Also, Janina Nowak was a 24 year old Polish Jew who escaped Auschwitz Concentration Camp in 1942. She was deported to Auschwitz on June 12, 1942. She escaped only days later on June 24, 1942 and was known as the first female prisoner to escape Auschwitz. Nowak escaped from a work party called Kommando that consisted of 200 Polish Women working near Søoa river drying hay. Once she was reported missing, the Nazi's unsuccessfully tried to chase Nowak. Nowak managed to get to her home town of Lødz, Poland and was free until March 1943 when she was arrested again, this time to be sent to KL Ravensbrück and was there until the liberation of the camp in 1945. What Janina Nowak did was very Courageous and Inspiring. Janina Nowak should be included in famous people.
Such a pretty name! I love the Polish pronunciation, and I prefer it to the way English Speakers would say it, however, the English way is also very pretty. Janina is my favorite girl's name at the moment, along with Miriam.
In the popular book, "MILKWEED," Janina is the name of the young girl Misha befriends. The book takes place during WWII and tells the story of Misha and his hardships with Janina.
A (sadly not so) famous bearer of this name, is Janina Gavankar, actress and singer. She playes Papi in "The L Word", and the very sexy Iona in "Cup of My Blood".