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Wincenty Wojcik Wincenty Wojcik (1899-1976): A Lifetime of Service to the Polish Community Born 18 June 1899 in Slupia, Pacanow, Kielce, Poland. Died 20 November 1976 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. "On the 25th anniversary of my father's death I wish to honour his memory and share with you his great love for Poland and a lifetime of service to the Polish Community in Toronto area and to Poland during and after World War II." Irena Wojcik Gabon 20 November 2001 Part I - LIKE THIEVES IN THE NIGHT The Nazis invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 by massive air attacks on Warsaw and other regions in the country. The attacks were unexpected by the victims, although the plans to control had been part of Hitler's long range plan to take over Poland and to annex it to Germany. The devastation to a People and a Country, victims of many centuries of Wars and Partitions was broadcast to a World by way of short wave radio mostly through London, England. Twenty seven days after the attacks began, Warsaw surrendered to the Nazis. Polish forces were ill equipped and suffered many casualties. In October, the Polish army units ceased fighting. For those Poles who had left their Homeland or Kraj and immigrated to Canada, the United States and other countries this news shocked them and unlike today where we can tune into CNN or through the World Wide Web and see War, LIVE they could not get through to their families and relatives. Shock. Disbelief. Beyond words. Many Polish Organizations in the Western World gathered in churches and at Polish Halls to see what could be done. Since all mail was stopped, relatives in Canada and the U.S.A. did not know if their family members were alive or dead, and they didn't know if their parcels of clothing and non perishable food items would reach their families. This went on for over five years. The worry, the frustration, the fear. But Hitler and his henchmen did not stop at just destroying Poland. The uncertainty of the state of their families and of their country lead many Poles to organize or to participate in programs which would send aid to the Victims of War. There was and is the Red Cross, there was the Polish National Relief Fund to name just a few. On a dismal Sunday afternoon in March of 1946 my father Wincenty Wojcik went to a "posiedzenie" or meeting at the Polish Hall. There was a motion on the floor that the Zwiazek Polakow w Kanadzie ( Polish Alliance of Canada) should send a representative to Poland to find out just what was going on, and to report back to them. The meeting lasted for eight hours. But it was finally decided that Wincenty Wojcik would be the one to go to Poland to bring back the Truth. Menu: Part I - LIKE THIEVES IN THE NIGHT Part II - Who was Wincenty Wojcik and What was his Mission? Part III- Wincenty Wojcik Prepares to go to Poland Part IV - Arrives in Poland Part V - WARSZAWA? Part VI - The Journey Continues Part VII - Krakow, Oswiecim/Auschwitz Part VIII - The Journey Home Part IX - Postscript Area map of Wincenty's mission in Poland. This story is presented here with permission of the author. - Share your article/story, contact: ATPC - Articles/Stories.