Sitting Down In My GGGrandfather's House.

Louis Forefather's Traces Tour to Poland. Part 2.

(Part 1)

We were off to Opole to check the archives on the Philipsek side of the family. We were going through the Mechnica church records when Zenon noticed that town sponsors for the Philipsek baptisms came from Twardawa.  (By the way, “Philipsek” is usually spelled “Phillipczyk” and is pronounced “Feel LEAP chick”).  I had been unable in my research in the USA to verify the marriage of August Phillipczyk and Clara Bannert and the birth of their first two children, John and Anastasia, in Mechnica.   Zenon got the microfilm for Twardawa and found August and Clara’s wedding date and the birth of some children, all of which may not be known at this time. Also listed were the names of August and Clara’s parents. (This is what happens when you have a driver/translator who is also genealogist!) I have ordered the microfilm and hope I can finish this story. In the Litchy family history, it has been passed down that August and Clara had as many as seven children---all who died, before they brought the family, as we know it, to Minnesota. The Litchy story may have some basis in fact!

The possible Philipsek house

In Mechnica, Basia, who ran the bed and breakfast, asked her father-in-law about the Philipsek name and he said they used to live just down the road, but they moved to Germany some years ago. So Zenon, Basia, and I went looking for the house. A neighbor noticed us, came across the cobbled street, took a look at me and said, “You are a Philipsek. I can see it in your face!” He had a key so he opened the gate which allowed us to take even better pictures.  (See what happens when you have a driver/translator! Again, do try to avoid driving in Poland!)

Later we had a spirited discussion with Basia’s uncle, who was forced to leave Poland when martial law was imposed. He had been a patriot and his fate was death or Siberia, so he fled to Germany and had been living there for 20 years. We discussed the merits and flaws of socialism and democracy for at least two hours over beer and sausage.  Poor Zenon: not only did he have to deal with the uncle who tried to speak Polish and often would lapse into German; at the same time he had to deal with Basia and her father-in-law as they would re-translate the German into Silesian Polish! What a yeoman’s job he did!

What a great evening it was!  After, we laughed, shook hand and admitted that talking politics was everybody’s favorite pastime.

We drove to Krakow and had a wonderful time just roaming the streets. There was a political rally commemorating the Russian invasion of Poland Sept 17, 1939. Zenon reminded me that Stalin had a deal with Hitler and when the war started to go bad for the Germans, Stalin changed sides. The city is beautifying itself and it is gorgeous. The streets are full of festive banners. Next to Paris, it is the most visited city in Europe because of its festive atmosphere. There is a McDonald’s somewhere on this street! (Driving can be dangerous in Poland, so don’t drive!)

Street scene from Krakow

From Krakow we went to Oswiecim (Polish Spelling) to see the death camps for the Jews and others!

The gate at Auschwitz, the sign above the gate says, “Work will make you free.” This is a copy of a photograph by someone else. My picture of this gate did not turn out.

I went primarly to say Kaddish for the family of Judy’s dad’s good friend who, while he survived this death camp, saw his wife and 4 children shot in the head at the train station. He married a woman he met in Auschwitz (German spelling) and settled in Rutland, Vermont. He always would ask Judy’s dad, Lorny (nickname for Laurence), “How am I doing?” and her dad would say, “You are doing just fine".

He had a son and daughter that attended Rutland High school.  Judy drew a portrait of his son which hung in his home.  While I stood there, I recited an English translation of this Jewish prayer for the dead (Incidentally, death is not mentioned.) for David’s first family. It began to rain gently and the ink from my script began to run both from the mist and my tears. I signed Judy’s father’s name “from Laurence Duane Ward” folded it up and stuck it in the space between the post and the sign.

I also found in the Polish records that a “Pyka” and a “Welna” were interred at Auschwitz.  Zenon said he will to find out where they were from and perhaps how we might be related. Over 150,000 Poles perished in Auschwitz.

We went up the mountains to Zakopane. We were to take the tram to the top but it was wet and foggy so we settled for beer and a meat medley dish which included lamb sausage, which must be the food of the gods. I was hesitant, but found it to be one of the most delicious foods on my trip. Zenon and I alsodid Polish Vodka shots and to quote that Dutch salesman from North Dakota, “It was smood!” I was sorry I could not sneak this vodka back to VT.

I spent one day in Warsaw by myself, visiting the old town. I got lost three times but everyone is eager to help you.  (Beware, don’t drive in Poland.)

I visited to the Warsaw Uprising Museum with Zenon and his son, David. We even walked the sewers which the uprisers used to pass information to one another. While we were standing there, Zenon said, “That man over there was here; he is an upriser.” (So, having a driver/translator is a good idea! Without Zenon I never would have had this opportunity to meet and praise the courage of this old man.) Zenon had overheard a conversation between the man and probably his great grandchild, who was steadying him as he was explaining his experiences. I asked to be introduced and he accepted. I told him how honored I was to meet a real hero. He agreed to have his picture taken, BUT I forgot to ask him his name.

A survivor of the Warsaw Uprising

So that’s a short summary of my trip to Poland.  None of it would have been possible without the services of Zenon. He is a gem!

If you decide to go to Poland, I suggest that you try to learn the language. It is difficult. (Zenon said that after knowing Polish, English is easy!)  I only got to Unit 2 Lesson 3 on my Rosetta Stone Polish language CD, but I am committed to finishing all 8 units, each having 10 -11 lessons. Even the little Polish I learned, helped.

I recommend that you at least read Poland by James Michener. But, if you really want to get a glimpse into the “Polish soul”, read the Sienkiewicz trilogy: With Fire and Sword, which covers the Polish Commonwealth’s fight against the Cossack and Tartar troops in 1648 – 1649; The Deluge, covering the Swedish Army from 1655 to 1657 and the Russian and Cossack Army between 1655 and 1658; and Fire in the Steppe against the Turkish Army from 1668 – 1673. I finished the last book in Krakow on September 20th! This trilogy is the national epic of Poland and is required reading for all Polish students. To read these books is a serious commitment, as the novels are 1135, 842 and 717 pages respectively.  Get the W.S. Kuniczak translation as it captures the Polish language much better than previous translations. (Zenon agreed with my research on this.) There is also The Trilogy Companion which is a reader’s guide to the trilogy which I found helpful. You will laugh and cry through these books, but I am convinced they will reveal that there is something special about the Polish soul which is complex, joyful, humorous, unyielding, heroic and most of all, beautiful.

Add to this, Genghis Khan’s invasion in the 1200’s, killing all the males and small children, raping the women and selling them into slavery, how Poland was partitioned three times by Russia, Prussia and Austria between 1772 and 1794, again still another partition in the 1860’s.  Add to that, all the death and destruction during WWI after which Poland was finally restored, then raped again in WWII, the Russian occupation until the 1980’s and all what our ancestors had to suffer and endure even if we no longer know their names---all this will tell you of the Polish soul which suffered for so long, yet survived. I found reading these three books “Sursum corda” (“lifted my heart").  Today Poland is growing and developing, working on their infrastructure and they are laughing. I found much of their humor to be sarcastic (Zenon thought that was a “leftover” from the Communist era) and often satirical. I found out that they delight in puns which of course, I could not enjoy.  Yet,  that which I thought might be funny, they also laughed at and vice versa.

You will fall in love with Poland and Zenon can make that happen!

p.s. (Don’t ever drive in Poland.)

Louis D. Welna

Part 1

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