Family

Ludoviko’s parents were called Mark and Rozalia Zamenhof. Mark was a teacher of French and German who lived 1837-1907. Rozalia was a housewife who lived 1839-1892. Ludoviko and his wife Klara (1863-1924) gave them three grandchildren; Adam (1888-1940), Zofia (1889-1942), and Lidia (1904-1942).

Adam was the head-doctor of the eye ward in a Jewish hospital in Warsaw. His son was Louis-Christophe Zaleski-Zamenhof (1925-2019), a doctor of engineering on- and off-shore construction, who was also an Esperantist. Louis-Christophe had two daughters, Hanna and Margaret, both of whom are active Esperantists who have had children; Klementina Zamenhof-Zaruski and Pierre-Louis-Antoine Lebard. On one hand, it is tempting to celebrate that the Zamenhof pedigree lives on. But we should also recognize that Esperantists are all one big family.

Zofia lived in Warsaw and was a pediatrician, a doctor who treats children, who specialised in internal diseases. When her father was alive, she would often help him arrange his large collection of books.

Lidia was a keen promoter of both Esperanto and Homaranismo.

All of Ludwik's children died because of the Nazi regime.

Ludwik Zamenhof was his parents’ first born child, and he had eight siblings. His sister Sara (1860-1870) came next, but she died at the age of 10. His next siblings were Fania (1862-1930s) and Augusta (1864- before 1934). His brother Felix (1868-1933) was a pharmacist. Henryk (1871-1932) was a doctor who he spoke Esperanto, but he did not concern himself much in terms of the language and the movement. Leon (1875-1934) was a doctor of throat, ear and nose diseases and became an Esperantist in 1898. Alexander (1877-1916), who died as a colonel of the Russian army in Dvinsk, was also a doctor; he was the youngest son, the most loved brother of Ludoviko, and an Esperantist from the the very beginning. Ida (1879-1942) was the youngest sister of Ludwik. She was also an Esperantist.

Photo gallery

Mark Zamenhof, the father of Ludwik, in 1878

Rozalia Zamenhof (born Sofer), the mother of Ludwik, in 1878

Alexander Zamenhof, Ludwik's brother, around 1910

Felix Zamenhof, Ludwik's brother, around 1910

Leon Zamenhof, Ludwik's brother, around 1905

Henryk Zamenhof, Ludwik's brother, around 1905

Ida Zimmerman (born Zamenhof), Ludwik's sister, around 1905

Klara Zamenhof (born Zilbernik), Ludwik's wife

Zofia Zamenhof, Ludwik's first daughter, in 1906

You will find more photos of the Zamenhof family at Photogallery

Family

Photo gallery

Sources