Frank and I went all the way to southeastern Poland to learn more about the roots of his Polish grandmother, in Babice.
Now, by way of email, news of Frank’s Polish grandfather just came to us! An independent Chicago researcher who studies Haller’s Army just sent us new details about “Jan Wilczek”–who was born (it turns out) November 15, 1892 in “Mikanow, Nowomieski, Warszawa.”
Now we have even more stuff to find out about, next time we go back.
Many thanks to Dr. Paul S. Valasek, whose self-published book about Haller’s Army we will definitely buy! The book doesn’t yet have a website of its own, but when that’s corrected, I will add that information to this blogpost.
7 responses so far ↓
1 Betsy Devine // Nov 26, 2007 at 2:10 pm
More information about the book we want:
Haller’s Polish Army in France
By Paul S. Valasek
Published 2006
For the first time in English, a history of the Polish Army in France, aka Haller’s Army, aka the Blue Army, aka Armia Hallera, is compiled from regimental histories, memoirs, period reports, letters and documents. Starting with the origins of the Restoration of Poland movement and the major roles of the city of Pittsburgh and the Polish Falcons, through the view of Ignacy Paderewski as he officially sat at the Paris peace talks; this book explains the formation, development, and accomplishments of this fighting force of Polish volunteers from America. They enlisted to travel to France for battle against the Imperial German and Austro-Hungarian armies on the western front, and subsequently to fight against the wave of Communism and the Bolshevik menace in the Polish-Soviet War of 1919-1920. Many of these resources have not been published in over 75 years and many are here for the first time in English.
Included in the book are:
* Regimental histories written less than 10 years after the war
* Memoirs of two of the army’s most active officers
* Reports by the Canadian Army at Niagara on the Lake as well as the reaction of local residents to the influx of so many foreign troops
* Accounts of the rapport which existed between the Polish Army in France and the YMCA
* Biography of General Haller as presented at a banquet honoring him in Wilkes- Barre in 1934
* 75 photos, 6 maps and a flowchart of the development of the army
* Over 1600 names of recruits from the Pittsburgh/ SW Pennsylvania region
* 715 names of casualties in France and the Eastern Front
* 161 names of Virtuti Militari award recipients
* 277 place names involved with battles on the Eastern Front
* 21 page index of Proper Names and Terms
* 432 pages, soft-cover, 7 x 10, perfect bound.
ISBN 0-977-9757-0-3
Dr. Paul S. Valasek
2643 W. 51st Street
Chicago, IL 60632-1559
2 TA // Nov 26, 2007 at 3:05 pm
I seem to remember from somewhere (some Nobel speech?) that there is also an Italian side to the family tree. You know, as in Warm and Sunny Italy, as opposed to Freezing Stockholm With Reindeer on the Streets? Wink wink, nudge nudge… :)
3 Betsy Devine // Nov 26, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Oh yes–now I remember! In fact, we are headed to Italy in the springtime, although that does seem a bit backward now that I think of it.
Brrrr, Stockholm was chilly this afternoon!
4 Kay Dennison // Nov 26, 2007 at 11:33 pm
You’re really covering Europe!! And I am soooo envious!!!! Actually I think you got ot backwards — Norway in the Spring and Italy in winter would be easier on these old bones.
5 Betsy Devine // Nov 27, 2007 at 3:16 am
Next time, Kay, I am definitely taking you with me to remind me about picking climates.
Especially when I remember that tomorrow we have to pack up again and go to Denmark!
6 TA // Nov 27, 2007 at 11:48 am
And here I was beginning to feel sorry for your renewed Swedish ordeal and thinking that maybe I should drop by Nordita and buy you a consolation cup of coffee or something. But I see that I need not worry. Have fun in Copenhagen! :)
7 Betsy Devine // Nov 27, 2007 at 1:10 pm
One great thing about spending autumn and winter in Stockholm is that everyplace else you go seems balmy and sunny.
In Poland, people kept saying how much prettier everything is in summer time, but to us it seemed relatively warm with a whole lot of greenery–and such late sunsets.
Even Copenhagen will be about ten degrees warmer (Fahrenheit).
But do come and have coffee with us, we’re back in town Monday!