Lidia Zamenhof (; 29 January 1904–1942) was a Jewish Polish writer, publisher, translator and the youngest daughter of Klara (Silbernik) and L. L. Zamenhof, the creator of

Esperanto Esperanto (, ) is the world's most widely spoken Constructed language, constructed international auxiliary language. Created by L. L. Zamenhof in 1887 to be 'the International Language' (), it is intended to be a universal second language for ...

. She was an active promoter of Esperanto as well as of Homaranismo, a form of religious humanism first defined by her father. Around 1925 she became a member of the

Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the Baháʼí Faith and the unity of religion, essential worth of all religions and Baháʼí Faith and the unity of humanity, the unity of all people. Established by ...

. In late 1937 she went to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

to teach that religion as well as Esperanto. In December 1938 she returned to Poland, where she continued to teach and translated many Baháʼí writings. She was murdered at the

Treblinka extermination camp Treblinka () was the second-deadliest extermination camp to be built and operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland during World War II. It was in a forest north-east of Warsaw, south of the village of Treblinka in what is now the Mas ...

during

the Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

Life

Lidia Zamenhof learned Esperanto as a nine-year-old girl. By the age of fourteen, she translated from

Polish literature Polish literature is the literary tradition of Poland. Most Polish literature has been written in the Polish language, though other languages used in Poland over the centuries have also contributed to Polish literary traditions, including Latin, ...

; her first publications appeared several years thereafter. Having completed her university studies in

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...

in 1925, she dedicated herself totally to working for Esperanto. In the same year during the 17th

World Congress of Esperanto The World Esperanto Congress (, UK) is an annual Esperanto convention. It has the longest tradition among international Esperanto conventions, with an almost unbroken run for 119 years. The congresses have been held since August 5, 1905, every ye ...

in 1925 in

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she became acquainted with the

. Lidia Zamenhof became secretary of the homaranistic Esperanto-Society Concord in

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

and often made arrangements for speakers and courses. Starting at the

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

World Congress of Esperanto in 1924 she attended almost every World Congress (she missed the 1938 Universala Kongreso in England). As an instructor of the Cseh method of teaching Esperanto she made many promotional trips and taught many courses in various countries. She actively coordinated her work with the student Esperanto movement — in the International Student League, in the UEA, in the Cseh Institute, and in the Baháʼí Faith. Additionally, Lidia wrote for the journal '' Literatura Mondo'' (mainly studies on Polish Literature), and also contributed to '' Pola Esperantisto'', '' La Praktiko'', '' Heroldo de Esperanto'', and '' Enciklopedio de Esperanto''. Her translation of '' Quo Vadis'' by

Henryk Sienkiewicz Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz ( , ; 5 May 1846 – 15 November 1916), also known by the pseudonym Litwos (), was a Polish epic writer. He is remembered for his historical novels, such as The Trilogy, the Trilogy series and especially ...

was published in 1933 and is very well known. In 1937 she went to the United States for a long stay. In December 1938 she had to leave the United States because that country's Immigration Service declined to extend her tourist visitor's visa because of her allegedly illegal "paid labor" of teaching Esperanto. She refused offers of marriage that could have permitted her to remain or eventually to naturalize. After returning to Poland, her homeland, she travelled around the country teaching Esperanto and the Baháʼí Faith. Under the German occupation regime of 1939, her home in Warsaw became part of the

Warsaw Ghetto The Warsaw Ghetto (, officially , ; ) was the largest of the Nazi ghettos during World War II and the Holocaust. It was established in November 1940 by the Nazi Germany, German authorities within the new General Government territory of Occupat ...

. She was arrested under the charge of having gone to the United States to spread anti-Nazi propaganda, but after a few months, she was released and returned to her home city where she and the rest of her family remained confined. There she endeavored to help others get medicine and food. She was offered help and escape several times by Polish Esperantists but refused in each case. To one Pole, well-known Esperantist Józef Arszennik, who had offered her refuge on several occasions, she explained, "you and your family could lose your lives because whoever hides a Jew perishes along with the Jew who is discovered." To another, her explanation was contained in her last known letter: "Do not think of putting yourself in danger; I know that I must die but I feel it is my duty to stay with my people. God grant that out of our sufferings a better world may emerge. I believe in God. I am a Baháʼí and will die a Baháʼí. Everything is in His hands." Eventually in the end she was swept up in the mass transport heading to the extermination camp in

Treblinka Treblinka () was the second-deadliest extermination camp to be built and operated by Nazi Germany in Occupation of Poland (1939–1945), occupied Poland during World War II. It was in a forest north-east of Warsaw, south of the Treblinka, ...

in the course of the Grossaktion Warsaw. She was killed there sometime after the summer of 1942.

Memorial

In her memory and honor, a meeting was held in 1995 at the

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The meeting called attention to Esperantists' efforts to save persecuted Jews during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Esperanto works

*Lidia Zamenhof (1931), ''Homo, Dio, Profeto'' (Man, God, Prophet)

Notes

References

* In English: Wendy Heller, ''Lidia: The Life of Lidia Zamenhof, Daughter of Esperanto''. * In

: Wendy Heller, ''Lidia: La vivo de Lidia Zamenhof, filino de Esperanto'' () * In

: Isaj Dratwer, ''Lidia Zamenhof. Vivo kaj agado'' * An extensive chapter on Lidia Zamenhof in ''La familio Zamenhof'', by Zofia Banet-Fornalowa. * Information about Lidia Zamenhof may be found in publications of the Baháʼí Esperanto movement and in other articles. * As of August 2006, most of this article is a translation of the corresponding Esperanto Vikipedio article.

Drama

The documentary drama ''Ni vivos!'' (''We will live!'') by

Julian Modest Julian may refer to: People * Julian (emperor) (331–363), Roman emperor from 361 to 363 * Julian, of the Roman gens Julia, with imperial dynasty offshoots * Saint Julian (disambiguation), several Christian saints * Julian (given name), people ...

depicts the Zamenhof family's fate in the

External links

* * (in English
John Dale - Notes on the life of Lidia Zamenhof
* (in Esperanto

''Translations of several important Baháʼí writings in Esperanto.'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Zamenhof, Lidia 1904 births 1942 deaths 20th-century Bahá'ís 20th-century Polish translators 20th-century Polish women writers Jewish Polish writers Converts to the Bahá'í Faith from Judaism Polish women linguists Polish Bahá'ís Polish civilians killed in World War II Polish Esperantists People killed by gas chamber by Nazi Germany Polish people who died in Treblinka extermination camp Translators to Esperanto Warsaw Ghetto inmates Women religious writers Writers from Warsaw People from Warsaw Governorate Writers of Esperanto literature 20th-century Polish linguists