In 1941, that changed when the Russians, now on the side of the Allied forces, proclaimed an amnesty for Poles.
Krystyna and her family were allowed to leave Siberia and would go on to journey to Uzbekistan and then later to Iran, where they were offered sanctuary – which restored some physical and mental health to thousands of Polish children and adults, many who had traumatic experiences and needed special care; a place where Krystyna became responsible (with other adults) for the children, an where she was appointed Inspector of Social Welfare.
After a couple of years, those in the camp were told they had to leave Iran.
Some went to South Africa; one group was invited by the Prime Minister of NZ at the time, Peter Fraser, to come to New Zealand, to remain there until they could return to Poland at the end of the war.
The children were eager to go with the prospect of seeing a new, little-heard-of country fascinating them; hearing that New Zealand was a beautiful country and that the people were really kind.
They left Iran on a merchant ship which would take them through the Persian Gulf to India, where they then boarded the ship to New Zealand, an American troopship, the General Randall, carrying 3000 soldiers on their way to take leave in Australia and New Zealand.
Krystyna wrote of the kindness of the soldiers.
“During the hot days, they gave their ration of fruit drinks to the children … a real sacrifice in the tropical heat.
“They carried belongings and young children on to the ship at Bombay and off again in New Zealand.”
The men would even entertain the children, playing games and sports.
But it wasn’t all fun and games. There were frequent drills or times when the children had to stay below deck for safety. The journey was fraught with danger and at times, exhausting.
While the children remained unaware, there was danger of Japanese mines and the possibility of the ship coming across a Japanese submarine, Krystyna wrote.
The journey took a month with many of the children suffering from various illnesses including malaria and seasickness as well as heat exhaustion.
“On 1st November 1944, the ship sailed into Wellington Harbour … the sun burst through the clouds and shone on the new country.”
Everyone wanted to get a good view of what would become their new home.
“We saw masses of tiny, colourful houses perched on the green hills surrounding the harbour with the taller buildings of the city lower down on the flat.”
The amazing welcome included “hundreds of smiling Wellington school children waving New Zealand and Polish flags as a gesture of welcome on the platform from which they were to leave for Pahīatua. The singing of the national anthems and gifts of flowers make the occasion even more moving … there was another big, friendly welcome at Palmerston North, and all down the line… there were groups of children gaily waving flags and handkerchiefs”.
New Zealand soldiers helped the group on to Army trucks and took them to their new home – the Polish Children’s Camp in Pahīatua – “a place of our own in a distant land”.
Krystyna was appointed principal of the boys’ primary school and continued to help guide the children’s education during the length of their stay at the camp in Pahīatua.
When the camp closed, she moved to Wellington where the family was a big part of the Polish Community, and she worked for government departments before retiring and moving to Hamilton.
* The Invited by Krystyna Skwarko, 1974, published by Millwood Press. Extracts used with permission from Nina Tomaszyk (author’s granddaughter).
