GRIM STORY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 June 1941, Page 6

GRIM STORY

AN ESCAPE FROM POLAND. I FAMILY'S MANY ORDEALS. 1 A grim tale of separation from his i wife and family, his search for them in I war-torn Poland, imprisonment by Russian troops and thrilling escapes from the Germans in Poland and France was told to a "N.Z. Herald” representative by Professor K. Wodzicki, the Polish Consul-General for Ihe Dominion. His wife, who, with (heir two young children, is accompanying him, owes her life io a few pounds of tea and coffee. with which she bribed a German officer. When Germany marched into Poland, Professor Wodzicki was at a Warsaw university. When civilians were evacuated from the city he was fortunate enough to join his. family in the south of Poland. Soon after Russia entered Poland. With two Jews, the professor was arrested by the Ogpu and they were then forced to walk 70 miles. However, they escaped and were hidden by friends for a fortnight. "Meanwhile.' said Professor Wodzicki. "my wife and children left home in a farm cart, accompanied by their nurse, who has come with us to New Zealand. After travelling 120 miles with the young boy seriously ill, they reached Lwow. I managed to rejoin them after a fortnight. From our home in the mountains of southern Poland I escaped through Hungary to Italy.

"This was about Christmas, 1939, but it was not until February, 1940. that my wife and children left Poland. This was achieved by bribing a German officer with tea and coffee to give my wife a permit to go with the children to Italy for a 'cure.' From Italy wo travelled to France, and there we stayed until the collapse.

"Wo crossed to England from near Bordeaux in a Polish, vessel of 1500 tons. On our arrival we were tired, dirty and hungry. The first person we saw was a working man. Ho took one look at us. and handed his tea and sandwiches to my young son. There, in a nutshell, you have the spirit of England—l will never forgot it."