Monday, October 01, 2007

Refuge in Iran



Thanks to members of a discussion group I belong to, I tracked down a fascinating account of one Polish woman's experiences during World War 2. Helena Woloch Antolak worked in forced labor camps in the Soviet Union before making her way across the world and settling, finally, in Scotland. On the way, she and thousands of others spent time in Iran:

After a month, we were sent to the first transit camp in Tehran. There were 107 of us cadets and six instructors. The Persian population received us lovingly. We were given a large hall carpeted with Persian rugs, on which we slept all together as a group with our teaching staff. We were so happy to have left the Soviet Union that we seemed to be breathing in the whole of Persia with every breath we took.


If you, dear readers, know of any other refugees who travelled through Iran during the second world war, please contact me! responses (AT) gmail.com or leave a comment here.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi dear

I watched a movie about them about a year ago and I think there is a community made by them. If you think you really need to get in contact with them I will try to find a clue and inform you later.

Please inform me about the thing you want to know that can be possibly help me to become more helpful.

Regards,

Hamid

My email is rasti68@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

HI,

MANY YEARS AGO, THERE WERE PICTURES OF THOSE POLISH MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAD ESCAPED TO IRAN. I BELIEVE I CAN FIND THEM, IF I COME A CROSS THEIR PICTURES, I WILL EMAIL THEM TO YOU.

DARIUSHAGHA

Anonymous said...

http://www.iranian.com/History/Nov97/Polish/

SEE THE LINK.

DARIUSHAGAHA

Unknown said...

Thanks for all of your help! This is a slow process... Hope to report more in the coming months.

Marie said...

I met an old German woman who lived in Tehran. She was not a refugee, but more a refugee of the heart. Sometime during WWII, she left Germany, alone, on her motorcycle and drove to Iran. It was an amazing story. There she made her home, until the end of her days.

Unknown said...

Marie, that is such an evocative story... Can you imagine? She must have been quite a woman.

Anonymous said...

someone in my family worked in the camps in Tehran, helping the refugees. would you interested in this kind of story as well?

Unknown said...

Anonymous, I am 100% interested! I hope that you check back and will get in touch with me at responses@gmail.com

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Hi again
Some of them went to New Zealand and I know there is a community there. You may be find something in here:
http://www.polishheritage.co.nz/
Or here:
http://www.poloniaauckland.co.nz/

Best wishes. rasti68@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

ایستگاه راه آهن تهران، ۷۰ سال پیش: پناهندگان لهستانی به کشورشان بازمی گردند (4 دقیقه و بیست ثانیه فیلم)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3z1K9K8TZA

Regards,Rasti68@....

Unknown said...

Rasti68: چه جالب! چه جالب! تشکر

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