Gulag survivors’ 50 years of marriage

A PROMISE that Janusz and Leokadia Zejdler – suvivors of Stalin’s notorious Gulags – made on 4 June 1960 at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Northam to be with each other for the rest of their lives remains as strong as ever after 50 years.

The children booked them a weekend at Burswood Resort for their anniversary and they attended Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral that weekend for the occasion.
The pair were born in Poland just nine months apart yet had to travel half way around the world to meet in Northam some 16 years later. As Leokadia’s father Jan had a government position, they were automatically targeted to be taken to Siberia when she was aged five during the Second world war in 1940 as part of Joseph Stalin’s ethnic cleansing operation, where they worked in the underground mines, and people suffered malnutrition due to lack of basic necessities.
“They had to work hard and be self sufficient – as there was no wood to light fire, they had to go picking up cows’ dung to burn it to keep warm. Fortunately, some locals helped them out, otherwise they didn’t make enough to live,” Janusz told The Record.
Leokadia’s father joined the Polish army when he was eventually released, but he soon passed away due to his debilitated condition. Her grandparents and father did not survive and are buried somewhere in Siberia. Leokadia’s mother and brother, when released from Siberia, travelled through many eastern countries camps, and arrived in Australia on 14 February 1950. Her first job at age of 16 was in Cunderdin Hospital, progressing to the Royal Perth Hospital Nursing. Their strong faith that God always looked after them and would one day find a better life helped them survive.
At age 10 Janusz and his mother, having survived ethnic cleansing, were taken to Germany. At one stage during their journey they were lucky to escape the gas chamber owing to a malfunction and were sent to do farmwork until the end of the war.
Having arrived in WA on 2 of March 1950, Janusz’s first job was on the railways.
Leokadia and Janusz eventually met at a social. Their friendship blossomed and they married. They have three children, one son Janusz (Jnr), two daughters, Grazyna, who lives in Canberra, and Michelle who is in Perth. All three have established their lives and enjoy good and responsible professions.
“We enjoy good relationships, being good friends in our adult lives,” they said, which they attribute to their practice of the faith imparted to them by their parents. “We enjoy the friendship of our Kalamunda Holy Family Parish and its parishioners with Fr Paul Raj as the ever-forward thinking priest – the quality of a good leader of his flock,” they told The Record.