He Also Has Seen Much

New Zealand Listener, Volume 11, Issue 282, 17 November 1944, Page 21

He Also Has Seen Much

JAN SLEDZINSKI (above), delegate of the Polish Min- ® istry of Social Welfare and Education, has crammed more variety, excitement and discomfort into the years since 1939 than most men can cram into a whole lifetime. In the days when war was still something to be avoided, M. Sledzinski, M.A. B.Sc., was first a teacher of sicence in a boys’ secondary school, then an inspector of schools. In Poland a school inspector is not only concerned with the actual education of the students, he also builds schools, appoints teachers, arranges salaries and generally supervises every aspect of school life. Poland before the war was divided up into educational districts, each with its own inspectors, who controlled all the schools, private, State, primary and secondary, in the district. One syllabus of work operated throughout Poland, but was augmented in each district by local history and geography. It is this system which M. Sledzinski plans to put into operation in the New Zealand camp for Polish children. They will study (continued on next page) 7

(continued from previous page) the Polish syllabus, plus New Zealand history and geography, history of the British Empire, and English grammar and literature. Escape from Poland Education, then, filled M. Sledzinski’s life up to 1939. Then came German aggression, M. Sledzinski, a reserve officer, was called up and took his place on the Western Front of Poland in September, 1939. Twenty-seven days later the war was officially over, and Poland was under German occupation. But the Polish Army was still alive, and in France it reorganised and sent out its call. Jan Sledzinski with a comrade were among the many who‘ attempted to escape from Poland. Luck was with them, and they succeeded. They tried at first to find a passage through Lithuania, but all ways north were firmly shut. Their only course lay over the Carpathian Mountains in the dead of winter. They made their escape clothed as peasants, and much of the journey took place along icy mountain streams, for sentries guarded every bridge. For the last four days and nights they were without food at all. When they finally reached Hungary, they were captured by the police and sent to an internment camp. But’Jan Sledzinski stayed there only long enough to cure his _ frostbite. Three months later he escaped once more, this time to Yugoslavia and on to France. In France he was attached to a French-Singalese anti-tank unit at the Belgian frontier, But the tide of war still rolled against him: The Allies were pushed back to the South of France. Then came the armistice between Petain and Hitler, and Jan Sledzinski was lucky to be able to escape on a small Scotch cargo boat to England. Still on the Move In Scotland the Polish troops reorganised once more, and the defence of the coast from Newcastle to Aberdeen was in their hands during 1941. At the end of that time many Polish officers volunteered for the British Army, and were posted to the Royal West-African frontier forces as officers. After two years, however, he was called back by the Polish authorities to Scotland to be &ttached to the Polish Army College as a lecturer. This college aimed at giving a general education to Polish sailors, airmen and soldiers. It was also a place where sick men could recuperate, But another move was in store for Jan. Sledzinski. From Scotland he was sent out to New Zealand as a delegate of the Polish Government to look after the Polish refugees in New Zealand. This is what he told us: "I am so grateful for all that has been done here. ‘There is so much hospitality, such a good heart towards our people. In the two days that I’ve been here, this has been so apparent already."