L01

1. Family Life in Pre-War Poland

When I was a child I spoke as a child.
I understood as a child, I thought as a child,
But when I became an adult, I put away childish things.
I Corinthians 13:11,12

My father, doctor Stefan Tarasluk-Tarasiewicz, was born on 23rd August 1893 into an impoverished nobility in eastern Poland. The village of Tarasiewicze still bears their family name. Father's birthplace however, was Osmolowszczyzna, another village situated 13 kilometres from the town of Dabrowa, near the large provincial city of Bialystok.

      Osmolowszczyzna had a large Roman Catholic church, a Jewish synagogue and a primary school, in those days. Stefan was the fifth of the seven surviving children born to Dominlk and Marianna (née Kisluk). They were a very close-knit family, always ready to assist each other in times of need. My grandmother's modest farm consisted of six hectares of arable land and a few hectares of pasture, while grandfather's family farm in the neighbouring vlllage of Modra was a larger endowment. Marianna died while their children were young. Dominik was assisted by his brother, a priest, who enabled five of the seven children to obtain tertiary education. The eldest son Kazio became a priest, Rozalia and Emilia married farmers and continued to live on the land, and Josef was a lawyer. Stefan, my father came next. He completed his initial medical degree at Kiev University in the Ukraine during the Russian occupation of eastern Poland prior to World War I. He later obtained his doctorate of medicine in Warsaw, in Poland. He continued his medical career as a senior assistant to Professor Orlowski at the University Clinic in Wllno (Vilnius) before his marriage. Later he was the chief doctor in the district of SokOlka and during the four years prior to World War II, he held the position of Medical Superintendent of the Public Hospital in the city of Grodno. Father's younger sister, Aniela was a high school mathematics teacher. She married Nikodem Sulik, who during World War II rose to the rank of Brigadier General. His youngest sister, Monika, remained single. She was the chief accountant of the Polish Bank in the city of Bialystok.

      My mother, Aleksandra (Oleñka) née Kunachowlcz was the eldest of four children of Dimitri and Maria Julia. Her father, an administrator in Byelorussia, died of typhus during World War I leaving a wife and four young children. My maternal grandmother's mother was of Swedish extraction and her father was a German by birth. Mother's only brother Mikolaj (Nicholas) Kunachowicz, was a captain in the Polish Army. He too, with my father and other Polish officers, was murdered at Piatichatki Forest in the Ukraine in 1940.

      Mother's sister Maria was married in Sokolka, where she remained a housewife and mother. The youngest sister Tania was a linguist who spoke five languages fluently. She studied at the university in Wilno (Vilnius).

      After the untimely death of their father, my mother Oleñka, assumed many family responsibilities to assist her widowed mother in the upbringing of her younger three children. Mother qualified as a midwife and a general nurse, a career which stood her in good stead throughout life.

      I was the eldest of four children, born on 27th March 1931 in Wilno. The younger, premature twins, Stefan and Jadwiga, died soon afterbirth. The youngest son Aleksander (Alek) born in Wilno on 2nd March 1935, was four years my Junior.

      My pre-school years and Alek's infancy were spent in the quiet town of SokOlka near Bialystok, where my father was the regional doctor. Mother assisted our father in his private medical practice as a nurse at his consulting rooms attached to our rented house. My father never forgot his humble origins and assisted the poor by providing free medical consultations and medicines during the pre-war years when there were no Social Welfare benefits in Poland for the underprivileged members of society. My father was known locally as The Free Doctor', and his generosity and humanitarian deeds were greatly valued by the needy folk. He traveled by a horse-driven cart (dorozka) to attend to the seriously ill rural patients. In winter, sledges replaced the wheels. This was the usual means of transport in pre-war Poland. Cars were a luxury possessed by only very few wealthy individuals and because of father's generosity we did not belong to that category. Both my parents were involved in much voluntary professional and social work with needy families. For these services to the community they were awarded a gold and a silver cross by the Polish Government, a comparable award to the British O.B.E. and M.B.E.

      With many uneducated, poor peasants seeking employment in urban areas, all people belonging to the higher socio-economic strata of society had servants, and our parents employed a gardener, a cook, a cleaning lady and a governess for their two children. All these employees were treated very well in our household and became special family friends for life. As children we were very protected and well cared for during those early years in Poland. Our maternal grandmother and Aunt Monika were frequent guests in our home both in Sokôlka and in Grodno and they took a special interest in our formative years.

      During the last four pre-war years in Grodno, our family rented a large, second-storey apartment in Orzeszkowa Street, near a Russian Orthodox Church. Father's private medical practice was there also. I began primary school in 1938, one year before the war, at Grodno's progressive primary school attached to the Teachers' Training College. My school uniform was a navy dress with long sleeves. The dress was buttoned down the middle and it was complemented by a white collar and a large, brightly coloured bow, in the centre of which was displayed a shiny brass badge, granted for good behaviour at school. I felt proud to be a recipient of this distinction and was deeply ashamed when I once had to relinquish the badge for some minor misdemeanour. Boys wore gray shirts and shorts similar to the New Zealand school uniforms. Mother was the Chairperson of the School Committee. The schoolyear extended from September to July.

      The four seasons of the European climate were clearly defined. In my eyes each season had its own charm. I loved the changing colours of the many deciduous trees in autumn. I collected and preserved brightly coloured leaves of crimson, orange, gold, purple and brown tonings. The endless variety of shapes and shades of colour was a source of constant fascination to me.

      In winter we loved to build large snowmen and enjoyed snowball fights with friends. These childish activities were usually accompanied by much laughter. My brother Alek and I enjoyed the great fun of sliding down snow-clad hills on our wooden sledges. Older children and adults went ice skating and skiing in the Carpathian mountains in South Poland, with its famous resort of Zakopane.

      Christmas was the greatest family feast, and everyone looked forward to it. I am still dreaming of a white Christmas of long ago. Frosty air, crisp white snow underfoot, glittering like crystals in the dim, winter sun, trees covered with a snowy, white mantle and shiny, transparent icicles hanging from snow-covered roofs. These images are vividly etched in my mind.

      Oh, how excitedly we waited for Christmas! On a horse-driven sledge we would ride to a neighbouring pine forest to select our favourite tree to carry home. The winter forest was so silent, so still, yet so majestic, like an Aladdin's enchanted, secret cave, crowned with pure white splendour. Eagerly we would dust off the glistening, powdery snow to uncover the well-formed tree branches, and then head home with our prized possession singing our favourite Christmas carols to the rhythmical ringing of the silver bells around horses' necks. Our hearts were filled with Joy, a mounting excitement anticipating festivities to come.

      When Christmas arrived, the tall and beautifully decorated tree, the symbol of life, had a central place in our home. The crib and gifts below it and a large star on top symbolised the Christ Child in a manger, born in humble surroundings, yet a Saviour of the World, Lord God of all creation. Like the birth of a little child, Christmas was the spiritual rebirth of our souls. All the disappointments and sorrows of the past year were forgotten as we focused on family togetherness and reconciliation. Faith, hope and love permeated our home, but the greatest of these was the love generated within, which encompassed the whole family and welcomed needy strangers.

      On 24th December we fasted all day in preparation for the evening meal called Wigilja (veegheelyah). This meal coincided with the appearance of the first star in the sky, like the star which had guided the shepherds and the three Wise Men to Bethlehem where Jesus, the source of earthly light, lay on the hay to illuminate the way for all mankind. Under the white tablecloth we sprinkled hay to symbolise Christ's humble birth. An extra place was set for a stranger who might call. We wore our best clothes and children eagerly awaited the appearance of Saint Nicholas, the bishop who was reputed to greatly love children.

      Our evening meal was a family feast indeed! It began with a short prayer and the blessing of prepared food by the oldest family member, followed by the breaking of unleavened bread called oplatek (opwatek) by the head of the household. It was the Christmas bread of peace, white, rectangular in shape and embossed with nativity scenes. Oplatek was placed on the best plate in the centre of the table. It was also a symbol of Christ's Last Supper, a sharing of nourishment with everyone alike, all being equal in God's encompassing love. The head of the household led the way followed by the elderly, honoured guests and then by other adults and children, all wishing each other many blessings of Christmas and the year ahead as they shared pieces of bread.

      The dinner traditionally comprised 12 varied dishes, symbolic of the twelve apostles chosen during Christ's mission on earth. Herring rollmops (sledz) with rye bread were served as an appetiser. Hot soup followed. It was usually a tangy, red beetroot consomme called barszcz (barshch) with tiny, mushroom-filled pastries shaped like ears, called uszka (ooshka). The main course was fish, served with pickled cucumbers and mushrooms or sauerkraut and pierogi (pyeahrohghee), boiled pastries stuffed with cottage cheese and potatoes or sauerkraut and mushrooms. These pierogi were served with melted butter and golden, fried onion pieces. Square noodles with creamed poppy seeds called lazanki (waazaankee) were also a popular addition.

      The dessert was usually a kompot, a fruit salad made from a boiled, dried-fruit mixture such as figs, prunes, apples, apricots and peaches. An ancient, very rich dessert called kutia (kootya) was made of softened, boiled wheat grain, grated almonds, creamed poppy seeds, honey, raisins, sugar and spices. The meal ended with a warm drink served with a variety of Polish cakes, such as paczki (ponchkee), a type of doughnut makowiec, a cheese cake sernik (serneek), and rogaltki (roggahleekee) crisp pastry rings glazed with sugar and gelatine mixture. There were nuts, marzipan, chocolates and sweets also. This special Christmas dinner feast lasted at least two hours.

      As children we enjoyed all these festivities and the happy atmosphere around our family table. We greatly enjoyed decorating the Christmas pine tree choinka (hoeenka) with shaped cookies, nuts and sweets wrapped in brightly coloured paper, large glass spheres called bañki, streamers and various bought decorations. The most exciting moment however, was the eagerly anticipated arrival of Saint Nicholas, resplendent in his gold and crimson robes and his bishop's regalia. He was an imposing figure, who always carried a large bag of gifts, but occasionally a few birch twigs for the naughty individuals, though this punishment was never meant for children. At school the feast day of Saint Nicholas was celebrated on 6th December. Children received their small presents and sweets donated by the parents' school committee. That also was a joyous occasion to look forward to.

      The Christmas Eve family celebration usually concluded with the singing of carols and Midnight Mass, passterrka. Before the special church service some young people dressed up in Biblical clothes, carrying an enormous star suspended on a wooden post, they entertained neighbours with exuberant carol singing.

      We dressed warmly as we ventured into the frosty air. Stars shining like jewels in the endless sky above illuminated the way in darkness. Snow felt crisp and soft on this mysterious winter's night. The candle-lit church interior, the sweet-smelling incense and floral decorations beckoned us to the splendid, festive atmosphere within, but our attention was soon focused on the large crib and the triumphant sounds of the church organ, as we sang loudly a succession of Christmas carols during Midnight Mass. This joyous music echoed deep into the night, filling our hearts with gladness, while in the world beyond, a silent, holy night reigned supreme.

      Many years have passed, but I still recall the white Christmases spent in Poland so very long ago. It was so different from the summer Christmas in New Zealand and the traditional celebrations on 25th December in this country.

      In Poland birthdays were not usually celebrated, instead one's Patron Saint's Day was a festive occasion when scrolls laurki (luoorkee) were presented to the celebrant. These scrolls were large cards with drawings and a verse specially composed for each person on their Patron's Day. Laurki were rolled up and tied with a bright ribbon. Other presents and flowers were given on that day by family and friends and a party often followed.

      Spring time, after a cold winter was always welcome. It meant resumption of work in the fields, luscious green growth and bright flowers. In the many Polish forests przylaszczki (pshelashchkee) a type of bright wild violet and sasanki (susunkee), purple bells on furry stems, abounded. Bunches of these blooms were sold at street stalls bypeasants anxious to earn some extra money. Pussywillows became symbolic of the approaching Easter, which was preceded by Lent and fasting. It was customary to hard boil eggs, then to paint them in bright colours. Many people created elaborate designs to ornament their Easter eggs pisanki (pesunkee). On Easter Saturday a member of each household carried to church a plate wrapped up in a bright cloth or a linen serviette. On this dish were placed a piece of rye bread, salt and Easter eggs and an Easter sacrificial lamb bearing a white flag with a red cross on it. This food, swieñcone (svantsonee), was blessed by a priest. It would then be placed in the centre of the Easter breakfast table to share with family members, rather like oplatek at Christmas time. Again Easter was an occasion to look forward to and to enjoy in a family atmosphere.

      Much food was prepared ahead. It included fresh ham, continental sausages, smoked beef, buns and a great variety of cakes such as mazurki (muzoorkee), a tall sponge cake with raisins and currants. Above all though, Easter, like Christmas, was a religious feast, for which one needed to prepare oneself spiritually through-out Lent. In Poland it is still customary to exchange greetings with family members by sending Easter cards like the traditional exchange of Christmas cards at that time of year.

      Summertime for me meant school holidays and family vacations, but on farms throughout Poland this was a very busy time of tending the crops planted in spring, haymaking and harvesting the earlier maturing varieties. My father enjoyed assisting his father and sister Rozalia's family in the village at this time with haymaking. Tall grass and clover was cut with a long-handled scythe and piled up on top of two crossed sticks to dry before being placed in a hay barn. I usually accompanied Father to Osmolowszczyzna village. I really enjoyed sleeping in their barn on the new hay; it smelled so fresh. I could watch the stars at night through cracks in the roof. I helped to feed chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys and collected eggs from the fowls. Horse rides were also a novelty for me. The whole way of life in the village was vastly different from the very protective atmosphere of our urban home environment.

      My mother enjoyed spending the summer vacation at a pine forest resort of Kredowe Gory, meaning Chalk Mountains. Actually, this area was set in a valley surrounded by limestone hills.
***
The river Niemen meandered through the wide river valley. Boating was an attraction, but our swimming was carefully supervised, because of numerous whirlpools where many people had drowned. We loved to play in the pine forest and to swing from net hammocks suspended between a couple of sturdy pine trees. Sleeping in the cool shade in these hammocks during hot summer days is another of my happy memories. Wild berries, poziomki, like small strawberries full of flavour, blueberries and several varieties of edible mushrooms, grew abundantly in the forest. We enjoyed picking them all. Mushrooms fried in butter tasted delicious. They were also used in soups, complementing meat dishes in sauces or as pickles. Some varieties of mushrooms were dried or pickled in vinegar for winter stores.

      The berries had a wonderful flavour. We loved them fresh or as jam in the winter. With severe European winters, families always prepared food provisions to last through that cold season, preserving fresh fruit, mushrooms and vegetables. Potatoes, beetroot, carrots and parsnips were kept in a cool cellar, which was an integral part of every house. Cabbage was made into sauerkraut. This and dill pickled cucumbers were kept in large wooden barrels in cellars. Celery, leeks, onions and garlic were dried, hung in the kitchen or kept in a kitchen pantry.

      About 85 per cent of Poland's population before World War II adhered to the Roman Catholic faith. Minority religions had freedom of worship and their own religious instruction at school was paid for by the State. Poles had a particular devotion to the Virgin Mary, who was believed to have saved Poland from devastation and defeat during foreign invasions. The shrines of Czestochowa, also Ostra Brama (Sharp Gate) in Wilno were particularly venerated by the Polish people and were places of frequent pilgrimage.

      In June, on the feast of Corpus Christi, called Boze Cialo (Bozye Tyawo) in Polish, processions through the streets were a spectacular, familiar sight, an evidence of Poles' religious fervour. Priests, splendidly attired in their flowing robes, carried under a special canopy the golden monstrance with the concealed Blessed Sacrament, The Communion Host. They were preceded by young girls, dressed in white dresses, with floral wreaths in their hair, carrying small baskets filled with flower petals. They paved the way before the Blessed Sacrament, scattering these brightly-coloured petals before the approaching priests. Streets were filled with people, all singing hymns in unison, at altars where communal prayers were recited. Then at the main altar Mass was celebrated, during which a large crowd of assembled worshippers received Holy Communion.

      First Communion was a very important event in the lives of eight-year-old children in Poland, a day preceded by a whole year's special preparation during the religious instruction classes at school.

      I made my First Communion on 7th June 1939. The receiving of Holy Communion for the first time was of great significance for me and for my whole family. It was followed by a special school breakfast for the whole class and later by a family luncheon at our home.

      In 1939 our family again spent the summer vacation in our favourite resort of Kredowe Gory, not far from Grodno. This venue made it possible for father to commute between our holiday residence and Grodno city where, as the Medical Superintendent of the Public Hospital, he was often needed for consultations. During that time international political tension was felt keenly throughout Poland.

      Adolf Hitler, who had come to power in Germany during the Great World Depression of the 1930s, had already cast his eyes beyond his country's borders. Germany annexed Austria and occupied Czechoslovakia in 1938, while Hitler's ally Benito Mussolini conquered Abyssinia for Italy.

      Hitler next demanded greater access to the Baltic Sea, through the so-called Polish Corridor, an extra territorial highway connecting Germany with East Prussia and Gdansk and Gdynia, the Polish seaports. Poland could not afford to lose its access to the Baltic sea, so vital for its trade links with the world. Hitler's arrogant demands were met with a categorical refusal and a warning from the Polish Government in Warsaw and our allies, Britain and France, as war became probable.

      However, both Britain and France urged Poland not to arm against the Germans. Neither or these countries believed in the inevitability of war. Our allies did not wish to antagonise Hitler, who was admired for his accomplishments in Germany in the creation of full employment and a higher living standard for his people. It was believed that a peaceful solution through diplomatic negotiations could be found. Unfortunately the anti-Semitic sentiments cultivated by Nazi Germany spread into previously liberal Poland, a haven for Jews, who made up 10 per cent of the country's population. Many Poles however, including our parents, were strongly opposed to this destructive ethnic propaganda and racial prejudice.

      The German people idolised Adolf Hitler. They trusted him completely and viewed the policies of the Nazi party as beneficial to their continued welfare. Nazi propaganda portrayed Poles as uncivilised aggressors. A typical episode was the simulated attack on a German radio station within Nazi Germany's borders on 31st August 1939, supposedly initiated by Polish raiders. The Germans claimed that Poles had attacked and seized their radio station. This they followed by an abusive speech broadcast in Polish and in German. This simulated and carefully rehearsed incident was designed to provoke anti-Polish sentiments in Germany, where such news was widely publicised as an example of Polish aggression and provocation. This and other such incidents were a prelude to the real unleashing of Nazi Germany's aggression and the violation of Polish territory under the pretext of repelling the Polish aggressors.

      Our vacation at Kredowe Gory was cut short in August 1939, because of the rapidly deteriorating political situation. All able-bodied men in Poland were being mobilised into the army to defend the western borders of our sovereign, independent state. Our father received his conscription orders. Before his departure he was anxious to ensure our safety in the small town of Sokolka. He believed that Grodno city, with a large army garrison and an ammunition depot could be a likely German bombing target. Therefore, he persuaded Mother to leave our home in Grodno. Mother, Alek and I left immediately in a hired, open sports car. Our father, who was to leave for the city of Bialystok that night together with other army conscripts, farewelled us. I still vividly recall this moment, and his sad eyes, filled with tears as he kissed and hugged us for the last time. We did not realise at the time that this was to be our final parting.