Memory of Ms. Stefa

In memory of her pupils Wilczynska is remembered as a noiseless, strict person, always dressed in black, with short black hair and a bunch of keys. Samuel Gogol reminds: “I don’t think she was a cold person. Home couldn’t exist without this extraordinary lady, without her serious face. Every detail interested her. Doctor (Korczak) didn’t care about: clothes, clean hands or an order. I think she was a mother and father for us, after all, someone had to educate us rigidly. In my memory an Orphanage Home is Ms. Stefa, and Ms. Stefa – is an Orphanage Home.” Wilczynska wrote about herself in letters to her friends: “I can’t speak nicely and write much neither. I can only work ,slowly and carefully” or “I can’t have fun with them on the train, running of the floors like Doctor (Korczak) . I’m impatient, I’m being unjust. I can’t admit to failure. I’m punishing myself for it.” Janusz Korczak had used to stand trial, Wilczyńska had never had to do it – although pupils often had many objections to her, no one accused her of nothing.

Two years after opening an Orphanage Home I World War began. In 1914 Korczak was called up into the army. Wilczyńska took up the position of the orphanage manager. But the numer of orphans increased, and conditions got worse.

She was an orphanage manager until 1918, when Korczak returned from war. Ida Merzan, one of the Wilczynska pupils reminded: “Ms. Stefa was with us all the time. She used to wake up before us, and she used to go to bed last, she didn’t stop working even when she was ill. (…) Tall, in black apron, hair shorn in a man like manner, always attentive and alert, even while resting she remembered about every child.  At night she used to wake up to cover children, to blow noses, to find out why someone moan while sleeping. (…) Home was full of Ms. Stefa, we felt her thoughts and concerns everywhere.”

“I had a home, where daddy was Stefa, and mum – Korczak” – reminds Szlomo Nadel, one of the few living pupils of orphanage house at Krochmalna. Wilczyńska was responsible for daily life of the Orphanage, she woke up first and went sleep last , she nursed, and took care of children all day long. Stefania took care of discipline, so that is why many pupils remembered her as strict, demanding person – unlike Korczak, who seemed to beam with cordiality.