Wanda Szwender
Wanda Szwender (nee Godawa) was born in 1926 as the oldest of four siblings in the settlement of Batorówka, in the district of Horoczów. Her father, Anthony Godawa, was a military settler married to Franciszka Glowacka. The following is an account of her life:
"In the settlement I completed 4 years of elementary school, I attended grade 5 in Beresteczko, boarding with SS. Nazaretanki ( Sisters Servants of Nazareth), and the sixth grade in the town of "Lobaczówka". The tranquil Kresowian life was interrupted by the outbreak of the war in 1939.
"February 10 1940 was a terrible day, which I will never forget till my dying day". Her entire family and the families of other military settlers were loaded into cattle cars at the Haliczany station and taken deep into Russia.
After three weeks of a nightmarish journey, the train stopped at the Kotlas station in the Arkhangelsk Oblast. From there, her family was brought by sleigh, over a frozen river, to posiolok Charytanowo. "There daddy worked in the forest at hauling trees to the shore of the river, and we children gathered various berries, and mushrooms in the forest during autumn" - which helped the family survive the local poverty. At the end of September 1940, Wanda and her siblings were enrolled the local school.
It seemed that the hopeless vegetative state in the far north would never end, untill June 22, 1941 when the exiles received joyful news that Germany attacked the Soviet Union. Soon after an agreement between the Polish government in London and Stalin was reached, resulting in the announcement of the so-called "Amnesty" for all Poles deported to Russia. They could leave the place of exile and join the Polish Army which was forming in the south of Russia. All deportees were full of enthusiasm. "We left posiolok October 14 by a small boat and we arrived in Kotlas. There, we met plenty of Polish families, hungry, ragged, just like we were who were waiting for a freight train, to take us all south. And again, this nightmarish journey in overcrowded train cars, where, hunger, cold and lice tormented us. At the end of October we arrived in Tashkent, from there, we travelled to Kagan, and then to the kolkhoz, (state collective farm) "Engels" in the region of Kamasza.At the kolkhoz, we lived in a clay hut with no doors or windows. It was very cold. We would light a fire using some stalks, but the smoke was so bad that we could not sleep or breathe. At the collective farm, we were sent to pick cotton. Our stay there was not long, soon we were transported to second kolkhoz near Tashkent. The kolkhoz was called "Pierwyj May" (1st of May Collective Farm). Daddy went to work in "koniuszni" (stable), and I together with my mother and sister picked cotton. For our work, we received a bit of flour, from which mother made "lepioszki (pancakes). Christmas 1941 found us in this state farm. These holidays were very poor. There was a severe winter, and we were constantly freezing. There was shortage of fuel, warm clothing and a growing hunger. Living on the collective farm grew worse from day to day. To survive, we were forced to search for frozen carrots, turnips and potatoes in nearby fields. Epidemic of typhoid fever broke out.
When rumors reached us that 150 km away in Wrewskoje Polish army was being formed, and that they are accepting young boys to "labor battalions" - Junaks and the girls to "Junaczki" (Cadets) we walked with mommy to Tashkent. And from there we got on a train to Wreswskoje, where my brothers were accepted into Junaks school (cadets) and my sister and I to the female counter part of the Junak school (female cadets). My mother then returned to the kolkhoz to get daddy.
One of the most beautiful days from the time of the deportation was the Easter of April 5, 1942. The crowds of praying, sobbing people, thanking God for the miracle of salvation and the Easter table in the square, prepared for us by the military. It was like a fairy tale, after more than two years of suffering and mistreatment.
Unfortunately, our joy was short-lived. My older brother Edzio died of dysentery on May 15. I and my sister Hela together with all the female cadets (junaczki) were sent to Guzar and the to the kolkhoz in Karkin Batasz, which housed the main Cadet School "Szkola Junaczek" as well as several Polish orphanages. The conditions were terrible. We lived in collapsing Uzbek mud huts. The heat was terrible, and there was shortage of water and food. We were divided into grades, and we began regular studies and training. I was placed in grade 7 (1st year of middle school). The heat and illness hampered our studies. And again, joyous news. Bishop Gawlina (bishop of the Polish Army) visited us. On 18 of June, most of us received the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Epidemics of typhoid fever and dysentery were reaping its harvest. On July 13 1942, at the age of 14, my sister Hela died. Bishop Gawlina appealed to the authorities, to get the children out of this "valley of death" as soon as possible. A group of the children was moved to Kitab, and the rest to Guzar. Very exhausted by dysentery and icterus, I ended up in Guzar. We waited impatiently for the arrival of General Anders, who was scheduled to visit our camp. He was our savior, who brought us out of the "house of bondage." On August 11, we left Guzar, and on the 14 of August we arrived in Krasnovodsk. On the 16th, we were loaded on a ship, and after two days of travel, being completely exhausted, we reached the port of Pahlavi (Anzali) in Persia (Iran).
After more than two years of Soviet poverty, we were enchanted by the well stocked stores, and their cleanliness. Our days were filled with drills and swimming in the sea. Fresh sea air, good nutrition, including various types of fruit, improved our health. Unfortunately, many of us were very exhausted and sick and remained there forever.
Pahlavi, was a spellbinding fairy tale for me, which lasted until our departure in October to Tehran. The road initially lead through beautiful landscapes, full of greenery and flowers, vineyards and rice fields. In the distance we could see beautiful Elburz mountains, covered in vegetation up to their peaks. After several hours of driving, the landscape had changed and we found ourselves in huge rocky mountains, above the precipices with less and less vegetation. Then we entered a sandy and sparsely inhabited plateau. We reached Teheran by way of Qazvin.
In late October, I quit the cadets and moved to the camp where my mom and brother were, also in Tehran. Daddy went with the army to Kanakin, and then to Egypt, but I remained in the camp with my family, where I attended school and joined the Girl Guides. There, I finished grade 7.
On August 21, 1943, with sadness we left our beautiful camp. We went by train from Tehran to the next transit camp in Ahwaz, where I continued my education (I was in grade 8). And again another order of departure came. On December 1, 1943, we were loaded on the "Batory" (Polish passenger ship), and after six days on the sea, we reached the shores of Karachi, India, where we were placed in a transit camp, fenced with a barbed wire. We lived in large tents. It was very hot, and at night the jackals howled in desert.
I spent almost the whole year in this camp. The time was filled with studies, scouting, tours, scout camp, and a jamboree where even British and Indian scouts participated. We lived there until September 1944. From this camp a lot of people went to Africa, but I together with my mom and brother was sent to the Polish settlements in Valivade-Kolhapur, India. Here we stayed until November 1947. and here I completed middle school (junior high) and then pedagogical high school.
Unfortunately, we could not return to Poland, because our Eastern Borderlands (Kresy Wschodnie) were "sold" to the Bolsheviks. In November, 1947 we joined daddy in England and in July the following year, our entire family emigrated to Canada.
After arriving July 16, 1948 in Halifax, we took the train west the next day. After several days of traveling, we arrived at a small station in Lavoy, Alberta. At the beginning we lived on the farm of Mr. Duke, a farmer, who signed the papers for our family to come to Canada.
In brief, daddy went to work in the mines in BC in the vicinity of Nelson, and my mother went to work in the town of Vegreville, AB. My brother, Boleslaw stayed on the farm helping Mr. Duke and attended school in the 1948-49 school year. I stayed on the farm for three months and then, went to Edmonton. In Edmonton I got a job in a restaurant of Mr. Szpil, as a waitress, and here I met many Poles, former soldiers who fought in Second Polish Corps in Italy. Among other things, I met my future husband, Wladyslaw Szwender, former soldier 3.DSK (3rd Carpathian Rifle Division) who arrived in Canada two years earlier.
I got married January 7, 1950, and subsequently my family began to expand; 20/10/1950, our first son Wladyslaw (Jr.) was born, 02/06/1954, our second son, Jerzy and on 03/08/1957 I gave birth to our third son, Leszek, On 17/10/1959, Joanna, our daughter was born and on 02/11/1962, the second daughter, Ala came into the world. After getting married my whole life was consumed by running the house and raising our children. Soon after I arrived in Edmonton I got involved in the work of the SPK (Polish Combatants Association), Branch No.6, and later, when the Women's Axillary was founded in 1958 by the SPK, I held various positions on the executive. I was the chairperson of the Women's Axillary for the years 1977-1979. For volunteer work in the Polish community, I received, in 1962, the silver badge of the World Federation of the SPK. In 1975, I received the Silver Cross of Merit of the SPK and in later years, the Silver Cross of KPK-OA (Canadian Polish Congress, Alberta Branch)
In 1966, when the kids were a little older, I started working "part-time" at the Polish Hall. I worked there until 1982 when a family tragedy and poor health did not allow me to work any longer; On June 19, 1981, our son Leszek died tragically in Garner Lake. In May of 1982 my dad died, and three years later my mom.
During those long years of residing in Edmonton, I was able to visit Poland three times: in 1964, 1975 and 1987. I also travelled to Italy with my husband on three occasions for the anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Monte Cassino, where he fought in 1944. Our children grew up, and gave me 11 grandchildren who are the joy of my life.
Wanda Szwender
The above text is based on the hand-written biography of Wanda M. Szwender as well as excerpts of her story contained in the book " Z Kresów Wschodnich na Wygnanie" "From the Eastern Borderlands into Exile," published by the "Ognisko Rodzinne Osadników Krtesowych" in London, UK, 1996.
Translated from Polish by Helen Fita
"In the settlement I completed 4 years of elementary school, I attended grade 5 in Beresteczko, boarding with SS. Nazaretanki ( Sisters Servants of Nazareth), and the sixth grade in the town of "Lobaczówka". The tranquil Kresowian life was interrupted by the outbreak of the war in 1939.
"February 10 1940 was a terrible day, which I will never forget till my dying day". Her entire family and the families of other military settlers were loaded into cattle cars at the Haliczany station and taken deep into Russia.
After three weeks of a nightmarish journey, the train stopped at the Kotlas station in the Arkhangelsk Oblast. From there, her family was brought by sleigh, over a frozen river, to posiolok Charytanowo. "There daddy worked in the forest at hauling trees to the shore of the river, and we children gathered various berries, and mushrooms in the forest during autumn" - which helped the family survive the local poverty. At the end of September 1940, Wanda and her siblings were enrolled the local school.
It seemed that the hopeless vegetative state in the far north would never end, untill June 22, 1941 when the exiles received joyful news that Germany attacked the Soviet Union. Soon after an agreement between the Polish government in London and Stalin was reached, resulting in the announcement of the so-called "Amnesty" for all Poles deported to Russia. They could leave the place of exile and join the Polish Army which was forming in the south of Russia. All deportees were full of enthusiasm. "We left posiolok October 14 by a small boat and we arrived in Kotlas. There, we met plenty of Polish families, hungry, ragged, just like we were who were waiting for a freight train, to take us all south. And again, this nightmarish journey in overcrowded train cars, where, hunger, cold and lice tormented us. At the end of October we arrived in Tashkent, from there, we travelled to Kagan, and then to the kolkhoz, (state collective farm) "Engels" in the region of Kamasza.At the kolkhoz, we lived in a clay hut with no doors or windows. It was very cold. We would light a fire using some stalks, but the smoke was so bad that we could not sleep or breathe. At the collective farm, we were sent to pick cotton. Our stay there was not long, soon we were transported to second kolkhoz near Tashkent. The kolkhoz was called "Pierwyj May" (1st of May Collective Farm). Daddy went to work in "koniuszni" (stable), and I together with my mother and sister picked cotton. For our work, we received a bit of flour, from which mother made "lepioszki (pancakes). Christmas 1941 found us in this state farm. These holidays were very poor. There was a severe winter, and we were constantly freezing. There was shortage of fuel, warm clothing and a growing hunger. Living on the collective farm grew worse from day to day. To survive, we were forced to search for frozen carrots, turnips and potatoes in nearby fields. Epidemic of typhoid fever broke out.
When rumors reached us that 150 km away in Wrewskoje Polish army was being formed, and that they are accepting young boys to "labor battalions" - Junaks and the girls to "Junaczki" (Cadets) we walked with mommy to Tashkent. And from there we got on a train to Wreswskoje, where my brothers were accepted into Junaks school (cadets) and my sister and I to the female counter part of the Junak school (female cadets). My mother then returned to the kolkhoz to get daddy.
One of the most beautiful days from the time of the deportation was the Easter of April 5, 1942. The crowds of praying, sobbing people, thanking God for the miracle of salvation and the Easter table in the square, prepared for us by the military. It was like a fairy tale, after more than two years of suffering and mistreatment.
Unfortunately, our joy was short-lived. My older brother Edzio died of dysentery on May 15. I and my sister Hela together with all the female cadets (junaczki) were sent to Guzar and the to the kolkhoz in Karkin Batasz, which housed the main Cadet School "Szkola Junaczek" as well as several Polish orphanages. The conditions were terrible. We lived in collapsing Uzbek mud huts. The heat was terrible, and there was shortage of water and food. We were divided into grades, and we began regular studies and training. I was placed in grade 7 (1st year of middle school). The heat and illness hampered our studies. And again, joyous news. Bishop Gawlina (bishop of the Polish Army) visited us. On 18 of June, most of us received the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Epidemics of typhoid fever and dysentery were reaping its harvest. On July 13 1942, at the age of 14, my sister Hela died. Bishop Gawlina appealed to the authorities, to get the children out of this "valley of death" as soon as possible. A group of the children was moved to Kitab, and the rest to Guzar. Very exhausted by dysentery and icterus, I ended up in Guzar. We waited impatiently for the arrival of General Anders, who was scheduled to visit our camp. He was our savior, who brought us out of the "house of bondage." On August 11, we left Guzar, and on the 14 of August we arrived in Krasnovodsk. On the 16th, we were loaded on a ship, and after two days of travel, being completely exhausted, we reached the port of Pahlavi (Anzali) in Persia (Iran).
After more than two years of Soviet poverty, we were enchanted by the well stocked stores, and their cleanliness. Our days were filled with drills and swimming in the sea. Fresh sea air, good nutrition, including various types of fruit, improved our health. Unfortunately, many of us were very exhausted and sick and remained there forever.
Pahlavi, was a spellbinding fairy tale for me, which lasted until our departure in October to Tehran. The road initially lead through beautiful landscapes, full of greenery and flowers, vineyards and rice fields. In the distance we could see beautiful Elburz mountains, covered in vegetation up to their peaks. After several hours of driving, the landscape had changed and we found ourselves in huge rocky mountains, above the precipices with less and less vegetation. Then we entered a sandy and sparsely inhabited plateau. We reached Teheran by way of Qazvin.
In late October, I quit the cadets and moved to the camp where my mom and brother were, also in Tehran. Daddy went with the army to Kanakin, and then to Egypt, but I remained in the camp with my family, where I attended school and joined the Girl Guides. There, I finished grade 7.
On August 21, 1943, with sadness we left our beautiful camp. We went by train from Tehran to the next transit camp in Ahwaz, where I continued my education (I was in grade 8). And again another order of departure came. On December 1, 1943, we were loaded on the "Batory" (Polish passenger ship), and after six days on the sea, we reached the shores of Karachi, India, where we were placed in a transit camp, fenced with a barbed wire. We lived in large tents. It was very hot, and at night the jackals howled in desert.
I spent almost the whole year in this camp. The time was filled with studies, scouting, tours, scout camp, and a jamboree where even British and Indian scouts participated. We lived there until September 1944. From this camp a lot of people went to Africa, but I together with my mom and brother was sent to the Polish settlements in Valivade-Kolhapur, India. Here we stayed until November 1947. and here I completed middle school (junior high) and then pedagogical high school.
Unfortunately, we could not return to Poland, because our Eastern Borderlands (Kresy Wschodnie) were "sold" to the Bolsheviks. In November, 1947 we joined daddy in England and in July the following year, our entire family emigrated to Canada.
After arriving July 16, 1948 in Halifax, we took the train west the next day. After several days of traveling, we arrived at a small station in Lavoy, Alberta. At the beginning we lived on the farm of Mr. Duke, a farmer, who signed the papers for our family to come to Canada.
In brief, daddy went to work in the mines in BC in the vicinity of Nelson, and my mother went to work in the town of Vegreville, AB. My brother, Boleslaw stayed on the farm helping Mr. Duke and attended school in the 1948-49 school year. I stayed on the farm for three months and then, went to Edmonton. In Edmonton I got a job in a restaurant of Mr. Szpil, as a waitress, and here I met many Poles, former soldiers who fought in Second Polish Corps in Italy. Among other things, I met my future husband, Wladyslaw Szwender, former soldier 3.DSK (3rd Carpathian Rifle Division) who arrived in Canada two years earlier.
I got married January 7, 1950, and subsequently my family began to expand; 20/10/1950, our first son Wladyslaw (Jr.) was born, 02/06/1954, our second son, Jerzy and on 03/08/1957 I gave birth to our third son, Leszek, On 17/10/1959, Joanna, our daughter was born and on 02/11/1962, the second daughter, Ala came into the world. After getting married my whole life was consumed by running the house and raising our children. Soon after I arrived in Edmonton I got involved in the work of the SPK (Polish Combatants Association), Branch No.6, and later, when the Women's Axillary was founded in 1958 by the SPK, I held various positions on the executive. I was the chairperson of the Women's Axillary for the years 1977-1979. For volunteer work in the Polish community, I received, in 1962, the silver badge of the World Federation of the SPK. In 1975, I received the Silver Cross of Merit of the SPK and in later years, the Silver Cross of KPK-OA (Canadian Polish Congress, Alberta Branch)
In 1966, when the kids were a little older, I started working "part-time" at the Polish Hall. I worked there until 1982 when a family tragedy and poor health did not allow me to work any longer; On June 19, 1981, our son Leszek died tragically in Garner Lake. In May of 1982 my dad died, and three years later my mom.
During those long years of residing in Edmonton, I was able to visit Poland three times: in 1964, 1975 and 1987. I also travelled to Italy with my husband on three occasions for the anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Monte Cassino, where he fought in 1944. Our children grew up, and gave me 11 grandchildren who are the joy of my life.
Wanda Szwender
The above text is based on the hand-written biography of Wanda M. Szwender as well as excerpts of her story contained in the book " Z Kresów Wschodnich na Wygnanie" "From the Eastern Borderlands into Exile," published by the "Ognisko Rodzinne Osadników Krtesowych" in London, UK, 1996.
Translated from Polish by Helen Fita