Ladny - It Was Worth It: The Adventures of A Polish POW in World War II

IT WAS WORTH IT

The Adventures of a Polish POW in World War II

by Kazimir Ladny

Copyright 2014 Kazimir Ladny

Kazimir Ladny is deceased, and Mary C Eglin is the current owner of this property

First Edition 2000

Most recently updated 2009

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12-12-1915 - 5-2-1992

This book is dedicated to my lovely wife, who had such an exceptional human character, that, in spite of the fact that she grew up in times of twelve years of vigorous Nazi propaganda, which was indoctrinating (especially young people), that Germans belonged to a super race, but Poles and Jews were considered as Untermenschen, she, even before and during the war, when German armies were victorious on all fronts, was associating with Poles, and having Polish friends. Such an attitude, at those times, was very dangerous. She never believed in the supremacy of any race. She judged everybody as an individual, according to his or her personal merits.

When she met me, as a ragged, scared, escaped Polish prisoner of war, she put her life in extreme danger, just to save me from capture. Although she deserved a medal for her devotion and heroism, I didn t give one to her, instead, I married her. After 47 years of living and working together, raising our children, and many times, going through very difficult times, I still can say, I love you darling, it was worth it.

The ambition and desire of every young man has always been to give his sweetheart, or at least to promise her, the moon and the stars, to create worry-free living conditions, and that he could carry her in his hands. My sweetheart was a little too heavy for that, but otherwise, those were also my ambitions.

She took a tremendous chance by marrying me under such adverse circumstances. At that time, or at any time, I was not promising her anything but my love. I didnt give her the moon and the stars, which I didnt promise her in the first place, but I gave her a new, most beautiful country, and almost a worry-free life. When we traveled to Germany, I noticed that my wife was proud to show me off, after so many years, to the skeptics who thought that she was crazy to marry a ragged Polack. I am proud that I didnt disappoint her in her expectations. We were happy together till she died May 2, 1992.

Requiem Etemam

Table of Contents

This is my life story. A Polish soldier who survived the inferno of the Blitzkrieg in September 1939, when Poland was massacred by the German Nazi armies in cooperation with the Russians.

When I went to school I learned about the wars in the Dark Ages. Much has been written about the barbarism and the bestialities committed by countless invaders. At that time I thought that this was just history, back in early times people were primitive and uncivilized. Those times were past. Today in our modem, highly-civilized society such atrocities would be unthinkable. How wrong I was.

In most books written about wars, the authors depict fearless knights in shining armor riding forth in glory and bravery. In this book I am just an ordinary soldier who went through the horror of war. There were millions of people who went through the war and many who had even more horrible stories to tell and many who didnt live to tell them. They perished and took their stories with them to their graves. I went through hell. I was scared and prayed a lot. I managed to stay alive and now, many years later, have written a book about my unforgettable years.

I was taken prisoner of war by the Russians and sent to Siberia. Hitler and Stalin divided Poland among themselves and later decided to exchange POWs. Because I was born in the western part of Poland which was occupied by the Germans, I was sent to Germany. There I lived a dramatic life in various camps with several escapes until the end of the war in 1945.

After my last escape I met and fell in love with a German war widow who had helped me while I was in hiding. We were married after my liberation and in 1951 we emigrated to the United States of America.

Upon arrival in this country there were many difficulties to overcome before I was able to assimilate myself and provide a decent standard of living for my family. I did not have any money and could not speak or understand the English language. With hard work, vigilance and perseverance, and without having any formal schooling in English, I have learned enough to be able to write this book.

God Bless America

Kazimir Ladny

Her wild brown eyes stared into mine, long, sharp nose crinkled in concentration. The old woman s frail voice creaked as she laid the tarot cards carefully on the table.

You have a very interesting future, young man.

1 gazed across the table at the old gypsy. A weathered grey shawl hung loosely over her shoulders covering the top of her faded blue dress. Tufts of dark, matted hair poked out under the bright red scarf wrapped around her head. She smiled slightly, carving new lines into her withered, ancient face.

Yes, the dry voice crackled in interest, wavering up and down like a singing bird, a very exciting future.

Much as I liked what the gypsy was telling me, I found it hard to share her enthusiasm. Gypsies were a common sight in Poland in 1936 and infamous for their thievery and swindling. I had long since learned to ignore their mystic gibberish, besides, although I planned on leaving the dull routine of the farm for a life in the big city, I could hardly expect a mysterious, exciting future.

Yet the gypsy sure seemed to have an interest in me. Even after mother fed the old lady, she insisted on telling my future. The gypsy seemed to notice my attention drifting and picked up another card, eyes wide in typical gypsy exaggeration.

Ah, she said, staring at me intently. You are planning to be married in the near future.

This was true. In two weeks I was to be wed in a quiet ceremony which few people knew about. How could the gypsy know this?

Forget this marriage, she warned eagerly, glad to have finally won my attention. There will be no marriage at this time". No, your wife to be is far, far away. According to my cards, shes not even in this country. It will be a long time before you meet her.

This angered me somewhat. How dare this women suggest Sophie and I wouldn t be married? But she did have my interest now. I wondered what other ludicrous things she would foresee.

You belong to this house, she continued, but you make your living elsewhere and elsewhere you are going to be.

The gypsy shuffled the cards and divided them into new patterns on the table. I looked over my shoulder at mother, busily preparing lunch in the kitchen. She rolled her eyes and smiled warmly at me.

The old woman stared down at the cards and shook her head in disbelief. Now what, I wondered Young man she nearly whispered through her rotting teeth, prepare yourself for a rough future". You will come close to death many times. You will suffer the greatest miseries a man can endure.

I felt a little uneasy at this. Never before had I heard a gypsy make such grim predictions. Usually they foretold pleasant and innocent events in hopes of increasing their profit.

But, she dragged out the words as if they were revealing themselves to her one at a time, "you will be a survivor.

She glanced down at the cards again and smiled, a rotten odor drifting across the table from her squalid clothes.