St. Hedwig - A New Beginning by Janice (Kusmierz) Jarzombek Our Home Land is Gone As of 1795, Poland no longer existed as an independent political entity. It had been wiped off the map, swallowed up by Austria, Prussia, and Russia. Russia's church was Orthodox, Austria was primarily Catholic, but Emperor Franz Joseph was closely allied with Russia, indebted for political reasons. In Prussia, which controlled the former Polish territory of Silesia, Protestantism had been established as the state religion in 1539. The Roman Catholic Church was the unifying factor among the Polish people. It was through the Church that traditions, language, and cultural identity were maintained. Troubled Times In the years immediately preceding the emigrations of the 1850's, Silesia had suffered a number of epidemics, floods and crop failures, including the same potato blight that ragaged Ireland. Economic conditions, crime, and the draft of Polish males into the Prussian military played havoc on the people and their means of survival, which was mainly farming. A Beacon of Hope Into this climate came letters from one of their own, Father Leopold Moczygemba, a Franciscan priest serving as a missionary in Texas. His letters encouraged them to sell everything and join him in a land of political and religious freedom. The future was so threatening for these Silesians, they were willing to sell all for whatever price they could get, uproot their families, and move across the world (some 8.000 miles)...all on the recommendation of one man. A Journey of Faith The sea voyage took two months. After landing on the Texas coast, most of the group went to Panna Maria, Texas, the Polish American colony in America, founded by Father Moczygemba. However, thirteen families traveled to the Martinez Creek to land that Mr. John Demmer, a German acquaintance of Father Moczygemba, had told them about. Finding it suitable, with trees for fuel and building, and fertile soil for crops, these thirteen families brought all their possessions and Saint Hedwig, Texas, was founded in 1856. The Promise is Realized Life in the first years was very difficult for the thirteen immigrant families because they had to deal with people whose language they did not speak. Building log homes with thatched roofs and raising crops for food and marketing were the priorities, but as usual, wherever Poles settled in Texas, the first thing they built was their church. They built their first church dedicated to the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1857. By 1867, the population had grown to thirty-four families, and the community of Saint Hedwig had outgrown the small log structure that had served the original settlers. A new church had to be built. Rocks were hauled by mule-drawn wagons from Blanco, Texas, a distance of some 100 miles. The new Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church was completed in 1868. The architecture and interior furnishings were reflective of the churches they had known in their native Poland. Beautiful murals and statues were added as the years went by and their incomes from farming, blacksmithing, and general merchandise businesses grew. By 1870, Saint Hedwig was linked to San Antonio by a decent road and the town was prospering. The population was increasing and the need for a school was faced by the parish priest. In March of 1874, classrooms and a living area for the teachers (who were Nuns) were completed. With the completion of the construction, Saint Hedwig became the second of the Silesian communities in Texas to have its own school building. By 1900, the parish had increased to 200 families so the church was enlarged; however, the addition was carefully planned to match the design of the original building.