Franczyk Family in Massindi

Franczyk / Matkowski

Masindi, Uganda

Genowefa (Franczyk) Matkowska's family lived at a military settlement called TEKLOWKA, Wolyn Province, in the pre-WW2 eastern borderlands of Poland (known as the Kresy). They were forcibly deported to Siberia by the Russians on 10 February 1940.

When 'amnesty was declared, they evacuated to Persia with the Polish Army. Her father and 2 older brothers joined the Polish 2nd Corps, serving in the Middle East and in the Italian Campaign. Genowefa, her youngest brother, and her mother were sent to the Polish settlement in Massindi, Uganda, where they spent 7.5 years.

After the war, she settled in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and married Wieslaw Matkowski.

Photos from the Teklowka Military Settlement in Wolyn Province

Genowefa's Grandparents and Aunt

Genowefa's father Wojciech Franczyk

Genowefa's mother Rozalia

L to R: Czeslaw, Rozalia, Karol, Denowefa, Wojciech, Zbygniew FRANCZYK

Genowefa's First Communion portrait

Wojciech Franczyk ID photo

Harvest time at the TEKLOWKA settlement in Wolyn

Photos of the
Polish 2nd Corps

Wojciech Franczyk joins the Polish Army in the USSR

Karol Franczyk in the Polish 2nd Corps

Karol and Zbigniew Franczyk

Grade 6 class in Teheran, Persia

Photos from the Massindi Polish Settlement in Uganda

Innoculation certificate

First church in Massindi

High school graduating class

High school and college professors in Massindi

Genowefa and Czeslaw

Genowefa, Rozalia and Czeslaw

Massindi church

Church choir

Genowefa's drawing of her favorite tree in Massindi

Photos from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Wieslaw Matkowski and Genowefa Francztk

Matkowski family in Winnipeg

Genowefa

Karol Francztk

Genowefa points to her drawing of the tree in Massindi that was part of the "War through the eyes of children" exhibit put on by Polish Exiles of WW2.