Hall of Testimonies

Janina (Lepszy) Rychalska - Janina (Lepszy) Rychalska

Describing the different ethnic groups that lived in Kolomya.

Daniela (Jasnocha) Toth - Funerals in Tengeru

Daniela describes what the funerals were like in Tengeru, Africa.

Daniela (Jasnocha) Toth - Huts in Tengeru

Daniela describes how they lived in Tengeru, Africa.

Daniela (Jasnocha) Toth - Life in Tengeru

Daniela describes what life was like for a child in Tengeru, Africa.

Bolesław Makowski - Multi Ethnic School before WW2

Describes how his school was multi-ethnic before WWII, and how everyone basically got along.

Bolesław Makowski - First book in 1967

Describing how he published his first book with the support of the Canadian Polish Congress.

Bolesław Makowski - Canadian farm contract

Describing the horrible conditions of the 2-year farm contract that 4,800 Polish soldiers signed up for.

Bolesław Makowski - Virtuti Militari and Cross of Valour

Describes receiving the medals during the Italian campaign.

Bolesław Makowski - Motorcycle with German POW

Describing how he took a German POW back to base, on his motorcycle.

Bolesław Makowski - Why did Poles fight

Explains the reasons why Poles continued to fight in the war

Bolesław Makowski - School in Italy

Describing how he attended school during the Italian campaign, with a view to becoming an officer.

Bolesław Makowski - Reaching Polish Army

Describing how he reached the Polish Army in Uzbekistan.

Bolesław Makowski - Underground set forest fires

Describing how they would start fires in the forest in order to get triple bread rations.

Bolesław Makowski - Work 5 years for a goat

Describing how the commandant of the camp told him he could get a goat after 5 years of hard work.

Bolesław Makowski - Czudak the horse

Describing how he was assigned to work with a sleigh and a horse called Czudak, and also describing the woman who was in charge of the stable.

Bolesław Makowski - Sharing food in Siberia

Describing how people would share anything but food, and when someone did share their food, it was a mark of extreme courage.

Bolesław Makowski - the camp store

Describing the strange and limited contents of the camp store.

Bolesław Makowski - millions of bedbugs

Describing the infestations of bedbugs

Bolesław Makowski - getting water when train stopped

Describing how none of the locals thought it was strange to see them being marched along by armed soldiers.

Elzbieta (Komar) Watrach - Bombing in Tarnopol

Describing how the building they lived in was bombed, and how she was so frightened that she had trouble breathing and she developed a stutter.

Elzbieta (Komar) Watrach - Mother was jailed

Describing how her mother went to the town to sell their belongings, and was arrested and jailed on her return.

Elzbieta (Komar) Watrach - Train accident_Mother injured

Describing the train accident that occurred on the way to Krasnowodsk, and how seriously her mother was injured. In order to board the ship, friends disguised her mother by sitting

Leokadia (Muchowska) Opioła - Girl Guides in India

Describing her experiences as a Girl Guide in India, and having to spend 3 days on her own in the jungle to earn the 3 Feathers Badge.

Leokadia (Muchowska) Opioła - Amnesty Trip south

Describing how difficult the trip south was, and how many families were separated on the way.