- 1887-07-26 —
Leyzer (Eliezer) Levi Zamenhof published, in Russian, La Unua Libro, (The First Book) of his fully-formed manual of the Esperanto language, signing it "Doktoro Esperanto", the nom de plume of its creator. By way of explanation, the word "esperanto", in Esperanto, means "One who hopes".
- Some estimates optimistically place the number of people familiar to some degree with the language at nearly two million, and it is now among the languages taught on the popular website and app Duolingo. But there are only perhaps some ten thousand fully fluent Esperanto speakers.
- See JPost.com 8Feb2022 for a full history of the language and of the Zamenof family.
- 1926-04-00 —
Lidia Zamenhof, a daughter of the founder of Esperanto Ludwik Zamenhof, became a Bahá'í, the first Pole to accept the Faith. [Lidia71]
- For her story see the podcast Who Was She?
- 1939-09-03 — World War II began with Britain and France declaring war on Germany after Germany invaded Poland.
- 1942-08-00 —
Lidia Zamenhof (b. 29 January 1904 in Warsaw) was killed in the gas chambers at Treblinka.
Around 1925 she became a member of the Bahá'í Faith after having learned of the Faith at the 17th World Congress in 1925 in Geneva where she met Martha Root who was already well known among the Esperantists. Dr. Adelbert Muhlschlegel gave a short talk in Esperanto in which he explained Bahá'u'lláh's teachings and cited 'Abdu'l-Bahá's praises of Esperanto and of Dr Zamenhof. In late 1937 she went to the United States to teach that religion as well as Esperanto. In December 1938 she had to leave the United States as that country's Immigration Service declined to extend her visa for the illegal "paid labor" of teaching Esperanto. She returned to Poland, where she continued to teach and translate many Bahá'í writings.
Under the German occupation regime of 1939, her home in Warsaw became part of the Warsaw Ghetto. 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 endeavoured 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 Jozef 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 Bahá'í and will die a Bahá'í. Everything is in His hands." [JewAge]
- For her obituary see BW10:533–8.
- See also Lidia by Wendy Heller and published by George Ronald in 1985 and Lidia Zamenhof, a cosmopolitan woman and victim of the Holocaust.
- See JPost.com 8Feb2022 for a full history of the language and of the Zamenof family.
See Lydia Zamenhof by John T Dale on Bahá'í Library Online.
See The Bahai Movement and Esperanto by Jeanne Bolles published in Star of the West Vol 11 No 17 p286-287 and 290-291
iiiii
- 1990-11-12 — 12 November 1990:
To the Followers of Bahá'u'lláh throughout the World
SEVEN MONTHS AFTER LAUNCHING SUPPLEMENTARY TWO YEAR PLAN REJOICE ANNOUNCE FOURTEEN LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES IN SOVIET UNION, PLUS SIX IN ROMANIA WHERE THERE ARE NOW OVER 600 BELIEVERS, AND ONE LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY EACH IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA, HUNGARY AND YUGOSLAVIA. DEVELOPMENT FAITH IN ALL THESE COUNTRIES AS WELL AS IN ALBANIA, BULGARIA, MONGOLIA AND POLAND GOING FORWARD WITH EXTRAORDINARY SPEED, FORMATION MORE LOCAL ASSEMBLIES IN PROCESS OR EXPECTED SHORTLY.
The Universal House of Justice [Mess86-01p178]
- 1991-03-00 — In March the first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly was re-elected in Warsaw. By 1992 the National Spiritual Assembly was elected. [Wikipedia]
- 1992-04-21 — The National Spiritual Assembly of Poland was formed with its seat in Warsaw. [CBN Jan92 p2, BINS270:2; BW92–3:119; VV121]
- 2004-04-02 —
The passing of Ola Pawlowska (b. Ola Clemens 14 February, 1910 in Lakta, outside Cacow, Poland) in Newfoundland, Canada. Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for St. Pierre and Miquelon, translator of the Writings (into Polish), pioneer to Poland, Luxembourg and Congo (30 years), Auxiliary Board Member. [BW'03-'04pg236, BWNS248]
- For her biography see Legacy of Courage: The Life of Ola Pawlowska, Knight of Bahá'u'lláh" by Suzanne Schuurman, published by George Ronald in 2008.
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