Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof

Created Esperanto, a neutral international language to foster global communication and peace.

Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof (1859–1917), a Polish-Jewish ophthalmologist, invented Esperanto in 1887, aiming to bridge linguistic divides and promote world peace. Born in Białystok, a multilingual city under Russian rule, Zamenhof witnessed ethnic tensions fueled by language barriers, inspiring his lifelong mission.

Esperanto’s simplicity (16 grammar rules, no irregular verbs) made it accessible. By 1905, the First World Esperanto Congress in France drew 688 attendees from 20 countries. Today, Universala Esperanto-Asocio estimates 2 million speakers worldwide, with literature spanning original and translated works.

Despite suppression under Stalin and Hitler, Zamenhof’s vision endured. UNESCO recognized Esperanto’s cultural value in 1954, and it remains a tool for NGOs and online communities. Zamenhof’s ideals of unity resonate in projects like Duolingo’s Esperanto course, which has taught over 1 million users.