Lonek's Journey: The True Story of a Boy's Escape to Freedom
very understanding Whenever I was busy and could not participate participate in gatherings or other activities they all sympathized and never became impatient They always encouraged me to keep writing Of course last but not least a book needs to be read And that is where you the reader comes in Without you the book would just stand on a shelf But with you reading the book the purpose of my writing is fulfilled Thank reader you 10
BALTIC SEA LITHUANIA EAST PRUSSIA BIALYSTOCK POSNAN WARSAW POLAND LODZ LUBLIN GERMANY KRAKOW JAROSLAW LVOV SLOVAKIA HUNGARY THE PARTITION OF POLAND 1939 ROMANIA 0 100 Annexed by the Soviet Union in October 1939 Miles On September 1 1939 Germany invaded Poland from the west On September 17 1939 Russia invaded Poland from the east Poland was then divided between the two countries SOVIET RUSSIA
Aerial view of the center of Jaroslaw 12
1 War On a sunny day in August 1939 in his hometown of Jaroslaw Poland eleven year old Lonek Jaroslawicz was cheerfully walking home He had been playing soccer with his friends and was now heading home to tell his father all about it As he approached his home he saw his father standing at the front door dressed in the uniform of a Polish soldier Lonek began to feel puzzled and frightened In his small hometown Lonek had rarely seen a soldier His father was not a soldier so why was he dressed like one Lonek ran toward his father and asked him anxiously Papa what is happening Why are you dressed like that Lonek's father didn't smile the way he usually usually did when Lonek came home from school or was playing with a friend Lonek's fear increased when his father answered him in a serious tone Listen carefully Lonek I have to leave right away The Germans are stationing their troops on our border and they might invade Poland The German army is the strongest army in the world it's much stronger than ours But we must do everything we can to keep the Germans out of Poland That is why all of our men are joining the army While I am away listen to Mama and do everything you can to help her I will be back as soon as 13
