From the Schenectady Gazette of February 15, 1957 and the Parish archives: Polish Parish Greets 4 Refugees Arriving Under Church Sponsorship
THE REFUGEES came here well dressed and apparently in good physical condition — a tribute, no doubt, to the treatment they received as employees of United States occupation forces in Germany.
Rev. Roman P. Jasinski headed a delegation from the local church that was on hand to meet the group when it arrived by train at 10:21 p.m.
In addition to the four displaced persons from Poland, the group included 22-year-old Irmhild Woloszyn, a native of Germany who came here with her husband, Tadeusz, 34.
OTHERS IN THE group were Tadeusz Wisniewski, 30, and his wife, Mary, 31, and Zygmund Rutecki, 32, who is single.
The refugees said they were forced to Germany to work in labor camps in 1945. After their liberation by U.S. forces, they were still classified as “displaced persons” but enjoyed much better living conditions.
Rutecki said he spent the last five years in France as an army employee. Woloszyn said the army resettled him in a private home in 1952. Wisniewski, who said he escaped to France and England in 1945, added that he later returned to Germany, where he also worked for the army.
FATHER JASINSKI said the arrivals were among 1,000 families being brought to this country by the Polish National Church. In all, 10 families are expected to be resettled in Schenectady.
The local parish is securing dwelling places and finding jobs for the refugees, Father Jasinski said.
Members of a parish committee also on hand to meet the refugees last night were Frank Wilk, Henry Banasiak, Mrs. William Trier and Mrs. Ferdinand Ruchalski.