

Stefania, you have only been

with us two months.

l have not yet been inside the walls,

but l know l must do it.

Stefania. We are at war.

You are a soldier now. A soldier

must be tough or she cannot fight.

Oh! Hold her.

Hold her still, good, good.

- Why do you bother?

- Because we want your child to survive.

lf you want her to live, please,

take her from me, get her out of here.

l'm begging you,

take her outside the wall.

- l'm sorry.

- It's not possible.

Next!

Please, Mama, go back to bed.

l am fine. Do not worry.

What is it?

Tell me.

Irena?

Irenka, tell me what.

Today, l understood something.

Something about what?

l thought l was doing all l could

but the truth is l am doing nothing.

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