Our next trip to Poland (September 16 - October 2 - see map) was full of "discoveries". In the meantime, we again accumulated new addresses and telephone numbers, which were used for initial contacts while in Warsaw. Briefly, we discovered a new Family branch originating from Sulow n/Sokolow Podlaski, which probably belongs to the large Podlasie branch - see
. This location is already very near to Nur and Zebry-Laskowiec, where we previously found a large Waszczuk family - see. And another one from Sulow n/Szczebrzeszyn - see, which belongs to the Zamosc branch.
A real surprise awaited us while visiting the cemetery in Miedzyrzec Podlaski. There we found a few Family graves of Wajszczuks and many of Waszczuks. (The name Waszczuk becomes more common, as one moves east towards the border!). However, we were astonished to see that some of the members of the Wajszczuk Family, even brothers and their descendants, were buried with the name Waszczuk on their gravestones (see pictures below). For instance, Czeslaw (0669) - the youngest son of Andrzej (0656) Wajszczuk - born in 1926 in Krzymoszyce then living in Poscisze and Czeslaw's son Stefan (0748), were buried as Waszczuks - see; the address sign on their family home also reads Waszczuk! Also, Jan (0667) - the younger brother od Kazimierz Wajszczuk (0661), our "contact person" in that area - born in 1953 in Krzymoszyce and currently living in Zabce, uses the last name Waszczuk. These observations make us again wonder about the origins and relationship between these two names! Currently however, general opinion within the Family is that these two names (and families) are different and unrelated and occasional occurences of name change (substitutions) are probably due to inattention during filing papers on part of the individuals or the office clerks, translations into and from foreign languages (Russian and German) during the long period of Poland's partitioning and occupation and different alphabets used for record keeping (russian/cyrylic and german/gothic). In the course of our telephone conversations and personal meetings, we were able to identify the Wajszczuks living in Lublin - see [with the asistance of cousin Lilka (0097)], Torun - see, Gryfin - see and Skierniewice - see. During the individual meetings (see below), we were also able to gather a lot of supplementary information for the Family branches originating from Trzebieszow I and Trzebieszow III.
Warszawa
My wife Carmen (0087) accompanied me during the meetings and visits in Warsaw.
Saturday, September 21
Roman (0945) Wajszczuk and his daughter Aneta (0946) came from Skierniewice to meet us in Warsaw - see. His wife was on a business trip - her Internet address at work allowed the initial contact. Roman provided us with information about his family, who still lives in Sulow n/Szczebrzeszyn - this is a new and previosly unknown branch! Roman settled in Skierniewice after completing his military service as a communications specialist. Unfortunately, we forgot to take their pictures but we will ask them to send the pictures to us so we can include them in this report.
Monday, September 23
In the evening we met Jadwiga Wajszczuk (0195), her sister Alina (0185 and Alina's husband Mieczyslaw Izdebski in their apartment. They gave us new information about their family branch - see, as well as about the Izdebskis' daughter who now lives in the USA. The evening passed fast enjoying the desserts, coffee and wine, discussing politics and commenting on the unusual life and professional careers of some of the family members.
) From left: Mieczyslaw Izdebski (0185),Alina Izdebska (0185) and Jadwiga Wajszczuk (0195) |
Tuesday, September 24
We were visited by Jacek (0303) and his father Jerzy (0302) from the Zamosc branch - see. Their picture taken at the time of the Family gathering in Trzebieszow can be seen here
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I notified them about the newly discovered Family branch near Szczebrzeszyn in the Zamosc area (described above). We discussed again plans for organizing next year a gathering of the Family members from the Zamosc area. We also talked about an unidentified Wajszczuk, who at the beginning of WW-II was an Administrator (Soltys) of the Wysokie Parish, was engaged in the Resistance Movement (he is mentioned in a book by Jan Grygiel: Zwiazek Walki Zbrojnej, Armia Krajowa w Obwodzie Zamojskim, 1939 -1944, Panstwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Warszawa 1985, [ISBN 83-01-05379-8] - [ZWZ, Home Army (AK) in the Zamosc District, 1939 - 1944]). His further fate is not known. Was it perhaps Lucjan (0377), or may be Walenty (0274), Heronim (0306) or Jozef (0298)? They will try to find out at the time of their next visit at Jacek's Grandmother in Sitaniec; also about Janina Wajszczuk, who currently lives in Warsaw, but whose husband Jan(?) from Zamosc (Sitaniec?) area was also engaged in the Underground Resistance and "perished during the war, as well as his sister Teofila, who died in a Concentration Camp" - this was the only information which we could obtain from Janina during a brief telephone conversation!
Wednesday, September 25
We met in the morning with Jerzy (0154) and his wife Elizabeth in a Warsaw cafe. Nothing new, as far as their branch of the Family is concerned - see - they continue working and enjoy their vacations abroad, which they described to us. We described to them our newest findings and asked for further assistance in gathering information about the Family. We also discussed briefly a possibility of repeating the "Gathering" of the Podlasie branch of the family this coming year in Trzebieszow; (see pictures presented previously
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In the evening, we visited the younger Religas (0092) in their house in the suburbs of Warsaw. The children are growing and are healthy. Both parents are working - Renata as a pharmaceutical company representative and Grzegorz - following in his father's footsteps, as a heart surgeon.
) Grzegorz Religa [0092] with wife Renata and children - (nicknames) Maciek [0093] and Marysia [0094] |
Thursday, September 26
After an earlier telephone conversations with Maria Maczynska (0585), during which she provided us with a large amount of information about her Family branch (which originates in Trzebieszow III - see), we finally met her in her brother Tadeusz's (0588) apartment in Warsaw. She arrived in the company of her granddaughter Anna (0988). We were also surprised by the arrival later of their cousins Zygmunt (0576) Wajszczuk and his wife Wanda, whom we were attempting to meet on several occasions previously. They added some more information about the Family and showed pictures. We were also discussing, how to find out about some other Wajszczuks, who currently live in Warsaw (but we were unable sofar to establish contact with them), or who used to live and work in Warsaw before the war - one was the owner of a famous School of Salon Dance.
Po wcześniejszych rozmowach telefonicznych z Panią Maria Mączyńską (0585), w czasie których dostarczyła ona nam ogromna ilość informacji o jej gałęzi Rodziny wywodzącej się z Trzebieszowa III , spotkaliśmy się wreszcie z nią u jej brata Tadeusza (0588). Przybyła tam w towarzystwie swojej wnuczki Anny (0988). Niespodziankę również sprawili nam swoim przybyciem Państwo Zygmunt (0576) i Wanda Wajszczukowie - Zygmunt jest bratem stryjecznym Marii i Tadeusza. Dodali oni dalszych szczegółów do poprzednio uzyskanych informacji, a poza tym rozmowa toczyła się na tematy rodzinne - miedzy innymi usiłując zidentyfikować kilka nieznanych osób zamieszkałych w Warszawie i również noszących nasze nazwisko. Będą oni również próbować dotrzeć do informacji na temat Wajszczuka, który prowadził przed wojna w Warszawie dość dobrze znaną Szkole Tańca Salonowego - mimo ponawianych prób, do tej pory nie udało się nic dowiedzieć na jego temat!
) From left: Maria Maczynska [0585], Tadeusz Wajszczuk [0588] and Anna Maczynska [0988] |
) Zbigniew and Wanda Wajszczuk [0576] |
Friday, September 27
We spent the evening with Romuald (0112) and his family. We previously met Romuald, his wife Barbara, son Grzegorz and daughter Kamila at the time of the family gathering in Trzebieszow in 2000. They belong to the Trzebieszow I branch of the Family - see - Romuald was born in Siedlce. This time we also met his mother-in-law and her son, they arrived in Warsaw for a wedding next day. The evening passed fast and pleasant, as always in the company of Wajszczuks and their families - Carmen discussed with the out-of-town visitor the political-economic-religious matters and I tried to complete the missing Family information. We also discussed with Kamila - who is an accomplished linguist - her help in translating the webpages concerning our relative - Father Karol Wajszczuk (www.drelow.siedlce.opoka.org.pl/wajszczuk).
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Podlasie
Saturday, September 28
We started on the road with the "usual" team. I arrived in Drelow from Warsaw (Carmen stayed in Warsaw) to pick-up Pawel Stefaniuk (our webmaster and faithful companion in the search for Wajszczuks) and then we went to Trzebieszow, where Barbara "Basia" Miszta (0156) joined us - and we "hit the road".
Łuków.
We visited again Zygmunt (0642) Wajszczuk (from the Domaszewnica/Lukow branch - see, also see his picture
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from the previous visit). He underwent recently eye surgery and could not travel with us, but gave us information how to get to the Cemetery in Zofibor and how to find his cousin Kazimierz (0910) in the nearby Wolka Domaszewska. We also asked him to search for information regarding some Wajszczuks, who supposedly emigrated from the Lukow area to South America at the beginning of the XX century. It is noteworthy that during our computer search, we found in Argentina a family Wajczuk listed in a telephone book in a town of Pilar (suburb of Buenos Aires) - a graduation picture of Nancy Wajczuk was posted on the Internet under "Egresados 1997 - Colegio del Pilar"! Sofar we were not able to establish any contact with them, but the family in Argentina promised to help. The similarity of information and names is striking!!!
Wólka Domaszewska.
After a short search we found there Kazimierz Wajszczuk (0910) - see, from the Domaszewnica/Lukow branch. On the way, we saw an interesting pre-war building complex of an alcohol distillery - unfortuntely we did not take any pictures. Many large private estates existed in this area before the war. After meeting Kazimierz and his wife and explaining the purpose of our visit, we proceeded with him to the Cemetery in Zofibor. We found there graves of his father Bronislaw (0685) and of father's little sister "Jadzia" (0919), who died at the age of 18 months, as well as of his grandfather Jan (0683) and grandmother Jozefa. After return, we were invited to the adjacent house of his new mother-in-law for tea and sweets, which included excellent home-made "paczki" (polish doughnuts). Shortly, many visitors and family started arriving - we later found out that it was the mother-in-law's birthday. We left after conveying our bithday wishes, recording information about the Family and finishing our paczki. We later wondered, if we perhaps consumed the treats intended for the other invited guests? Pawel tried to rest our conscience by stating that - to the best of his knowledge of the local customs -there is always prepared a significant surplus? We drove in the direction of Aleksandrow.
) Kazimierz Wajszczuk [0910] and Barbara Miszta [0156] |
) Kazimierz Wajszczuk [0910] and wofe Halina |
) From left: Kazimierz Wajszczuk [0910], wife Halina, aunt and mother of Halina (twins) and Halina's cousins |
Zofibór - Cemetery
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Aleksandrów.
We found the parcel, where previously stood the farm buildings (the house burned down completely a few months ago and some of the old farm buildings were torn down) - the new brick house was already under roof and with windows. We were welcomed by Piotr (0566), younger brother of Karol (0564) whom we met at the time of previous visit in May of 2001. They belong to the Family line which we traced back to Rzymy-Rzymki and Dminin - see. Karol was not there, he was working nearby. While we went looking for him, of course we missed each other - he was on his way home, but eventually we met and he showed us around the new farm complex. Then Karol took us to the temporary quarters, where he, his mother, brother and his family live - in the Parish Library. During attempts at picture-taking of the Grandma and grandchildren, one of them got frightened of the flash and strangers and a loud and sustained screaming followed, which only subsided upon arrival of his parents. Not to disturb the peace any more, we soon retreated (while forgetting to ask about the missing details for the Tree - we will do it at a later date or by mail!) and continued our trip. As we soon found out, the next stop was at Barbara's house for dinner, since apparently it was on our way? It tasted really good!
) New house under construction |
) Piotr Wajszczuk [0566] | ||
) Karol [0564], Waldemar [0087], Barbara [0156] |
) Maria Wajszczuk [0554] and grand children - children of Piotr [0566] | ||
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Kąkolewnica.
After dinner, we left Barbara at her house and proceeded with Pawel to Kakolewnica. Although we knew that Waldemar (0007) was out of town, we wanted to deliver for his review some recently completed webpages concerning his branch of the Family (which traces back to Zakowola Radzynska - see). We were welcomed by Waldemar's wife Ewa and children - see pictures from our previous visits,
# 1 and
# 2. Ewa treated us with a recently baked poppy-seed strudel (a polish specialty) and gave us a generous supply to take with us, in case we get hungry while on the road! After a short chat, we started on our way back to Drelow.
Drelów.
A sumptous supper and lodging awaited at the Stefaniuks - a very dependable accomodation in these territories - highly recommended to all!!!
Niedziela, 29 września
Krzymoszyce.
We set up a morning meeting with Kazimierz (0661) from the Zawadki/Krzymoszyce line - see - for the church services, brief visit with his family and then a trip to the Cemetery in the nearby Miedzyrzec Podlaski. After picking up Barbara in Trzebieszow, we arrived shortly before 10AM and went to mass in the local Chapel, accompanied by Kazimierz and his family. While there, Barbara met her former pupil and went to visit with her. Afterwards we stopped for a while at Kazimierz's house for tea and snacks and then proceeded with Kazimierz to Miedzyrzec. We were already told previously that, for unknown reasons, some of the Family members were buried there as WASZCZUKS (seephotographs below). We saw also many graves of Waszczuks, but the common belief in the Family is, that they are not related!? As mentioned already above, the name Waszczuk becomes more common as we move from here east towards the Byelorussian border. In the future, we will have to check the books in St. Joseph and St. Michael's Parishes and other civil records in Miedzyrzec regarding the ancestors in the hope of finding some explanations which might elucidate the circumstances of name changes.
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Międzyrzec - Cemetery
) Grave of Czeslaw Waszczuk [0669] (Wajszczuk) |
) Grave of Stefan Waszczuk [0748] (Wajszczuk) |
) Graves of Aleksander and Marianna Wajszczuk [0659] |
Pościsze.
On our way back, we passed through Poscisze. Nobody was home, when we stopped there previously in June. Now, we could see from the distance some activity around the house. Indeed, we found there Jerzy (0993) Waszczuk, the son of Stefan (0748) and Jerzy's wife Joanna - see - they belong to the Zawadki/Krzymoszyce line. The rest of the family has just left for a visit in Miedzyrzec. Their whole immediate family (including the father [1943 - 1973] and grandfather (1926 - 1983] uses the name Waszczuk! How did this name change happen?
) Jerzy Waszczuk [0993] i Kazimierz Wajszczuk [0661] (nephew and uncle)! |
) Jerzy Wajszczuk [0993] and wife Joanna |
Janów Podlaski.
Janow Podlaski After dropping off Kazimierz in Krzymoszyce, we went to Janow Podlaski to visit with Janusz (0647) and his family - see - from the Domaszewnica/Lukow line. Although he has invited us previosly, we did not have a chance to visit. Again the welcome was very cordial, and the home-cooked "bigos" (polish hunter's stew) and roasted sausage were just delicious. Short time was used to complete the information about their Family branch, then we invited everybody for a photographic session to the outside garden. Since it was already late afternoon, and we still had a long drive ahead of us and Janusz had to drive to Lublin to pick up from a railroad station a cousin who was just returning from the United States, we thanked the hosts, said good-bye (promising a return visit, perhaps connected next time with visiting the world-famous Racing-horse Breeding Farm in Janow Podlaski) and started on the last segment of our trip to Lazow n/Sokolow Podlaski (see map).
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The Wajszczuk family in Janow Podlaski.
From left: Mariusz Wajszczuk [0691] and wife Honorata
and Janusz Wajszczuk [0647] with wife Irena.
Łazów n/Sokołów Podlaski.
In search for the origins of the recently discovered branch represented by Janusz (0975) - see, we passed through Siedlce, Sokolow Podlaski and then north on a country road, and finally arrived at Lazow. Janusz currently lives in Gryfino, which is in north-west Poland near Szczecin, but he told us on the phone about his "roots" in Lazow. It was getting quite dark, when we arrived there. The dogs were barking. We were advised by a passer-by to inquire at the Village Administrator's (Soltys). It was easy to find his house - it was marked with a red sign. He turned out to be a very pleasant, cooperative and polite young man - Jozef Boruta. He was busy working around the yard, but immediately invited us inside his house, where we stated the purpose of our visit. He invited immediately his Mother, Aunt and Grandmother to join us in the conversation -also a small number of other "Grandmothers" appeared (with a lightning speed) from the nearby houses. Lively and animated discussion followed, more and more details were recalled, and it was established that, unfortunately, at present there are no Wajszczuks living in the neighbourhood. But, more dates, names and information could be obtained while visiting the cemetery, the parish priest and some other elders in the village - we were given the addresses. Unfortunately, because of the relatively late hour, darkness and a long trip back ahead of us, we decided to leave - this way we will also have an excuse and a starting point for the new "discovery" trip next year! We thanked everybody for their help and interest.It should be also noted that from Lazow is not at all far to Zebry-Laskowiec (and Nur on the Bug river), where we found two years ago a large "nest" of Waszczuks - see -whose descendants immigrated to and reside in the USA as Wajszczuks - it may be worthwhile to pursue further the research into the circumstances of this name alteration (opposite to that, which we encountered in Miedzyrzec)!
While dropping off Barbara in Trzebieszow, we met there Waldemar who came from Kakolewnica and was waiting to greet us, to discuss further work on the Tree and to say good bye. After an overnight stay in Drelow, early Monday morning I proceeded by car to Warsaw and Pawel to his workplace. And again this time everybody was happy about the results of our trip!
During the trip, Barbara announced everywhere and to everybody her plans to organize a gathering of Wajszczuks next summer (2003) in Trzebieszow!
We sincerely thank for their hospitality and warm welcome and greet everybody we have met on this trip, as well as extend a warm welcome and greetings to all visitors to this page! We will be grateful, if you send us new materials and/or Family pictures. "'Till next trip and "Report"!
Barbara Miszta (0156)
Pawel Stefaniuk (webmaster)
Carmen and Waldemar Wajszczuk (0087)
West Bloomfield, Michigan, USA