Sto Lat
“Sto lat” (One Hundred Years) is a traditional Polish song that is sung to express good wishes, good health and long life to a person.
It’s also the name of the three part blog series I’m starting today (Hitler’s birthday is April 20th ) about my family, who in the past 100 years has experienced and prevailed against some of the most difficult situations imaginable, including living through the torment of Concentration and Displaced Persons camps in Nazi Germany during World War II.
I don’t think you truly learn to appreciate your parents until you become one yourself. My whole life, I took my mother for granted and while I always respected my grandfather, I’ve never taken the time to really reflect on what he endured to gain his family’s freedom. Out of respect for my grandfather and to celebrate his 93rd birthday, I’d like to share with you my family’s story.
My Ancestors, all of whom were taken into enslavement
I recently read Night, Elie Wiesel’s personal account of the Holocaust as seen through the eyes of a 15-year-old boy. The book describes Wiesel’s first encounter with prejudice and details the persecution of a people and the loss of his family. Wiesel’s experiences in the death camps of Auschwitz and Buchenwald are graphic; his accounts of starvation and brutality are a shattering and vivid testimony to the consequences of evil.
Throughout the book, Wiesel speaks of the struggle to survive, the inner battle to survive while retaining those qualities that make us human. While Wiesel lost his innocence and many of his beliefs, he never lost his sense of compassion or his inherent sense of right.
In contrast, my family isn’t Jewish, we’re Polish-Catholic, and my grandfather was a soldier in the Polish Army.
My Grandfather's ID Photo
After 93 years, my Dziadziu (Grandfather in Polish) is starting to fade but my family remembers him as the Polish Freedom Fighter who fought for his life and the lives of his family while in various Concentration Camps throughout Nazi Germany during World War II.
It’s hard to sum up the past century in just a few blog posts, but it’s a story worth telling and I’m proud to share it with you. After all, if it wasn’t for Nazi Germany and my family’s long and arduous journey to America, I wouldn’t exist.
Me at 17 with my Mother
Continue reading Part Two in this series.
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hey from new zealand! you were above me in the comments at SITS. someone else did the same and came to visit me, so i thought i’d come visit you! hello! i watched Elie Wiesel when oprah went with him to the concentration camp. so moving. thank you for sharing
Don’t forget your Irish side
xxxoooxxx
My Hubbie’s Family came from Poland. His Grandfather Came to Canada to start a new life. They were fortunate to have left Poland before 1938.
I have been to Auschwitz, the stench and satins still there! I must have cried for Hours. Could not get out of there fast enough. We were travel with a Jewish group from our Temple. It really is eye opening when one experience enough life to realize what their grandparents went though just to get them here. Although I myself did not have this background, My husband did. He grandparents were Russian Jews. they fled to the Americas in search for Freedom. The Stories of his g-fathers life is overwhelming. I am look forward to the post of Yours. Happy 93rd B-day to your Dziadzin.
Amen Julie.
Great post on the week of remembrance.
thanks for sharing.
great post, can’t wait to read more…
Thanks for sharing your family’s story. By telling your story you honor their memory, and maintain awareness of the holocaust. This is the only way to truly fight racism and prejudice. I look forward to more.
Julie, your family’s story is so inspirational! I can’t wait to hear more details! And this must be where you get your determination!
Julie – What a family history you have. This was an amazing post. The picture of your family all standing together was so touching and then to read that all were taken into enslavement, heartbreaking.
In a world where being PC seems to be the rule, I think it’s wonderful that you are so very proud of your rich family heritage and not afraid to say it. Good for you!
And a very Happy Bday to your sweet Dziadzin.
This is such a great post. Thanks for sharing. I don’t know much about my family’s background, besides where we are from. I may want to dig to see if we have anything interesting.
So this is what you were referring to… wow, what a history here. Thanks so much for you for sharing this with us.
I cannot wait to hear more. Happy 93rd B-day to your Dziadzin. He is truly a hero.
I look forwrd to hearing more of your family story! It is so important to keep history alive.
I’ve recently started writing questions for my 94 yr old grandmother to answer before she starts to lose her memories.
This is beautiful! It is so wonderful that you are taking the time to do this special series!
What a wonderful tribute to an amazing man, the kind of man who balances the hate-filled brutes of the world with his faith and principles.
In my neck of the woods, we are doing our own remembering with Columbine today. It’s smaller scale than what your grandfather lived through, but the same bitter-sweet.
So glad you chimed in for Perfect Moment Monday!
Looking forward to reading your posts!!!
Wow! What powerful blog posts these will be. We all need to learn more about history, especially this era of history so it doesn’t happen again. We need to teach our kids about it too. My son is studying this topic now and is very interested in it. I think he’ll like your posts.
Any yes, I didn’t appreciate my mother til I had kids. I never knew what an incredible mother I have! Boy am I lucky.
I can’t wait to read your family’s story (and someday the Irish side too, as your dad reminded you). I have “Night” and need to read it one day soon. xo
Thanks so much for your kind comments on my blog. It is amazing what your grandfather did.
Thanks for sharing these great photos. How wonderful to know so much about your ancestors.
My parents also spent the war years in Poland and Germany.
We must never forget our heritage. Thank you for printing this
beautiful history. Sto lat indeed!
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