Amsterdam, on January 5th, 2007
Dear Korczak friends world-wide,
We have the pleasure to send you the International Janusz Korczak
Newsletter no 21. As the first one in 2007, it takes us the opportunity to
wish a prosperous 2007 to you and a better world for adults and children. A
world with less war and violence. We also wish you happiness and health in
your personal life.
In this newsletter, news from POLAND and GERMANY, RUSSIA, ENGLAND and The
NEDERLANDS (please mind the links to our new website:
http://korczak.info for detailed texts):
POLAND & GERMANY
Two important events took place in Slubice (Poland) on the 24th
and 25th of November, organised by the
Collegium Polonicum (European University in
Franfurt-Oder/Slubice) and the Janusz Korczak International Society in
Warsaw. The first one was the commemoration of Prof. Erich Dauzenroth who
passed away two years ago and the second one was the IKA general meeting.
I- A life to Korczak, a life to the Children
On
Friday the 24th, as a homage to the professor Erich Dauzenroth and
his literary in heritage, the Polish Janusz Korczak Association and the
Collegium Polonicum in Slubice organised a special exhibition of all the
documents, publications and objects that Erich Dauzenroth left to this
institute.
Preceding the opening of the exhibition all guests listened to three
speeches:
Between each speech was a short intermezzo with different quotations, of
Erich Dauzenroth or Janusz Korczak (later we will receive these texts and put
them on the website)
The meeting ended with several personal memories of friends and colleagues
of Erich. Johanna Dauzenroth closed with rendering thanks to everybody.
Ad.1: Janusz Korczak in the documents
of the Jewish Historical Institute
by Jan Jagielski, director of the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw
Jan Jagielski told us the story of the Ringblum-archives during the
ghetto-period. How they were hided in different places and sometimes in a very
strange way, like in big milk-cans. After the war two-third of them were
found. Fortunately many documents about Janusz Korczak were safe and available
for the future.
Ad. 2: Erich Dauzenroth as human and untiring
encourager of reconciliation
by Konrad Weiss, publicist and former cineast.
Well-known from his impressive and famous film ‘Ich bin klein aber
wichtig’, ( “I am litlle but important”) about life and work of Korczak,
Konrad Weiss delivered his testimony (summary below).
My memories of Erich Dauzenroth
“I started in 1987 together with the writer Walther Petri, a documentary
about Janusz Korczak. Living in the DDR we wanted to bring this film on the
screen in our country. Barbara Engemann, member of a small research-group,
was our adviser.
The material we had in the DDR was not enough to make a good film.
For that reason we made contacts with the Polish, Israelian and German
Korczak Associations. Erich Dauzenroth as co-president of the German Korczak
Association, immediately offered his help and support and passed a lot of
books and documents. From that moment our long-lasting friendship started. I
suppose that not all the materials arrived, because of the strict check on
the mail from the ‘non-socialistic’ countries. I offered Erich to
participate intensive in the making of. Summer 1987 our film-team utilized
the new change to travel to Poland looking for places and sets in Warsaw and
to do the archive-research. It was a great opportunity to record a talk with
Igor Newerly, some days before he died. Igor Newerly was Korczak’s secretary
and co-editor of the ‘Little Revue’ (Male Przeglad). It is one of the most
precious moments in the film. Some months later we invited Geula and Leon
Harari to East-Berlin. It was for Geula the first time after her escape with
the youth Alijah that she visited Berlin and the grave of her mother.
The correspondence Erich and I conducted gave the alarm to the STASI and
they started a file about our contacts. A postcard from Erich with the words
‘Lieber Konrad Weiss, herzlich grusst und wartet ihr
Dauzenroth’ was the first reason to it.
May 1988 we continued our film-shooting in Warsaw during the
International Korczak Conference. Finaly in October 1988 we met for the
first time. Erich forced the officials in the DDR to give me permission to
travel and to visit a Korczak Seminar in Rauischholzhausen. I learned to
know him as a open, cordial and modest man, who really received me with open
arms and open heart.
He introduced me to the Korczak friends in Germany and invited me to
spend some days in Giessen. I was impressed by his mission for the
reconciliation with Poland and the dissemination of Korczak’s books and
thoughts. I discovered that we had much in common: the love for Poland,
Janusz Korczak, the modern social catholicism that I learned in Poland and
the many friends we had in common.
At the end of 1988 the film was ready and during their visit to Berlin I
could show it to Leon and Geula Harari. In April 1989 I travelled for 6
months to Germany and had the opportunity to present the film to Erich
Dauzenroth. (What was Erich’s reaction? Red. Korczak Int. Newsletter)
Than, October 1989 the miracle happened. Our team, my wife,Walther Petri,
and Karin Wolff, (translater) received a visum for Israel. We were the first
non-jews who got the permission, perhaps thanks better political relations
between the DDR and Israel, to visit the country.
Unfortunately after 1989 we had fewer contacts and our correspondence
decreased. His death came so suddenly for me and I would have tell him a
lot, but most of all my thanks. But I’m happy that in the exhibition I can
share my good memories of Erich with all of you".
Ad. 3: The way to understanding,
drawing together and reconciliation
by Prof. Michael Kirchner (a summary)
Michael Kirchner deliver an impressive text as a tribute to Erich
Dauzenroth:
Janusz Korczak, as ‘Pons inter nationes’.
“…Erich Dauzenroth characterised the humanity of Janusz Korczak always as
a bridge between nations. But looking at all the materials Erich left to the
library of the ‘Collegium Polonicum’, part of the ‘European University
Viadrina, we must come to the conclusion that he himself was a
bridge-builder in the burning triangle between Poles, Germans and Jews.
In his work of conciliation he was inspired by Janusz Korczak.
I like to touch on this concept of reconciliation , found in Korczak’s
and Dauzenroth’s work.
There are four important and essential elements in this reflection.
- The creative “I do not know” of Korczak
- The man near me as a ‘hieroglyphic text’
- The tracks of the past and the sparks of longing
in the meeting of the other
- Ways to reconciliation
The creative I do not know
The creative Not-Knowing is an attitude that takes off the ideological
glasses. We look at the other, free from systematic schemes and prejudices.
Not-knowing means an open attitude and approach to the new situation, to the
new ‘hearing’.
‘Creative’gives us the possibility of changing our perspective in
looking. It means also renounce our image we built from the other. In the
relation with a child everyday is the Day of Creation.
The ‘creative Not-Knowing’ gives us a new ethic seeing, a new hearing and
ethics that consider the other and starts from the other.
The other/the others as a ‘hieroglyphic text’
When we are ready to meet the other with an open eye, whether it is a
child, a partner, a neighbour or just a stranger, we will discover that he
is a hieroglyphic text that we have to decipher. It is a key-concept in
Korczak’s work. For Korczak und Dauzenroth is the ‘creative Not-Knowing’ and
the reading of the hieroglyphics a source of power. In 1938 Korczak wrote in
a letter to Jozef Arnon: “July was fairy-like, 20 new children to
decipher, like 20 books, written in a half-known language, with missing
pages…"
The open look at this hieroglyphics is the open look at the face of the
other (‘angesicht’). Not the look from above, not from aside, but the look
from face to face.
The tracks of the past and the sparks
of longing in the meeting of the other
Our observations need to be open, but there is always an influence of the
past and the utopia’s and longings for the future. Reading the ‘face’ of
someone else carries your personal memories. But at the same time you know
that the other also carries his past. Each child carries the traces of his
life, even the traces of previous generations. Korczak: ‘Not only the
child at this very moment is crying, many centuries full of pain wail over’.
Korczak has always seen his Polish and Jewish countrymen with their own
background and history. He never used cliche’s and judged them as
individuals. Important is that we not only see with our own eyes, but also
through the glasses of the other with his personal context and history.
Ways to reconciliation
This way of understanding makes us modest without a matter of
self-evidence and we have to question ourselves. Korczak remained true to
open encounter, drawing together and reconciliation till his last days in
the Warsaw ghetto. (Remind the story of Korczak standing for the window
looking at the German soldier with his rifle). If you can talk about your
enemy in such an understanding way, it will encourage us not only to raise
our hands, but to reach out the hands to the other in the way Korczak did.
Erich Dauzenroth took the hands of the Poles and the Israeli for further
common projects of reconciliation.
His great desire was:( during a speech in Giessen)
"Let’s present to the other these flowers of understanding, of
drawing together and reconciliation; - flowers with the smell of the
bitter-sweet Jasmin…"
After the inaugural speech everybody could see the excellent and
interesting exhibition. A joy of recognition.
The IKA general meeting
the 25th of November
Report of the 2nd day of the Janusz Korczak Conference in Slubice:
“General Meeting” of the International Korczak Association.
Representatives
of 11 Korczak Associations (from the 22 in total) met each other in Slubice
to make some important decisions and to vote for a new president. Being the
president of the IKA for many years, Professor Jerzy Kuberski, decided to
retire because of bad health. Many of the participants spoke with appreciation
of Mr Kuberski and some nice gifts were handed.
Some important events in the IKA-history were marked (like the publishing
of the Works of Janusz Korczak in Polish and German)
In the afternoon we started with discussing the future of the IKA. Members
received (by-mail in advance and during the meeting) the 8 main proposals of
the Preparation group from France, Switzerland and the Netherlands (see
below):
- A strong and reduced international Board
To see: facilities as: meetings 2 times a year, transports compensations,
etc.
- To found a Centre for Janusz Korczak Research
(The composition is to be discussed)
- To collect document examples of Korczak’s ideas being put into
practice
‘How can children be respected at school, in the crèche and at home?’, ‘What
does this mean in practice?’, etc.
- To develop cooperation (strategic alliance) with local, European
and Global Organisations
(as Defence for Children International, Alliance for Childhood,
Warchild, etc.)
- Rejuvenation
Korczak Associations should offer the new generation (students, young
workers in schools, institutions, volunteers) a possibility to participate
in practical projects.
- A better working network between the Korczak Associations
(as Defence for Children International, Alliance for Childhood,
Warchild, etc.)
The newsletter, the website and other ways
- Budget
- Fees of each registered National Korczak Associations
- Payment for Copyright of Korczak materials (after checking)
- The eventual part of any International Korczak Foundations
- Fundraising
Gerard Kahn, representing Switzerland, explained the headlines of his
article ‘Does Korczak has a future’? This leading article set the tone for the
discussion. Also the article of Joop Berding was a document of vision and
action (see below).
The feeling was that we have to change the policy of the IKA.
The
president nominated Batia Gilad from Israel as the new president. But the
participants wondered why not to propose a second or third candidate. Many
members suggested to vote for Theo Cappon, chairman of the Dutch Korczak
Association. Juridical obstacles (according the regulations the president
should have the Polish nationality) made that we decided to vote for Batia
Gilad as interim president for 1 year. In the coming year she, with help of
some of us, will prepare the new regulations of the IKA.
The German Korczak Association invited all of us to come to
Mannheim, October 2007, to participate in the 30 years jubilee of her
Association and to do the election for the new president and the board during
these days.
The
meeting finished with short reports from several Korczak Association. They
were well prepared with photo-pictures, slides, video’s etc. It gave a good
impression of all the activities in these countries. Last but not least, there
was an interesting report of the Academy of Special Pedagogy and Education in
Warsaw. Professor Adam Fraczek, director, told about the Korczak Chair under
the patronage of the UNESCO and the curriculum-elements related to Korczak.
A meeting like this is of course also a reunion gathering with ‘old’
friends. Such meetings always put a heart into us. Finally the we could assess
a positive result of the Conference.
A double English language report by Theo Cappon
-
In
French language, see the Bernard Lathuillere reports (on "korczak.FR")
-
The
full Michael Kirchner article (on korczak.INFO, in Deutch)
- Direct access to the photos on the web:
-
- Documents and articles distributed at the general meeting
-
Mail
to the Korczak Associations, 2006-11-09 [PDF
62 Ko, 2 p.]
-
Resolutions,
1st version [PDF
98 Ko, 2 p.]
-
Suggestions
to renew the statutes - 1st version [PDF
90 Ko, 2 p.]
-
Propositions
pour de nouveaux statuts - version 1 [PDF
88 Ko, 2 p.]
-
"Does
Korczak have a future?", Gerard Kahn (CH)
-
"Teaching
Education in Russia", Dr. Tatyana Tsyrlina (RU)
-
"Reaction
and proposals", Dr. Joop Berding (NL) - [PDF
80 Ko, 2 p.]
****
RUSSIA
On
the 14th of December there was an interesting meeting in the
Pedagogical Institute of the Moscow University. We had the official
presentation of the special “Korczak’s idea‘s today"of
the pedagogical Magazine ‘The Democratic School’, vol. 2006 no 2.
It was an initiative of our colleague Prof. Irina D. Demakova and her
friend Mrs Nata Krylova, publisher of ‘The Democratic School’ and the
undersigned, to collect from different countries in the West and Russia
articles concerning the timeliness of Korczak’s ideas.
The presentation was part of a pedagogical seminar for teachers from all
over the Russian Federation ( from Kaliningrad in the west till Sachalin the
far-east: 10.000 km distance). About 150 participants were listening to
Korczak presentations held by Roza Valeyva (chairman of the
Russian Korczak Ass.) and students from Kazan, Tatiana Tsirlina,
head of the Korczak movement in Kursk [you
can read here her recent article about it] and her students, Irina
Demakova and the volunteers of the Nash Dom summercamps,
Helena Levina from Saint-Peterburg and Theo Cappon, chairman of the
Dutch Korczak Ass.
The book is published in Russian language. We hope to find some money to
publish it also in English. With permission of the editor we will put the
english texts on the International Website in the coming months.
Theo Cappon
On the photos, the Signature of some of the authors of the work presented
above (Rosa, Irina and Helena) and a student group singing the anthem of our
Nasz Dom Summercamps, our ten years success story beetwen Russia and The
Nederlands. (The photos will be more visible in a better size on the site).
****
GERMANY (bis)
We received from Michael Kirchner an interesting text spoken by Lola Lewin
during an International –Symposium at the Justus-Liebig University Giessen,
1973. The text was found in the archive of Erich Dauzenroth.
She called her story “Memories of Janusz Korczak’. She told how she came in
contact with Korczak, when she was a student in Warsaw. They met each other in
the evening and had intensive conversations about psychiatry. Korczak admitted
that he did ‘nt know much about the psyche of very young children. The full
text of this personal testimony is to be found on the International website.
****
ENGLAND
The Korczak exhibition in London
Joop Berding of the Dutch Korczak Association, and his daughter Laurien of
19, visited the Korczak Exhibition in London. Here is their report.
On
December 5, 2006 a unique exhibition was inaugurated in the
Jewish Museum in London: an exhibition entirely devoted to the life and
works of Janusz Korczak. Its title: ‘Champion of the Child - Janusz Korczak’.
An accurate and topical title: in his lifetime Korczak was indeed a champion
for children and their rights and up to the present time his convictions are
influential – though perhaps still not as influential as we would like –
throughout the world.
During the Christmas holidays we visited the Museum. The exhibition gives a
detailed and balanced account of Korczak’s life, his work as a physician and
writer, and of course pays much attention to his work as an educator in the
orphanages of Warsaw. There are about fifteen large panels, with beautiful
photos and illustrations, texts by Korczak, and commentaries that reveal
certain aspects of his work.
On many of the panels Korczak’s ideas and practices are connected to
topical issues, such as the problems of refugees, and of homeless children and
orphans due to Aids. We find this one of the fortunate aspects of this
exhibition: it does not only investigate and present the past, but also poses
questions to the worldwide treatment of children and youngsters in our own
time.
Quite
a large amount of space is devoted to the last years of Korczak and his
orphans in the Warsaw ghetto and their removal to the Umschlagplatz and
Treblinka on August 6, 1942. A very special element of the exhibition are the
watercolours made by Yitzhak Belfer, a pupil of Korczak’s who survived and
crafted his memories and experiences into these beautiful and moving
paintings.
There will be a number of special presentations in the museum, at which Mr
Belfer will be present, see the program on the museum website. In a box a
letter dated October 29, 1940 is presented, with the signature ‘Goldszmit
Korczak’ in which Korczak pleads for help with the American Jewish
Distribution Committee. For us, this was the first time we actually saw
Korczak’s own handwriting.
All in all, this exhibition is especially rewarding for people who are
‘first-timers’ to Korczak, and who have time to absorb all the information.
For children and young people however, this exhibition misses an element of
action and interactivity. Nevertheless, we think that with the help and
explanation by a teacher or counselor, young people also may find many points
of interest and reference in this exhibition.
Joop and Laurien Berding
****
THE NEDERLANDS
The Dutch friends asked the newsletter team to repeat their call for the
Janusz Korczak International Youth Meeting 2007. Please print the text and
pass it to colleagues and friends. See below.
Amsterdam, November 2006Dear Colleague’s,
The Dutch Janusz Korczak Association proudly presents:
International
Janusz Korczak Youth Meeting
which will take place in Holland
from 22-28 September 2007
An interesting en unique conference with educators from all over the
world!
From September 22th till 28th, 100 international educators (age 18 till ±
35)
will come together in Bergen aan Zee (Holland) to discuss, learn and talk
about their work and the relation between their daily work
('way of work) and Janusz Korczak’s way of working and thinking.
We will focus on the following topics:
- Growing up in two cultures; Problems vs positive experiences
in a multi- cultural and multi-ethnic society
- The need of education for citizenship; active participation of
children in society.
- Children and multimedia (tv, internet, video-games, mobile
telephone); risks and opportunities; influence of consumer society.
- The right of children and youngster on sexuality.
- "Learning for life". How can children be active in their own
learning process?
- Integration of disabled children and youngsters in society
- The Right of Children to mental and physical protection (or:
Our fight against mental and bodily child abuse)
- How can we help children and young people to deal with
aggression?
The topics are presented in different workhops. They will be discussed in
groups. Experts will give lectures, but we also need your
experiences and input. Beside the workshops we will use: games,
presentations, acts, round-tables etc.
It will pass in games, little acts and in the ways you will bring them.
In all activities there will be place for your own input.
Practical information
| Spoken
language: |
English |
| Dates: |
2007 September 22th-28th |
| Place: |
"Het Zeehuis", Bergen aan Zee,
Holland. This place is a house for nature lovers, on the edge of a big
forest and only 300 meters from the North Sea: also close to Amsterdam!
(40 km). |
| Conference fee: |
225 Euros. (Price including
overnight stays, meals and cultural visits. This price does not includes
travel costs) |
| Organized by: |
The Dutch Janusz Korczak
Association |
Contact
If you are interested to receive more detail information or to receive
the final invitation, please let us know. Elder people are welcome
if they invite some young people too.
- E-mail address: "info [[@]]
korczak.nl"
- Telephone: + 31 20 644 70 18
- Telefax: + 31 20 644 81 54
- Post address: Janusz Korczak Stichting, PO-box:
70048, 1007 KA
Please join us, we hope to meet you in September 2007!
Use the FIRST RESPONSE PAPER below and send your answer
before 12th of February 2007
Theo Cappon, president of the JKSN
(The Dutch Janusz Korczak Association)
First Response Paper
Name (Male/Female): _____________________________________
Date of birth: ____________________________________________
Address + Country: ________________________________________
___________________ _______________________ _____________
___________________ _______________________ _____________
___________________ _______________________ _____________
E-mail: ____________________________________________
Tel. Nr.: ____________________________________________
Work or Study: ____________________________________________
I’m interested to participate in the Janusz Korczak International Youth
Meeting 22-28 September 2007 in The Netherlands.
My three favorite topics are:
(we need this information to prepare the themes)
- ___________________________________________________
- ___________________________________________________
- ___________________________________________________
I like to present for the “Open Podium” or Music/Theatre part of the
meeting.
Do you have special questions or suggestions for the meeting?
___________________ _______________________ ________________
___________________ _______________________ ________________
___________________ _______________________ ________________
After receiving your response paper, we send you the Registration Form.
We prefer to do the correspondence by e-mail at "info (AT)
korczak.nl".
Send this paper by e-mail, fax: + 31.20.644.81.54 or
by post to:
Janusz Korczak Stichting Postbox 70048 1079LH Amsterdam. The Netherlands.
Note that it will be possible soon to fill the form directly from the
webiste.
****
An happy new year!
A good, healthy and productive 2007,
with the hope that the Korczak movement
will flourish as never before!
The contributors and editors
of the Janusz Korczak International Newsletter on-line.
![Change [[at]] with](http://korczak.info/images/anim/mailgai.gif)
Thank
you to use our new special e-mail address for the newsletter and the website,
also with the Contact form of the site, to send us your articles, photographs,
videos, songs, poetries, etc!
"ikanews [at]
gmail.com"
Warning about E-mail and spam
What means this strange cabalistic sign: [[@]]? Many robots recover very
easily and automatically the e-mail addresses written inside personals emails
and on all Web sites. Why facilitate their task? We use this sign as a
protection against the spam engines, because, for the moment, only human
beings are able to reconstitute the right addresses, by changing the [[@]]
with: "@". However, we may give sometimes some e-mail address in clear when we
are sure to be able to encode them safely (in the HTML page), wich is not so
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