Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project

Stefan relays to Irena reports about the new camp: “Couriers in the woods near Treblinka say the camp started receiving trainloads of people from other camps and ghettos. Thousands go in, no one leaves. There are no prisoners’ barracks, no factories, no prisoners working. They just disappear. It’s a killing factory” (166). In July, the deportations begin; once again, the Germans choose a date of significance for Jews, “the date of the destruction of the first and second temples and the date on which the Spanish Inquisition expelled the Jews” (167).

Without knowing where the deportations will begin, Irena chooses buildings at random to try to convince parents to relinquish their children. Many refuse under the belief that things must be better out in the East. Later that day, Irena meets with Schmuel, who gives her information about the logistics of the deportations. He also knows the next district to be deported, which he provides under the condition that Irena will not alert the tenants, which would cause riots and reveal a breach in the Germans’ security.

Irena alerts her network, then begins going door to door in the next districts to be deported, asking parents to give up their children. Some agree and have to give them up immediately; others cling to the belief that things will be better in the East: “Irena [feels] the burden of her deadly knowledge—the devil’s bargain she had made with Schmuel—save a few children, but don’t alarm their parents.