Hidden Stories of Exile

Hidden Stories of Exile Memories of Polish community members who lived in India between 1942 to 1948.

“Exile is a dream of a glorious return.

It is an endless paradox: looking forward by always looking back.

The exile is a ball hurled high into the air.”

Barbara Czyznikowska FRSA Chair and Founder of Project Polska

Hidden Stories of Exile: Memories of Polish community members who lived in India between 1942 to 1948 , uncovering the stories of the lives of people from Polish descent, presently living in Leicestershire who were fleeing war and oppression during the WWII and found refuge in India. Deep personal reflections on several years spent in Indian settlements provide rich accounts of exile and demonstrate the creation of a unique bonds among the inhabitants from both cultures.

Fur thermore, the oral narratives reveal how processes of the settlement shapes identities and sense of belonging in times of adversity. It should be noted that due to the occasionally sensitive nature of the subjects raised, some individuals and elements of the stories were kept private and will remain unpublished.

As the publication is launched during the Refugee Week 2022, themed this year around “healing’, unarguably, conversations and mutual care play an impor tant par t in healing process. No-one understands this better than those who had to build new lives from scratch, those who experienced exile, those who were displacement from the motherland. These stories aim to provide a testament to the courage of those who endured the passage to India and commend those who opened their doors and welcomed them.

Patryk Gowin Vice-Consul, Head of Consular, Cultural, Public Diplomacy and Polish Affairs Section, Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Manchester

World works in mysterious ways. Especially during upheavals such as war. A war uncovers the nature of human. Sometimes incites in people cruelty another time stimulate people to help those in need making all of us believe in positive nature of humankind.

The stor y of Polish-India relations during WWII is in the essence the example of humane side of international relations. First The Maharaja of Nawanagar opened his summer palace to displaced Polish children. Then Polish genius expat ar tist Stefan Norblin mysteriously landed in Mumbai. From now on star ts a mar velous cross-cultural quest. Under the commission of Maharaja Lukhdhirji Waghji, Norblin decorates the palace in Mor vi, which defines itself with a geometrical style similar to Scottish ar t nouveau. The ruler was delighted with ar t deco, but he also wanted to keep traditional elements. Norblin bonded both worlds, painting frescos and plafonds.

This unplanned episode led to the creation of unusual decorations: the coexistence of European ar t nouveau with Indian traditions in the palaces of the local maharajas.

Indeed, world works in mysterious ways, especially when people are open to coexist.

Dr Shashank Vikram Consul General of India in Birmingham

I am pleased to learn about the publication regarding the Polish sur vivors of World War II who were given sanctuar y and solace by Jam Saheb Digvijayasinhji Jadeja of Jamnagar in Gujarat. They lived in India from 1940 – 1948 and subsequently some of them settled in Midlands and Nor th England. This is a historical episode which rekindles our faith in humanity and compassion in times of distress and despair.

People to people ties are foundation of any relationship. The memor y of this incident will continue to strengthen and nourish the connection between India and Poland and will encourage future generations to take this unique friendship to new heights.

Resham Singh Sandhu MBE DL PBS FRSA Chairman of the Sikh Welfare & Cultural Society UK and Leicestershire Faith Forum, Ambassador For Peace (UPF) Advisor to British Sikh Society UK

Project Polska since its establishement is performing an impor tant role in building optimal inter-cultural relationships, to community cohesion and community connectivity by bringing the Polish community near to other communities, and productively raising awareness by exchange of dialogue and cultures.

Initiatives like this, draw both communities together and engage inroads to inclusiveness. Sharing the stor y of displacement, refugee’s long journey and the shared historical legacy will help fur ther to foster mutual understanding and appreciation between the Indian and Polish communities locally and beyond

Historical Chronology of the Polish Refugee Camps in India (Source: Kresy-Siberia Foundation)

1.

Januar y 1942, India confirms they will welcome Polish children. Instrumental in negotiations was HH Jam Saheb Digvijay Sinhjii, Maharaja of Nawanagar who accepts 500 children into his territories.

2.

March 1942, Vice-Consul Lisiecki, Polish Consulate in Bombay, sets out on Red Cross expedition from Ashkhabad to India with 160-175 Polish children. Altogether 650 children were saved by a fur ther 3 overland transpor ts.

3.

April 1942, the Polish children arrive in Bombay and are taken to a transitor y camp, Bandra.

4.

June 1942, Government of India agrees to accept 10,000 Polish children with the Polish Government-in-Exile co-funding their stay.

5.

July 1942, the children from Bandra arrive in Balachadi, Nawanagar.

6.

September 1942, The Countr y Club Transit camp begins accepting Polish refugees.

Most of the Polish civilians are en route to permanent camps in India, Africa and New Zealand.

7.

March 1943, Valivade Camp is established.

8.

June 1943, first Polish refugees arrives in Valivade –a Polish town of 5,000 people

9.

Early 1946, Orphans at Balachade are legally adopted by HH Jam Saheb, Fr Pluta and Major Clarke (British liaison) to prevent their forcible repatriation to Communist Poland.

10.

Middle 1946, Polish Children’s Camp in Balachadi is closed and the Polish children are transferred to Valivade Camp.

11.

1947, Valivade Camp closes.

12.

August 1947, first transpor ts of Polish transpor ted to the United Kingdom; transpor ts continue through 1949.

Polish refugees evacuated from the Soviet Union were deployed to settlements in various locations in India.

A full list of locations listed below: Bandra (near Mumbai; temporar y orphanage bungalows) – 2. April 1942 - 15. August 1942 Panchgani (therapeutic centre; youth convent) – April 1943 - November 1946 Balachadi (near Jamnagar children’s camp) – 15. August 1942 - 1. November1946 Countr y Club (near Karachi; temporar y transit camp) 4. September 1942 - 2. October 1945 Malir (now Pakistan; temporar y transit camp) - 29. March 1943 - 18. August 1943 Valivade (permanent and the largest Polish settlement) – 23. July 1943 - 22. Februar y 1948

(Source: Book “Poles in India 1942-1948“)

Hidden Stories of Exile INDIVIDUAL STORIES

Jerzy (George) Kowalski Aged eleven years old, I was depor ted to the Soviet Union in 1940, somewhere in the nor th Kazakhstan. As many Polish refugees, who sought refuge in many countries, heading south from all directions was the norm: from Kazakhstan, from Siberia and other par ts of the Soviet Union.

I arrived in India in 1943. Initially, I was placed at the camp known as the Countr y Club, on the outskir t of Karachi (now Pakistan). Later I was moved to Valivade, where I spent three years. Carefree and happy three years.

I still remember the journey to Karachi with the British Army Convoy through the Indian Ocean to Mumbai. Arriving in Mumbai, it was like a visit to another world.

Tropical palm trees, mangos, bananas, sugar cane fields, scenes like from the Kipling’s stor y. A beautiful unforgettable landscape, the aroma of plants and greener y. From the por t, we were taken by train to Poony. I was seating next to the window, watching monkeys jumping on the trees, elephants carr ying loads…

Coming from the Soviet Union’s harsh living conditions, India felt like a paradise on ear th. The culture, the greener y, monsoons – all those were so new to us. You could say, it was a shock to us, as we had not seen anything like that before. This world was so different from the shor tages of ever ything we experienced previously, from star vation, from fear of death, where ever ything was so complicated, where life was hanging on a fine thread and then suddenly our lives became close to normality. We were so happy to be in the countr y, India, that actually welcomed us. We were no longer felling abandoned; we were so close to being ‘taken care of ’.

Jerzy Kowalski

What stayed in my mind since, is how welcoming and hospitable the Indian community was on our arrival... despite the huge numbers of newcomers.

Strangers arriving suddenly, to this little town of their doorsteps. The relationship between the Polish and Indian community was exemplar in the camp. There was never any disagreement or misunderstanding.

There was no barrier.

My camp was the biggest refugee camp of Poles during the WWII, with 5000 Poles living there.

Valivade, the refugees camp where I lived was a miniature Poland, ever ything was there. We had schools, shops, Polish church, cinema, different Polish organisations. We were given weekly allowance for living to maintain a normal life, to be par t of the community.

Jerzy Kowalski

We stayed in specially built barracks, with walls made of mats, and a solid clay roof tiles. Each barrack was divided into separate ‘flats’, mostly with two rooms and a small kitchen with a wood coal stove.

My mother was a secretar y in the local Polish secondar y school and a librarian.

My aunt and uncle also lived in the camp.

Layout of the camp Valivade

The camp was surrounded by barbed wires. The gated entrance was guarded by the British army all day. To get anywhere, to go to the city of Karachi, or even outside of the camp, you had to have a pass.

Grammar School run by Jesuits in Mumbai

In 1946 after completing the equivalent of GSCE’s (‘polska mala matura’), I was sent to a private school, grammar school run by Jesuits in Mumbai. It was hard at the beginning. I knew little of English. Strictness of the school is hard to imagine. Only once a month we could go outside of the school setting, pass permitted on Sundays from 10 am – 6pm. Twice a year, we were allowed to travel to Valivade, to see our mothers, relatives, and friends.

Grammar School run by Jesuits in Mumbai

My connections with India carried out throughout since. Mainly through my job while working in the textile, manufacturing, and engineering industr y in Leicester. I had the opportunity to revisit India number of times. I had a personal connection with India, emotional bond with the countr y I was once in exile.

Moreover, I made friendships. Some of my friends were working in the same industr y, which really helped to build my business connections. Knowing the culture, having strong links with my old

Jerzy Kowalski

Jerzy Kowalski

friends led to many benefits on a personal and commercial level. I was helping the people, who once helped me.

I was able to give back , to reciprocate the kindness.

30 years later, I visited a convent in Karachi where my wife went to school.

I asked if anyone from the existing staff still remember the Polish refugee children from the war time. It turned out that some of the sisters who worked there did remember. They even showed me some old souvenirs from that time, those little Polish dolls, and some old photographs.

One of the most interesting and helpful people in India was Wanda Dymowska, also known by her Indian name, Umadevi.

She had a ver y special relationship Mahatma Gandhi. She was amazing in bringing two nations together.

Thanks to her, I was honoured and privileged to meet Gandhi in Mumbai.

I was ver y impressed with his approach to people and his philosophies of life.

I recall having conversation with him.

It was an enlightening experience. As we were having a conversation, he said to me: “make sure that you preach to people to be the apostles of their own

Ludhiana Punjab 1978 with Subhash Bros

Bombay 1979 EXB Arcamatic Trans Printing

Bombay 1976

religion and not somebody else’s religion”.

His words stood with me well for the rest of my life. It helped me to recognise and accept that all religions as equal, and we as human beings are equal.

As I reflect on my stor y, many more stories of Polish - Indian connections could be told, mainly on personal level. Stories of friendship, kindness, generosity, and cultural exchanges.

Ludhiana Punjab 1980

Jerzy Kowalski

Romualda (Roma) Sznajder (maiden name: Wysocka) I arrived in India aged 7 or 8 … Stayed there for 5 years, between 1942 and 1947.

My whole family (my mother, father, brother, and sister) was forcibly taken from our home in Eastern Poland by the Russian army, territories that are now par t of Ukraine, after the changes of borders post WW2.

Initially we were transpor ted by cattle train to a Siberian labour camp. When we were eventually allowed to leave the camp (from when I left home to the arrival in India was about 2 years). We walked and took whatever means of transpor t we could, sometimes trains, all the way down to Persia (now Iran) crossing places such as Kazakhstan.

As the family, we were initially down to travel to Africa, but my mother insisted we go to India instead. I remember we got a boat across to the west coast of India (possible Bombay), and then we travelled to the camp near Kolhapur.

After enduring such a harsh and long journey, arriving in India was like heaven. I still remember sitting down with a glass of cold soda, drinking slowly with a straw.

Succeeding Siberia, the heat was welcome. Even though the food was a change, we were ecstatic to have it after the star vation and hunger we dealt with during our journey. A feeling of safety and freedom following an arduous journey was a balm.

The nature, environment and animals were all amazing sights to me as a child.

A different world, where you would go up to the mountains to recover from Malaria and go swimming in the local river.

The Maharaja who was ver y friendly towards the Poles, and agreed for us to have the camp, shelter, home... On and off, it was like 5000 people living in the camp.

He was very good to us. The Maharaja would come with his family to enthusiastically watch the shows that the Polish community would put on, such as Polish dancing.

Valivade where we stayed, it was like little Poland. Straight away somebody star ted making Polish sausages, setting up a Polish shop. Church was built.

Dancing group and choir was set up.

School established. Enter tainment and shows were played. People worked, went to school.

Roma’s family

We had our little home - space, it was wonderful. We had a bedroom with four beds for four of us. A seating room with a little table. And two verandas on each side of the house.

I remember the market days at Valivade.

The Indian traders were selling fruits and things. We used to buy mangos and bananas and ate them ‘the Indian way’, squishing them like the locals.

Valivade, Polish Mass

Romualda Sznajder

Romualda Sznajder

Train from Kolhapur used to come to Valivade once a day. Ever y time and then, we had a trip to make our shoes, special shoes - made to measure, custom shoes. We would go by train to tr y them on, as they were made. Going to a shoemaker, was an adventure. You stood up on the table with your feet flat, they drew the outline of your feet...

Similarly, we used to travel to have jeweller y made, just like my bracelet. It has my initials. My sister had a ring made too.

When the photographs were taken, I used to put my bracelet on so ever yone could see it.

Some of the memories are still vividly strong in my mind. Still reminiscing seating in Panchgani (called Paachgani ), in the hills, having lessons on top of the mountains, learning Polish geography, Polish language.

Roma’s bracelet

Our internal determination was telling us that we will go back to our homes one day…… We were ver y keen to hold back to our Polish roots. In my class, I was the best one in English. Until today, I keep all my books from India.

Roma’s bracelet

The Indian community was really acco-mmodating, helpful. They learnt some Polish to better interact and trade with us. The Indian women used to come in, offering their help with housework , cleaning, washing.

The floor in our little house, where we lived, it was made from mud. The Indian lady would come, spread it with manure mix with something. It would keep the insects away, and after it dried, it was like a wooden floor.

We used to go to the cinema, ever y week . Mostly watching Tarzan. Before the film would star t, we used to have what was called ‘Café news’ – stories from our homeland, news from Europe, radio on to learnt about what was going on.

‘Café news’ - news from Europe

At some point of our journey to India, my father left to fight in Italy with the British and allied forces.

While we were in India, I recalled him sending us couple of parcels with chocolate, but my mother would not give it to us straight away. She would wait for a special occasion…..

Valivade

Romualda Sznajder

Romualda Sznajder

After a five year stay in Valivade, we travelled to the UK where we were reunited with my father, in Southampton. My mother did not want to leave India. She wanted to stay there for rest of her life.

I have never revisited India since my return to the United Kingdom. My family would ver y much like to visit, especially Kolhapur to see where all took place.

The stor y resides with me. I have shared the stor y of my exile with my Indian neighbours. My grandson has Indian friends and has shared the stor y with them as well.

Romualda Sznajder

Janusz Rafal I was born in Poland in 1931. We lived in Volhynian Voivodeship, an administrative region of inter war Poland.

Aged 9 (1940), living a quiet life, suddenly I was taken with my family to the Soviet camps of the Serbian Gulag after the invasion of Poland and annexation of its eastern territories.

Subsequent events of the war, with Germany declaring the war on Russia, led to the Amnesty pact being signed between the Polish Government in Exile, granting freedom to all Polish prisoners and depor tees kept at the Soviet camps. Freed from Russia, we star ted our long, freedom odyssey across continents. Going through the Caspian Sea to Persia (now Iran), we walked through the deser t, living in windy transit camps. Ultimately, after many months of wanders, landing in India.

My mum, two sisters, and my cousin were housed initially at the Polish refugee camp in Karachi. It was a small camp. Our tents were set up at windy deser t. It was scared at times. Jackals were running during dawn and night. Later, we were moved to a bigger camp, in Bombay. After experiencing unbelievable hardship, finally we were given a roof over our heads. The annex we lived in, it was a small house, but it was safe and ‘ours’.

Near the camp, we had many Indian traders selling various things, fruits, cooking curr y. A market where necessities could be bought. Communication was funny. We talked in different languages (Polish, English, Russian). The locals were ver y good in learning a new language. They made a big effor t to find the ways to communicate.

I still remember the Indian dialect, Marathi from Maharashtra.

Janusz Rafal

The hospitality was great. I had many Indian friends. They used to come to the camp. We talked, eat together. Shared ever ything we had. We grew side by side. There are many funny stories to tell…. sometimes it is hard to put into words. What come from our friendships was a happy life, a tie to the past.

Despite being miles away from our home countr y, Polish traditions were kept alive. Days such as the Polish Independence Day or the Constitution Day were par t of our annual calendar. Church was ver y active too. I recall one special celebration ‘Kaziuki’ tradition, celebration with its roots to Vilnius, a colourful festival of folk ar ts and crafts. As we had many Poles in the camp from that region, this special event was cultivated each year.

Janusz and his family

Spor ts events were held too. In such gatherings, both communities would joined together, competing - in long jumps and running races. Engaging in cheerful banter.

I was par t of the Polish scouting. Joined treks and scouting camps at Rukadi were carried out often. We had barbeques, pulling the rope competitions. It was a great fun.

Scouting camps at Rukadi

We also used to have Indian wrestling tournament, Kushti. This was a different type of wrestling, a freestyle type of wrestling which does not permit strikes or kicks during a match. Among the most favoured maneuvres were the dhobi paat (shoulder throw) and the kasauta (strangle pin). We were wrestling together...

Polish Camp

You were par t of the community there...

Ever y now and then, we were going to the train station, watching the train passing slowly with Mahatma Gandhi.

We were waving and shouting ‘Gandhi Jayanti’...

Aged 15, we left for the United Kingdom in 1947.

Janusz Rafal

Janusz Rafal

Józef Jundzill I was born in 1934 in nor th-east Poland, in what is now Belarus. My family was sent to a labour camp in Russia, 500 miles nor th of Kotlas. In August 1941, we were freed from the camps and taken to communal farms in Kyrgyzstan following a pact between Russia and Poland to join against the Germans.

My mother was given the choice by the British government of going to Africa or India. She chose India. Initially, we were taken with 5,000 others of Polish refugees to Karachi.

Later on, our permanent base, our home was at Valivade near Kohlapur. We stayed until par tition in 1947.

I had a really good time there with lots to do, including the boy scouting.

Józef Jundziłł

“We thought we would go back to Poland, but since Poland had been communised and was ruled by Russia, the Polish army said they didn’t want to go back to Poland.

Bevin gave us a choice: ‘You can go to England or Argentina or Australia.’ My father decided to stay in England” Information sourced from: ‘ How Saxby Street Got Its Name ’ as requested by Mr Józef Jundziłł

Boys scouting group, Valivade 1945

Józef Jundziłł

Acknowledgements

Project Polska would like to thank all the par ticipants in the Hidden Stories of Exile initiative for committing their time and effor ts to bring it to fruition.

The Hidden Stories of Exile initiative and its resulting outputs have been financed by the Polish Community Suppor t Funds of the Polish Ministr y of Foreign Affairs.

Individual Photographs and Texts, Selection and Curatorial Material © Project Polska, 2022.

For legal purposes this Acknowledgments page also constitutes the copyright page.

All rights reser ved. No par t of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the curator, Project Polska.

Curator ’ contact details: Barbara Czyznikowska | contact@projectpolska.org.uk

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