Sitting Down In Your GGGrandfather`s House.

Sitting Down In Your GGGrandfather's House.
Louis Forefather's Traces Tour to Poland
If you want to travel to Poland to seek your roots and visit the towns of your ancestors, I
highly recommend Zenon Znamirowski from PolishOrigins as your personal tour guide. I have just
returned from a highly productive and enjoyable two-week stay in Poland with Zenon as my
driver/translator/genealogist.
You do not ever want to drive in Poland. I do not care whether you know Polish and can
drive in the big city and/or the countryside in the US, but Poland is different. Save yourself from
having a migraine or an accident and hire this driver/translator. It’s worth every penny, and you get
to go where and when you want to go.
Zenon with his beautiful wife, Magda, his handsome son, David, and his gorgeous daughter, Amelia.
Zenon is fluent in English and Polish, making for easy conversation and streamlining access
to the information I was seeking. He asks what you want to accomplish and how he can make that
happen. He listens and offers suggestions in order that you get what you want from your trip. He
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has a master’s degree in Economics, and we had a great time discussing the ideas of Thomas
Friedman’s book, The World is Flat, as we made a grand 2000+km circle around Poland.
The main reason I went to Poland was to meet the descendants of my grandfather John’s
brother, August, who stayed in Poland in the town of Dabrowka Dolna. I had been corresponding
with the family for about 15 years. But I also wanted to visit the towns of all my grandparents.
Zenon picked me up at the airport and we drove to Kobyle, the ancestral home of my grandmother,
Mary Deja.
We stayed two nights at a bed and breakfast and which served the best mushroom soup ever.
We spent the next day searching in Pogodki, Kosmin, Zblewo and Kiszewa, looking for the Deja –
Zynda and allied families. (By the way, I took over 650 pictures on this trip. I think Zenon also took
just as many as a precautionary back-up.) The gravestones gave little information, because it is the
church policy in Poland that you must pay to rent the gravesite for 20 years and are responsible for
maintaining it. When the time has expired, you must re-rent the space. If everyone moves or there is
no relative who wishes to maintain the site, the stones are buried or thrown away and someone else
is buried in that spot. Many old grave markers were made of wood and thus disintegrated over time.
Zenon has also downloaded historical summaries of all the Polish towns and has begun to
translate then into English for me and I will include them in the family history. (In case I didn’t
mention, you do not want to drive in Poland!)
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We drove across Poland to Dabrowka Dolna (the ancestral home of my Grandfather John) to
meet the Welnas. When we entered the yard, there was sweet Maria waiting at the gate! It seems
that most property in Poland is gated.
Maria cooking on her stove. The chicken and pork and chicken soup were delicious!
While there might have been some apprehension on both sides, as soon as Maria hugged me,
I knew I was home. We grabbed each other, kissed and hugged each other again and walked into her
house. We sat at the table holding hands and just talked about our families and showed pictures of
them. Zenon was translating all the time. She married into the Welna family, and her husband
Ryszard, my contemporary, died of a heart attack about five years ago at the age of 51. She insisted
that we stay with her. She cooked for us for three days on a wood stove in her summer kitchen. I
guess that’s what happens to you in Poland when you are “family”. I teased her about opening a
restaurant.
Her son, Waldemar, and his beautiful wife, Ania, and their two cute children joined us the
next day as we checked local history and graveyards. We visited the local pastor who allowed us to
look at the birth, death, and marriage records. This verified that there are missing books so it looks
like the research on the Welna family has reached the end. The same is true about the Pyka family
who lived nearby in Dammratsch (now Domaradz) and also attended the same church.
On Sunday, Zenon and I attended the Polish mass in the church of my grandfather. There
was one in German earlier in the morning. Hearing Polish hymns sung loudly and clearly (almost as
good as Protestants!) was a joy.
It had been unusually cold and rainy for September so I asked the priest if he would pray to
God and ask for warmer weather. He responded that he did not have that kind of relationship with
God. (Polish humor!) But he did sell me a history of the church, St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr,
written in German, which will need to be translated.
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Later, I got to meet Maria’s daughter Gabbi and her boyfriend. She is finishing her senior
year at college. When I first discovered the Welnas, she was in the second grade about to make her
First Communion. Look how she has grown and how lovely she is!
Gabbi Welna and (boyfriend) Sigmund Maciej
I was taken to see August Welna’s house, which Maria’s Daughter Dorota and her husband
are restoring. (August was my grandpa’s John’s brother.)
August Welna’s House. Valentine’s house stood on the property perpendicular to the exiting house.
Then the best thing happened! I found out that the home of Valentine Welna had chosen to
be an 18th century representative home in an open air museum in 1957. So the next day, we all went
to the museum. When the guide at the museum found out that we were direct descendants, she took
down the barriers and gave us free access to the whole house.
To put things in perspective and help your understanding, the ancestry order is: Louis D
Welna -> son of Louis J. Welna -> son of John C. Welna -> son of John Welna -> son of Valentine
Welna, son of Martin Welna born about 1754.
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Site map of the open air museum also called “Skansen” - Muzeum Wsi Opolskiej - whose goal is: to collect, preserve and
study the monuments of the folk culture of Opole Silesia. The house located at “8” is the peasant cottage from Dabrowka
Dolna built in 1827. This is the house of Valentine Welna
Valentine’s house
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Maria Welna and Louis Welna at Valentine’s House
I took many pictures of the inside which I will include in the family history started by Mitzi
Welna. Valentine’s name (Valentine Welna), the date (1827) and the name of the builder is carved
on one of the beams. I got to sit at the table of my great great grandfather Valetine Welna’s kitchen
table and wept. (By the way, do not drive in Poland!)
Patryk, Louis, Maria, Valdemar, Ania, and Marcel Welna all sitting at Valentine Welna’s kitchen table.
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According to the Welnas, an old aunt named, Cecylia, saw the house at the museum and she
said it was exactly as she remembered it. All the contents are original and came from the Welna
house.
Louis Welna and Waldemar Welna sawing wood with Valentine’s saw!
Waldemar Welna, his wife, Ania, and their two children, Marcel (with dad) and Patryk at the Valentine Welna’s farmhouse, on
the standard transportation of the day, the wooden wagon.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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