OROK Photo Gallery. Click on images to enlarge
"Ognisko Rodzin Osadnikow Kresowych" (OROK)
Military Settlements in the Polish Eastern Borderlands 1920-1945
(Short historical background and short notes on our organisation [OROK])
written by Ryszard Grzybowski
In 1918, Poland regained its sovereignty which it lost at the end of the 18th century to three neighbouring powers: Russia, Prussia and Austria. Two years later, however, in 1920, the country had to fight again with its eastern neighbouring-communist Russia for its independence.
The whole nation, united in its desire to retain its freedom, resisted the Red Army which was forced to retreat. An armistice was signed in Riga on 12 October 1920.
On 17 December 1920, the Diet (Sejm) passed the law endowing some soldiers of merit with land in the country's Eastern Borderlands (Kresy), retained by Poland through bravery. The settlement of soldiers was thought to be the most effective way to increase the Polish population in those areas. The total number of military settlers was estimated (in mid-1930) at approximately 9,000. Most military settlements were called OSADY and hence their occupants were called osadnicy.
In 1983, in England, several of the descendants of those military settlers formed an organisation: "Ognisko Rodzin Osadnikow Kresowych" (OROK) to promote memories of achievements, tragedies; and especially to pay homage to our parents.
February 1940 was the start of a tragic chapter in the history of the military settlers: 90% of settlers were forcibly deported to Siberia or other places in Russia. It is thought that half never returned and died there.
We have over 400 members on three continents and we have published the following three books:
1. "Z Kresów Wschodnich R.P. 1921-1940"
2. "Z Kresów Wschodnich na Wygnanie"
3. "Stalin's Ethnic Cleansing", an English translation of Book No.2.
Our organisation has arranged and has financed four plaques to commemorate Military Settlers: two in Warsaw; one in Białystok, Poland; and one in St. Bobola's Church in London.
An independent sister organisation in Poland, "Stowarzyszenie Rodzin Osadników Wojskowych i Cywilnych Kresów Wschodnich" in Warsaw was formed in 1995. It has a larger membership, mostly Poland-based.
Reverend (Diakon) Czesław Pukacz was its first chairman for ten years 1983-1993 with its base at Fenton in Lincolnshire at the Boys' & Girls' Scouts Centre where he was in charge of activities. He was followed by: Józef Szczuka; Bronisław Wawrzkowicz; Bronisława Kacperek (nee Bielinska); and Ryszard Grzybowski.
Regretfully, OROK ceased functioning in 2013.
LIST OF OROK MEMBERS (612)
OWIEC Richard | KLAJN Helena | REJT Maria | |
BROOKS Krystyna | KLOPECKA H | REKAWEK Janusz | |
BRZEZINSKA Karolina | KLOPECKA J | REYVER Helena | |
BRZEZINSKI Edward | KOCH Stanislawa | ROJEK Jozef | |
BRZOZOWSKA Emilia | KOJDER Henryka | ROSNER Bronislawa | |
BRZOZOWSKI Andrzej | KOLODZIEJCZYK Jadwiga | RUDNICKI A M | |
BYKOWSKA Filomena | KOLODZIEJCZYK Tadeusz | RUPACZ Stanislaw | |
BOBER W J | KONDZIELA Alicja | ROZWADOWSKA Irena | |
BOJARCZUK Edward | KONDZIELA Jerzy | RYMASZEWSKA Aleksandra | |
BOJARCZUK Teresa | KOLTANOWSKA Alicja | RYBACKA Leokadia | |
BOROWY Stanislaw | KONOPA Stefania | RYBKA Irmina | |
BOROWA Stefania | KOPIJ Maria | RYBICZONEK Irena | |
BORKOWSKA Anna | KORENKIEWICZ Z | RYBINSKA Jadwiga | |
BORZEMSKA-HILL Miroslawa | KOWALCZYK Kazimierz | RYTKO Janina | |
BORZEMSKA Karolina | KOWALCZYK Ludwik | RYLL Stefan | |
BROCHWICZ-LEWINSKA Zofia | KOWALSKA Danuta | SALAMONOWICZ Jan | |
BRODOWICZ Jacek | KOWALSKA Irena | SAS-SKOWRONSKA Jadwiga | |
BRODOWICZ Edward | KOLEBUK Wladyslaw | SAS Krystyna | |
BRODOWICZ Maria | KOLEBUK Jadwiga | SATERNUS Wieslawa | |
BABICZ Michal | KOSCIELAK IRENA | SATERNUS Jan | |
BADOWSKI Jan | KOSIERB Teresa | SIEDLECKA Irena | |
BARUT Kazimierz | KOSSAKOWSKA Elzbieta | SHICKER Bronislaw | |
BABIK Halina | KOSTRZEBSKA Wanda | SIENKO Sabina | |
BALAWENDER Edward | KOSECKA Eugenia | SIMPSON Stanislawa | |
BALAWENDER Jadwiga | KOWALEWSKA Kazimiera | SKIBA Tadeusz | |
BARANOWSKA Jadwiga | KOWALSKI Boleslaw | SKIBINSKI Kazimierz | |
BARANOWSKA Irena | KOWZAN Wladyslawa | SLOMKA Zenon | |
BARTKIEWICZ Maria & Bronislaw | KOWZAN Jan | SKOTNY Stanislawa | |
BAUMGART Karolina | KOZLOWSKI Jerzy | SLOBODZIAN Czeslaw | |
BAUMANN Anna | KRAJEWSKA Irena | SMOCZKIEWICZ A | |
BELDA Kazimierz | KRAJEWSKI Ignacy | SMIEGOCKA Franciszka | |
BELDA Wanda | KRAJEWSKI Eugenjusz | SMOGORZEWSKA Janina | |
BENDER Halina | KRAJEWSKA Helena | SOBIERAJSKI Telesfor | |
BEEVER Stanislawa | KRAJEWSKI Romuald | SOBOLEWSKI Zygmunt | |
BIEZENSKA Irena | KRAJEWSKI Edmund | SOKALSKI Jozef | |
BIDZYNSKA Sabina | KRALSKI Tadeusz | SOLONIEWICZ S | |
BADOWSKI Jan | KRALSKA Halina | SOLECKI Lech | |
BARUT Kazimierz | KRASNODEBSKI Jan | SOPALA Eugenia | |
BABIK Halina | KROKOWSKA Janina | SOPALA Henryk | |
BALAWENDER Edward | KROL Jerzy | SPEIDEL Wanda | |
BALAWENDER Jadwiga | KROLIKOWSKA Eugenia | SROKA Tadeusz | |
BARTKIEWICZ Maria & Bronislaw | KROLIKOWSKI Jan | STANIASZEK Ryszard | |
BEEVER Stanislawa | KRUCZKIEWICZ Maria | STANIASZEK Wiktor | |
BIEZENSKA Irena | KRUK Wladyslaw | STARZEWSKA Maria | |
BIDZYNSKA Sabina | KRUKOWSKATeresa | STANOWSKA Janina | |
BIELEC Danuta | KRUPA Jan | STAWECKI J | |
BIELINSKA Halina | KRUPA Wladyslaw | STELMACZONEK Bronislawa | |
BIELINSKA Anna | KRUSZEWSKA Barbara | STEPIEN Stanislaw | |
BIELINSKA Henryka | KRUSZEWSKI Kazimierz | STEPNIEWSKI Boleslaw | |
BLATIAK Teresa | KRUSZEWSKA Janina | STOHANDEL Zofia | |
BLAZEWSKA Maria | KRUSZEWSKI Stefan | STOPA Janina | |
BlAZEWSKI Stanislaw | KRYCZKO Wielawa | STRUMYK Marian | |
BOGUCKI Stefan | KUCIEBA Jadwiga | SUBOCZ Weronika | |
BOGUCKI Tadeusz | KUCIEBA Jerzy | SZABUNIO Bronislaw | |
BOR | KUCYLYMA Krystyna | SZABUNIO Witold | |
BREGOSZ Stanislaw | KUCYLYMA Franciszek | SZARKOWSKA Leokadia | |
BUDZYNSKA Julia | KUCZYNSKI Mieczyslaw | SZCZEPANCZYK Deren Stanislawa | |
BUJAKOWSKI Jan | KUDLA Mieczyslaw | SZEGIDEWICZ Eva | |
BUJAKOWSKA | KUKLA Sabina | SZKODA Jozef | |
BYRTUS Danuta | KULIK Sheila | SZOTT Zbigniew | |
BUJAKOWSKI Franciszek | KULIK Jan | SZOTT Eugeniusz | |
BUKOWINSKI Stanislaw | KULIK Michal | SZREDZKA Antonina | |
CABUT Ludomir | KURAS Adam | SZYMAN Zofia | |
BURAS Danuta | KURAS Ryszard | SZYMANSKI Jerzy | |
CHALLENOR Irena | KUROWSKI Stefan | SZYMANSKI Witold & Kazimiera | |
CHALUPA Janina | KURUCZ Tadeusz | SZCZYGLOWSKI P | |
CHEEK Helena | KUTA Helena | SZCZYGLOWSKI Dyzma | |
CHOJNACKA Irena | KURZAWA Elzbieta | SZCZERPOWICZ Boleslaw | |
CHRIN Emilia | KWAPIK IRENA | SZCZUKA Jozef | |
CIASTEK Henryka, | ŁABANOWSKA Danuta | SZCZUKA Helena | |
CIELECKA-GIBSON Anna | LACKA Genowefa | SWIRSKI Janusz | |
CHOROS Dioniza | LUBIENIECKI Jan | SZULC Czeslaw | |
CZERKAS Henryk | LASKOWSKI Bronislaw | SZTYBER L J | |
CHUMKO Jan | LASKOWSKA Anna | SZULC Anna | |
CYBULSKI Anato | LODE Maria | SZULEJEWSKA Zyta | |
CZWORDON Irena | ŁAPPO Henryka | SZWEDOWSKA Aleksandra | |
DELA Tadeusz | ŁAPPO Aleksander | SZWENDER Wanda | |
DERKACZ Zygmunt | LEKSINSKI Rudolf | SZWENDER Wladyslaw | |
DERKACZ Stanislawa | LESIAK Genowefa | SZYSZKO Wladyslaw | |
DOLECKA Maria | ŁESAK Irena | SWIATLON Aniela | |
DOMANSKA-LONG Barbara | ŁECZEWSKI Wladyslaw | SWISTAK Tadeusz | |
DOMANSKI Leon | LEWANDOWSKA Elenora | SWIATEK Eugenia | |
DRABIK Danuta | LITWINSKA M | SWIERCZ Wieslawa | |
DRWAL Boleslaw | LîJ Jerzy | SWIERCZ Stanislaw | |
DRYSCH Maria | LAWRYNOWICZ Aniela | SWIERCZ Witold | |
DUCHENSKA Stefania | ŁUKASIEWICZ Aniela | TABOR Helena | |
DUCHNOWSKI Leopold | ŁUKOWSKA Regina | TRANEK Wanda | |
DUCHNOWSKA Mira | ŁUKASINSKA Pola | TAREGOWSKA | |
DUNIEC Alicja | ŁUKASINSKI Boleslaw | TOMASZEWSKA Romualda | |
DYTKO J R | ŁUKASIEWICZ Maria | TRAWKA Helena | |
DZIADEK Wanda | MACANDER Izabella | TRAWKA Adam | |
EDWARD Alina | MANKA Irena | TRECHCINSK Maria | |
EDWARDS E | MACHA Janina | TROJANOWSKA Danuta | |
FABIAN Wladyslaw | MACHETA Maria | TROJANOWSKI Ryszard | |
FARLEY Krystyna | MACHETA Tadeusz | TURZYNSKI Bronislaw | |
FLORKIEWICZ D | MADANY Henryk | TUTAJ Alina | |
FREIBURGER Krystyna | MAJKA Teresa | TRYBUCHOWSKI Bogdan | |
FUGLEWICZ Regina | MARKIEWICZ Stefania | URBAN Francis | |
FUGLEWICZ Zbigniew | MARKIEWICZ Irena | URBANIEC Danuta | |
FROST Alina | MAKULSKA Janina | WADLEWSKA Bronislawa | |
GABRIELCZYK Ryszard | MAKOWSKA Leokadia | WALAK Marian | |
GALKOWSKI Gregory | MAKOWSKA Iwona | WALAK Krystyna | |
GALON Anna | MAMNICKA Teresa | WALBACH Alfons | |
GASPEROWICZ Kazimierz | MARCZUK Zygmunt | WALBACH Janina | |
GARSON Klara | MARSZALEK Wodecka | WALCZAK Antoni | |
GAWLAK Jozef | MARZOJTY Marian | WALUSZEWSKA Romualda | |
GAWALAK Jadwiga | MATKOWSKA Genowefa | WAGSTYL Sabina | |
GIENIEWSKA Kryztyna | MASNY Bronek | WALCZAK Regina | |
GIEROD Edward | MARCINKIEWICZ Halina | WALCZAK Tadeusz | |
GILL Jadwiga | MARKIEWICZ Jadwiga | WARTALSKI Zygmunt | |
GLEIF Zofia | MICHALSKI Zdizslaw | WARTSKA Wanda | |
GLUBA Helena | MATLACH Danuta | WAWRZKOWICZ Maria | |
GLEBOCKA Halina | MATRUSZEK Zofia | WAWRZKOWICZ Bronislaw | |
GLOWACKA Janina | MATKOWSKI Stanislaw | WAWRZKOWICZ Emilia | |
GODYCKA Stanislawa | MATKOWSKI Denis | WALCZOWSKI Tadeusz | |
GODYN Irena | MATWIEJCZYK Antoni | WALCZOWSKA Alicja | |
GOLINSKA Lucja | MAZUR Maria | WAWRZYNOWICZ Tadeusz | |
GORDON Emilia | MAZUR Beata | WCIORKA Aniela | |
GORDON Bozena | MAZUREK Stanislawa | WEBER Irena | |
GORDON Jerzy | MACZKA Stefan | WENTK Zofia | |
GRABINSKA H | MERCALA Genowefa | WERESZCZYNSKA Leonarda | |
GRADOSIELSKA Danuta | MIARKOWSKI Kazimierz | WIACEK Boleslaw | |
GRADOSIELSKI Jerzy | MIERZEJEWSKI Wojciech | WEGLARZ Bronislawa | |
GORAL Janusz | MICHALSKI Waldemar | WILCZLING Teresa | |
GRALAK Zofia | MIGDAL Franciszka | WIERNICKA Jadwiga | |
GREEFIN Maria | MIGUT Weronika | WILCZEK Maria | |
GRUBCZAK Henryk | MISIK Janina | WILK Zofia | |
GRUDNIEWICZ Danuta | MLECZKO Wladyslaw | WIELICZKO Jan | |
GRUDNIEWICZ Jerzy | MOCZULSKA | WIELICZKO Krystyna | |
GRYKO Czeslawa | MOSSAKOWSKA Genowefa | WIERZBICKA Krytstyna | |
GRZYBOWSKI Ryszard | MROZEK Danuta | WIERZBICKI Jerzy | |
GEZYBOWSKA Czeslawa | MUSIAL Stanislawa | WIERZBICKI Waclaw | |
GUTKOWSKA Ludwika | MUSZYNSKA Janina | WIERZBICKI Edward | |
GUTOWSKI Zdzislaw | MUSZYNSKI Lech | WIECKOWSKI Witold | |
GUZEWICZ | MUSZYNSKI Stanislaw | WIECKOWSKA Helena | |
GWIZDAK Benedykt | MUSZYNSKI Franciszek | WIĘCKOWSKI Mieczysław | |
GWIZDAK Jozef | NAPLOCHA Dariusz | WIECKOWSKA Ludwika | |
GALL Franciszek | NEUMANN Anatol | WINNICKI Jan | |
GRADKOWSKI Feliks | NIECHWIADOWICZ Jan | WINSKA Janina | |
GODYCKA Stanislawa | NIEJADLIK Genowefa | WIRA Kazimierz | |
HUPPERT Irena | NIEDZIELSKI Eugeniusz | WISNIOWSKI Stefan | |
HAWROT Kazimiera | NIESCIOR R | WITWICKA Jadwiga | |
HAWROT Zbigniew | NOSSEL Adrian | WJERNICKI John | |
HARTLEY Alicja | NOWAK Janina | WŁODARCZYK Apolonia | |
HARTLEY Teresa | NOWAK Witold & Irena | WŁODARCZYK Feliks | |
HUNT Marysia | NOWICKA Emilia | WLODARCZYK Wladyslawa | |
HUSZCZA Bronislaw | OCHEDUSZKO Witold | WLOCH Danuta | |
HYLA Wladyslaw | OLSSON Elzunia | WLODARSKI Kazimierz | |
HYLA Wanda | OLSZEWSCY Miros & Ewa | WODECKI Mieczysław | |
HANIEWICZ Irena | OSOSTOWICZ Jadwiga | WODECKA Janina | |
HENDRICKS Maria & Sylwester | OSOSTOWICZ Mieczyslaw | WOJNAR Julia | |
HENNING Wanda | OPIOŁA Tadeusz | WOJTAK Helena | |
ISKRZYNSKA Felicja | ORACZ Leokadia | WOJTAK Szczepan | |
ISKRA Marian | ORDYNSKA Irena | WOJTOWICZ Irena | |
ISKRA Danuta | OSTRYNSKA Alicja | WOJTOWICZ Marian | |
JABLONSKI Jerzy | OSTROWSKI B | WOJCIECHOWSKA Jadwiga | |
JACEK Ryszard | OSTROWSKA Krystyna | WOJCIECHOWSKI M | |
JAMROZ Jan & Irena | ORZEŁ Irena | WOJCIECHOWSKI Bob | |
JANKOWSKI Piotr | PALKOWSKI Henryk | WOJCIECHOWSKA Bronislawa | |
JASIOWICZ Helena & Helena | PALMI Irena | WOJCIECHOWSKI Jan | |
JANCZYK Ryszard | PARKOLA Zofia | WOJTALEWICZ Janina | |
JANCZYNSKA Irena | PASZKOWSKI Jozef | WOJTALEWICZ Wladyslaw | |
JANCZYNSKI Stefan | PALKOWSKA Joanna | WOJTECKA Wanda | |
JANUSZAJTIS-NEALE | PALEJ Teresa | WOJTKOWSKA Malina | |
JANKOWSKA Alicja | PASZYNSKI Janusz | WOLNY Danuta | |
JANKOWSKI Zbigniew | PAWLOWICZ Jadwiga | WOLSKI Karol | |
JANKOWSKI Roman | PAWLOWICZ Zbigniew | WOLSKI Aleksander | |
JANOWSKA Maria | PIECH Mieczyslaw | WOLSKI Edward | |
JANOWSKA Czeslawa | PILCH Maria | WOLSKI Marek | |
JANUSZAJTIS Iwona | PIOTROWSKA Zofia | WOLNY Ryszard | |
JARCZYK Maria | PIOTROWSKI Jan | WORONOWICZ Stanisława | |
JARMULSKI Jan | PIROGOWICZ Stanislaw | WOŻNIAK Rozalia | |
JARMAN-RZEHAK Grazyna | PIOTROWSKI | WRZOLEK-KARSKA Halina | |
JASINSKA Dorota | PISAREK Beatrice | WRîBLEWSKI Waclaw | |
JASKOWSKA Helena | PIESIEWICZ Boguslaw | WYCICHOWSKA Irena | |
JASKOWSKI Artur | PIWOWARCZYK Krystyna | WYCICHOWSKI Zygmunt | |
JENSEN Emilia | POPOWSZEK H & H | WYCZECHOWSKA Helena | |
JESIONKA-JANKOWICZ Eve | PORANKIEWICZ Helena | WYCZECHOWSKI Ryszard. | |
JESIONKA-BORYSEWICZ Maria | POLNIK Boleslaw | WYCZESANA Helena | |
JESIONKA-JANKONSKA Lucja | POLNIK Aniela | WYSOCKI Jozef | |
JESIONKA-SOBOLEWSKA Aniela | POWROZNIK Halina | WYSOCKA-BOREJSZO Jadwiga | |
JOHNSON Barbara | POSTAWA Zofia | WYLOT Maria | |
JURALEWICZ Maria | POZNIAK Maria | ZABŁOCKA Leokadia | |
JUCHNIEWICZ Teresa | PROCHOROWICZ Tadeusz | ZAJKOWSKI J | |
JURENKO Zofia | PROCHOROWICZ Edward | ZAKŁADA Dionyzy | |
JUSZCZYK Halina | PROSTAK Maria | ZUREK Waldemar | |
KALAGA Maria Krystyna | PRZYGONSKI Wladyslaw | ZAGORSKA Helena | |
KACPEREK Bronislawa | PTAK Aleksander | ZAKLADA Eugenia | |
KALINOWSKA Wlasyslawa | PUKACZ Czeslaw | ZAJACZKOWSKI Janusz | |
KALISZCZAK Petronela | PUCZYLOWSKI Feliks | ZARZYCKA Basia | |
KAMINSKA Danuta | PYRA W | ZASADA Helena | |
KAMINSKI Alfred | PAJDOWSKI Jozef | ZAWADA Jozef | |
KAPSZEWICZ Jadwiga | RACHOWIECKA Regina | ZIAJA Gena | |
KARCZEWSKI Witold | RADKOWSKI L | ZENGIN Mariola | |
KARCZMARCZYK Roman | RAKOWSKI Ryszard | ZIELINSKA Maria | |
KAWA Michal | RANOSZ Mieczyslaw | ZIELKIEWICZ Krystyna | |
KAWECKI Julian | RASZEWSKA Halina | ZBIKOWSKA Alina | |
KAWULOK Alina | RAYMOND Stanislaw | ZELICHOWSKA Leokadia | |
KAZIMIERSKI Antoni | REPA Zofia | ZIMMERMAN Maria | |
KEDZIERSKA Stanislawa | RAFALAT Teresa | ZWIERZCHOWSKI Ludomir | |
KANDZIELA Danuta | RAJCHEL Teofila | ZWOLINSKA-BRZESKI Teresa | |
KANDZIELA Krzysztof | RAJCHEL Stanislaw | ZOLTOWSKA Maria | |
KEPINSKI | RATAJ Genowefa | ZYCHOWICZ Aniela | |
KISIEL Miroslawa | RATUSZ Jan | ŻEGOTA-JANUSZAJTIS Jerzy |
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