Janusz Korczak came to Sweden in July 1945 with UNRRA White Boat mission and three Kalkopf sisters - L:3003, L:3004, L:3005.

UNRRA White Boat M/S Kronprinsessan Ingrid.

My parents who knew dr. Janusz Korczak used to say that they brought Korczak to Sweden when they emigrated there from Poland at the end of 1969. They were probably wrong. Dorotka (Dwojra) Kalkopf, a member of the Association for Janusz Korczak's Living Heritage (an organization my parents formed 1972 after they emigrated to Sweden), was probably the one who took Korczak's writings with her during her journey from Lübeck to Malmö. Dorotka's two older sisters, Gitla and Ester, also arrived at Malmö with UNRRA White Boat M/S Kronprinsessan Ingrid. The sisters' journey from Bedzin to Sweden illustrates some key historical events they experienced along with other survivors: the time in the ghetto; the concentration camps; the liberation; and the journey to the West.

When Dorotka's sister Ester became ill in Bergen-Belsen, she was placed in a barrack full of bunk beds. Dorotka used to stand on a stool to talk to her sister on the upper couch. Subsequently, Dorotka became so weak that she could neither climb up on the podium nor stand on it without support. She was then helped by fellow prisoners who held her up during her conversations with her sister. The inmates were so weak from disease and malnutrition that they did not even notice when the British troops took over the camp. Dorotka remembers that she saw one man holding soap and another holding bread – but it wasn't until two Polish-speaking soldiers came into the barracks and said "siostry" (sisters) that they realized that they were truly liberated!

In addition to malnutrition and diseases in the camp there was a shortage of drinking water. Many people suffered from diarrhea, which caused even greater dehydration, the electrolyte imbalance, and malnutrition. Dorotka said that when it rained, many prisoners crawled on all fours and drank water from the mud puddles. However, some people did not even have the strength and/or will to get out of the barracks. They just sat there in a kind of stupor, just waiting for merciful death.

Today's blog underscores the relationship between Dorotka, her older sister Gitla Kalkopf, and Korczak. 

The trio met in 1937 when Korczak visited the orphanage in Bedzin. Dorotka was 7 years old then and Gitla 10. Just as in the orphanages in Warsaw, Korczak was immediately surrounded by the children. He would simply sit down and start talking to them. Gitla managed to climb up on his lap – making other kids, including Dorotka, jealous. The oldest sister, Esther, born in 1922, trained as a nurse and worked at the Bedzin hospital.

The headmistress of the orphanage had probably worked with Dr. Korczak, as the children were treated very well and raised in the spirit of Korczak. Unfortunately, my mother did not know the name of the headmistress; she just knew that she came from Warsaw and was probably one of the scholarship students )Bursa students) in Korczak's orphanage (Dom Sierot) in Warszawa.

After the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, Dorotka and Gitla were placed in the huge hospital area that the British prepared in German barracks near the camp. The hospital had over 13,000 beds. [By comparison, the new Karolinska Hospital has only 600 beds]. At the British hospital, the Kalkopf sisters began to recover. They were placed within the large hospital area of a house that Dorotka described as a "round house" that was built privately for a German Nazi. It was equipped with everything, from club rooms to a dance floor. The British started teaching English and other activities there and the hospital area slowly began to evolve into a DP camp.

What should we do now? the Kalkopf sisters wondered. They received the answer indirectly from a British (Jewish) officer Georg Klein. Care in Sweden! They were ultimately transported by the ambulance train to Lübeck and few days later, on July 7, 1945, embarked the UNRRA White Boat M/S Crown Princess Ingrid to Sweden.

For those who want to know more:

Janusz Korczak, 239 children and teachers and other staff from the orphanage Dom Sierot were deported on August 5th, 1942 and murdered in the death camp Treblinka.

Three orphaned sisters in Bedzin.

There were three orphaned sisters in Bedzin when World War II broke out in September 1939:

Esterka, Ester born 1922.
Guta, Gitla born 1926.
Dorotka, Dwojra born 1930.

Dorotka, later Dorothy (Bergman), and her sisters Esterka, Ester (Paluch / Platkiewicz) and Guta Gitla (Orzolek), came with a White boat - M/S Crown Princess Ingrid to Malmö during the summer of 1945.

Their maiden name was Kalkopf, which was actually their mother's last name. Dad's last name was Bosak. The sisters were born and lived in Bedzin. Much of their family and relatives were in Zarki.

The girls' parents Alta Fajgel and Nojech died in 1936. Guta (10 years old) and Dorothy (6 years old) were then moved to Bedzin's orphanage. Ester trained as a nurse (then 14 years old) and worked and probably lived in the hospital in Bedzin.

The Swedish version of the article: https://jimbaotoday.blogspot.com/2019/05/korczak-kom-till-sverige-redan-1945-med.html

The list of Jews in Bedzin 1939.

Information from another Holocaust survivor stating that the Orphanage in Bedzin was run according to "Korczaks system".

Bedzin Jewish Orphanage. "The trio met in 1937 when Korczak visited the orphanage in Bedzin. Dorotka was 7 years old then and Gitla 10. Just as in the orphanages in Warsaw, Korczak was immediately surrounded by the children. He would simply sit down and start talking to them. Gitla managed to climb up on his lap – making other kids, including Dorotka, jealous. The oldest sister, Esther, born in 1922, trained as a nurse and worked at the Bedzin hospital."

The oldest sister, Esther Kalkopf, born in 1922, trained as a nurse and worked at the Bedzin hospital.

Bergen-Belsen. From old camp barracks to the hospital area.

After the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, Dorotka and Gitla were placed in the huge hospital area that the British prepared in German barracks near the camp. The hospital had over 13,000 beds.

 

Part of the DP-2 card that shows the name of the UNRRAs White Boat Ingrid (M/S Kronprinssesan Ingrid) and the day of departure from Lübeck July 3, 1945 (in red)

DP-2 cards issued in Lübeck had numbers 3003, 3004 and 3005. The numbers are from the Entry card to Sweden (Inresekort) that had these numbers with L in front of the number, indicating Lübeck Transit Centre (L: 3003).

There was another person, Amsterdam Lola (L: 1975) that took care of the Kalkopf sisters. She wrote on her DP-2 card that they were her accompanying family members (8). Great woman!

One page with the names of passengers of the UNRRAs White Boat K.P. Ingrid (M/S Kronprinssesan Ingrid) and the day of departure from Lübeck. Kalkopf sisters are on the bottom of the page.

From the Swedish Transit Hospital in Lübeck to Sweden. British ambulances and former German Wehrmacht soldiers carrying on stretchers former inmates of concentration camps onboard one of the White Boats heading to Swedish ports.

Dr. Lisa Welander with the former inmates of Bergen-Belsen onboard UNRRAs White Boat Kronprinsessan Ingrid.

Janusz Korczak at Rózyczka summer camp (middle). On the left Pani Saba and on his right Pan Misza - Michal Wasserman Wroblewski, the only teacher that survived the deportation of Korczak Orphanage on August 5th, 1942.