| Fragmenty korespondencji między dwiema pisarkami żyjącymi i tworzącymi w Australii, Haliną Robinson, autorką "Cork on the Waves" oraz Joanną Hempel, autorką "Feet of Wax".
Dear Joanna, thanks for your message. I am at every possibility expressing the matters you are talking about. Also I have written about this in my book "Cork on the waves" which had two second editions in 2006 and the third one in 2015. If there were any Poles helping Germans during the Holocaust that was a very small number of them.
The people visible as Polish who helped Germans were not real Poles.
Being the last survivor of totally exterminated large family, whose life was saved by heroism and benevolence of Polish Catholics, I saw many of them killed with ones they tried to save, most often Jewish babies or very small children. I could see things not seen by many, being hidden in 13 different locations.
Living for years in Poland the Ukrainians, Bialorussians and many others, wanting to achieve independent states of their own, may have thought that helping Germans will provide them with a powerful support.
Poles had centuries of fighting with German neighbours and didn't help them, not because they were so saintly, but because they just couldn't trust them in anything.
Would love to hear from you what happens with your books, how is your health and the whole family.
I have now 4 great grandchildren and had celebrations for my 90th birthday to which arrived 40 of my descendants scattered around the world.
Best wishes to you and all people you love.
Halina
Halina Czernuszyn-Robinson i konsul generalny Regina Jurkowska. Foto Krzysztof Bajkowski |
Dear Halina, So good to hear from you. That you survived in thirteen different locations as a young Jewish girl tells us that many, many people were instrumental in keeping you safe. It is estimated that between 100,00 and 200,000 Jewish Poles were rescued in Poland by similar means during WWII. Probably none of the hundreds of thousands of Polish women and men involved would be honoured today, officially. A considerable number of "progressive" Poles, Australians and Germans, who may not know your story, continue to sully Poland's name, abroad and in Poland.
I wonder if your story is known by the Institute of National Rememberance, the IPN? And its equivalent in Israel? They need to hear about people like yourself. Their ongoing research will help to restore Poland's good name in the future. Perhaps you can send me a copy of your very moving "Cork on the Waves", which I read in 2006 before inviting you to speak at one of our Soirées Littéraires at the NSW Writers' Centre.
I was heart-broken recently to watch "Defamation", an award-winning documentary by Israeli journalist Yoav Shamir, showing how Israeli teenage groups were warned by their security guards not to speak with Poles when visiting Auschwitz because "Poles hate Jews". So much work must be done at an educational level, for thousands of such Jewish groups come to Poland every year from Israel, America, Australia... It could be an opportunity for goodwill to be spread, and for a more truthful picture to be given to impressionable young minds.
My own work is advancing. Volume 1 (Feet of Wax 1914-1918), in its newer, slightly altered version, is now in Polish. It went through two phases of translation before I was happy with it. An historian and I are double-checking for accuracy, and the text will be ready for type-setting in July. The Warsaw publisher Muza has still not agreed on a title, though I am suggesting Coils of War and Love/ Kręgi Wojny i Miłości. Professor Andrey Radossky in St Petersburg is three quarters through translating it into Russian. Volume 2 (1919-1939) is now 4/7 complete, and is proving an interesting novel. I think readers will be happy with it.
My warmest good wishes,
Joanna 
Joanna Hempel (w środku) z senator Marią Pańczyk oraz konsul Reginą Jurkowską. Foto Bogumiła Filip |
www.panczyk.senat.pl/promocja-ksiazki-feet-of-wax-w-konsulacie-generalnym-rp-w-sydney,224.html
ewpl.com.au/a-cork-on-the-waves/
Related links:
dianagiese.com.au/community-stories.html
www.faysussman.com/journey.php
www.pocketsofhopemovie.com/
| 
