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Kengal



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Replies: 17
Location: The Rock NSW Australia

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Post Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 5:54 am      Post subject: My Life Story
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Hi Nancy,

Please just call me Ted Laughing

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 Wink

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.

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Zenon
PolishOrigins Team Leader


Joined: 28 Apr 2007
Replies: 1515
Location: Poland

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Post Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 3:49 am      Post subject: Ted's Story in Sydney
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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 Very Happy , Happy Australia Day Exclamation


Last edited by Zenon on Thu Feb 14, 2008 8:34 am; edited 3 times in total
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NancyM
PolishOrigins Matka Chrzestna


Joined: 14 Dec 2007
Replies: 185
Location: Massachusetts, USA

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Post Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:09 pm      Post subject:
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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 Very Happy
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Kengal



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Replies: 17
Location: The Rock NSW Australia

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Post Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:32 am      Post subject: Long Live the Butterfly Effect
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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. Sad

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

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!

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Kengal



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Replies: 17
Location: The Rock NSW Australia

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Post Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:49 am      Post subject: Re: Ted's Story in Sydney
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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 Very Happy , Happy Australia Day Exclamation


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 Wink

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

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Zenon
PolishOrigins Team Leader


Joined: 28 Apr 2007
Replies: 1515
Location: Poland

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Post Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:21 am      Post subject:
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OK my friends, let's stop talking about Zenon. I start to feel embarrassed ... This is Ted's Life Story Laughing Exclamation

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 Exclamation
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Zenon
PolishOrigins Team Leader


Joined: 28 Apr 2007
Replies: 1515
Location: Poland

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Post Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:23 pm      Post subject:
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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 Smile.


Last edited by Zenon on Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:34 am; edited 2 times in total
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Zenon
PolishOrigins Team Leader


Joined: 28 Apr 2007
Replies: 1515
Location: Poland

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Post Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 4:02 pm      Post subject:
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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.
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kruse



Joined: 25 Aug 2008
Replies: 6

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Post Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:11 pm      Post subject: I am australian, Polish Decent
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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.
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Kengal



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Replies: 17
Location: The Rock NSW Australia

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Post Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:17 pm      Post subject:
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Hello Kruse,

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

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

Keep smiling, Ted

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Basiak



Joined: 28 Apr 2010
Replies: 2

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Post Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 6:08 pm      Post subject:
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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)
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Kengal



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Replies: 17
Location: The Rock NSW Australia

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Post Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 4:13 am      Post subject: ITS in Bad Arolsen, Germany
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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.

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Basiak



Joined: 28 Apr 2010
Replies: 2

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Post Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 3:46 pm      Post subject:
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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
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Kengal



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Replies: 17
Location: The Rock NSW Australia

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Post Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 2:54 am      Post subject: US Army Records
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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 Smile

Regards, Ted

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Kengal



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Replies: 17
Location: The Rock NSW Australia

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Post Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 4:32 pm      Post subject: Email from www.archives.gov
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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

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