Livinglovingandexploring!

Linguistics. It’s not something that pops into my head when I think of how people managed to survive during WWII. It’s something I think of when I think of schooling, lots and lots of education. This book is SO interesting….for several reasons. One of the most interesting for me is that while it is an autobiography – it wasn’t written by the author in its’ entirety. It’s a book that was written by Mr. Haska’s grand-daughter, Stefanie Naumann, after she went through all of his letters, journals, notes, recordings, and anything else she was able to get her hands on. She was able to bring about this incredible, detailed journey of how her grandfather managed during the war and ended up in the US as a professor and PhD. holder! (He received his degree in linguistics in his 9th language, which was English – seriously)

Tadeusz (Tad) Haska was quite an accomplished gentleman! He came from a rough childhood – not in terms of unkind parents, but in terms of them passing away when he was still at a tender age during his teenage years with only his younger brother to keep him company.
Somehow, his brother and himself managed to get by when the war first broke out, and kept managing to attend school, and rent an apartment all on their own. That alone is something to be proud of. Throw in the smarts required to avoid the Germans and the Russian Secret Police after the war, and you have quite an exciting story! There were numerous times Mr. Haska could have been silenced, but he always managed to make it out in one piece and back home – to wherever home happened to be at the time.

The story of risking life and limb wasn’t just himself either – you get to read about his wife, Jadwiga, who escaped Poland by being smuggled out via boat…. In a coffin. The things this young couple went through are scary, intense, surprising, and almost hard to believe! But, think we must – as no one would wish the horrors that occurred back then ever to happen again. It’s a real treasure that they made it to the States in the late ’40s! Arriving at the ever-famous Ellis Island – and living with family for some time in New York – getting jobs and making a go of it from day one as best they could. The grit, determination, and steadfastness of the two of them is nothing short of wondrous!

I couldn’t put this book down – it kept drawing me in. The way the story is told from the first person – almost as if I was reading Mr. Haska’s journal of the events and the way his story played out – was so different and intriguing! There were sad parts of his journey, as there are with anyone’s path. Still, it’s very much appreciated that he and his family are willing to share this part of their lives – as well as how their lives turned out once they made it to California, where Mr. Haska taught Polish to hundreds (who knows the actual number) of students!

The Haska/Naumann family, in all manners, appears to be beautiful! It would’ve been an honor to meet Mr. Haska before he passed away – I can only imagine the presence and liveliness he exuded to those who knew him! Take a look at Mrs. Naumann’s website! It’s incredible – there are multiple videos of Tad, with him reflecting on his past! https://stefanienaumann.com/gallery/
A huge thank you to Mrs. Stefanie Naumann, who put this all together and got her grandfathers’ works published! This book is a fantastic story! I won’t forget it! A huge thank you to Smith Publicity, Inc (specifically Sarah Miniaci!) for getting in touch with me and allowing me to review the book! https://www.smithpublicity.com/

What have you read lately that made you really think about how fortunate your life is? Drop me a comment and let me know!

Love ya,

Kelly Ann

Relevant hashtags if you choose to share (which I’d appreciate!): #worldwar2 #worldwar #war #survival #humanity #strength #intuition #ingenious #haska #poland #warbook #journal #informative #interesting #wow #livinglovingexploring