 Anthony Gatowski
in cadet's uniform, Camp Barbara, Palestine, 1947 |
"This
is the story of a 12-year old boy, who, along with his mother, Helen,
and sister, Joanna, was deported from Poland to the Soviet Union on
April 13, 1940. Under normal circumstances, this teenager would have matured within the family circle, with his father as a role model, providing him with guidance and care. But the turn of events that began at the end of 1939 rapidly changed his outlook on life. His youth stolen from him in the face of war, he was forced to take the responsibilities of a grown man. In order to survive and support his frail mother and younger sister, he had to be both resourceful and inventive. At the present time, some 70 years later, I still get flashbacks of this unforgettable and unjust experience. Some small details of events I cannot recollect anymore, but what we lived through will remain in my memory forever: the struggle to survive, the fight to overcome hunger and disease in this formidable Siberian land. These experiences I will try to relate to you in the following pages." - Anthony Gatowski |
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This site is maintained and updated by: Marisa Zammit (Anthony Gatowski's daughter-in-law)
Site created: July 2005
Last updated: October 21, 2009
Adobe Reader, please click on the icon below and follow the instructions.
This site is maintained and updated by: Marisa Zammit (Anthony Gatowski's daughter-in-law)
Site created: July 2005
Last updated: October 21, 2009