Stanislaw Sieminski

Story

Stanislaw Sieminski, one of his 3 sisters and his parents were forcibly transported to a labour camp in Siberia from Poland early in WWII as parts of Poland were annexed by Russia. Both his parents died there shortly afterwards. Stanislaw was released and became a soldier in the Polish army which, alongside the British and Allied forces, took part in decisive battles in Europe (including Monte Cassino) and Egypt.

He travelled to Buenos Aires, Argentina after the war, met and married Giovanna Catania. They had 2 children (Elena in 1955 and Robert in 1960). Stanislaw saw the opportunity for a better life in Australia, a country blessed with democratic values. So in 1964 they self-funded their migration to Australia, where their children later established successful professional careers. The journey was exciting, and sometimes turbulent, with periods of rough sea. As there was no direct route to Australia from Argentina, the family had to first travel to Genoa, Italy with a passenger ship called the Salta, with stops along the way including Brazil, Portugal and the Canary Islands.

From Italy, the family travelled to Australia on the cruise ship Galileo Galilei, stopping in Cairo and travelling through the Suez Canal to finally reach Fremantle, and then Melbourne. At that time, the city of Melbourne was quite small and quiet compared with the bustle of the more cosmopolitan and multicultural Buenos Aires. However, feelings of anticipation and optimism overwhelmed the family on arrival. Stanislaw and Giovanna worked hard to successfully rebuild their life.

Stanislaw established contact with some of his surviving siblings (prior to, presumed dead) in the late 1960s through recent immigrants from Poland to Australia. Stanislaw became ill and passed away in Melbourne on the 26/12/1978, aged 53 years.

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