Adam Sanetra, Rosalie Wandzel & Alfreda Mazurkiewicz family

Adam Sanetra, Rosalie Wandzel & Alfreda Mazurkiewicz family

Adam Sanetra’s second marriage was to Alfreda Mazurkiewicz. After Adam married Alfreda, he went back to the orphanage to get his children, but only Bronisław and Józef remained. Paul and Ervin had been farmed out and the orphanage did not have a record of where the boys had been sent. Stanisław had never entered the orphanage.

Adam took his wife Alfreda and two children back to Poland. He might have lived with his sister Maria in their old family home in Żabłocie. Adam and Alfreda’s only child Jadwiga was born in Żywiec. About four months after Jadwiga was born, Adam Sanetra went back to Chicago to work and look for his children (Bronisława, Stanisław, Paul and Ervin). I believe that this picture (above) of Alfreda and the children was taken while Adam was working in Chicago. It may have been sent to him in a letter. Adam filed for United States citizenship for himself and his family. But he was denied citizenship. The Oath of Allegience part of the citizenship paperwork, states they won’t leave the country for seven years. But Adam had already moved part of his family back to Poland. Adam had copies of Józef and Bronisław’s baptismal records made, to bring back to Poland with him. He returned home and died where he had been born and raised.

Alfreda, Jadwiga and Józef were in Zabłocie during Nazi occupation. Bronisław left and went to Ukraine. His wife and children remained in Zabłocie. After the war, (about 1960) Alfreda went to Kolbuszowa, the place of her birth. I’ve been told there was not much purpose in going to Kolbuszowa then, unless it was to look for notes from family to see if they survived the war or where they moved to. I’m told that at that time, Kolbuszowa was mostly piles of rubble, heavily destroyed during the war. I’m not sure how long Alfreda and Jadwiga visited Kolbuszowa. Afterwards, they moved to Lebork and lived the remainder of their lives there.

Jadwiga had the married name of Adamczyak. We do not know the name of her husband, or anything about him. Józef searched and found Jadwiga’s address. He wrote to tell her he had found their brother Paul’s address, in the United States. Jadwiga wrote to Paul that her mother was living with her, and that she was married but without children. She also said she was dying of liver failure in 1963.

Timeline

1904- January- Adam and Rosalie immigrated to Chicago
1914- January- Alfreda Mazurkiewicz immigrated to Chicago
1918- June- Adam Sanetra filed for United States citizenship
1918- October – Rosalie Wandzel died, wife of Adam Sanetra. Her children were sent to St. Hedwig’s orphanage
1920- December- Adam Sanetra married Alfreda Mazurkiewicz
1922- June- Alfreda, Adam, Bronisław and Józef Sanetra moved back to Poland
1923- March- Jadwiga Sanetra was born
1923- July- Adam returned to work in Chicago, living with Karol Janik at 1058 Marshfield Avenue
1925- January- Adam’s citizenship was denied
1925- September- Adam Sanetra left Chicago and returned to Poland
1927- April- Adam Sanetra died
1963- March- Jadwiga wrote a letter to her brother Paul Sanetra