The late Lieutenant Stefan Mustafa Abramowicz is the hero of the following column.
We remember the last Christmas with an old ulan, who left on April 9, 2018 at the age of 103 on an eternal watch. We besides recommend: http://solidarni2010.pl/36853-last-bye.html
Christmas wishes for Christ's birthday. Here in Kleck in old Poland was so...
Joy over Christmas is simply a gift available to everyone. It doesn't substance where they're spent or who.
After the evening mass in the Christmas Octavia, I went to visit with my daughter. By tapping, knocking on the door and window of our home, Stefan Mustafa Abramovich, I sang his song from those years:
“They came under the window. They knock, they cry, "Let go, lady!" Oh, Jesus, where does God lead? We'd like to visit Warsaw. By the time I visit Warsaw, we've already been waiting to see this old Vilnius. And from Vilnius, the road is ready, it leads consecutive to Lviv. Oh, Jesus, what a mess. Open up, miss! Cavalry. We came to water our horses, We've got infantry full of membranes behind us. The woman opened up and let the soldiers in.”
And actually, like in the song, I had to get mine under the window. Before the door was opened and invited inside, I looked at the clear sky grenade over Manchester, stepping on the creaking grass, and there was frost. Looking up at the sky, I caught a window on the level where I had a acquainted shadow of the homeowner.
Mr. Stefan's granddaughter – Miss Renata held us up a bit at the door before I heard the sound twisted with the lock key. Lucy's second granddaughter surviving with her grandpa went with her loved ones for Christmas to Wrocław. There, in 1946, Stefan's sister Ewa Abramowicz - Korycka, with her husband Jan Korycki, heir from the estates in the village of Łowczyce k/Nowogródka – left and took refuge in the russian NKVD, which invaded them asking about the post-war destiny of Brother Andersov.
Despite his age (in January he will start 103 years old!) – he almost ran down the stairs. What a joy and a welcome party! The words of welcome were endless, we embraced each another standing in a happy circle.
- We have another Christmas, Mr. Stefan! I said, and he immediately addressed the subject:
- I'm sorry. Christ’s Birthday
Thus we Tartars spoke in Kleck – the birthday of Christ.
Then he brilliantly added: During the Italian Campaign, I heard from the Italians: - Buon Natale! Which means Merry Christmas. The Russians, on the another hand, said for the Tsar: - The Chryst dynasty (Pождество Христа).
That's how we returned to the past and memories began.
Incentived by the conversation, Mr. Stefan was making his point...
“For centuries Poles have traditionally celebrated Christmas for Christ’s birthday. In the past everything was different and people were different in the old Poland.
We Muslims were next to Christmas, but we saw quite a few people going to church to the Shepherd. I'm not a spiritual fanatic. I like to perceive to others erstwhile we're all under the umbrella of the same God.
At our place in Kleck during Christmas they were having a organization at the school and there were school games at a decorated Christmas tree. The Christmas tree itself said what a vacation it was. We sang carols for the voices: God is born the power of the dead; ye brethren see but. Others played us instruments.
That I remember very well so far that we all went to have fun and dance together regardless of our confession. I remember erstwhile I was 14 erstwhile we asked the girls to dance.
I went to Polish school in 1925 erstwhile I was 10.
Then a seven-branch universal school was opened in Kleck. This school began to attend children aged older, delayed by the actions of the First planet War. There were 7-year-olds and 18-year-olds in military service. We began to learn to read and compose together in 1 class. Orthodox, Catholic, Muslim, and judaic people went there. The Jews were the wealthiest, the best dressed, and the best learned. I almost grew up erstwhile I was 15 and I graduated from 7th grade. due to the deficiency of backing for science, my school education ended.
Then I served in the army in the cavalry..
When our Muslim feast was Ramadan Bajram (in remembrance of erstwhile Archangel Gabriel appeared to Muhammad, who fasted. Then he gave him inspired words to teach people) or Kurban Bajram (a feast in honor of Abraham's sacrifice to God) – we went to the mosque in Vilnius for our services. We got 2 days off.
Slavery
During russian captivity in Kozielsk Transition Camp (X-XI 1939) I saw respective people from us from Kleck, but among countless Polish prisoners I met only 2 Tatars, and I spoke to 1 of them.
Soldiers of the Christian denomination at Christ’s Birth saw the hope of freedom from slavery. As a Muslim, I trusted in God's mercy that God would save us. I prayed to the merciful God and asked him to go free.
Exodus. The day of freedom came
I left the camp in Tockskaya (January 1942) to Alma Ata, Kazakhstan and by freight train through russian Central Asia (III 1942) from Ottawa, Kyrgyzstan at the Chinese border - I passed the Himalayas and further to Tashkent in Uzbekistan towards Samarkanda for a gathering with d-ca Major Kazimierz Zaorski. Then through Aszkabat, Turkmenistan for a stop. Then again by train to Krasnowodzka by the Caspian Sea to the port of salvation to sail for Easter (IV 1942) to Pahlavi - Promised Land in Persia/Iran. It was a land of hope and freedom for us. That was freedom!... Then to Baghdad, Iraq, Transjordania, Palestine and the Jordan River.
I remember, in Alexandria's port, erstwhile we were about to sail ships to Taranto, Italy – the Arabs gave me Arabic prayers to carry them with me. There was a request for God’s aid written on 2 bilateral pages. They encouraged me to pray with these words for further care during the war and return home. I put the pictures in the book and in the pocket of my uniform. I kept it till today.
With the Army to Kind Italy
(IV 1944 - V 1945) We didn't get a chance to go to church here at Christmas. We saw the Italians go to Chiesa, or church, wishing us a merry Christmas - Buon Natale! We had stops in the field or in another open areas. This is where we utilized to meet in our troops at Christmas. You utilized to come and sing carols. In the army, we didn't share a wafer, possibly the officers in each other's circles shared.
Before the frontal warfare and preparations for the Italian run there was time to remainder in bases. This was provided by the British military strategy. The English cared very much about the soldiers, knowing that man could not be replaced by others, and the equipment – yes. He who wanted to, then visited ancient monuments of 1 of the oldest civilizations of Europe. I followed the rule: “What I see now and learn is worth more than the money saved in my pocket.” I knew it would never happen again.
Don't be stupid and don't get killed!
Our 2nd Corps under Gen. Anders was included with the Australians, Canadians, British, Hindus, and Americans to the 8th British Army of Forces Assigned by Gen. Oliver Leese.
We Poles with Canadians and Australians were together as 3 troops. After dense 2 weeks of fighting, our Polish army went to remainder and then we were doing sightseeing. He was succeeded in fighting by 2 weeks of Canadian troops, and then the front was taken over by the Australians. erstwhile for 2 weeks 2 troops of our army were on the front line - 1 division was resting and we were changing over and over again. Our section of the fighting was on the Adriatic along the No. 16 (Senigallia, Ancona, Loreto, Bologna) For us Poles it was an honor that we participated in highly strategical war actions to beat the German enemy.
The British fought class, the Germans fought race and the Soviets fought mass.
I remember we had a halt at a tiny mountain village with mediocre cottages in Pratella. There was a origin of mineral water coming out of the mountain. Military doctors specifically told us to drink as much water as possible, as we were most oppressed by the russian destructive government of the POW extermination camps.
During the war, Sherman crews do not despise the visit to ancient monuments of 1 of Europe's oldest civilizations
While resting, we drove jeeps to Naples, a beautiful large city with tall houses and narrow streets. Residents dragged the ropes outside from home to home and dried underwear in front of the windows above the streets. It looked like flags during national holidays. The people at our sight cried: Viva La Polonia! Evviva L'esercito Polacco!
The place I reached was ancient Pompeii. Pompeii was a large mess! God punished them for their apostasy and Vesuvius' volcanic lava flooded their wells, public houses, which were very much there, and then everything was filled with ash. I saw the amphitheater and its underground tunnels, which were erstwhile released by lions. Rich people utilized to do beastry there, throwing newborn children with physical defects for lions. The paintings in the museum showed a loose life of the Roman Empire, which did not surprise me at all why the empire fell.
I besides visited Genoa on the Mediterranean Sea.
Pope Pius XII blessed us
June 5, 1944. The Americans captured Rome, which I besides managed to visit. Be in Rome and not see the Pope? Therefore, we directed our steps to the Vatican and then to St. Peter's Square, where along with the crowds of believers waiting in the square we received the blessing of the Pope standing on his balcony.
I was besides in Predappio forli municipality at Mussolini's birthplace. 1 of the chief achievements of the dictator was the delineation and construction of roads, which were covered on the sides with shining stones, serving as reflective curbs. Duce hollowed the tunnels in the mountains; he expanded the front of public works, drained the wetlands and the Padua valley - building houses with farms there, and improved the pit of workers and peasants. I knew the life there in Italy. Italy was a mediocre country. The kings played but did nothing for their people.
Let us have a vivid memory in our hearts and remember the moments of Polish Victoria!
When we captured Monte Cassino,
Seeing all that the Lord God has done for me – I was very grateful to God that he allowed me to come out of all the dangers and oppression that war brought. God has rewarded my pain a 100 times more. Therefore, despite suffering, I cannot complain about my fate.
Finally, I'd like to pay everyonewishes on Christ's birthday.
As we say in Kleck:
Happy Christmas and Happy fresh Year to Poles in Poland and abroad.’
Cf. Stefan Mustafa Abramowicz - the last Ulan of the Republic of Poland
Manchester, 28 XII 2017
She listened to and wrote down Xenia Jacoby
Xenia and archive photos
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Jacoby Xenia - Polish from JP II generation.