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Shellie
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Post Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2019 11:44 pm      Post subject: Mystery soldier (Wilhelm Struś) family photos near Przemyśl
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Do you have ancestors from Przemyśl?

I found a photo in an old family album of a woman sitting near a river with 2 bridges in the background - from a trip my great-uncle Frank Ferenc took in 1930 when he went back to visit Poland. I have several photos the woman in this photo and other people that I believe are family, but I cannot identify them. One photo shows the lady with a soldier and child [update 11/21/2019: I have now identified the soldier as Wilhelm Struś thanks to some wonderful people who saw this forum posting]. My only clue was a group photo with Ressow written across the top, (also posted below) so I was concentrating on the town Rzeszów. If you are curious, you see more photos and can read my Rzeszów post here:
https://forum.polishorigins.com/viewtopic.php?t=674&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

It took me many hours of searching but I think I finally identified the location of this bridge/photo as Przemyśl. I found several old postcards at: http://www.przemysl.ap.gov.pl/art,161,przemysl-na-starej-pocztowce-ze-zbiorow-archiwum-panstwowego-w-przemyslu

Now I wonder if other families took photos here - it looks like a good place for a picnic. Does anyone have photos taken in this spot in Przemysl that you would like to share?



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Last edited by Shellie on Thu Nov 21, 2019 8:18 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Sophia
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Post Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 8:01 am      Post subject:
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interesting

Last edited by Sophia on Tue Mar 19, 2019 8:26 am; edited 1 time in total
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Piotr Zelny
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 3:56 am      Post subject:
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Hi Shellie
I studied the photographs you have published in this and previous posts and observed some importent fackts. Maybe it help you to recognize the people on the photos. The guy in polish military uniform, on one photo dressed in everyday uniform on another in official uniform. On the photo taken in a photograph studio where he is with a lady and a girl he wears official uniform with some characteristick emblems.
On hist breast is a badge of his unit, on his collar an emblem of division. A badge looks like a cross with a circle element in its central part. On the circle can be seen outline of an eagle. There are also two canons crossed, these are the most characteristic elements. This is a badge of a regiment of light artillery.
An emblem on his collar. Three feathers of a bird of pray (an eagle) and svastica. This is an emblem of polish divisions of mountain infantry. Don't be confused that there is a svastica, it is 1930, nobody connects this symbol with nazi in that time. Than it is a symbol of happyness, fertility etc. commonly used by polish mountain units.
There were two polish mountain divisions in interwar period 21'st and 22'nd.
Units of 22'nd division of mountain infantry statoned in Przemysl, Sanok and Drohobycz. One of the units was the 22'nd regiment of light artillery which stationed in Przemysl.
The photo of the soldier (his a sergeant) and a lady and a girl taken in a studio and a photo captioned "Rzeszow July 1930" presents the same people (maybe family). The lady on the background of two bridges in Przemysl (you made great work recognizing the place) is the same lady who previously accompanied our soldier. Przemysl is in distance of about 60 km from Rzeszow.
Obviously the soldier could have served in unit of light artillery of 21'st division of mountain infantry becouse the badges were similar and emblems the same but that division stationd more to the west in Bielsko-Biała and Krakow.
So the clues (photos taken in Rzeszow and Przemysl) indicates on the 22'nd division and 22'nd regiment of light infantry.
Personal dossier of polish soldiers of interwar period are kept in the Archive of Polish Army in Warsaw.
The files are not complit but if you had lucky your anonimous persons could be recognized through this way.
Good luck
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Piotr Zelny
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 8:44 am      Post subject:
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Correction:
It is 1930 so it is the 22'nd regiment of field artillery of the 22'nd division of mountain infantry. In Decamber of 1931 the unit changed the name on the 22'nd regiment of ligt artillery.

The regiment stationed in Rzeszow between 1922 - 1933 then was moved to Przemysl.

Addicional clue is the medal with a profile of Piłsudski's face. It's The Medal of 10'th Anniversary of Regaining Independace from 1928.
I writte more later if you wish.
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Piotr Zelny
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 6:33 pm      Post subject:
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Yes !!!
I've got him. His name is W. Struś.
His photo is here http://garnizon.projekt8813.pl/?id=22papogn
Click on the group photo of the cadr of non-commissioned officers - right edge of the secend row downstars. The face is the same with that small mustash but his surname is unreadable.
Look at another one here
http://garnizon.projekt8813.pl/?id=22palogn
Photo is in worse condition but the surname is readable.
Ogn. W. Struś
Ogn. - means a fire master that was a rank of sergeant in artillery
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Shellie
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Post Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 1:30 pm      Post subject:
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Piotr!!!

Many many thanks to you! You are so very kind to help me with this. I always hoped that someone would be able to help me identify someone in my photos! Thank you so very much!

I think you are correct! The resolution is low, so the photo is not very clear, but it certainly looks like a match! I sent an email to the owner of the website http://garnizon.projekt8813.pl/?id=22papogn to ask if I can obtain a better image. I hope to hear back soon. So I now have a clue about a man named W. Struś. I hope this will help me discover the name of his wife, for she is surely somehow related to my uncle. It would also be wonderful of that little girl was still alive, but surely she would be more than 90 years old now.

Please, if you have more information about the 22nd regiment of field artillery of the 22nd division of mountain infantry, I would like to learn more. Thank you so much for helping me.
Kind regards,
Shellie

Update: The webmaster at garnizon.projekt8813.pl replied to my request and sent me a clear image (attached below). It certainly is him! Now I just need to learn more about my Struś cousins. Cheers!



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Piotr Zelny
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 7:41 am      Post subject:
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Hi Shellie
Thank you for your appreciation. I'm glad that I could help you.

I work in a museum in Sanok, we have got many artefacts of another unit (2nd Regiment of Podhalanian Rifles which stationed here) but also the one of the 22nd division of mountain infantry. So the photo automaticaly drew my attention and that's why I was able to recognize the unit of a soldier and himself.

There is a book on the 22nd regiment of light artillery but in polish only. "22 Pułk Artylerii Lekkiej" by Robert Osiński. It's a history of the regiment but in September campain only (September 1939) and "Artyleria Polska 1914-1939" by Roman Łoś 1991. Suppousdly there are much more materials about that. Unfortunately mostly if not only in polish.

I'd advise you to ask The National Museum in Przemyśl for the information on artefackts and photos of the 22nd regiment. One branch of the museum, The Fortress of Przemyśl, collects military relicks. Thay can have hundreds of them or even more. All museums have full stores of relicks as it is in our museum.
Another one of branches of the Przemyśl museum is exposition of insides of the most fameus photographers (Bernard Henner and Adam Wysocki) of the 19'th and 20'th c. town. Wouldn't be a nice coincidance if your Struś posed for the photo in one of the ateliers. At last as an officer he was within the town's elitte.
You should ask The Archive of Polish Army in Warsaw for dossier or any information on Mr. Struś. Personal dates might be under protetion of the low and could be unavalible to see for 80 years since the death. However, I'd check it.

Best Regards
Piotrek
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Piotr Zelny
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 9:41 am      Post subject:
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I forgot to tell you that I had checked the list of the murdered in Katyń (he was an officer) and there is no such a name.
And yet the medal with Piłsudski on his breast says that he started his career in the army or civil service at least in 1923 or earlier.
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sirdan
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Post Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2019 10:43 am      Post subject:
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Hello!

Rzeszów area is always interesting as well as this topic. Suprisingly, Struś name is not rare. There were płk poż. Włodzimierz Struś and also ppłk Władysław Struś, who was promoted to płk in 1924. So neither of them were from the picture.
Back to Przemyśl, in 1937, there was Wilhelm Struś Ogniomistrz in "Zarząd Ogniska i komisja rewizyjna podoficerów zawodowych garnizonu Przemyśl w roku 1937". He was a treasurer in Przemyśl garrison at that time. His picture is here in book on p.730 It says that he stands in the pictrure before last man on the right. If i look correctly the, he must be that bald man with moustache. Maybe he changed his appearance after 6 years? I cannot match him at 100% sureness.
But when started looking for Wilhelm, i saw a tree on Geni here. That Wilhelm has married to Zofia Wawro, and his child was born in 1942 in Przemysl. There are more people buried in his tomb in Kraków cementary (Śliz/Bujak/Saternus). Any connections?
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Shellie
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Post Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:05 pm      Post subject:
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Sirdan,
I don't know why I did not see your message from so many months ago! YES!!! I believe that the Wilhelm you found is my ancestor. However, the link to the photo/book p.730 did not work and I could not find the book when I searched online.

The BIG CLUE is his wife, Sofia Wawro. Thank you so much for your hard work. I am trying to contact the person who created the tree on Geni. Wish me luck!! Best Regards, Shellie

sirdan wrote:
Hello!

Rzeszów area is always interesting as well as this topic. Suprisingly, Struś name is not rare. There were płk poż. Włodzimierz Struś and also ppłk Władysław Struś, who was promoted to płk in 1924. So neither of them were from the picture.
Back to Przemyśl, in 1937, there was Wilhelm Struś Ogniomistrz in "Zarząd Ogniska i komisja rewizyjna podoficerów zawodowych garnizonu Przemyśl w roku 1937". He was a treasurer in Przemyśl garrison at that time. His picture is here in book on p.730 It says that he stands in the pictrure before last man on the right. If i look correctly the, he must be that bald man with moustache. Maybe he changed his appearance after 6 years? I cannot match him at 100% sureness.
But when started looking for Wilhelm, i saw a tree on Geni here. That Wilhelm has married to Zofia Wawro, and his child was born in 1942 in Przemysl. There are more people buried in his tomb in Kraków cementary (Śliz/Bujak/Saternus). Any connections?
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sirdan
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Post Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 3:30 pm      Post subject:
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Wow, it is great that small hint occured helpful Smile
And I learned a lesson, that internet is not so reliable.. It is always good to download any important source we found there.. Fortunately, this time that pdf just changed location. Its here to download right now. His picture is on page 730.
I have same feelings that Wilhelm is the one You look for.
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Shellie
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Post Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 10:22 pm      Post subject:
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Hi Sirdan,
Thank you for the new link! I found the photo in the periodical Wiarus and I think Wilhelm Strus is in the last row - I marked it with a green star. What do you think? I sent a message to the tree owner at Geni and hope that he will respond to my questions. I do not recognize any other names where Wilhelm Strus is buried. The only name that I recognize is Wawro (surname of his wife Zofia). But this is a VERY BIG clue that may help link me to the people in the photograph. Thank you so much for taking the time to search for my ancestor. Kindest Regards, Shellie



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sirdan
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Post Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2019 3:51 am      Post subject:
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I think You might be right. Description of the photo says, Wilhelm is the one before the last man. Previously, I had approached counting from the top to the bottom of the picture. But when starting counting from the front row of people to the back row, we have person that looks like Wilhelm!
People on your photos, looks like family for the Wilhelm? I found Tomasz Wawro (and Wawro Józefa, wife?) on the Rzeszów city Census in 1949. What if thats the brother in law he visited in 30-ties? That is just a hard guess, i didnt see actual documents.
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Post Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2020 6:13 pm      Post subject:
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Hi Shellie, and others,

It looks like you found a picture of my grandfather. Hers is another picture of him from ~1930.



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Shellie
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Post Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2020 8:51 pm      Post subject:
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Hi Piotr! I am so excited to know that you found this forum. Thank you so much for adding the photo! I hope that we will talk soon! Do you know the name of the boy in the photo? Do you think that the boy in your photo is one of the boys in my photos?


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