Her mother, Aleksandra Tarasiewicz, was a nurse and midwife, left to raise Maria and her younger brother Aleksander on her own.
In April 1940, at the age of 9, Maria’s life was forever changed. Her family was forcibly deported by Soviet authorities to Siberia as part of Stalin’s mass deportation of Polish citizens. Maria, her brother, and their mother endured harsh conditions in Siberia, where her mother was forced into hard labour. They never saw Maria’s father again.
When Germany invaded the Soviet Union, an agreement between the Allies and the Soviet government allowed for the release of many Polish deportees.
Maria and her family were moved to a Polish orphanage in Uzbekistan, where they survived malnutrition and illness. From there, they traveled to Iran and eventually to British-controlled India, where they lived in Polish refugee camps for five years.
During their time in India, Maria and her brother attended Anglican missionary schools, where they learned English.
In 1947, after years of displacement, the United Nations Refugee Resettlement Agency helped the family relocate to New Zealand as Polish refugees. Maria, 16 years old at the time, had endured more hardship in her childhood than many face in a lifetime, but she seized the opportunity for a fresh start in New Zealand.
New beginnings in New Zealand
Maria and her brother Alek were enrolled in a New Zealand school. However, due to financial hardship, she left school the following year to support the family. She took up full-time employment at the Health Department’s Head Office in Wellington but remained determined to continue her education.
She went on to attend Wellington Teachers’ Training College and Victoria University, earning her teaching qualification in 1953.
Family life and professional accomplishments
In 1954, she married Wim van der Linden, a Dutch civil engineer.
Together, they built a family and raised six children: Sophia, Stephen, Anne-Marie, John, Helen, and Lucy.
Despite the demands of raising a large family, she continued her own academic pursuits, completing a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Teaching from Victoria University in 1968.
She taught for 26 years at St Joseph’s Māori Girls’ College.
In addition to her teaching, Maria became an accomplished writer.
Her first book, St. Joseph’s Māori Girls’ College 1867–1990, was written as part of New Zealand’s 150th anniversary celebrations. Her second book, An Unforgettable Journey, published in 1992, documented her harrowing experiences during World War II and her journey to New Zealand.
She was also a sought-after speaker, sharing her experiences with more than 80 community groups and schools around the North Island.
Community involvement and recognition
Maria’s contributions extended far beyond the classroom. She was an active member of the New Zealand Federation of University Women (now the Federation of Graduate Women), serving as Minutes Secretary and representing the Hawke’s Bay branch at national conferences.
From 1970 to 2000, she was a member of the Women’s Division of Federated Farmers. With her husband, Wim, she co-directed Linden Estate Winery for 20 years. She also served on the Parents/Teachers Committee at Eskdale School and was a long-standing member of The Ladies of Ahuriri Probus Club, serving two terms as president.
Her involvement extended to the Napier Contract Bridge Club, the Polish Association of New Zealand, and her local church community. She was a parishioner at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Napier, where she served on the parish council and participated in various ministries.
In recognition of her suffering during World War II, she was awarded the Siberian Cross by the President of Poland on October 10, 2008.
Legacy and final years
Her legacy lives on not only through her professional achievements and community involvement but, most importantly, through her family.
Maria is survived by her children Sophia, Stephen, Anne-Marie, John, Helen, and Lucy, as well as 14 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. Of all her accomplishments, Her greatest joy and pride was her family.
