Day 4 - Dobczyce

My father's cousin, Helena, and her family, live on the farm my grandfather grew up on.   We found them 8 years ago by just driving to Dobczyce and asking around for the family. I've returned to visit each time I'm in Poland.  They are a very welcoming family, and Helena is so warm and caring. She is now 86 years old, and both she and I are afraid that each time we meet, it will be the last time we see each other on earth.  Last year, a few days after our visit, her husband passed away. 

It was late afternoon when we arrived because the family members work on Saturday, but I didn't want to miss this chance.  Dobczyce is only about an hour from Krakow.  This time, I wanted to film her as I asked questions about how life was when she was young.  Frankly, life was then much as it is now for her, except for things like television and cars.  People worked hard, there wasn't much free time, WigIlia was celebrated then the way it is now.  They rode to church with the neighbors because they had a horse to draw a wagon.  Everything was done by hand.  But she lived on the farm in the house she lives in now, surrounded by family her whole life. 

The big surprise was that Helena presented me with a wedding picture that included about 40 people, including several babies in their mother's arms.  She thought it was my grandparent's wedding picture.  She pointed out her father, who was in America for a few years before returning to Poland.  I was a bit confused, but recognized my grandmother's brother, Stanley Badowski, so knew it was a family picture.  Later this evening, looking at the photo in my room without the chatter and excitement of our visit, I realized that it was not my grandparent's wedding picture, but my grandparents were in the photo.  If her father Jan, and my grandfather Franciszek are in the picture, the photo must be of my great-uncle Jakob Piech's wedding.  I'll be able to confirm this when I get home and check with other family members and look at other photos. 

Even though it isn't my grandparents, it is a precious photo to me.  Now I have a photo of my great-uncle Jan Piech, my great-uncle Jakob, and who knows what other family members might be in the picture.  I feel so lucky and blessed tonight!

Unfortunately, I also learned of a grand-uncle who died in Auschwitz.  That makes two family members who died in concentration camps.  We have to take the bad with the good.