Matt's addition - July 7, 2009

My older brother Matthew compiled a research paper on Poland and Polish immigrants for one of his school assignments. With his grace, I can share his research with you today. Please excuse any grammatical errors and enjoy!

A writer once wrote, "It has often been said that we often love most in life what we have lost. The Polish have lost their cherished land many times throughout history. It is that history that has shaped their character and given them hope in an uncertain future." (Otfinoski, P.6) The strong and tenacious citizens of Polish background had been immigrating to the U.S. for hopes of a better life shortly after the Golden age ended in 1587, marked by the rule of Sigismund Vasa III. (Otfinoski, p.13) Poland's population has faced many hardships and because of these, many Polish citizens like Adolph Lozykiewicz looked to the U.S. for a better life.

The Polish immigration to America started after a declining economy in the late 1500's. This decline caused a weakness in government that set off many hardships for the Polish to face. Poland was invaded by Germany, Russia, Mongolia, Sweden, and Turkey in various regions. These invasions would weaken the power of the Polish government enough to leave the country in political unrest. The nobility at that time refused to agree on a style of government which would cause many failures in turning romantic ideas into political realities. This internal battle would pave the way for stronger countries like Russia, Austria, and Prussia to seize Poland through military treaties. In 1794, the oppressed Polish would try to revolt against the mighty Russian army to no avail causing the Polish population to shrink by nearly 8 million.(Otfinoski, p.20) At this time Poland ceased to be any sort of political entity causing it to vanish from the European maps of the time.

Polish custom was suppressed by the new government by assimilating young ones into a foreign culture. Traditions were lost by many because of the oppression in this time. Polish was not spoken in public, children had to learn about a foreign history, and the people who opposed were put to death. There were three uprisings in this era, 1830, 1840, and in 1863 which were all pitiful defeats resulting in the further downward spiral of poverty and famine.(Otfinoski, p.21).

Polish hardships had not yet peaked, however. In 1939, Adolf Hitler took over what was formally known as Poland. German bombers crushed the land made up of 75% farmers in less than 48 hours.(Richmond, p.19) Over 700,000 Germans moved the Polish natives out off their homes and into concentration camps.(Richmond, p.22) Hitler would turn Poland into a land full of wealthy Germans, starving Polish farmers, and concentration camps. Over 60,000 Poles were slaughtered in the camps.(Richmond, p.22) Polish immigration to the U.S. rose greatly during this bloody time of German rule. When the great war was over, Russia refused to turnover the land to the new Polish government. This refusal caused another war that took place in Poland between Russia and the Allies. The war made Poland weaker than ever, giving reason to seek new lives in the U.S.

After WWII, Poland was caught up in a civil war in 1981. A new radical political group had started a revolution that caused economic uncertainty throughout the land. Many families died because of starvation basically because most people could not possibly make enough money to support themselves during this time. In 1982, the radicals were jailed, but the starvation and national hysteria did not end until 1983. This sparked a new influx of Polish immigration to America.

All of the Polish immigrants had to have a way to get out of the poor and famished country. For this, immigrants gathered information on times and places of departures to the new country. The immigrants almost always had to make a plan to get to the U.S. before leaving. The immigrants were told stories of multiple acres of land, bountiful crops, and lavish living in the new country. The Poles would make their journey around springtime because of easier traveling conditions. Many people would leave their previous life with only the bare necessities and around $50 which was usually their life savings.

Once the Poles finally had all the plans worked out, they usually came to New England at places like Ellis Island in New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. Once in America, the Polish soon realized the severity of the crowded ports and were in shock. The millions of immigrants who arrived at these ports were screened for various diseases leaving families separated. The proud Polish names were changed into a shortened English form for many. A large number of families were split apart by the mass confusion at the immigration ports causing young children to sometimes fend for themselves.

Many Poles found it hard to acclimate to the different surroundings and decided to move back to their original homeland. They soon were reminded of the hardships in Poland and some decided to make another trip back to the land of the free. Most Polish settled close to other Poles because most Polish immigrants did not speak a word of English. These communities also served as a way to hold onto values such as religion, customs, and beliefs. The Polish had a hard time in the workplace facing stereotypes of thick-headed, dull, slow, stupid, and ill-witted. The word "Pollock" summarized these stereotypes. The Polish would strive to work harder and become successful because of these also. The success is shown by a present day figure of one-million Polish-Americans who lead a decent life.(Regalikis, p.43)

One of the many Polish immigrants during the Russian oppression was my great-grandfather Adolph Lozykiewich in 1909. Adolph's parents Peter and Lois owned a small farm in what is now Vilno, Lithuania, where his siblings Mary, Helen, Stella, and Ludwig worked.(Lozykiewicz, personal interview) Their family was poor and hungry because of famine and low wages. Adolf was born in July of 1875. Adolf only received three years of formal education in a place accessible only in winter because of a large river that had to freeze over in order for him to cross it. These three years in Poland were said to be just as good as eight years in America. He was forced to join the Russian army where he would serve as a postman and have the chance to cross the first railroad across Russia, (the Tran-Siberian Railroad). In the army he learned how to speak Chinese is addition to the Lithuanian, Ukrainian, and Polish he already spoke.

In 1908, Adolph learned about a free country with many opportunities for immigrants. He worked at a farm for a year hauling lumber and clearing land for the ticket to America. He arrived at Ellis Island in 1908 (Lozykiewicz, personal interview) and settled down in Chicago to work at the American Steel and Wire Company, where he learned English. In Chicago, he met a woman named Joanna Unold..

Joanna grew up in Zielmacia, Ukraine and was actually raised by Polish parents Gregory and Bethania. Her parents both worked hard on a small farm. The six children Joanna, Peofilia, Victor, Mary, and Frank never had a formal education. Joanna did not like the poor surroundings so she and her brother, Victor, sought after their sister, who had already made the trip over in 1912. Joanna arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia and then traveled to Chicago to live with Peofilia and her husband, Vincent. Vincent and Peofilia owned a boarding house and rented out rooms to recent Polish immigrants. Frank had come over and made money, but decided to move back to Poland. He was lost in the confusion of WWI and never heard from again. Joanna lived in the boarding house run by Peofilia and worked for three dollars a week at the Sager Lock Company. She also made featherbeds at night to sell in the boarding house. Joanna could practically make a dollar out of fifteen cents because of her good sense with money. She also never drank, which is why she met Adolph at a clean, Catholic dance in 1912. On the way over to America, her mother had packed a bottle of cherry wine in Joanna's pack. Joanna used this wine to bribe some fellows into picking up her belongings, which had been lost on the train ride from Halifax. They went all the way to downtown Chicago for their pay of the wine.(Lozykiewicz, personal interview)

Adolph and Joanna got married in 1913 in a traditional Polish wedding. At first, they hardly got to see each other because of long hours of work. Joanna, however, started to raise a garden to cut down on food bills, and kept making featherbeds for extra money. The young couple soon bought a large apartment building that they would rent out to families during the depression. The place had four living spaces with two bedrooms in each space. Adolph and Joanna took up two of these small houses. Then the family started to grow. Joanna had six kids. Bernice was born in 1915, Felix in 1916, Florence in 1917, Mary in 1919, Evelyn in 1921, and Ed in 1926. Felix died at the age of one because of the mumps. Adolph and Joanna celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1963 all in Polish to commemorate their heritage. Adolph died in 1966, and Joanna in 1969. Mary later died of heart failure in 1991. Evelyn, my grandmother, married Ralph Froehlich and had Lynn as their firstborn child. Lynn is my mother who has carried on the tradition of hard working values throughout my life.

There were many hardships that the Polish had to deal with since the late 1600's. These hardships have molded the Poles into a hardworking group of people. Adolph and Joanna Lozykiewicz were an example of how people could overcome tragedy and poverty as immigrants. Immigrants are an important part of American history and should not be forgotten.