Esperanto

Did you know that international language Esperanto was introduced in Warsaw?

Well I did not, my wife told me a few days ago when I noticed a bus with the name Esperanto on the front.

Bus line 107 ESPERANTO

She explained she was hanging out with folks from an Esperanto club in the past, together with her brother. They were no Esperanto enthusiasts but were welcome to join. 

History
Esperanto is a constructed international auxiliary language. With an estimated two million speakers worldwide, it is the most widely spoken constructed language in the world. The Polish-Jewish ophthalmologist L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, Unua Libro, in Warsaw in July 1887. The name of Esperanto derives from Doktoro Esperanto (Esperanto translates as "one who hopes"), the pseudonym under which Zamenhof published Unua Libro.

Warsaw and Esperanto
Warsaw still has various Esperanto clubs. Next to the bus line I also noticed a mural in Warszawa Muranów.

Also, Zamenhof has his own street in this area, 'ulica Zamenhofa.'

As a Pole with a Jewish background, he also features in the Museum of history of Polish Jews. I remember that me and my wife walked through a remake of ulica Zamenhofa in the museum. I did not know when walking through it, but made a photo.
Nice that pieces of the puzzle came together years later.

This area has another nice story behind it, involving a world famous artist. And, the myth says that he also was into Esperanto. 

Curious to know who? Keep an eye on the blog and you will find out :-)