Joseph Baraniewicz and Walter Boruszewski
In 1940, at age 15, Joseph Baraniewicz was taken by the Nazis as a slave laborer destined for Austria. He was taken because the Nazis were looking for his older brother, John, who was a member of a youth military organization. Not finding John the Nazis took Joe. While being deported to Austria, Joe escaped from the train, joined and fought in Tito’s underground resistance organization in the Tyrolean Alps. In 1941 after Stalin’s “amnesty”, Joe heard that the Polish 2nd Corps was fighting in Italy. Joe left the partisans and joined the Polish 2nd Corps in Loreto, Italy. There he participated in the liberation of Bologna and fought until victory was declared in Europe. Because Poland was under Communism at that time, Joe elected to emigrate to England and finally to the U.S. in 1951. In Syracuse, Joe married his wife, Monica, and retired in 1991 from Chrysler Corp.
On April 13, 1940, at age 16, Walter Boruszewski was deported to a Soviet camp, with only the bare few items he and his family could carry. For two years, Walter worked in Russia barely surviving the harsh conditions. Upon hearing of Stalin’s “amnesty”, Walter tracked to the Polish Army’s assembly point in southern Russia. From there Walter proudly and honorably served in the Polish 2nd Corps, fighting at Monte Cassino. Walter wouldn’t return to Poland after victory was declared in Europe, because his hometown was ceded to the Communists. Consequently, Walter was transferred to England where he was discharged from the Polish 2nd Corps and soon after married his wife, Jane. He later immigrated to the U.S. where he worked until his retirement in 1987 from Carrier Corp.
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