Korczak´s children when living at 16 Sienna street - Letter to a Priest

A Letter to a Priest

View of Sienna street. Korczaks Orphanage is marked with the arrow. Horse-drawn streetcars and rickshaw are seen on the street.

The following letter was written by the children of Janusz Korczak’s orphanage in the Warsaw Ghetto to the priest, Marceli Godlewski, head of the church of the converted, who were also incarcerated in the ghetto.

Do wielebnego Księdza Plebana przy Parafii Wszystkich Świętych.

Uprzejmie prosimy Sz. Ks. Plebana o łaskawe udzielenie nam pozwolenia na kilkakrotne odwiedzenie ogrodu przy Kościele w soboty w godzinach rannych, możliwie wczesnych (6.30 – 10).
Tęsknimy trochę powietrza i zieleni. Duszno u nas i ciasno. Chcemy zapoznać się i zaprzyjaźnić z przyrodą.
Nie będziemy niszczyć zasiewów.Gorąco prosimy o nieodmówienie naszej prośbie.

Zygmuś, Semi, Abraszka, Hanka, Aronek

To the revered priest, the head of the congregation of the All Saints Church, 

We are honored to request of His Excellency the priest who heads the congregation that he permit us, out of his abundant goodness, to visit the park next to the church a few times in the early-morning hours, if possible (6:30-10:00 AM). We yearn for a little air and greenery. It is crowded and stifling where we live. We would like to become acquainted with nature and make it our friend. We will not harm the flowerbeds. In all sincerity, we ask you not to deny our request.

Zygmuś, Semi, Abraszka, Hanka, Aronek

The area of Little ghetto in Warsaw. There were no parks or green areas in this part of the ghetto. The only green spot was at the church (marked with the cross) located between Twarda and Panska street. The location of Korczaks Orphanage is marked with an asterisk.

The only green spot in the Little Ghetto was at the church located between Twarda and Panska street and marked with an asterisk..