PolishOrigins(TM) Forum

Re: Article: I am Australian. Of Polish Descent.

Zenon — Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:42 am

Author: Zenon

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:42 am

At the beginning of 2018 I got a message from Linda that Tad passed away shortly before Christmas 2017 at the age of 90...

Thank you, Tad, for your friendship. Thank you for the opportunity to work together on uncovering your family history. This project with you was a great adventure with many challenges which made me grow. It was an enormous boost of self-confidence and gave me a better understanding of how meaningful this work can be. Since then I with our team have been relentlessly developing the project of PolishOrigins which has impacted lives of many people and families so far and, I hope, it will influence even more in the future.

This is again link to autobiography of Tad: https://polishorigins.com/pdfs/tad_strojwas.pdf

(And here: https://blog.polishorigins.com/tad-strojwas-roznowski-in-memoriam/ I wrote a little more my memories of Tad)

Spoczywaj w pokoju Tad. RIP

Re: Article: I am Australian. Of Polish Descent.

Zenon — Tue Jun 08, 2010 6:24 am

Author: Zenon

Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 6:24 am

Hi eclpse,

Some time ago PO member "iandol" put an interesting information about digitizing by National Archives of Australia records related to the Anna Salen ship. Click here: http://forum.polishorigins.com/viewtopic.php?t=173 for the post entitled: Anna Salen ex Bremerhaven 24th June 1950 Nominal Roll.

Anna Salen 1950

eclpse — Sat May 29, 2010 4:23 am

Author: eclpse

Posted: Sat May 29, 2010 4:23 am

Hi, I am wondering if anyone has any photos on board the ship or articles about the voyage of the Anna Salen which left 24th June 1950 and arrived Melbourne 29th July 1950.

Email from www.archives.gov

Kengal — Tue May 11, 2010 4:32 pm

Author: Kengal

Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 4:32 pm

Hi Barbara,

I emailed www.archives.gov and asked how to access records relating to my service in the US Army.

I just received this email response from them.

May 11, 2010

Dear Mr. Strojwas:

Polish citizens who served with the U.S. Army during World War II and
during the occupation of Germany and who were not officially inducted
into the American Army were considered civilian employees by the U.S.
Government. Personnel and medical information for individuals who
worked for the U.S. government in a civilian capacity is in the custody
of the Civilian Personnel Records, National Personnel Records Center,
111 Winnebago Street, St. Louis, MO 63118-4126.

Sincerely,
Archives II Reference Section
National Archives at College Park, MD

NWCT2R 10-08709

Hope this information is a help to you,
Regards, Ted

US Army Records

Kengal — Sun May 09, 2010 2:54 am

Author: Kengal

Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 2:54 am

Basiak wrote:

Hi Ted,

Thank you for your reply. Great news that you did receive information from ITS on yourself. The documents sound like they might give me more information about my uncle and I don't minding waiting 3-4 months. Unfortunately he died 4 years ago. I only found all this information from documents I obtained from the National Archives of Australia recently. I had no idea that all of this had happened to him, as I was told he worked as a guard in Germany after the war, but during the war was never mentioned. His date of birth seems to also be a mystery as there seem to be 2 different years that he used on documents. I am going to Poland in September and I am hoping to answer this question and obviously a few others about my family. Ted, one more question have you obtained records from the US Army during the time you worked for them after the war in Germany? I was hoping to do this but am finding it difficult to find out where to obtain the records. Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Kind Regards,
Barbara

Hi again Barbara,

I do have some original documents that I kept from the US Army but I haven't sought any additional records since that time. The documents I have are my Motor Vehicle Operator's Permits (Truck Driving licence), Statement of Competency - Sheetmetal work and Army Discharge Certificate.

My suggestion would be to contact The National Archives and Records Administration as they are responsible for the storage of all US military records. The website is http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs

At least this may be a starting point

Regards, Ted

Re: Article: I am Australian. Of Polish Descent.

Basiak — Thu May 06, 2010 3:46 pm

Author: Basiak

Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 3:46 pm

Hi Ted,

Thank you for your reply. Great news that you did receive information from ITS on yourself. The documents sound like they might give me more information about my uncle and I don't minding waiting 3-4 months. Unfortunately he died 4 years ago. I only found all this information from documents I obtained from the National Archives of Australia recently. I had no idea that all of this had happened to him, as I was told he worked as a guard in Germany after the war, but during the war was never mentioned. His date of birth seems to also be a mystery as there seem to be 2 different years that he used on documents. I am going to Poland in September and I am hoping to answer this question and obviously a few others about my family. Ted, one more question have you obtained records from the US Army during the time you worked for them after the war in Germany? I was hoping to do this but am finding it difficult to find out where to obtain the records. Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Kind Regards,
Barbara

ITS in Bad Arolsen, Germany

Kengal — Thu May 06, 2010 4:13 am

Author: Kengal

Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 4:13 am

Basiak wrote:

Hi Ted,

I have just read your story this morning and was amazed by it. Zenon asked me to read it as your story and my Uncle's is very similar. I am Australian, born and bred here, but my entire family is Polish. My uncle, Jan Pola, like you was also sent to Germany from Poland and worked on two farms under "forced labor". Like you, he worked in the US Army in Germany after the war and then applied to resettle in Australia. He arrived here in Sydney, Australia in 1950. Just this weekend I have contacted the ITS in Bad Arolsen, Germany to see if I can obtain his records. Zenon mentioned that you had also applied a few months back and I was wondering if you have received a reply or any information.

Kind Regards,
Barbara (Basia)

Hi Barbara,

I was interested to hear about your uncle and how many similarities there were to my own story. Is your uncle still alive?

Yes, I did receive a reply from the ITS in Bad Arolsen, Germany.
Initially, I sent three formal request forms by email and indicated that I was seeking information about myself, my Aunty Helena and half-sister Walerja. They sent me a letter and attached copies of records from their archives. The information they sent me related my time spent in Germany. Documents included my 'work history', the names/dates spent in displaced persons' camps, interviews with UNRRA etc. Unfortunately, there was no information available concerning my Aunty Helena and Walerja. From memory, I think I waited 3-4 months for a reply so they take a while to make contact.

Hope you get a reply soon. Good luck.

Re: Article: I am Australian. Of Polish Descent.

Basiak — Wed Apr 28, 2010 6:08 pm

Author: Basiak

Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 6:08 pm

Hi Ted,

I have just read your story this morning and was amazed by it. Zenon asked me to read it as your story and my Uncle's is very similar. I am Australian, born and bred here, but my entire family is Polish. My uncle, Jan Pola, like you was also sent to Germany from Poland and worked on two farms under "forced labor". Like you, he worked in the US Army in Germany after the war and then applied to resettle in Australia. He arrived here in Sydney, Australia in 1950. Just this weekend I have contacted the ITS in Bad Arolsen, Germany to see if I can obtain his records. Zenon mentioned that you had also applied a few months back and I was wondering if you have received a reply or any information.

Kind Regards,
Barbara (Basia)

Re: Article: I am Australian. Of Polish Descent.

Kengal — Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:17 pm

Author: Kengal

Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:17 pm

Hello Kruse,

Many thanks for the information. I've just sent you an personal email

I would like to know more about you and your life story. Sounds like we have some things in common.

Keep smiling, Ted

I am australian, Polish Decent

kruse — Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:11 pm

Author: kruse

Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:11 pm

Ted

Great article I just stumbled on this site and found this very interesting read.
My history is very similar to yours even to the situation that I am my parents came to Australia in July 1950 on the same ship "Anna Salen"

The ship Anna Salen left Bremerhaven on 24 June 1950 and arrived in Melbourne Australia 29 July 1950. The name Tadeusz Strojwas passenger number 1245 appears on the passenger list.

I have a complete passenger list for anyone who may be interested.

Re: Article: I am Australian. Of Polish Descent.

Zenon — Fri Apr 04, 2008 4:02 pm

Author: Zenon

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 4:02 pm

It is the highest time for Polish version: http://polishorigins.com/document/teds_story_pl . We will be added next parts gradually, as time permits for translation.

Polska wersja historii życia Tada Strójwąsa zatytułowanej Jestem Australijczykiem. Polskiego pochodzenia. http://polishorigins.com/document/teds_story_pl .

Kolejne rozdziały dodawane będą stopniowo po przetłumaczeniu kolejnych części oryginału.

Re: Article: I am Australian. Of Polish Descent.

Zenon — Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:23 pm

Author: Zenon

Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:23 pm

We prepared eBook version of the whole Ted's Story. You can open or download it directly from here: http://polishorigins.com/pdfs/tad_strojwas.pdf.

If you need Adobe software to open the pdf document you can download free Acrobat Reader from here: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

We also, together with Ted, decided to change the title of his biography, to be more unique, to:
I am Australian. Of Polish Descent.

As always, any comments are welcomed .

Re: Article: I am Australian. Of Polish Descent.

Zenon — Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:21 am

Author: Zenon

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:21 am

OK my friends, let's stop talking about Zenon. I start to feel embarrassed ... This is Ted's Life Story

I just was trying to do my best and without valuable hints from you Linda and Tad, as well as many helpful people in Poland - Historical Society in Starachowice, Cecylia's neighboors in Olsztyn and many others - we would not arrive here. And we are still working on origins of Ted's father

Re: Ted's Story in Sydney

Kengal — Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:49 am

Author: Kengal

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:49 am

Zenon wrote:

Today, on website http://www.pulspolonii.com/ which is an Internet magazine of Australian Polonia, there were published excerpts of Ted's Story! http://www.zrobtosam.com/PulsPol/Puls3/index.php?sekcja=1&arty_id=5157

We wish, Polish Australians, and all non-Polish too , Happy Australia Day

Thanks Mate!

Australia Day was a bloody ripper (translation - a great day). We are walking around in shorts and t-shirts, it's hot hot hot. It's bloody beautiful weather. We better go and boil the billy

See ya round like a rissole (translation - 'see' you later)

Long Live the Butterfly Effect

Kengal — Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:32 am

Author: Kengal

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:32 am

Hi Nancy,

Thank you for sharing your insight regarding the impact we can have on other people's lives, often without realising it at the time. Linda and I are so glad you wrote your story because it led us to Zenon.

Zenon put in literally years of hard slog to help me find my family. It was in the truest sense "a cold case".

Over many years, I encountered numerous obstacles and dead ends ....... and frustration.

Even now, I think about the odds we faced and it's simply amazing. Zenon was the key to solving this mystery.

At the moment, I am trying to learn more about my aunt Helena and half-sister Walerja. Helena died in a mental hospital during WW2 and Walerja died during the Warsaw Uprising. I have lodged enquiries with the International Tracing Service in Bad Orolsen, Germany, so hopefully I might find out more about them. Fingers crossed!

Re: Article: I am Australian. Of Polish Descent.

NancyM — Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:09 pm

Author: NancyM

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:09 pm

Hi Ted,

I read Part 8 a few days ago when Zenon posted it. I forgot to reply here, because I got into a conversation with Zenon about what a great job he had done for you. I was so impressed by his tenacity in tracking down your family, it took 2 or 3 years of detective work, as I recall.

I was also thinking about how we usually never know how something we might say or do will ripple out and affect someone else. I felt like I was tossing a stone into a huge pond in 2004 when I posted my story, which Linda saw, and I am truly thrilled to learn about your own success.

Now you have told your story (OK, 8 of how many parts), and we can expect another "butterfly effect" as Zenon calls it.

Please tell Linda "Hello" from me

Ted's Story in Sydney

Zenon — Sat Jan 26, 2008 3:49 am

Author: Zenon

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 3:49 am

A few days ago I was contacted by Dr Ernestyna Skurjat-Kozek, editor of an Internet magazine for Australian Polonia http://www.pulspolonii.com/

Today, on website http://www.zrobtosam.com/PulsPol/Puls3/index.php?sekcja=1&arty_id=5157 there were published excerpts of Ted's Story!

We wish, Polish Australians, and all non-Polish too , Happy Australia Day

My Life Story

Kengal — Fri Jan 25, 2008 5:54 am

Author: Kengal

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 5:54 am

Hi Nancy,

Please just call me Ted

I haven't done any other writing but I have told a lot of stories in my lifetime. And they weren't all tall tales

In my spare time I would like to write more about my recollections and I've got plenty of them!

The flying fox (or zip-line) has been used extensively in Australia. The one I wrote about in my story carried up to fifteen tonnes and was mostly used to carry rocks and a concrete bucket to fill in formwork.

Part 8 is on-line - hope you find it interesting.

Re: Article: I am Australian. Of Polish Descent.

Kengal — Fri Jan 25, 2008 5:34 am

Author: Kengal

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 5:34 am

NancyM wrote:

Hi Tad (or, should it be Ted),

Your story continues to fascinate me. You certainly know how to tell a good story, have you done other writing? And thanks for adding the pictures.

I looked up "flying fox" and "skip" ... Wikipedia had a good explanation of flying fox, which led me to zip-line ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_fox_(cablecar)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zip-line

more, please!

Re: Article: I am Australian. Of Polish Descent.

Zenon — Wed Jan 23, 2008 7:36 am

Author: Zenon

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 7:36 am

Part 8 is online...

Part VIII: FAMILY UNCOVERED! After 62 years...

And we will be working together on the next part