Inscannat brev, från Jozef till Wanda

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Ewa Witkowskas familjearkiv

Sveriges museum om Förintelsen

Brev

Digital fil

Ett inscannat brev

1945-05-27

Givaren har behållit brevet i original, detta är en inscannad version av brevet

Wanda och Jozefs barnbarn berättar: "The girls in Onslunda were visited by the representative of Polish government, who was one of the guys interned who was going around all places and taking information about who they are to inform the Polish government. When he visited, they learned that there were those two hundred soldiers, or navy, from the Polish navy who were interned in Sweden. My mother came up with an idea: 'Why don’t we contact them!', because they have been so long and they don’t have much contact with people. 'So let’s write letters!' And it grew to this joking thing that was great. 'Let’s write matrimonial offers!' So, they send those letters, and my mother asked the guy who visited: 'Who we should send those letters to?' And the guy say 'Oh, why don’t you send it to Mr Jósef Pastuszuk, and he will take care of this'. Okay, so he did! And he wrote back, it was a funny letter. And many other guys wrote back and there was a big correspondence going between those people. Even women who were married wrote those things just for fun. And then, in terms of my mother and father, it started from fun and then it grew to an actual very serious correspondence. And it turned out they were sort of soul mates. So this is how they met! Yes. And they were sending, corresponding by mail - sometimes sending two letters a day. The mail man at Smedstorp slott couldn’t believe this!" Detta är det första brevet Jozef skrev till Wanda, skrivet 27 maj 1945. De kom senare att bli varandras livspartners. Översättning gjord av Jozef och Wandas dotter Ewa, från polska till engelska: "My Beautiful Wandulka! (matrimonial ad #3) Why “Wandulka”?! – because this is my understanding that you would like to be called this way. Why “Beautiful” – because I heard the rumors to that end. And if you are curious – and I assume that you are because obviously all ladies always are very interested in everything – why I did omit the formal way of addressing you as “Madam”, I am hereby informing you that in the democratic country of Sweden, this old-fashioned bon ton is not fashionable anymore. So now to the point, my beautiful Wandulka! I received a letter from my colleague Henryk, which described his contacts with you and your friends, talked about the fact that you were so wonderful even though you went through hell, and in addition it contained your matrimonial offers – if this is the proper way of characterizing those ads. There is no doubt that somehow you managed to preserve the funny side of your frame of mind despite of, or maybe because of, your very hard and gory experiences. Bravo! In this context, your humor equals power, equals strength! But obviously, it is not just humor but rather, your entire beings, your life, your blood, your very nature ALL are calling for help. OK, I understand but what can I do right now and by mail??? How to overcome the space that separates us? I will tell you ladies – sorry, I meant I will tell you (Wandulka) that we can conquer space and other obstacles, like barbed wire for example – we have had an extensive experience on that front – but as to getting physically close to you, this feat is not technically possible right now. So, we ask you for patience, please. Coming back to your matrimonial ads, you had provided lots of fun to the Swedish censor – yes, our letters are audited by the Swedish military authorities. And obviously you had generated a lot of interest among my comrades in our internship camp. In response to the SOS from ten beautiful women at risk, I have organized the volunteer team of accomplished deck hands who stand ready to help right now! The volunteers carefully studied your ads and then each of them selected one, or more, according to their own tastes and feelings. And I am sure my colleagues will not disappoint me and that each and every ad will be answered, and that the help will arrive in no time. And we understand that prompt response lies very much in our interest – otherwise we might face a hard competition from the Swedish group of volunteers. So much about your ads in general. As to the ad of beautiful Wanda #3, I think that many of my colleagues are likely to offer help, as this appeal was widely circulated and was very well received. And while I am not quite sure whether I meet the clearly defined requirements, I am enthusiastically joining in! In the absence of the well-defined standard of the “manly man”, I am not sure whether I can claim 100% “maleness”. In my view, a lot depends on specifics of the gauge being used in the measurement: temperament, intelligence, what else… might play vital role. Let’s leave the physics be for now. In summary, for me 100% maleness is a relative concept. And it is not easy to extract more meaning hidden in between words of your ad, but I am sure we can easily “untie this knot” without using the knife, should you be willing to respond to my letter. As to who I am and how I look like, please ask Henryk. I deeply believe that we will be able to overcome all obstacles and we will organize a rendezvous, maybe in Stokholm… OK? All right, thank you! I did write a lot in this first-time letter – didn’t I? Normally I have a problem stitching three words together before regrouping to discuss weather or whatever, just to fill the page with some ink. And now look here: the “Gdynia Newspaper” did not have so many words. But this is it, I am not going to bore you any more my dear Wandulka. So, to finalize, my dear! Please write to me about yourself, what your immediate and future plans are, and if there is anything I could help with, please let me know. With my best wishes, and kissing your hands and more… With regards, Jozef 27 May 1945 P.S. Please send my best wishes to your friends and to Henryk. My address: Józef Pastuszuk Fältpost 800 Stockholm 5"

• Gasiorowska, Wanda Czesława
• Pastuszuk, Jósef

Polska

3404421

SMF201

3327601 Volym 1. Brev Volym

https://samlingar.shm.se/archive/c1f8d0c1-1685-4950-9e50-464a4b19ba27