background information:

Jadwiga (age: 73/74), daughter of Feliks and Marianna

place of birth:

the 16th of February 1934 or the 16th of November 1935

in Seferynka (in gmina: Rząśnik) near Długosiodło (powiat: Ostrów Mazowiecki, województwo: Mazowieckie)

education, job:

Primary School in Seferynka, Vocational School in Radzymin (1950- 1952)– faculty bookbinder, dressmaker's course in Kamienna Góra (1974), course and title of master of pastry cook profession in Jelenia Góra (1977)

when migrated

why

where from and where to

My grandmother started to migrate after she married my grandfather Stanisław in 1957. They lived in many places in Poland because of her husband’s job in SANEPID – polish health and epidemiology control agency(profession : medical assistant – “felczer” in polish). They moved from place to place where grandfather was deputed. They lived in Zawidów near Otwock (where grandma was give birth to her son Jurek, my uncle), in Pruszcz Gdański, in Szymankowo near Tczew (where grandma was give birth to my mom Barbara), next in Olszyny near Chełmsko Śląskie and then they settle down in Kamienna Góra. There she trafficed her own confectionery, besides she raised children and kep house. In the nineties she emigrated to the United States and she still kep a family in country. She came back after six-years of emigration.

Interview with my grandmother Jadwiga

Before migrating

1. Can you recollect any happy childhood memories?

Living in the village, surrounded by beauty of majestic Narwia river, most of the time I was spending outdoors. I loved play hide-and-seek and tree climbing with my siblings.
We had also an unusual idea - during snowmelt flood of Narwia river , (which was happening every year with spring thaws) we skid on ice, because water on flooded meadows was freezing at cold early spring nights . We’ve made our skates by ourselves of course. They were made of two pieces of wood, nailed with thick metal wire as a skate blade. The wire was greased with candle for better skating.

2. Do you remember a very special place from your childhood?

For me this very special place was village school. Back then it was not only a place for learning, but also a place for social meetings such as dancing evenings or country youth society meetings. In winter the dancing evenings were organized in school building, but as soon as spring came, they were moving to the open air on a ground nearby school building. The very best of those evenings was, that everyone could came – old or young, even children. There was a nice and friendly atmosphere because everybody knew each other. And the village band was playing so beautiful.

Therefore, from my childhood I loved spent my free time socially. And when I was married woman (now I’m a widow) I just loved to have good fun with my husband at many parties and dancing evenings.

from the left: grandfather Stanisław, grandmother Jadwiga, aunt Teresa (grandmother’s sister) - New Year's Eve in Wrocław 1970’ dancing evening in Kamienna Góra

3. Do you know any local stories from your native place?

I’m sorry but I can’t remember.

4. Are there any objects and/or skills used to be there but are not here?

In the past, in a place where I was raising up it was a normal thing to make food, such as butter, white cheese or sausages and ham by ourselves. Thanks to his farm, my father could feed the whole family. Back then it was very important issue, because in shops (especially in a village) was a small assortment and consumer goods like sugar, flour, paraffin, carbide to light a lamp or tobacco were bring down from faraway cities.
Life in the country is now much easier than it used to be.

Transition

5. What was your luggage like?

Usually, when I and my husband were moving to another place, we travelled by train or bus. Later we’ve had our own car. We packed only our clothes and most important things into a suitcase. Because my husband worked in many branches of SANEPID in Poland, we just rented a flat in the city where we were moving in. The flats were already furnished, so we the suitcase was all what we need back then.

6. Is there anything special –an object, a story, a value, or perhaps a memory- which you chose to take and keep with you?

My keepsake from family village, which I always had with myself, was a table napkin beautiful embroidered by my mother. This table napkin was hanging over the children’s bed. On the napkin there were two colorful little birds sitting on a branch. The second valuable memento is my small, wooden trunk. As a young girl I was hiding inside it my” treasures” and now I keep in it my old photographs.

7. Could you compare landscapes and architecture in the place you left behind to the new place?

In Seferynka village, where I was raising up, the houses were wooden and covered by thatch or (like ours for example) by a tile. So when during the second world war the fire consumed our village only few houses were saved. Also our house was saved, mostly thanks to the tile roof. Later, during the war, we share our house with three families from neighborhood. Now in Kamienna Góra houses are build with bricks and they all have tile roofs.
I am living surrounded by mountains for a very long time, but I can still remember this lowland landscape of Seferynka from my childhood. And I still miss it a lot…

After

migrating

A historic St. Stanislas chuch in Nowy Lubiel - here my grandmother spent each Sunday on mass: formerly (photography from grandma’s album) and now.

8. What are some differences in the ways of life here and there?

Life in the city is much easier and more comfortable than life in a country, where man have to struggle with everyday problems and hardships of farm living.


9. What treasure value have you found in the new place?

I found a long-lasting friendships with interesting people, joy of life and peace in my late years.


10. Where do you feel more at home and why?

Now mine home is Kamienna Góra because here are my children and my grandchildren.
My family home is always there where are persons, which I love and which are most important for me.