Irena Sendler, the Polish woman who organized the rescue of some 2,500 Jewish children from the Nazis died yesterday at the age of 98. Her name had been put forward for the Nobel Peace Prize this year, but who won instead? Al Gore. A chance missed forever to honour a real hero.
I read about her death in my favourite newspaper Die WELT. But even there it was only mentioned on page 6, bottom right. I almost overlooked it. That is sad.
“Polin Irena Sendler gestorben - sie rettete 2500 jüdische Kinder”, Die WELT, 13. Mai 2008
Update May 14, 2008:
Irena Sendler did not consider herself a hero: “We who were rescuing children are not some kind of heroes”, she said towards the end of her life. “That term irritates me greatly. The opposite is true – I continue to have qualms of conscience that I did so little. I could have done more. This regret will follow me to my death.”
Read more in Daniel Hannan`s article “I hope Al Gore is hanging his head”, Daily Telegraph, May 13, 2008