ZULA and her life saga throughout a lifetime...
“Zula”, Sofia Machnowski
Autobiography
"Zula" Sofia Wiśniewska Machnowski, was born on May 8, 1920, in Kamieniec Podolski, then Polish territory under Russian government.
Her parents were Polish Catholics, Józef Wiśniewski and Anna Wróbleska, and she grows in Piotrkow. During childhood she was raised by the sister of her maternal grandmother, Mrs. Edmund ("Muni") Kalendbah of Timberman. The year 1936, obtains her bachelor's degree from the Piotrkow High School and in 1937 the family moves to Warsaw, capital city of Poland.
During the years from 1937 to 1939, she studies art, painting and theatrical set design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw with professors Tiche and Daszewski.
The year 1939, in the initial weeks of the Second World War and during the defense of Warsaw against the German invasion forces, she actively participates with the Guides and Scouts (Girl-Scouts) groups as an assistant nurse in the Military Hospital engaged with the defense of Warsaw, and since the beginning of the Nazi occupation she takes part in the clandestine service, collecting and transporting medical supplies from the city hospitals in order to preserve the supplies in the hands of Poles.
Between 1940 to 1942 she participates weekly in the "Wawer" — name given to the youth paramilitary organization active Polish resistance for "small acts of sabotage" on the streets of Warsaw, and works as a volunteer working in the "Social Aid Committee" which assisted property confiscated evacuees as impugned by the occupier. She also studies sociology and philosophy at the time with a clandestine teacher-led university, directed by Professors Suchodolski, Tatarkiewicz, and Hesse.
In the years 1942-1944, under the pseudonym of "Marta," she undertakes a full time job as lieson-girl "(female-contact secretary) responsible for organizing the activities of the group of reporters and editors of the weekly underground "Biuletyn Informacyjny (Newsletter), official newspaper AK HQ (Polish Armed Forces - Home Army).
Along the newspaper editor staff, Zula participates in the "Warsaw Uprising," an urban fight that lasted 63 days (August and September 1944). After the overthrow and surrender, she continued her military service and was evacuated as prisoner nurse attending soldiers wounded during the uprising at the prisoners of war camp-hospital in Germany - POW - Zeithain Stallag IV-B.
In April 1945, the camp-hospital is "liberated" by the Russian army and again she is in prison waiting to be transported to Poland. In May 1945, Zula escapes Zethain and in a freight train carrying French returnees arrived in Paris, France.
In 1945, as a refugee, she studies painting at the "French National Academy of Fine Arts" in Paris, with Professor Jean Dupas.
Later in the year 1946, arrives to England as a deputy member of the Polish Government in Exile military services. In London she studies painting at the “Royal Academy of Art ," with Professors Midieron Todd and J. Cunnard.
In 1948, she emigrates to the island of Dominica, at the time a part of the British colonies in the Caribbean or British West Indies, where she opens an art studio for painting and photography.
In 1950, she marries Jan Machnowski, a fellow polish architect, a friend and an artist painter from before the war, whom she re-encounters through common friends. The newlyweds establish their home in Caracas, Venezuela, where Zula produces and presents artistic paintings in galleries and local public exhibits.
They have two children, Jacek (Architect) and Martin (Graphic Design). In Caracas, during 20 years, Zula directs the scenery and decoration department in one of the Venezuelan television channel best known: VeneVision. As retirees, the spouses dedicated to art, paint, exhibits and open a small art school.
After a long illness, Jan Machnowski dies in Caracas, Venezuela the year of 1990. Three years later, Zula, once again takes the courageous decision to immigrate, this time to the USA (United States) and joins her son Jacek in California, where she continues her artistic activities and writes her memoirs.
In life, Zula Machnowski receives Polish and English military honors, as well as civil recognition from her fellow Polish nationals in gratitude for her actions during and after the Second World War.
Zula passed away in Greenbrae, California on October 10 2013 at 1:57PM, at the age of ninety three from a lymphoma and congestive heart failure. Her son Jacek was beside at the tieme of death, her ashes joined our Universe Creator in a private ceremony performed in Stinson Beach and today continues remembering her love for her family and friends.
Zula's Vintage Photos ... some of them survived war and time.
The Kalenbach and the Wroblewski, Original photo scanned from her archives
J. Kallendbah
Zula's Grandfather
The Family elder ...
Adam Czartoryski and J.Kallenbach
Warsaw prior to the IIWW...
Zula and the scouting group...
(the second from viewer's left side)
(the second from viewer's left side)
Zula and the Family in Warsaw...
Zula is the first one on the left, Her mother is adjacent to her left side...
Her Brother's Wedding ...
Zdzislaw and Basia's Church ceremony, Zula is the first one on the right with hat looking down at the child.
in Warsaw ...
In the summer garden
Christmas Dinner with mother, 1944
War had already started...
With her dog "Baja"...
Relaxing
Zula's brother and "Baja"
Zdzislaw playful with the dog...
No. 27 Rybaki Street, Warsaw
The hidding secret shelter during the Nazi occupation...
and the view ...
From the shelter in winter...
And today in California...
Celebrating the birthday dinner - yr 2010