Alexandra Koruniak
| Town/City | Orange |
|---|---|
| First name | Alexandra |
| Last name | Koruniak |
| Country of Origin | USSR |
| Date of Birth | 1/1/2026 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1951 |
| Submitted by | Leah Pearse |
Story
I was born in the Ukraine Alexandra Abolonina. My father died when I was 3 years old and so I lived with my mother and younger sister Raisa. On 22 June 1941, Kiev was bombed by the Germans. We went to our babushka’s house in 1942 and the Germans arrived in town soon after. My friend and I hid from the Germans in the roof of her house. When everybody was asleep my aunty and Mum called us and we would eat and sleep. One night the police knocked on the door and found us. I was taken to a labour camp in Germany when I was 15 years old.
I ran away to another camp where I worked sorting coal. Some girls told us they were going to a dance. I met my future husband Michael Koruniak, who was Ukranian, at the dance.
When the war finished, Michael and I took the opportunity to migrate to Australia. We originally planned to go to America, but were told by officials that America was not taking any more migrants. Victor’s godmother said she had always dreamt of going to Australia, but was not accepted because she and her husband were over 40 years old and didn’t have any children. We decided to migrate to Australia and promised her that once we were settled we would bring her to Australia too.
We sailed on the ship Fairsea from Bremerhaven, Germany on 7 March 1951 with our son Victor. We arrived in Melbourne on 23 April and were taken by train to Bonegilla camp. On the train journey everyone was pointing out the sheep. I couldn’t see any sheds for the sheep like they have in Russia (because of the cold winters). Bonegilla was just paddocks and a lagoon. My husand was disappointed. It didn’t look nice – no town or anything. We were given lamb chops to eat. I said “Look how much fat is on it.” The men caught rabbits for us to eat. They were very nice to eat and not fatty.
At the migrant camp I asked if I could visit a friend in Orange, NSW. While Michael and Victor remained at the camp, I went by train to Orange where I found work at the Base Hospital. Victor was allowed to join me, but Michael had to remain at the camp for a further month to help new migrants.
When Michael joined me in Orange he was put to work in Emmco. Later my husband became a builder. We bought a block of land and built a little house. We bought a general store in 1959. My husband died in 1963.