Getting to know my father through his wartime diaries
Over the coming months, I would like to share with you some extracts from my translation of Józef's diaries. During the first two weeks of August 1939 my father was based at Mikołów (near Katowice) as the doctor with his battalion, 23rd Infantry Division. He writes that there were clear signs of approaching war but … Continue reading August 1939
The first main section of my father’s diary is headed “Przygotowania wojenne” (Preparations for war). It covers a period from September 1938 to 31st August 1939. 24/09/1938 On that memorable September day in 1938 when the fate of Czechoslovakia hung in the balance, when diplomats’ planes repeatedly flew across the borders of other countries, … Continue reading Preparations for War
This section was one of the first parts that I translated and my father's poignant comment has stuck in my mind ever since. 22/08/1939 On the 22nd August I received an order by telephone from Lieutenant Colonel Szebesta, to go immediately to the Pszczyna area and take up the position of doctor for the … Continue reading Some Sadly Prophetic Words
The first part of my father’s diaries contains some brief entries about his period of training in the army. I was struck by his evident pride in the Polish army which is reiterated in many further sections, but also by the hints of his disenchantment with the leadership. In early October 1938 he wrote the … Continue reading Training and Conflict
From March to the end of July 1939 Józef was based at Wełnowiec near Katowice where, with the help of the battalion doctor and Lieut. Kwieciński, he set up the sick quarters and the out-patients’ surgery. Then from the beginning of August he had several moves before being transferred to the position of the doctor … Continue reading Will There Be War?
It really wasn’t my intention to have such long gaps between posts, so I hope you haven’t given up on me! Although I have done a draft translation of a large part of my father’s first book, much of it still requires quite a bit of work to improve it enough for public consumption. So … Continue reading The Final Days of August 1939
When Józef writes (retrospectively) about the last tense days of August 1939 he covers just over 5 pages in his exercise book with descriptions of his squadron colleagues. A small selection of these follows. Sometimes he uses full names, sometimes just an initial in place of a surname and at other times he omits the … Continue reading Character Studies at the Brink of War
At this point in his diaries Józef returns to describing the preparations taking place in the final days before the outbreak of war: 31/08/1939 On the morning of the 31st August we were surprised to see a flyer being posted: ”Mobilisation”. Everyone capable of carrying weapons should report at such and such a place… Something … Continue reading Wojna…Wojna…Wojna…
Here, Józef writes about the events that unfolded in the camp on the day war was declared. 1/09/39 Whatever was that terrible explosion rocking the whole building? After it came another one – similar, albeit further away – and then a third and a fourth… Next some heavy gunfire. It was 5 o’clock in the … Continue reading Waking up to War
As the unit continues its preparations on 1st September, Józef’s description of the rather ad hoc motorised squadron highlights some of the differences in provision between the German and Polish armies. The far wealthier German army was heavily motorised whereas this unit appears to be relying almost entirely on private vehicles. In this, the first … Continue reading Final Preparations
After a short stop around midnight the squadron is sent on ahead while Józef receives orders to move on at daybreak to Siewierska Górka with the supply column and set up a dressing station. Later, in the evening, he is told to continue to Siewierz in one of the health unit cars in order to … Continue reading Sad News from Silesia
Here Józef gives a brief example of the plight of civilians as they try to escape the invasion and the dilemma he faces in obeying the rules or following his instincts. 4/09/1939 It was a beautiful day and the sun was scorching as on all those September days. We passed another manor house set up … Continue reading Fleeing Citizens
Over the next day or two, Józef goes into a lot of detail about the continuing journey towards Kraków. He describes the difficulties of potholes and of manoeuvring the carts across ditches, damaged bridges and past roadblocks of various kinds. Late in the evening he gives a lift to two soldiers who had become separated … Continue reading News of Kraków and Częstochowa
Just under a week after war was declared, Józef and his squadron arrive in Kraków. Having heard rumours about the city's fate and seen the devastation in towns and villages on the way they would now able to see for themselves what the situation was in Kraków. 6/09/1939 We arrived in Toń during the night. Every … Continue reading My Beloved Kraków
In the previous post I shared some of Józef’s words from a different part of the diaries, to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the invasion of Poland. The extract below now returns to the chronology of the earlier posts I’ve shared, the last of which can be found here: My Beloved Kraków Just prior to the … Continue reading Pandemonium and Sandy Terrain
In this entry, the extent of the occupation (after just the first week of action) starts to become clear. 8/09/1939 Dawn broke as we glimpsed the Nida River in the distance and beyond that Nowy Korczyn. With the Nida came the hope of creating an organised resistance against the pursuing enemy. But we were naïve … Continue reading Two Glasses of Good Vodka and a Very Brief Respite
In the previous extract, Józef and the health cart were joined by the rest of the supply column in Nowy Korczyn and from there they headed north to Ucisków, where at last they found their squadron. After a few hours' rest they continued their difficult journey north-eastwards spurred on by the hope of being able … Continue reading Chaotic Behaviour Endangers the Division
After emerging from a difficult, night time journey through the forest, Józef’s journey towards Sandomierz with the supply column continues. They soon come to a halt however, due to yet another bottleneck of a huge number of other supply column carts. Eventually things start to move and they find a way through 11/09/1939 At last … Continue reading The Call for a Doctor
In the aftermath of the devastating attack on the procession of carts, work continues to provide a safe crossing over the Vistula. 11/09/1939 [cont.]A cart was passing by so I requisitioned it in order to transport the casualties.More and more aircraft were appearing over the crossing point to try to prevent us from using the … Continue reading About Turn…
It’s been quite a few months since I posted anything and I hope I haven’t lost all my followers! I have been totally engrossed in translating this second of my father’s two exercise books (over 150 pages of handwriting) and I’m now very close to finishing it. After this I have a small number of … Continue reading Delving into Book 2 of Józef’s Diaries
A Life in Translation 