I have been very fortunate to have a number of outstanding mentors and friends who guided me through the complexities of my research, the final product of which is The Exile Mission. I owe them gratitude for their support, friendship, and expert advice. My special thanks go to three distinguished scholars. Professor Józef Szymański was my adviser and mentor in Poland, and I thank him for instilling in me a healthy respect for primary sources and for being my friend throughout the years. Professor Rudolph J. Vecoli, director of the IHRC and professor of history at the University of Minnesota, introduced me to the richness of immigration history, guided me through the dissertation writing process, gave me a job when I needed it the most, and always encouraged and supported me in all my scholarly pursuits; I will always treasure his friendship. The late Professor Stanislaus A. Blejwas, Chair of Polish and Polish American Studies at Central Connecticut State University, whose article on the “Old and New Polonias” inspired me, became my role model as a scholar and Polonia activist.
Many others also deserve my heartfelt appreciation, and particularly Professor Roger Daniels for his encouraging words and Professor John J. Bukowczyk for giving me a chance and invaluable advice. Numerous individuals helped me in many ways at different stages of research and writing and have earned my gratitude: the IHRC staff, and especially Joel Wurl, Halyna Myroniuk, Judy Rosenblatt, and the late Timo Riippa; the wonderfully helpful archivists at the Truman Library, the Polish Museum of America, and the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences, as well as those at the Józef Piłsudski Institute, including Iwona Drąg-Korga and Krzysztof Langowski, and at the Polish Archives at CCSU, including Ewa Wołyńska. At Eastern Connecticut State University my special thanks must go to all the helpful colleagues in my department, particularly Emil Pocock and Katie Lynch, and to the patient librarians, Anka Stanley and Greg Robinson. The Ohio University Press Polish and Polish-American series, and especially John Bukowczyk, Gillian Berchowitz, and Ricky Huard, deserve my gratitude for making the publication process professional, but open-minded and friendly. And there were many other dear friends who assisted and cheered me on along the way; I will always appreciate their support.
I would also like to thank my parents, Teresa and Józef Jaroszyński, and my brother, Dr. Andrzej J. Jaroszyński, for all their love. The one person without whom this book would not have been possible is my dearest husband Tim Kirchmann, who supported my passion with rare magnanimousness, patience, and good humor throughout the years.
I dedicate this book to all the Polish exiles and Polish Americans who carried an exile mission in their hearts always.
List of Abbreviations
| ACEN | Assembly of Captive European Nations |
| ACRPDP | American Committee for the Resettlement of Polish DP’s |
| AK | Armia Krajowa (Polish Home Army) |
| APLC | American Polish Labor Council |
| CCDP | Citizens Committee on Displaced Persons |
| DP/DPs | Displaced person/Displaced persons |
| DPC | Displaced Persons Commission |
| FON | Fundusz Obrony Narodowej (National Defense Fund) |
| IRO | International Refugee Organization |
| KNAPP | Komitet Narodowy Amerykanów Polskiego Pochodzenia (National Committee of Americans of Polish Descent) |
| KON | Komitet Obrony Narodowej (Committee of National Defense) |
| KPR | Korpus Przysposobienia i Rozmieszczenia (Polish Resettlement Corps) |
| KWE | Komitet Wolnej Europy (National Committee for a Free Europe) |
| NCFE | National Committee for a Free Europe |
| NCWC | National Catholic Welfare Conference |
| NiD | Niepodległość i Demokracja (Independence and Democracy) |
| NKVD | National Commissariat of Internal Affairs |
| NRC-NCWC | National Resettlement Council-National Catholic Welfare Conference |
| NSZ | Narodowe Siły Zbrojne (National Armed Forces) |
| PAC | Polish American Congress |
| PAHA | Polish American Historical Association |
| PAU | Polska Akademia Umiejętności (Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences) |
| PCIRO | Preparatory Commission of the International Refugee Organization |
| PIASA | Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in America |
| PIC | Polish Immigration Committee-American Commission for Relief of Polish Immigrants |
| PIN | Polski Instytut Naukowy w Ameryce (PIASA) |
| PNA | Polish National Alliance |
| PNKD | Polski Narodowy Komitet Demokratyczny (Polish National Democratic Committee) |
| PPS | Polska Partia Socjalistyczna (Polish Socialist Party) |
| PRC | Polish Resettlement Corps |
| PRCUA | Polish Roman Catholic Union of America |
| PSK | Pomocnicza Służba Kobiet (Women’s Auxiliary Military Service) |
| PSL | Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe (Polish Peasant Party) |
| PU | Polish Union in Germany |
| PWA | Polish Women’s Alliance |
| RPA | Rada Polonii Amerykańskiej (Polish American Council) |
| RFE | Radio Free Europe |
| RWE | Radio Wolna Europa (Radio Free Europe) |
| SD | Stronnictwo Demokratyczne (Democratic Movement) |
| SHAEF | Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces |
| SN | Stronnictwo Narodowe (National Movement) |
| SP | Stronnictwo Pracy (Labor Movement) |
| SPK | Stowarzyszenie Polskich Kombatantów (Association of Polish ex-Combantants) |
| SSR | Soviet Socialist Republic |
| SWAP | Stowarzyszenie Weteranów Armii Polskiej (Polish Army Veterans Association in America) |
| TRJN | Tymczasowy Rząd Jedności Narodowej (Provisional Government of National Unity) |
| UNHCR | Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees |
| UNRRA | United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration |
| WRS-NCWC | War Relief Services–National Catholic Welfare Conference |
| ZAP | Związek Akademików Polskich (Association of Polish Academicians) |
| ZHP | Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego (Polish Scouting) |
| ZPA | Związek Polaków w Austrii (Association of Poles in Austria) |
| ZPT | Związek Polaków w Tyrolu (Association of Poles in Tyrol) |
| ZPUW | Zjednoczenie Polskiego Uchodźstwa Wojennego (Union of the Polish War Emigrants) |
| ZSP | Związek Studentów Polskich (Association of Polish Students) |
Guide to Pronunciation
THE FOLLOWING KEY provides a guide to the pronunciation of Polish words and names.
a is pronounced as in father
c as ts in cats
ch like a guttural h
cz as hard ch in church
g always hard, as in get
i as ee
j as y in yellow
rz like French j in jardin
sz as sh in ship
szcz as shch, enunciating both sounds, as in fresh cheese
u as oo in boot
w as v
ć as soft ch
ś as sh
ż, ź both as zh, the latter higher in pitch than the former
ó as oo in boot
ą as French on
ę as French en
ł as w
ń changes the combinations -in to -ine, -en to -ene, and -on to -oyne
The accent in Polish words always falls on the penultimate syllable.
INTRODUCTION
THROUGHOUT THE EIGHTEENTH AND nineteenth centuries, the Polish nation repeatedly fought first to retain and, later, to regain its independence after expansionist neighbors Prussia, Russia, and Austria