Polish war orphans to hold reunion

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33740, 13 January 1975, Page 12

Polish war orphans to hold reunion

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, January 12.

A Pahiatua children’s camp became “home” for 735 Polish war orphans in 1944. Many of them will meet there again next month, at a reunion arranged by the Wellington branch of the Polish Association.

“We left our homes in Poland and fled to Russia first, and then to Persia in a bid to escape capture,” said one of them, Mr S. Wolk, who now lives in Auckland. “In Persia we were offered the chance to come to New Zealand, and after we

arrived local families fostered us,” he said.

Although some of the Poles later moved to other parts of New Zealand, and to Australia, most of them still live in the Wellington area.

“Most people are bringing wives and families. There are 30 or 40 coming from Auckland, and about 2000 from Wellington,” Mr Wolk said.

Although the reunion will not officially begin until February 22, many people are already heading for Pahiatua, among them Mrs W. Gornial, of Hobart, who arrived in Auckland yesterday aboard the liner Ellinis, accompanied by her husband and five children.