Róża Maria Goździewska (Polish pronunciation:[ˈruʐaˈmarʲjaɡɔʑˈd͡ʑɛfska]; also known as Różyczka Goździewska, Różyczka being a diminutive of her first name, lit. "Little Rose"; 31 March 1936 – 29 October 1989) was a Polish nurse, known as the youngest nurse of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising when she was a child.[1]
Biography
Goździewska was born on 31 March 1936. Her father was killed by the Gestapo in 1943.[1] A year later, on 1 August, the city of Warsaw was engulfed in the uprising against the German occupiers, with the civilian population caught in the middle. A number of child soldiers took part in the fighting on the side of the Polish insurgents.[2][3]
Goździewska, eight years old at that time, was helping in the field hospital at 11 Moniuszki Street in Warsaw. She was described as a nurse because she made the patients smile, brought them water to drink, and tried to clear away the flies.[1] That field hospital was associated with the Polish insurgents' Home ArmyKoszta Company [pl] unit.[4][5] Her relative, Jadwiga Obretenny, 19 years old at the time, was also a nurse in the Uprising.[6]
In the early 21st century her photo gained recognition, having been used in various materials published by the Warsaw Uprising Museum.[5] Her photo was colorized in the 2010s, and by the late 2010s described as "well known"[8] and even as one of the most famous photos of the Warsaw Uprising.[9]
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