A Daughter’S War

By Teresa Pawlowski

On September 1, 1939 Germany invaded Poland which marked the beginning of World War II. As battles are fought in the fields, those at home also fight to survive. A Daughters War is the true account of a Polish familys survival during the German occupation of Poland. When Papa is captured by the Germans, stone walls cant keep the family apart. Promises are made and kept and unlikely heroes arise to keep the family Papa, Mama, Cathy, Edmund, Mary, Teresa and Alas Together and alive.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9781504955263

Teresa Pawlowski

On February 20, 1945, Borowczyków , the family received a letter from Jozef Borowczyk, their husband and father. The letter was carrying the hope that, by the end of World War II, Jozef, a prisoner of the Nazi prison camp, where he stayed for nearly six years, would regain his freedom. But Jozef Borowczyk never returned home. Here’s the story of Teresa Borowczyk-Pawlowski, the daughter of Jozef, who is determined to solve the mystery of her father’s disappearance, and the story of her promise that she will not rest until he is not found and her stubbornness to never lose faith in herself and the other man.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Daddy, Summer 1939

My earliest memory of Daddy was in 1939, when I was two-and-a-half years old. My only brother, Edmund, had just turned nine. Mama called Edmund and me to take lunch to Daddy, who was cutting wheat in the field. I wiped my face with a small towel and combed my hair. As I moved closer toward Mama, I was listening to what I needed to do. Mama handed a big basket of food to Edmund and said, Hold Teresa's hand. Edmund took my hand, and we walked the quarter mile to the field.

I had black, curly hair, big, brown eyes, and a pink complexion. Edmund had brown, curly hair and big, green eyes, and he weighed about seventy pounds. He looked tall, smart, and strong to me.

From atop his tall tractor, Daddy spotted us at a distance and drove through the field and down to the road to meet us. He parked the tractor at the edge of the field, got off, and walked toward us, his arms outstretched to pick me up. I hugged him and wiped his sweaty face with a handkerchief. He kissed me gently and put me down, as he always did when he saw me. Having lunch with Daddy was our favorite part of the day.

Daddy had black, curly hair, a healthy, pink complexion, and he was thirty- seven years old. He had a very strong posture, stood six feet tall, weighed about two hundred pounds, and had large, peaceful, brown eyes and snow- white teeth. He picked up a few stalks of wheat and laid them on the ground. I spread a cloth on top of the makeshift table, and Edmund put out dishes of food: a bowl of pork chops, a bowl with mashed potatoes and gravy, and a third bowl full of green beans. The food smelled so good. Edmund then brought out cups for tea. Daddy said grace, and we started to eat. The food was so delicious, and we ate it all. For dessert we had cheesecake, Daddy's fa- vorite. Please thank Mama for such a good lunch, Daddy said.

He bent down and picked up a handful of black dirt, sifting it through his fingers. Look at this rich soil, he said. It is why everything grows so well in Szoldry. Daddy let Edmund sit in the tractor seat for a few minutes, but he needed to get back to work. He gently picked me up, kissed me, and put me down. He shook hands with Edmund. We said goodbye and walked slowly home.

The dirt road to our house ran alongside the wheat field. Look, Edmund, I said. The wheat is taller than Daddy. Edmund picked me up so I could get a better look at the sea of golden wheat. It was a beautiful sight, and he held me for a long time so I could enjoy it. The mild breeze blowing the wheat created a ripple of gold and whispered music in my little ears. Looking toward the horizon, it appeared to me that the sea of golden wheat touched the heavens.

Daddy worked for General Chlapowski, who owned the lands sur- rounding our house. The general lived in the forty-room palace in the center of the property. There were big, beautiful, few-hundred-year-old oak trees, plateaus, and ash, lime, birch, linden, and fruit trees. Lilac, jasmine, roses, and a lot of other flowers filled the park. Several lakes, abundant with fish, dotted the landscape. Large gardens boasted all kinds of vegetables, and the bounty of trees and bushes attracted songbirds to the ripe fruit. The birds serenaded us from early in the morning until late in the evening. The general's brother, Stanley Chlapowski, also serenaded us. He was an accomplished pianist. He played the piano for many hours each day, and music filled the air. We enjoyed the free concerts.

Our two-story brick house was next to the garden. There was an arbor in the front yard. Flowers and a vegetable garden grew in the backyard with red, blue, pink, white, and lilac blossoms. In front of our house a sidewalk ran next to the bricks road. Chestnut trees grew along the ditch. I had to watch out when their seeds were dropping. They were big and hurt when they fell on my head. Daddy told us that General Chlapowski was very educated in agriculture, ecology, wind erosion, water storage, and water irrigation design. The gen- eral's planning and development created rich and productive lands for wildlife and humans. He was knowledgeable and helped instigate a much-needed transportation plan that added a railroad system through Poland and Europe, making travel accessible to all of us. General Chlapowski's careful planning and the hard work of the local citizens created a beautiful, natural environ- ment. The village of Szoldry was a small piece of paradise; thirty-nine kilo- meters west of Poznan, Poland.

It was the beginning of August 1939, harvest time, and everyone was busy. Daddy ran the big farm tractor from early in the morning until late in the evening, cutting wheat and oats. The men and women of the village worked hard to prepare the wheat and oats to be stored for the winter.

The local children attended school daily at Szoldry. They had good books and school paper. Mr. Swiotkiewicz, our teacher, was a very good teacher. He had just gotten married, and we were happy for him. My two older sisters, Cathy and Mary, and my brother, Edmund, attended school, too. Cathy was thirteen and had brown hair and brown eyes. Mary was eleven. Her eyes were blue, and she had brown hair.

Mama worked in the Chlapowski palace, like her sisters had before they married and moved to Poznan. Mama was a very good worker and very trust- worthy. She liked her job and listened to the music while she worked. She was thirty-six years old. A brunette with blue eyes, Mama had a beautiful singing voice and excellent cooking skills. I could hear the music every day, too, be- cause our house was very close to the palace, and I dreamed that one day I would take lessons from Mr. Chlapowski. On Saturday nights, Daddy liked to play poker with his friends. He and the local butcher, baker, shoemaker, and a few other men would gather at our house. Mama would prepare sandwiches and coffee and tea, and they would play cards late into the night. On Sunday mornings, my family would wake up, eat breakfast, and dress for church. I was little, so most of the time they pushed me to church in the carriage. The church was in Brodnica, a few miles from our home. We went to St. Catherine's Church.

It was gothic style with two, big bells; one named Farah. The ringing was so loud we could hear it at home. The inside of the church was very nice. There was a high, wooden altar with a beautiful painting of the Holy Family. On the side altar was a painting of Saint Teresa, and on the other altar was a painting of baby Jesus. The glass windows and walls were hand painted, creating an at- mosphere like we were near to heaven. The organist played so nicely, and the beautiful singing lifted our spirits.

After church we always had Sunday dinner together: pork chops, sausage, or pierogies (dumplings made from flour and eggs and filled with meat, cot- tage cheese, or potatoes) and fruit, cheesecake, cherry pie, or pound cake for dessert. After dinner my parents would sing their favorite songs. They liked military songs and love songs. They both were good singers. Daddy also taught Cathy and Mary to dance. He would put me on top of his shoes and step one and two, and I loved it. Then Daddy and Mama would dance, looking lovingly into each other's eyes. Our home was filled with love, joy, and peace. My parents were tolerant, they paid attention to each of us, and they worked very hard to provide for our needs. It was heaven on earth for us. One day Edmund took Daddy's watch to learn how watches work. Daddy found him in the closet with his broken watch. Please, son, don't do that again, Daddy said. When you are older, I will buy you a watch like mine.

One Sunday there was a loud knock on the door, and I opened it. Standing there was a handsome man, dressed in a military uniform. He walked toward me. Hello, Teresa. I am your Uncle Szczepan from Warsaw. He picked me up and walked into the house. Daddy said, Don't be afraid, Teresa; it's your Uncle. I gave him a kiss, and he put me down. The rest of the family rushed over to greet him. He was so handsome in his uniform.

While Mama prepared the meal, Daddy and one of his older brothers, Antonio, and younger brother, Szczepan, went to another room to talk. Afterward they returned with very sad, pale faces. Uncle Szczepan was a pro- fessional military man. He worked for the Defense Department in Warsaw.

After dinner we walked with Uncle Szczepan to the train station to say our goodbyes. We all had tears in our eyes. When we asked him when we would see him again, Uncle Szczepan replied, As soon as possible. We waved goodbye until the train disappeared from view.

image001.jpg

Aunt Anna's wedding: 1933 or 1934

From left little boy: Edmund above him Cathy on right Mary, sitting Grandparents' Slominski Aunt Anna and Albert husband next his parents second road from left Aunt Stephanie Aunt Anna and Uncle Frank my Mama in white blouse and Daddy next Uncle Albert sister and her husband third road Aunt Stephanie husband next aunt Victoria with husband holding their son Tadeusz next cousin Mary Uncle toll handsome men are aunt White boys...

Chapter 2

Duty Calls, August 1939

One morning in August 1939, I awoke to find my daddy missing. He was nowhere to be found. I called and called for him, but he did not answer. Finally I found Mama.

Mama, Mama, where is Daddy? I cried.

Ah, Teresa, Mama said. While you were sleeping, your daddy and many other men from the village were called in for military service.

What is that, Mama? I asked. Mama's blue eyes filled with tears.

It's like your Uncle Szczepan, who wears the handsome uniform. Your daddy is going to be a soldier now like Uncle Szczepan and protect our country.

But when will Daddy come home? I asked frantically. I don't know, Teresa, but he will be back.

What Mama didn't tell me at two-and-a-half years old was that in August 1939, Nazi Germany was mobilizing troops along the Polish border. To pro- tect our country in case of war, the Polish government called up the Polish Army. The Polish Army was not a standing army; it was a reserve force. Daddy and thousands of men throughout Poland were called to active duty and trained daily in case the Germans invaded our country and they had to defend us.

All day long I sat in front of the house watching the road for Daddy. I lis- tened for the sound of the big, blue tractor's engine in the field, but I heard only silence. As the sun was going down, I told Edmund we should go and try to find Daddy and the big blue tractor in the field, but he just shook his head, big tears dripping from his green eyes. He wiped the tears with his sleeve. I turned to Cathy and Mary. Are you hiding Daddy somewhere? I screamed. They picked me up and held me in their arms. I remember their sad faces. No, Teresa, we're not hiding Daddy. He's just gone. I turned to my last hope; my cat, Alas. Put me down, I said to Cathy and Mary. I walked over to Alas and looked into his big, green eyes. Alas, please, take me to Daddy. He looked at me and touched my hands with his paw. I took his paw, and we crawled under the table. He played with me and rubbed against me a few times and meowed, but he really wanted to take a nap. I carried him to the bed- room, and we crawled into bed. I covered us with a blanket, and we slept. I was two-and-a-half years old, and Daddy was gone. I didn't even get to say goodbye.

The next morning, we all ate breakfast in silence, and then I went out- side. My pet chicken was waiting for me in the yard. I went back inside and got a slice of wheat bread from the table and ran back out. I held the bread be- tween my fingers and tossed pieces of it to the chickens. They scurried around and picked up the pieces as fast as they hit the ground. But the pigeons wanted breakfast, too. Dodging the big birds, they joined in, too, pumping their necks up and down as they pecked for the bread. Their cru-cru warmed my heart as they relished the bread.

Harvest time came, and everyone who could work --- young and old --- gathered in the fields and gardens to harvest the wheat, oats, corn, and deli- cious vegetables. Three-storied stacks of grain dotted the fields all around the village. It was only about a five-minute walk to the first stack from my house. In the fall, a special thrasher on big, metal wheels, which was attached to a really neat truck, separated the grain from the straw. It was marvelous the way it spit out the straw through a long neck on the hay wagon. A mountain of wheat, three stories high, was piled in the field. It was taller than our house. We loved to try to climb it, but for the most part we just played hide and-seek inside the stalks. From time to time, deer would tiptoe warily up to it, or wild hogs would run in and eat the loose straw at the bottom. We had plenty of wheat for everyone and for all the animals. Even though Daddy and the other men from the village were gone, we had brought in the harvest, and we would have enough to eat for the coming winter. But our souls were hungry for Daddy. Our house was so empty without him. I even went outside once to see if the house still had a roof. Luckily, it was still there. I came back inside, and Mama was crying. I hated to see her that way. I took a handkerchief and wiped her tears. I wiped Mary's and Cathy's tears, too. Edmund wiped his tears with his sleeve.

Daddy and the other military men from the village were not the only people from our village we were missing. Baron Chlapowski's driver drove the Baron's car from the palace to the train station. The Baron walked slowly behind the car, waving goodbye to the people of the village. His face was very sad, and tears filled his eyes. Baron Chlapowski took the train to Gdynia, and he set sail for England.

Chapter 3

German Invasion, August 1939

I awoke early one morning and ran to the window. Looking toward the field across the road, I saw fire everywhere. I wiped my eyes a few times to be sure I wasn't dreaming. Yes, the fire was still there. I started calling for Mama, Cathy, Mary, and Edmund. They ran very fast to join me, looking out the win- dows.

Mama yelled, The wheat and oat stacks are all on fire!

Red flames were shooting toward the skies. We ran outside to see if the house was okay because the shooting flames were whipping through the vil- lage. We were coughing and sneezing. Looking toward the fields, we saw deer with their fawns and wild hogs. The animals were close to the houses, looking for safety. We filled water buckets so they would have something to drink.

A military officer walked toward our house and told us he had orders to destroy all life-supporting supplies. Fire was everywhere. It looked as though evil had taken over the land. The early bountiful harvest of grain was burning, turning into windblown ash, leaving us to face hunger and starvation.

Mama, what will we eat? we cried above the roar of the fire. Mama's face was pale, but her voice was calm. We will not starve, she said.

Near the end of August 1939, the military ordered us and the other vil- lagers out of our homes. Fearing for our lives, we packed some clothes and ne- cessities into a horse-drawn wagon. I sat on Mary's lap. My older sister, Cathy, walked next to the carriage, leading our cow by a rope. I had to leave my pet chicken behind. Mama had no knowledge of horses, and Edmund was only nine, but together they worked the long, leather reins and guided the horse.

All the younger men had gone to fight against the Nazi offensive. Only the elderly and disabled remained. The best they could do was give advice. Everyone from the village formed a long convoy moving toward Warsaw, which was over a hundred miles away. For our safety, the Polish government had ordered its citizens to flee Western Poland where we lived, and to move away from the eastern border of Germany, out of the way of the advancing Nazi soldiers.

We had traveled a great distance. We were very hungry and tired from the stiff, bouncy wagon and uncertain of the future. I heard a roaring in the sky as German airplanes flew over the road. The road was lined with tall trees that protected us a little, but the planes were dropping bombs on us. The explo- sions and the fire scared all of us, including the horses. I shook and cried and clung to Mary. She was trying to comfort me, but she was terrified, too. Mama's and Edmund's faces were white with fear as they tried to control the horse. Mama was constantly praying, Heavenly Father, please protect us and save our lives. Poor Cathy was running with the cow, following the horses.

A World War I veteran was leading our convoy in a wagon pulled by a big stallion. From his war days, he knew that it was hard to hit a moving target, so when under attack the rule was to increase speed. He motioned for us to keep moving. Finally, the airplanes left and headed in the direction of Warsaw. There had been such panic and chaos during the air strike that it was hard to account for the dead or the damage done. The vets from World War I were angry that they could do nothing to stop the bombers headed for Warsaw.

The veterans stopped the wagons and quickly helped the wounded people and horses so we could all continue our journey. Again the loud voice of German foot soldiers caught up with us. I feared for my family's lives. Would they kill us? We were unarmed and had nothing to fight back with.

One soldier walked toward the horses. The big stallion reared up on his hind legs and pawed the air, whinnying loudly before he surged ahead. This display set off the other horses. They whinnied and bucked and pawed the earth. One soldier tried to grab the stallion. As the man reached for his har- ness, the stallion tossed both his head and the man high into the air. When the soldier landed, he was greeted by giant, pawing hooves. Herd instinct had gripped all the horses, and attempts by the German soldiers to control them were futile. Only after the Germans left did the horses settle down so that we could get moving again.

The World War I veterans determined that everyone was too tired to con- tinue that day. With the German soldiers some distance down the road, they ordered all the wagons to move very close to the side of the road and rest for a while. We fed the horse and the cow. Cathy milked the cow so we had a little bit to drink. We were all exhausted and tried to get a little rest within the con- fined space of the wagon. One of the World War I vets kept watch for the Germans.

In the early morning, we received news from Warsaw that Germany had invaded Poland. It was September 1, 1939, and World War II had begun. With deep sadness, we all went to our knees and prayed for all the soldiers and civil- ians in Warsaw. Every family had someone fighting in Warsaw. Then we sang the Polish national anthem.

We shared our food the best way possible to survive the trip. Our leader climbed into his wagon and flicked the reins. The big stallion whinnied to the other horses, and we were underway again.

We continued toward Warsaw, listening to the news from there each day. Polish military and civilians were fighting so hard to save the country. At each stop, the veterans would share information with us about Warsaw. Each time we would pray for the military and civilians who were fighting against Germany's invasion of Poland. We continued our journey until we arrived in the village of Brodowo, still many miles west of Warsaw. We stopped at the horse stable there. Living conditions were foul in Brodowo.

Chapter 4

Home Sweet Home, September 1939

The World War I veterans asked all of us to gather together for supper and bring what little food we had to share. We all made a big circle with the vet- erans in the middle. We said grace and began to share and eat what little food we had. The veterans' faces were very sad, and their eyes were red. Soldiers in Warsaw were fighting very hard. One of the veterans spoke for the group.

They went against German tanks with only bayonets because they had no more ammunition. Hitler was standing across the River Vistula, watching. Men, smashed by tanks or suffering from severed legs or hands, lay on the ground without any humanitarian or medical aid. Civilians were fighting; chil- dren were throwing bottles of gasoline at German tanks. German airplanes bombed the city around the clock. Warsaw is engulfed in flames. You can see the fire and smoke from a long way off.

We all started praying for all the people in Warsaw. Please, God, save their lives.

Where is our daddy and the rest of our family? we asked. Mama's face turned white. Our tears were dropping to the ground, and the sound of crying was growing louder and louder. The spokesman continued, It is not wise for us to continue our journey toward Warsaw because the Germans will kill us. We cannot stay here in Brodowo. There is not enough room for us and the horses and cows, another said.

What do you all think we need to do? the leader asked. Each of you help us make this decision, please. After a short discussion, we all agreed to head home, even though we did not know what we would find along the way or when we arrived. We prayed to our Heavenly Father to guide and protect us on this challenging journey. Please everyone, said the group leader, get ready for the trip come early morning. Take water for yourselves and the ani- mals, too. Goodnight, everyone. See you early in the morning.

Good night, we answered.

Early the next morning, the veteran with the stallion was standing next to his horse, petting and talking to him. The horse tossed his head as though he understood what the man was saying. We formed a long line with our horses and wagons, ready to risk our lives to return home. With the little food and water we had left for us, the horses, and the cows, our group moved out slowly with the big stallion in the lead. He lifted his big, dark brown head high in the air, the whites of his eyes blazing, and let out a series of loud whinnies as he pulled the wagon forward. As though moving at the stallion's command, over one hundred horses rolled out, with wagons behind them.

As we retraced our path, we saw what looked like people lying down in the road. We stopped the wagons and went to look. What we saw were dead Polish people, victims of war. The men returned to the wagons for shovels and started digging a deep hole, while the women wrapped the dead bodies in sheets from their wagons. Then we all prayed and laid the bodies to rest. We journeyed through cities, towns and villages, all of which were deserted. Dogs, cats, and even some pigs were running loose. We stopped on the side of the road for the night. We ate, sharing what food we had among us. The horses and cows ate oats and drank water. Some of the ladies milked the cows for their children to have milk. We were very tired. The men listened to the radio and heard very bad news coming from Warsaw. We fell on our knees and prayed for everyone in Warsaw. Please, God, save them and give us peace. I started crying for Daddy. We all cried, but we were so tired that soon we were all asleep.

Early the next morning, we resumed our journey. The sun was rising: a big, red ball moving higher and higher in the clear, blue sky. The fields around us were looking very bad. The big stacks of wheat and oats were gone. Only ashes were left, scattered by the wind. Here and there we saw a deer or a wild hog, looking for food. Frightened, tired, and hungry, we were all trying to get to our village as soon as possible, even though we didn't know what to expect when we arrived. Suddenly the big stallion turned right and, with a loud whinny, stopped. The other horses followed suit. Only then did we realize we were home. We stopped in front of the house and got out of the wagon. Mama, I am taking the cow to the barn.

Okay, Cathy, Mama replied.

Edmund positioned the wagon close to the sidewalk, unbuckled the har- ness, and said, Mama, I will take the horse to the horse barn.

Okay, Son, but please be careful.

The men fed the horses oats and let them drink water, but everybody stopped to see the big stallion, pat him on his side, and say thank you for a good job bringing us safely home. The big stallion tossed his head high in the air, seemingly proud of himself. We were walking toward the arbor, which was covered with wine grapes. Suddenly we heard a meow. Alas was crawling from the upstairs of the house, down the arbor, and running to us like he was trying to let us know what happened while we were gone. Mama opened the front door and my pet chicken came walking toward me, very weakly. I ran and picked her up, kissed her on her head, and gave her water and food. She had been without either while we were gone. In our haste to depart, we hadn't re- alized she was still inside the house. I took good care of her and she was okay. The chickens lived outside during the day and slept in the chicken coop at night. They had laid lots of eggs, and I took a basket to gather them.

We went to the pig house and the small garden looking for the pigs, but we were unable to find them. They often went to the long trench, covered themselves with mud, and laid there. What happened to the pigs? we asked Alas.

He looked up at us. Meow, he said, Meow, running and jumping into the mud. Meow, meow, he insisted. Suddenly, the ground moved slowly upward. We could hardly believe our eyes. Alas wasn't standing in the mud; he was standing on top of a pig that had buried itself in the mud. We laughed as the pigs picked themselves up out of the mud and walked toward us. Oink, oink, they said, shaking the mud from their bodies.

Were you afraid of the Germans, too? Mama asked them. They moved closer, shaking their heads. We gave them food and lots of water so they could clean themselves.

Once we had taken care of all the animals, we went inside the house. Thank heaven we have a roof over our heads, we all thought. Mama made some quick scrambled eggs, and we ate. They smelled and tasted so good. We prayed for Daddy, for the military men, the civilians, and for peace. Feeling very tired, we went to bed in our nice, comfortable beds, feeling safe --- at least for now.

Chapter 5

The Reality of War, Mid-September 1939

There was no bread and no food to be found at home at all because we had used it all during our trip to Brodowo. Mama rolled up her sleeves, washed her hands, and started making dough for baking bread. Edmund was building a fire in the brick stove to bake the bread. When the dough was ready, Mama put the seven, big, round loaves on a big cooking shovel and moved them into a very hot oven to bake. Cathy went to feed and milk the cow. She brought extra milk up to the house to store in our special milk jars. Mary collected our dirty clothes from the last two weeks and washed everything with soap and water. She was all wet and smelly from the soap, but she took the clothes outside and hung them on the line to dry. She brought them in when they were dry and folded them. Now, thanks to Mary, we had clean clothes to wear. I took my basket and fed the chickens and gathered eggs for supper. Mama was pulling bread from the oven and putting it on shelves to cool. Mary was making scrambled eggs, and Cathy started cutting a lot of bread.

I went outside and looked at the beautiful sunrise. Dark was disappearing, and the sun was rising. The birds were just beginning their daily song. I real- ized that they were still free, even if our country was not. I looked at the fields where the stacks of wheat and oats had burned to ashes and had blown away on the winds. We were left to starve. What were we going to eat? My chickens were going to starve, too. No oats for them. Where was my Daddy? My eyes filled with tears. I was frightened; frightened for myself, for my family, for Daddy, and for our way of life. I turned away from the field and ran back inside to the safety of my home.

In the days that followed, elderly people walked slowly past our house, leaning on their canes or walking sticks, crying, and talking among themselves. When will our sons be back? they would ask. How soon? We are old and are not able to care for ourselves. Young mothers with young children looked old. We provided food for them and their families and cared for their children. Their faces were grey and their eyes red from crying. They slumped as if they were old and not strong enough to stand straight. Some held one child on their back and another in their arms while they pulled another along behind. They all moved slowly, as if they didn't want to reach their destinations. Some children would eat apples or pears, and some would be crying for their fa- thers. I began to think about what Daddy had said to me.

A group of World War I veterans came to our house. Mary, we are very hungry. Please help us, they pleaded. Mama took bread still warm from the oven and started cutting more slices. Mary made more scrambled eggs and brought them to the table. Cathy fixed cups of tea for everyone. One of the veterans said grace, and we all started to eat. The veterans were talking about how we were going to have a very difficult time. Please write down the true story, in case we don't survive, so that you can pass it on to future genera- tions. Cathy, Mary, and Edmund took paper and pencil and put the date at the top. Edmund brought in the radio, and we all listened to the news. Cathy, Mary, and Edmund were taking notes. From the radio came the very sad an- nouncement that World War II began on September 1, 1939, when Nazi Germany invaded Poland with German armies of one-and-a-half million men, two thousand tanks and nineteen hundred modern aircraft. Poland had less than a million troops with less than five hundred aircraft, and only a small number of armored vehicles. Germany's preparation for war, its planned tech- nical support, and its better understanding of modern, tactical airpower over- powered Poland. Poland pleaded for assistance from the Allies, Britain and France. They responded the following day by demanding that Nazi Germany withdraw from Poland, or they would declare war against Germany.

German bombers and fighters were raiding deep into Poland. The radio announcers repeated that Western Poland was under heavy attack by tanks, ar- tillery, and infantry from two German army groups, and five separate armies had launched attacks against the Polish military. Casualties were high because German airplanes were dropping so many bombs. The constant artillery shelling was impossible. Fire and smoke were also rapidly destroying buildings, damaging buildings, and injuring and killing civilians.

Later news reported that on September 17, 1939, the Soviet Union in- vaded Eastern Poland with forty divisions. Poland was already beaten by the Nazis. The Polish Army was unable to put up much of a fight against the Russians, and the following day Russia was already claiming the territory it had been promised by Nazi Germany under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. With few casualties, the Red Army took Eastern Poland. More than one million Poles, regarded as a threat to the Communist order, were deported to labor camps in the Soviet Union.

More radio announcements came in: the capital of Poland, Warsaw, put up a fight against Nazi invaders. Both sides---German and Polish---paid a costly price. On September 9, the Fourth Panzer Division lost 57 tanks out of 120 in the early street fighting for the city. The World War I veterans looked at each other with sad faces. They wanted to be younger so they could fight back. All the men from my family, including Daddy and Uncle John, who was my godfather, were fighting in Warsaw alongside other men from our village. The men were determined to protect their families and country from being over- taken by Hitler's army. The Polish Army was so determined that they met German tank attacks with only bayonets and the sounds of song, singing Hey ze Polak na bagnety (Poland has not yet perished while we still live).

Hitler was across the River Vistula, watching the fight. After the Polish surrendered, he let my Uncle John's army battalion go home. Hitler said if he had an army like that he would have the world.

After more than two weeks of intense, coordinated ground, air assault, and artillery bombardments, Warsaw finally fell on September 27, 1939. Lack of food in Warsaw during the fighting forced children outside the city to find food, digging for potatoes in the fields near Warsaw. When the Luftwaffe struck, Nazis swooped down to two hundred feet above the ground, opened fire with machine guns, attacking those in the fields. October 5 was a turning point in the war. The last of the Polish Army laid down its arms. Of the more than half a million troops that faced the Nazis in September 1939, most were taken prisoner. Roughly one hundred thousand died in the fighting or fled the country. Veterans' faces went pale when they heard these statistics. Their eyes welled with tears when the news came out on October 7 that Adolph Hitler had implemented his plan to evict or kill Poles and annex their territory, saying that he was calling for the elimination of the harmful influence of the na- tional population, which constitutes a danger to the Reich.

Now Hitler is going to kill us all, they said. We need to get ready to move underground to fight back with God's help." Germany's attack left Warsaw in ruins. When the first assaults against the Polish capital proved un- successful, the Germans systematically bombed and shelled the city for days, causing extensive destruction and loss of life. Much of Warsaw's industrial and commercial heart was destroyed, including its great complex of flour mills. There were hungry soldiers and civilians, disoriented from the steady noise of the bombs dropping, the explosions, and the constant firing of the guns. Dead bodies lined the streets. The white flag had no meaning and civilians, including the elderly and children, were shot for no reason. The city was dark at night. The only light was from burning buildings, falling bombs, and firing guns. Warsaw burned with the fires of Hell and was visible for miles. The streets were full of pieces of shot-down airplanes, burning tanks, military guns, and people---some dead, some still alive and screaming for help. Help was not to be had. People tried to dig themselves out of bombed buildings and burning homes, hoping that help would come, but they got only more bombs. The only creatures that had a chance for survival were German shepherds. They were picked up, cared for, and taken to safety because they were considered valuable. The Warsaw radio station was transmitting patriotic songs and the Polish National Anthem when it was hit by German bombs. All radio com- munications were knocked out. Telephone communication, which was so important during the war, was also hit by the Germans. People were unable to get help from France, England, or any country. The only help came from people walking through the city, trying to find their own family or children. About a mile wide and very deep, with small waves, the Vistula River had become a receptacle for damaged airplanes, tanks, heavy artillery, and dead bodies. Pools of blood, chemicals, and bacteria floated in the river, providing a breeding ground for disease.

Transportation, like buses, horse-drawn wagons, and trolleys, was dam- aged, and the streets were so littered with dead bodies that it was impossible to travel. Pieces of airplanes, guns, walls, telephone lines, and electrical wires lay on the ground everywhere. Warsaw was a picture of evil. It was hard to be- lieve what one country could do to another. Warsaw was Poland's capital, its heart; and like the human body cannot live without a heart, Poland could not live without Warsaw. Poland fell with Warsaw's destruction. Very skillful Polish pilots had heavily damaged German vehicles and taken out about twenty-five percent of Germany's air strength. Polish ships were moved out of Poland to England to fight later with the Allies against Germany. The Soviet Army's in- vasion of Poland on September 17, 1939, in accordance with the secret pro- tocol of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, split Poland in half, from East Poland Soviet Union to West Germany. Now we had two enemies to fight, the World War I veterans said.

With a second front to defend, the Polish government concluded that the defense of the Romanian Bridgehead was no longer feasible and ordered an emergency evacuation of all troops to neutral Romania. Many of the military exiles that escaped from Poland joined the Polish Armed Forces in the West, and the Polish government-in-exile in France. Many Poles went underground and joined the Home Army. They went to the forest to hide and started mil- itary training. They began underground military activities against the Germans. With medical help from doctors who were sympathetic to the re- sistance, the wounded soldiers were trying hard to heal. They could not forget the horror in the streets of Warsaw when the Nazis invaded Poland, and they wanted to fight.

Chapter 6

Learning to Survive, Fall 1939

On Sunday morning, we all awoke very early and came into the kitchen. Mama was standing next to the stove. She welcomed all of us with a big smile and a good morning.

Cathy, please hand me a big bowl from the shelf. From now on, every- thing I do I will show you how to do, and I will explain it. You may ask me a question at any time. We are living in wartime. We don't know from one minute to the next what to expect or how long we're going to be together. So from now on, everyday there will be a new lesson to learn. Please pay atten- tion because I want to teach you how to do daily tasks to take care of your- selves in case the Germans divide us. Each of you needs to learn to be independent and to handle difficult tasks in order to survive. The most im- portant thing is to stay calm and be able to face the enemy without fear. That is very difficult to do.

Yes, Mama, we answered.

"Please pay attention to how I am preparing the pancakes, okay? I am taking the flour, pouring it into the bowl, putting in a little salt, and mixing it well. Then crack the eggs, drop them in the bowl---the shells go in the garbage---add milk, mix it together, and taste to see if it's okay. Then put some oil in the frying pan. Once it gets very hot, spoon the batter into the frying pan with the big serving spoon. When the pancake starts to brown, flip