A REMARKABLE AND COURAGEOUS WOMAN – one of the thousands of Polish displaced persons who arrived in Australia between 1947 and 1957.
Maria Grygiencza was born 2 February 1904 in a small village called Stara Dąbowa, near Grodno, in the eastern part of Poland. Her parents were Jan and Wiktoria Szoka. Maria was the youngest of three children; her brothers, Jozef and Michał were a few years older than she.
Maria’s mother, Wiktoria died when she was only three months old. Her father then re-married and so Maria was looked after by her stepmother Michalina. Sadly, Maria’s father died when she was twelve years old. The Szoka children were then looked after by their stepmother who was good to them. Maria, at the age of eighteen, was left on her own when Michalina died. She then lived with Jozef and his wife.
Maria’s father and stepmother were both religious people. Maria’s faith was very strong from any early age, and she wanted to enter the convent. But unfortunately, her brother could not afford a dowry, and she then married Władysław Grygiencza at the age of twenty-three. They lived on the farm belonging to Władysław’s parents.
Maria’s first born, Zenon died at the age of twelve months, whilst Maria herself was in hospital seriously ill. Doctors informed her that she would not be able to bear any more children. She prayed and her prayers were answered. After six years her daughter Jadwiga was born followed by Kazimierz and Stanisław.
In 1939 when the Soviets invaded Poland her husband, was arrested and was sent to Siberia. Maria herself experienced very difficult and terrifying times and she, together with her three children – Jadwiga six years, Kazimierz four years and Stanisław eighteen months, mother-in-law and brother-in-law were transported from one place to another.
It all began with the Russian soldiers coming to their home and loading them on to the back of a truck. They were only able to take their clothes with them. However, the soldiers surprisingly gave Maria permission to remove holy pictures and valuable wall rugs which she took with her on the long journey. They were transported in a train, in carriages previously used for animals. These had no windows, no light, no bedding or toilet facilities, and they were overcrowded and extremely uncomfortable. Their train was attacked by the German bombers and a large number of people were killed. They were lucky as they were all together when they arrived in Russia.
On their arrival they were given a vacant home with no furniture, totally empty, that they shared with two other families. Maria hung up her holy pictures on the wall, and Russian people gathered in her home to pray. She was able to gather people together during these difficult times – as they were not allowed to practice their faith because of the Communist regime. Maria was not afraid as she knew that God would protect them.
Maria worked out in the fields, and as payment she received soup. This she shared with the other families.
After one year they were moved on to Uzbekistan, where they experienced extremely difficult times. Firstly, they could not understand the local people as they spoke a different language. The conditions were barbaric – they lived in halls which were overcrowded. There was an outbreak of disease such as dysentery. The children were all sent to an orphanage looked after by Polish soldiers, as they were frightened that the children would be abducted by the Uzbekistanis. Maria was separated from her children. She worked in the fields where she obtained food. Apart from feeding her family she would always remember and care for the other families. They stayed in Uzbekistan for eight months.
Maria hired a truck with four other families and travelled to Tashkent where the Polish army was posted. They waited there for a “train to freedom”. They were there for six months and during this time there was an outbreak of typhoid. Sadly, Maria’s sons Kazimierz and Stanisław died within days of each other. Maria and her daughter Jadwiga dug graves for the boys on the roadside. She still had the strength to go on and offer support to other people who were dying around her. She believed God helped her cope with this terrible loss, and in fact, she believed this was what God wanted of her. She was never without her rosary beads.
Maria was a wonderful support to people that she met in the camps that were sick and dying. She gathered people together in prayer and gave people strength in the belief of God, to come to terms with the tragedy that they faced.
With the help of the Polish army, they travelled from Uzbekistan to Krasnovodsk, and then by boat across the Caspian Sea to Persia (Iran). They were transported in trucks to Tehran, and then shipped to Mombasa in East Africa.
Their journey from Poland to Africa took them two years.
Whilst in Africa they spent six years in a Polish camp in Lusaka-Bwana M’Kubwa,
Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and then a further two years in Tanganyika (Tanzania).
It is here in Africa that her daughter Jadwiga went to the Polish school in the camp and Maria worked where others did not want to – she cared for the sick. Maria took it upon herself to visit the sick and cared for them in hospital, and in many cases, would prepare them for a peaceful death.
Maria attended Mass every day and looked after the Church. In the absence of a priest, she would conduct prayer services, organise the Rosary and choir.
After the war the camps were dismantled. Maria and her daughter Jadwiga travelled by boat to Fremantle, Australia; arriving on the 14 February 1950. They were joined by many young mothers and their children, sent here on a two-year contract. Maria and her daughter lived in a Polish Refugee Camp outside Perth, and both worked in the hospital in Perth. Maria worked in the laundry and Jadwiga as a trainee nurse. This gave Maria an opportunity to be with people that she was able to support and comfort.
After two years they decided to move to Tasmania, and settled at Trevallyn|West Riverside. Maria worked in the laundry at the Launceston General Hospital for sixteen years. During this time, she would walk to attend morning Mass and then go to work. During the lunch hours she would visit the sick in hospital. On her return she would pay a visit at the Church of the Apostles and then proceed to walk home.
Maria was re-united with her husband Władysław in 1958. He was released from the Russian Prison Camp in Siberia, after the death of Stalin. The meeting was unexpected as Maria thought that her husband was killed by the Russians.
Their daughter Jadwiga married Marian Izbicki in 1952. Maria and Władysław were wonderful, caring and supportive grandparents to their seven grandchildren – Lydia, Rita, Richard, Joanna, John, Alexander and Peter.
Władysław died of cancer after fighting it for many years, in December 1982. Maria was a wonderful support to her husband during his long illness, and gave him the strength through sharing prayers together.
Maria and Władysław spent many hours in their garden growing fruit, vegetables, flowers and tending their chickens. Maria was an avid reader and would spend hours of an evening reading religious books and journals; she would share these thoughts of the church with family and friends.
Throughout her life, prayer was very important to Maria. Her routine for the day would begin at 5.00am, with an hour of prayer. Then she would attend morning Mass. At 12.00 noon she would say the Angelus, and at 3.00pm she always remembered the death of Christ.
The first Friday and Saturday of the month would be spent praying most of the day and evening. Maria fasted Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays for special intentions.
She was a very dedicated member of the 3rd Order of St Francis. Many people asked Maria to pray for their special intention. Maria would always remember them and deceased members of their family.
Everyone in Maria’s eyes was a very important person and she never had a bad word to say about anyone. Maria would always open her heart out to people in need or those suffering. She was a regular visitor at the local hospitals offering support and comfort to many Polish and Australian people.
Even though Maria suffered pain through various illnesses, she would never complain. She would always leave it in God’s care. Even when not feeling well she would never miss Mass. She would always say that “one hour at Mass was nothing compared to what God gives us in return”.
During the final six months of her life Maria suffered severe headaches but never complained and would say “Jesus suffered a great deal more for us on the cross”. She finally suffered a stroke and was hospitalised for one week. She was in a coma for the last two days. During this time her daughter Jadwiga, family and friends prayed while she held her rosary beads. On the Sunday, 28 May 1989 – the Feast of Corpus Christi, at 3.00pm her life on earth was coming to an end.
Jadwiga said the special prayers that Maria always said at this time of the day. At the conclusion of the prayers Maria received her Final Blessing and passed away peacefully.
Rita Cawley (nee Izbicka)