Christine Dziuba’s Life - Timeline

Born June 19, 1924 in Starunia), Poland near Nadvorna. (Starunya) (Born at home).

First year tutored at home along with her older sister. Eugene, brother, was too little no school yet.

Then all three of them went to the school in Nadvrurna. The languages were Polish main language and twice a week Ukrainian classes. Why? Not sure, but there were many Ukrainians there and it was a public school.

Grade 6 in Sloutvina with Tante Stefa because Tante Heddy had married and her husband didn’t want all these children around.

After grade 7 high school – private in Nadvurna – newly opened and could become a State School later and lived with Tante Heddy and her husband were happy with the financial arrangement with Christine’s father – he paid the rent and either provided the food from the estate or had a credit at the store where he paid for the food items. The director was her father’s friend and visited the home last name Vollbrecht. He was an officer in the Polish Army. Languages were Polish, Ukrainian and German.

Polish was spoken with the parents in the home and Ukrainian was spoken with the workers on the Estate. The children knew some German.

This was until December 1939 when they went to Germany to Friedland – mother and children came by train. Father came later with the horses and wagon and some personal belongings – food that was frozen in the winter to Litzmannstadt. They could take one male or female servant and a young man came with her father. The Russians took over. If they hadn’t left they would have been shipped out by the Russians to Siberia. Mother and children registered with the Germans and the Russi could not touch them. Onkel Richard and Father and the horses were hiding out until the families registered with the Germans and then the men were safe and could travel.

They stayed in a camp that was in a building like a school. They were 12 people in one room and Mother and three children slept in the straw. Father had to register as Polish and he was put into a concentration camp and they did not hear from him for 5 months. His German was very good he had studied in Berlin for two years. Onkel Richard came and was reunited with his wife and Mother wrote a letter to Berlin asking where her husband was and stating that she was alone with 3 children. They were went to Litmannstadt and the family was reunited and moved to Dynska Volya’/Freihaus in German. They lived in a house that was provided. This was in a part of Poland that became German in 1939 after the Blitzkrieg and it was 1940.

Mother worked in an office with Umsiedlung and they wanted to give Father land that had been taken from someone and he refused to take it saying this land had been taken from someone like this offered land had been and he didn’t want it. So he became the Verwalter of another property. He was separated from the family and took a bus to see them on weekends.

Christine and Janka received their Abitur/ high school diplomas in Lotz/Littmannstadt and Eugen went to Gymnasium too. Christine worked in an office with Lebensmittelkarten/ rationing cards. She worked there for 2 or 3 years. The Christine went back to an agricultural school – 1 year and off to a practicum on an estate in Nastrovo – can’t remember German name for this area/town.

Janka/Hanna wanted to be an MD, but they needed nurses and she did that. Christine doesn’t remember where. Eugen did his Abitur and went into the Wehrmacht. Simultaneously everyone received German citizenship papers. He enlisted in the Luftwaffe. He was 17 years old. It was 1942.

War with Russia – need to check the date –
Praxis from school Nastorvo - and family fled – Winter of 1944 Christine helped prepare because of the Russians coming from the West. Fled in a wagon with that family’s grandmother and children.

Christine went with her friend from the Praxis to Germany. Her name was Luise - can’t remember her last name - went to her house and stayed with her family for awhile then to Bernau near Berlin.


Bernau – found her boss from the Lebensmittelkarten. Christine knew he was from there and sent him a letter Hans Ingelhof might have been his name. He told her to come to Bernau. Christine stayed with his wife’s mother and then they moved to an apt. in Bernau. Christine found a job at the Bahnhof as an interpreter. Where she was staying they were not able to pay her – just room and board. Then she rented a room with a lady and who was divorced. Her former husband worked at the railroad. Her husband had left her and she lived with her daughter in the apt and it was housing for rail employees. He was a white collar worker and she never met him. She doesn’t remember their last name. It was still in Bernau. Christine was there in May 1945 when the war ended.

Christine saw her parents for Christmas of 1944 – in Freihaus – Polish Dynska Volya. (Zdunska Wola)
Her dad gave her 4000 DM because he felt things were going to get bad and didn’t know what would happen. Dida was 14, Janka and Eugen were all there. Christine is not sure about Janka – she was in Hannover in a Lazarette - being there, Eugen came from Hamburg.

Opa died on the way west from Freihaus and in Feb or March of that year when the Russians caught up with them. They killed him and Omi Emmy and Dida continued without him. There is no grave that Christine knows of. Dida was so traumatized by the event that getting the whole story with a timeline was difficult.

There were many people fleeing and they were in a transport. As Germans they could register and go to Germany.

about 1946 - Worked in Zdunska Wola, was part of Poland ceded to Germany after war, at Food card rationing office after war.


Christine von Senkowski (Baba) met in Peter Dziuba when they were both in a wedding where the groom was from her town Starynia. It was Fall 1946/47 maybe. His name was Mykola. Peter was from Bortkiw (Bortkiv) – far away from where Christine grew up. Mykola and Peter were in a Displaced Persons Camp in Goslar. Christine was in Borsum with her mother Emmy von Senkowski and younger sister Dida von Senkowski.

Peter Dziuba had been in a concentration camp in Poland, near Lviv/Lvov – Bereza Kartuska. The Russians were coming and the gates opened and all the prisoners went west other wise they would have ended up in Siberia. He never told Christine what he was doing there. Peter was always working for a free and independent Ukraine. He went to Krakow and then to Germany. It was fall of 1939.

Peter Dziuba had one brother and two or three – three sisters. Christine is not sure – either he or his brother was the oldest. Christine and Peter sent them packages as long as Peter’s mother was alive. She was in Siberia, when she returned to Ukraine and the packages continued. Her children began to fight over who got what and Peter and Christine stopped sending the parcels. Peter’s Aunt Christine

During WW2 Peter Dziuba was in Bad Grund during the war working ina quarry. As an unmarried man he lived in a closed Café Haus and met Mr Kochershuk there who was a career military man – Autro Hungarian in WW1 and German WW2. He came there to meet Ukrainians because that was his background. Later Korchersuk also connected with Stefan Tupis (married an American and Eastman School of Music student Carolyn (?) and had one son Evhen/Evan, who worked as Greece Central for a awhile – they became Jehovah’s Witnesses after Stefan died in 1967) and Walter Chernevich ( he married a lady from Leipzig and had one son, died in 2013?) – later shortened to Chern, when he sold cars in Rochester NY. They were in Berlin and gathered in Goslar in the Displaced Persons Camp, where people met up.

(Mary Dziuba-Myers memory -

Christine and Peter Dziuba married Christmas 1948. Marriages often took place around Christmas because there were extra rations for the holidays. Christine had a wedding dress that she cut own and dyed another color because people were very practical at that time. Post war Germany was like that.

Both decided to go together – they had come over on the same ship and taken the same train to Rochester, NY. Left from Bremen. Maria and John (Ivan) Prymak and their two children, Anna and Lesia were on the ship. Peter and Christine did not meet them until on the train from NYC to Rochester, NY. The Prymak Family ended up living in a house behind their apartment on Putnam St 14605. Maria and Christine and Maria worked at Gerber Products together and went to citizenship classes together. The Prymaks rented in a house that faced Hudson Ave 14605 and the Mousuks were also there. Mary Dziuba and Maria Mousuk went to St Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Elementary School together graduating form 8th grade in 1965.

Storm right before NY. At sea for 12 years. Digo worked in the cooler on an US Army ship (Hersey?) so they always had good food. Paid after, Catholic organization paid to get them here. They weren’t sick but she remembers other people being sick, luggage flying. New Years while on the ship, lighting candles but the captain said no cause they were afraid of fire. No children so they were in one big room, ladies and men separated. Families each had their own ship. Spent time talking, walking, sitting on the deck. September 12th, 1950? (don’t understand new years thing then….)
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/2848432

Customs. Asked what they had in their luggage. Only had one box (with China) and 2 suitcases, they believed them. No problem, went very fast. Some people they didn’t and went through their stuff.

Train to Rochester, had $40 when they got here. That’s it. Got something to drink in NYC. Met the people who sent them papers, Digo’s friend Stephon Sydor who signed for them (sponsors), no children so it was easy. Left from Grand Central Station into a train station in Henrietta. Ticket was waiting for them with the church people who met them in NYC. Steven Tupich met them in Rochester, Came 2 years before 1948.

Stayed 2 nights with the Matijchyn family, Digos friends from friends (’39 met in Goslar, Bad Grund?) . Already had rented an apartment, bought a mattress to sleep in the apartment. Later bought the bed.

Lived on Clinton Ave. Rented a kitchen a bedroom and living room, one room together (2 rooms together) 3 families in the house, they lived upstairs. Near St. Michaels ($20 /month) Landlord was an Italian guy who had a bunch of other places.

Dido – Peter Dziuba worked in mattress factory to sew the covers on the mattresses $.75 /hr. Sealy mattress on St. Paul Street near Clifford. Digo worked in a furniture factory $1/hr, so they always had new furniture.

2 bags groceries were $8 so it wasn’t bad!

Baba Christine Dziuba received her Citizenship papers on the 16th of August, 1960

Along with Marika Prymak
Went for classes with an elderly lady – at a public school with an Italian name.
Thought test was easy. Know who was first president, current president, speaker of the house….

Monroe County Office building – with a judge
Why –


Ladies first – husbands later – my dad, Peter Dziuba, was naturalized after moved to Greece around 1976 – 1978

Bought first car before bought a house. Because of night work and didn’t want to take 2 buses. ’52 Buick special deluxe blue.

Bigger house when Christine got pregnant, 4 family house. 2 bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom. Lived downstairs. 7 Putnam street. Until Mary) (me Mary Dziuba – Champagne-Myers) was 5, started kindergarten in the Susan B Anthony Public School near the Rochester Public Market.

Gerber: when Mary was 1 year old. Worked nights. But stopped working for a year when Mary was born. Friend (Mary Prymak) who came with her to US worked there and said they were hiring. Friend sharing the house would watch Mary so that she could work.

Cleaned fruit and vegetables on a line (few years), bunch of ladies in a line. Very friendly, everyone was family. Germans, Polish, a lady from Lithuania.

Machine operator on a label line. (Promotions, was asked if she could do a different job, would say “I will try”)
Liked it but the mechanic would yell at her was an Italian and had a big mouth, she asked why. Mr. Homic was a jig driver. Boss (John michowlko) was Ukrainian and told her she could work for him and then left. People were surprised that she left the job.

Warehouse clerk, shipping would check damaged loads/ boxes. Recorded what was damaged and fixed it.

Became the checker to check loaded trucks. Would work inside with garage doors, not cold but not super hot.

Shipping and Receiving in office. Received items, she would write the slips and take note of where it came from. People in the office used to smoke like a chimney. 3 bosses, a group leader. All men and her. (John uki guy, Spinner, Joe Italian.. bosses) Worked with truck drivers who were waiting for their trucks to be loaded, they would also go to the small cafeteria. Switched to day shifts.

Digo worked nights when Mary was done with school. She worke d nights because he originally worked days at the Cabinet shop (Angle) , Gerber, then Kodak (he worked nights here).

Then they closed the factory, because there was another one in Niagara Falls? Were sorry they closed this one…

Went to Kadis Factory. Worked on a tool and dye machine. For a few months, then was laid off. Collected unemployment.

Started working at the church in the cafeteria. Monseniour Babak called Digo on 4th of july. Said, “my wife is still working and not home call back”. Ended up saying yes, monseniour was crying. Was probably drunk, was an alcoholic. Nobody cried when he left because everyone cried when father Chomko left (since they liked him so much) and Baback came.

Monseniour Squeeler came after him to clean stuff up, she remembers him bringing out boxes of empty whiskey bottles from the basement.

Worked 12 years in the kitchen, volunteer, George angered her and she decided it was time to quit 70 years old - 1994. Took care of Erika instead and it was a great help to Tom and Mary because she was flexible in terms of picking her up from Montessori school and covering when needed because of Tom’s or Mary’s oblications.

First time back to Germany was with mom while she was a Junior in the university, of Vienna?

2007 went. Came back with a sausage and customs caught her. Completely forgot she had it.

——————————————————

Worked at Gerber Foods until 1982 (58 years old) Ran labeling machines for a while then moved to shipping returns, then into Shipping/Receiving

Was the main cook at the St Josaphat’s Ukrainian Festival for 17 years

Died in 1938. 81
Gramma and Grampa died one year before the Russians came in 1939. (We thought It was good thing because we didn’t know what we would do with you. Dida was at home, grandfather was polish. Father was Roman Catholic, Mother was Greek Catholic. Special phrase was used to say someone died.) Neighbors were poor Jewish faminly and other was ukrainan. There were also some poles living near. The farm nearby was destroyed in world war 1. 7


From starunya
Lukacha rd

Baba father was tall. Later he had hearing problems. He was 65 in 1944

Tante Staffa was sister. Died in 1995? Was 97
Baba Gramma had something with her legs had to stay in bed.
Died in 1938. 88 years old 1 year before they left
She would tell us stories. She would say that's not stories, that's life.

Grandpa richter died same year. Spoke German and chezhk. Solsevenia.

Omni mother had gall stones. Very pretty lady
Francisca Schmidt or something.
Babas fathers father died early
Never had connection came from with von sendkowski family.
Babas father had white horse

Trenton nj donko uchrevich was first cousin

Tante stuffa was married to dr had adopted daughter

Dankos kids in New York

Christine Dziuba’s Resignation letter
St Josaphat’s Kitchen Volunteer Chair

St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Church parish has been an extended family for us. For the past twelve years, my husband and I have gladly volunteered immeasurable hours (including vaca-bion time) to uphold our church's traditions with parish gatherings such as the Sviachene, St. Josaphat Feast Day and New Year's party. There were also many other occasions such as ordinations, priest or sisters' special anniversaries, testimonials, etc. Funeral luncheons were appreciated by grieving families. With the help of many other men and women volunteers, the parish not only had these celebrations, but all profits were given to the church. This amounted to $165, 732.51 for the twelve years.

The booth maintained for several years at the Irondequoit Fourth of July celebrations netted a profit of approximately $1,000 annually, advertised our festival and promoted good Ukrainian community relations.

Festival time is not just four days, especially the food preparations which require many many days. The net income from
these efforts for the twelve years was $243,486.17.

Many parishioners are grateful to be able to obtain the Easter paskas from our kitchen, and the clergy are happy to have their special holiday foods prepared for them. communion bread is baked on request as needed.

A certificate of recognition was received from Fr. Bumbar and Sr Anatole for the times we served hot lunches to the students.
The Parents Association had 20/20 dinner prepared for them.

For the past several years it has been very difficult to work, as the school lunch program has taken over much of the facilities such as the cooler, freezers and storage space. It has been necessary to carry equipment up and down the stairs to the basement. This is very tiring after a full day's work. At the last parish meeting, Msgr. Golemba stated that a day for a funeral luncheom or clean up would not be a problem if requested. On Wednesday, March Ist, he informed me that we absolutely could not have the Monday after a scheduled party of over 300, as he wanted to have hot lunches. Figures posted in the kitchen showed hot lunches prepared during the second week in February with a high of 48 and a low of 17. Our functions bring money into the church.

We regret we will no longer be participating in any activities after completing a commitment made for March 26.

Nothing would have been accomplished without the cooperation of all the men and women who devoted their time and talents. Our heartfelt deepest tharks and Mohaya Lita to all of them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USNS_General_M._L._Hersey_(T-AP-148)
Came over from Germany in Sept 1950 on the General Hersey

This was probably the GENERAL M.L.HERSEY. She was one of a class of 30 ships
built by the Kaiser Shipyard, Richmond, Cal. These were 10,654 gross ton
ships, length 523ft x beam 71.2ft (159,3m x 21,7m), engines aft, one funnel,
two masts, single screw and a speed of 17 knots. They were built with
accommodation for up to 3,000 troops.
Launched on 1st Apr.1944 she was commissioned into the US Navy on 29th July
and started her maiden voyage from San Francisco to New Guinea on 5th Sept.
Handed over to the US Army in June 1946 and rebuilt to 12,326 gross tons. In
1950 she was handed to the Military Sea Transportation Service and on 4th
Nov.1951 she collided with and sank the Argentine passenger ship MAIPU in
the mouth of the River Elbe. She made 12 voyages between Germany and the USA
with displaced persons between 1949 - 1952. Handed to the Maritime
Administration in Sept.1959 she was laid up in the reserve fleet in Suisun
Bay, San Francisco. Sold to Sea Land Service Inc, Wilmington, Delaware in
1968, she was renamed ST LOUIS and rebuilt as a 11,522 gross ton container
ship at Galveston. She went into service in Dec.1969 and in 1970 was
lengthened to 695ft (211.8m) and 18,362 gross tons. She was still in
operation in 1985. [Great Passenger Ships of the World by Arnold Kludas,
vol.4,p.100][North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.5,p.1816]

http://www.historycentral.com/NAVY/ap/GeneralmLHersey.html
General M. L. Hersey

Mark Leslie Hersey, born in Stetson, Maine, 1 December 1863, graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1887 and served with the 9th Infantry in Arizona until 1891. He was Professor of Military Science and Tactics at the University of Maine during the next 4 years. He fought in Cuba during the Spanish-American War and again served with the 9th Infantry in the Philippines during the hostilities in China during the Boxer Rebellion. After participating in the Samar Campaign in the Philippines, he returned to the United States in 1902. During World War I, as commander of the 4th Division, A.E.F., he participated in the St. Mihiel and Meuse Argonne Offensives and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the French Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre with Palm. Promoted to Major General 20 September 1924, he retired from active duty 2 November. Major General Hersey died at Tampa, Fla., 22 January 1934.

(AP-148: dp. 9,950 (It.), 1. 522'10", b. 71'6", dr. 24'; s. 16 k.; cpl. 356; trp. 3,823; a 4 5", 8 1.1", 16 20mm.; cl.

General A. O. Squier; T. C4-S-A1)

General M. L. Hersey (AP-148) was launched under a Maritime Commission contract 1 April 1944 by Kaiser Co, Inc., Yard 3, Richmond, Calif; sponsored by Mrs. Alice Hersey Wicks, General Hersey's daughter, acquired by the Navy 31 May 1944; and commissioned 29 July 1944; Captain James W. Smith in command.

After shakedown off San Pedro, General M. L. Hersey sailed from San Francisco 5 September 1944 With troops and cargo for garrisons in the Southwest Pacific. She reached Milne Bay, New Guinea, 21 September and subsequently carried troops and supplies to the Admiralty Islands, the Russell Islands, and the Solomon Islands, before departing Guadalcanal for the United States 6 October. Arriving San Francisco 19 October, she brought home more than 3,000 veterans of the bitter Pacific fighting. Between 7 November 1944 and 14 August 1945 the transport made four round-trip voyages from San Francisco and. Seattle to the Western Pacific, carrying troops to New Guinea, the Philippines, the Palaus, and the Marianas during the final amphibious offensive against Japan. At Leyte in November General M. L. Hersey endured frequent air attack.

Following the surrender, the veteran ship departed Seattle 31 August, and, steaming via the Philippines, she arrived Yokohama 24 September with occupation troops. There she embarked 3,052 troops and departed 5 days later as a unit of Operation "Magic-Carpet," a giant sea-lift designed to return hundreds of thousands of American fighting men to the United States as quickly as possible. Between 3 December and 3 March 1946 she steamed twice to the Far East where she embarked returning veterans at Yokohama and Manila and transported them to San Pedro and San Francisco. Departing San Francisco 23 March, she then steamed via Manila and Singapore to Calcutta, India, and Colombo, Ceylon, where she embarked "Magic-Carpet" troops. She departed Colombo 28 April, sailed via the Suez Canal, and arrived New York 21 May. She decommissioned at New York 1 June and was turned over to WSA 6 June for eventual use as a transport by the Army Transportation Service.

Reacquired by the Navy 1 March 1950 General M. L. Hersey was placed in service and assigned to MSTS under civilian crew. Operating out of New York, she carried European refugees to the United States in support of' the International Refugee Organization. During 1952 and 1953 she made four round-trips from San Francisco to the Far East in support of the struggle to repel Communist aggression in Korea. She was placed out of service 11 June 1954 and placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet at San Diego. Later transferred to the Maritime Administration, on 3 September 1959 she entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, Calif., where she remains.

General M. L. Hersey received one battle star for World War II service and two battle stars for Korean War service.