Your Story Destination Downunder Swallows Nest
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Your Story Destination DownUnder Swallows Nest. Yalta, Crimea, Ukraine. Contents Forward Forward 1 This is the second volume of Your It is often said that you never Thank you to each of them and Post-War Immigration 2 Story which publishes the stories really know anybody until you their families for sharing their Rudolf Illko 4 of those who have come to live know their story and come to stories. at Kalyna Care. Each and every an understanding of what they Wira Fedewytsch 6 Mark Sheldon-Stemm person has a story to tell about his have been through to shape the General Manager Displaced Persons 9 or her life; where they come from, person into who they are today. Vanda Jovanovic 12 what they have left behind and To know and to understand Johann Maszczak 13 the journey they have travelled. builds an empathy that enables Residents at Kalyna Care arrive us to provide the care and All at Sea 18 here during their later life and companionship that all of us need. Olga Kosylo 22 their journey has most often been In this year’s book, we have Gesualda Mazzarino 26 a long and interesting one. looked at the way people Luba Saciuk 27 This book and its predecessor arrived in Australia as migrants Destination DownUnder 28 give us a glimpse to what has been and focused on their journey Shadows in the Fog 32 significant in the life journeys before and after their arrival as of our residents. Like looking indicated by the book’s sub-title Veronika Geryk 25 through a window, we can see “Destination Down Under”. Walter Lychody 36 those events they choose to share Please enjoy looking through the Maria Sokolowskyj 38 with us, rather than life in its small window that each of them Anna Wychowanko 40 entirety; something that would be has given us, learn to understand Moira Smith 42 impossible for us to do within the who they are and appreciate the scope of this publication. Serhij Kolyniuk 43 long journey they have been on. Acknowledgements/About the Editor 44 Backnang, Germany. Destination DownUnder 1 ‘Populate or Perish’ Australian Post-War Immigration ‘Populate or perish’1 was the post-war war cry, if you like, that spurred Australians to accept the proposed influx of thousands of European Background: Orcades 1948. refugees in the period from 1949 to 1954. Colour image: Achille Lauro. Not since the Gold Rushes a real scare over her defences Furthermore, Australia was still Italy and Germany. And they of the 1850’s and 1890’s had when the Japanese invaded very much a developing country. were all faced with the dilemma Australia seen such an influx Port Moresby in 1942 and then Her population in 1949 was well of literally being homeless. of migrants as occurred after engaged the allied naval and air under 8 million (probably about Fortunately, countries such as WWII. From 1947 to the mid- forces of the United States and 7,739,358 persons), not enough Canada, England, the USA and 1950’s Australia brought in Australia in the Battle of the to encourage growth beyond Australia offered them a solution. thousands upon thousands of Coral Sea. Had Australia not her major cities. Broad national Some of the stories here tell of refugees from war-torn Europe had allied support available at development was needed with a how some of our residents took to populate our country. In a that crucial point in time, the population distribution more up this solution and made for Statement to the House of Representatives possibility of enemy invasion evenly spread throughout the themselves and their families a The Hon. Arthur A. Calwell, would have been very real. country. Immigration would not new life DownUnder. Minister for Immigration in The consequences of WWII, in only populate regional areas but 1949, comments that ‘this conjunction with the low birth also create significant economic and it transformed the face of Many of our residents here will indeed be a tremendous rate during the Great Depression, and social growth. Infrastructure Australian society and urged an at Kalyna Care fell into this 2 accomplishment’ pointing out meant that Australia needed to could also be expanded and it economic boom that would last category of Displaced Persons. 1,2,3 Immigration Policy the social and economic benefits increase her population resources was because of the increased for the next 20 years. For the In particular were Ukrainians Statement by The Hon. Arthur of immigration on such a and bringing Europeans in would immigrant labour force that the immigrants themselves, Australia whose country had been A. Calwell, M.H.R., Minister grand scale. solve that problem. Snowy Mountain Scheme was able was a far flung sanctuary from the overtaken by enemy forces and for Immigration to the House Post-war Australia faced a few The Chifley government believed to progress. tragedies and complexities of war. a political regime unpalatable of Representatives, Canberra, critical problems that significant that immigration would give About 170,000 displaced persons She provided the gentle transition to them. When the war was 8th September, 1949 immigration could alleviate. ’increased confidence… for the came from Eastern Europe to from trauma and oppression to a over, they found themselves in Firstly, the Government had had future security of our children Australia during this period hopeful future for those who no Displaced Persons Camps all and our children’s children’. 3 longer had a home to go to. over Europe but especially in 2 Kalyna Care Your Story 2012 Destination DownUnder 3 Rudolf Illko Rudolf (Rudi) Illko was born in Kapfenberg, Austria on the 30th January 1931. Background and colour image: Kapfenberg, Styria, Austria. In 1956, under the Australian From the ship, Rudi and his Their close friends were the German Assisted Passage Scheme, family stayed at Bonegilla, the Geretschlager, Waniczek and young Rudi and his wife migrated Migrant Reception and Training Hoenig families. to Australia. By this time they Centre in Victoria. Their first Rudolf retired in 1996. had had a daughter, Erika, who home was on Leonard Avenue had been born in February 1953. in St. Albans. Rudi worked as a Together, they sailed on the fitter and turner for Steelweld Flaminia and arrived in Melbourne and Hermine worked for Dunlop on the 11th November. Rudi’s Rubber until her retirement. brother, Alfred, who was nine at Their married life centred the time, stayed in Austria. around gardening, visiting nurseries, eating out and relaxing in the garden. Located on the Murz River and school hiding in a bomb shelter. central to the Murtal Valley you He became an apprentice fitter will find Kapfenberg, the third and turner at sixteen and spent largest town in the federal state his wages on food and tickets to Rudolf’s passions were his cars; of Styria, Austria. Famous for the soccer, one of his favourite a Volkswagen and a Toyota the Bohler steel factory, the sports. Rudi’s other favourite Sprinter which was red. Not town saw huge destruction sport was skiing in Austria. being a lover of books or films, during WWII and the factory Rudi met his wife, Hermine, Rudolf loves sports, especially the was rendered useless. After the whilst still very young. Hermine Aussie Socceroos and Melbourne war, the town rebuilt its industry (née Skofitsch) worked as a Victory teams, and he likes to and this is the main source of waitress at the railway station in watch current affairs, sport and employment there today. Kapfenberg. They were married documentaries on television. It was in this pretty and at a registry office in April 1954 Rudolf tells us that he is ‘proud industrious town that Rudolf and celebrated with a dinner with of his belongings. I like things (Rudi) Illko was born on the their families before going to see to be clean and tidy and to be in 30th January 1931. As he grew a soccer match. Their witnesses order as I hate messes.’ Rudi’s up during war torn Europe his were his brother-in-law, Gusti philosophy is to treat others with schooling was much interrupted and his Uncle Max. respect and to hope that others and he spent many hours missing would do the same for him. He would like to be remembered as a kind man who did his very best. 4 Kalyna Care Your Story 2012 Destination DownUnder 5 Wira Eugenia Fedewytsch Wira Fedewytsch (nee Wach) was born in Sambir 1, Ukraine (then part of Poland) on 27th February 1922. In the 1920’s and 1930’s, before the terrible ‘ethnic cleansings’ by the Germans, Soviets and various partisan groups, this was a cross-roads of many nationalities and cultures. Wira attended a Polish government school that was 75% jewish. Her language was peppered with Yiddishisms! For secondary schooling came a Wira as a young woman. move to Peremyshl (przemysl) as a boarder in the Ukrainian Girls’ Institute (Ukainskyi Divochyi Her mother was Antonina Instytut). Some close friendships Ortynska. Wira’s father, Pavlo were formed at that time plus It was in Vienna that Wira met Wach, was a Ukrainian Catholic recruitment into Plast (Scouting). the man she eventually married: rite married priest and the family The September 1939 school Roman Fedewytsch who came moved a few times in Wira’s early semester, which was to have been from Peremyshl and who was years as her father was assigned Wira’s matriculation year, never studying Industrial Chemistry at parish priest to different areas. commenced. The Germans the Vienna polytechnic. Most of Wira’s childhood was invaded Poland.