Jerzy Einhorn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jerzy Einhorn
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Jerzy and Nina Einhorn in Landskrona in 1946.
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Jerzy Einhorn (born 26 July 1925 in Częstochowa, Poland – died 28 April 2000 in Danderyd, Stockholm, Sweden) was a famous doctor, researcher, and politician. He was born in Poland but later became a Swedish citizen. His Hebrew name was Chil Josef.
Contents
Early Life and Surviving History
Jerzy Einhorn grew up in a Yiddish-speaking Jewish family. During World War II, when Germany occupied Poland, his family faced terrible times. He became a victim of the Holocaust, a period when millions of Jewish people were persecuted and killed.
Life in the Ghettos
First, Jerzy was sent to the Warsaw Ghetto. This was a special area in the city where Jewish people were forced to live, separated from everyone else. Later, he was moved to the Częstochowa Ghetto near his hometown.
Surviving a Concentration Camp
From June 1943 to January 1945, Jerzy was held in the HASAG-Placery concentration camp. These camps were places where people were imprisoned and forced to work in very harsh conditions. He later wrote a book about his experiences called Utvald att leva, which means Chosen to live in English.
Moving to Sweden
After the war ended in 1945, Jerzy finished secondary school in Częstochowa. He then started studying medicine at the University of Łódź. In 1946, he left Poland to continue his studies in Denmark.
Jerzy and his wife, Nina Einhorn, decided not to go back to Poland. Instead, they asked for asylum in Sweden. This meant they asked Sweden for protection and the right to live there permanently.
A Career in Medicine
Jerzy Einhorn became a very important doctor in Sweden. From 1967 until he retired in 1992, he was the chief physician at Radiumhemmet. This is a famous institution in Sweden that specializes in oncology. Oncology is the study and treatment of cancer.
Leading Medical Research
He was also a professor of radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is a type of treatment that uses radiation to fight cancer. Jerzy was also the director of the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm.
Honored for His Work
His work was recognized worldwide. He was a member of the Nobel Prize Committee in medicine. This committee helps choose who wins the Nobel Prize for discoveries in medicine. He also received a gold medal from the Radiological Society of North America.
Public Service and Family
Jerzy Einhorn and his wife, Nina, were very active in supporting Zionism. This is a movement that supports the development and protection of a Jewish nation.
A Politician for Sweden
From 1991 to 1994, Jerzy Einhorn served as a member of the Swedish Parliament (MP). He represented the Christian Democrats political party. As an MP, he helped make laws and decisions for the country.
His Children's Legacy
Jerzy's children, Stefan Einhorn and Lena Einhorn, are both well-known authors in Sweden. Stefan Einhorn followed in his father's footsteps. He is a professor of molecular oncology at the Karolinska Institute and works as a doctor at Radiumhemmet.
Books
- Jerzy Einhorn, Utvald att leva, Bonniers (1996)
- Jerzy Einhorn, Det är människor det handlar om, Bonniers (1998)
