| Stories |
Over the last 50 years or more, several versions of the same story have circulated among the Djament generations. There is no doubt that these were heavily influenced by personal experiences and desires, and
are presented here with the intent that the future generation can make up their own minds as to their truth or otherwise. With some, there is no doubt as to their veracity whilst others should be taken as recollections
of men affected by war experiences and coloured by time, passed onto the younger generation over long periods.
are presented here with the intent that the future generation can make up their own minds as to their truth or otherwise. With some, there is no doubt as to their veracity whilst others should be taken as recollections
of men affected by war experiences and coloured by time, passed onto the younger generation over long periods.
Finland by kayak
In 1937 Jakub and Samuel embarked on a journey to Finland, travelling by kayak. Jakub was
commissioned by a Polish newspaper "Nowy Dziennik" (the New Daily) to write about their
experiences. His article, entitled "In the land of thousand lakes with a kayak" appeared over
several days. Thanks to Samuel's son, Vladimir, for the translation.
In 1937 Jakub and Samuel embarked on a journey to Finland, travelling by kayak. Jakub was
commissioned by a Polish newspaper "Nowy Dziennik" (the New Daily) to write about their
experiences. His article, entitled "In the land of thousand lakes with a kayak" appeared over
several days. Thanks to Samuel's son, Vladimir, for the translation.
Spelling - Djament or Diament ?
The astute reader may have noticed that the family name is spelled 'Djament' in some instances
and 'Diament' in others. The following explanation is offered :
During the time Jozef worked at the Nowy Dziennik, in 1927, the Minister for Internal Affairs,
Felicjan Slawoj Skladkowski*, enacted the decreed for uniform orthography to take some
confusion out of the various ways words were spelled in the Polish language. The ministry issued
lists of approved spellings and sent them to all schools and publications. But the lists weren’t just
suggestions – they were laws, with the teeth of levied fines in cases of violation.
One of the words on the list was the name of the precious stone, spelled only one way henceforth:
d-i-a-m-e-n-t. Jozef’s editor, noticing the similarity of Jozef’s surname to the word on the official
list, ordered Jozef to change the spelling of his name immediately.
When Jozef protested that it was his name, not the word for a glittering gemstone, the editor
rejected his argument. Afraid the newspaper would be fined if Jozef insisted on his birthright, the
editor ordered him to comply with the official orthography.
And that is why Jozef’s name on the title page of his book is spelled Diament, not Djament. And
also the reason that Itzhak, following suit, is listed in the Krakow phone book of 1932/33 as Izak
Diament, and Roman is listed in the Krakow professional directory of 1939 under the name
Diament.
* He also decreed that all Polish houses had to have a working latrine. The outhouses that were
subsequently built became known as 'lawojkis' in his honour.
- as told to Eve by Janek
The astute reader may have noticed that the family name is spelled 'Djament' in some instances
and 'Diament' in others. The following explanation is offered :
During the time Jozef worked at the Nowy Dziennik, in 1927, the Minister for Internal Affairs,
Felicjan Slawoj Skladkowski*, enacted the decreed for uniform orthography to take some
confusion out of the various ways words were spelled in the Polish language. The ministry issued
lists of approved spellings and sent them to all schools and publications. But the lists weren’t just
suggestions – they were laws, with the teeth of levied fines in cases of violation.
One of the words on the list was the name of the precious stone, spelled only one way henceforth:
d-i-a-m-e-n-t. Jozef’s editor, noticing the similarity of Jozef’s surname to the word on the official
list, ordered Jozef to change the spelling of his name immediately.
When Jozef protested that it was his name, not the word for a glittering gemstone, the editor
rejected his argument. Afraid the newspaper would be fined if Jozef insisted on his birthright, the
editor ordered him to comply with the official orthography.
And that is why Jozef’s name on the title page of his book is spelled Diament, not Djament. And
also the reason that Itzhak, following suit, is listed in the Krakow phone book of 1932/33 as Izak
Diament, and Roman is listed in the Krakow professional directory of 1939 under the name
Diament.
* He also decreed that all Polish houses had to have a working latrine. The outhouses that were
subsequently built became known as 'lawojkis' in his honour.
- as told to Eve by Janek
Escape From Poland
Life in postwar communist Poland became extremely difficult and unpleasant. It was not a place where the three
surviving Djament brothers wanted to bring up their young families. In the early fifties (and, in Stefan’s case
immediately after the war – see below) they began looking for ways to get out. It was not an easy matter. Getting
passports was practically a bureaucratic impossibility; as Poles from behind the Iron Curtain (as the divide
between Western and Eastern Europe was known) and as Jews, they would not be allowed into any country
without an entry visa.
There was an advantage to being a Jew, they could automatically be granted a visa to new state of Israel, created
in 1947 as a homeland for all Jews from all countries. In 1950, Israel enacted ‘the law of return” which allowed
anyone who could prove Jewishness to acquire citizenship. In Stefan’s case there was an hurdle however; his
Russian wife Natalie was not Jewish, and under Jewish law children of a non-Jewish mother are not considered
Jews. In order for Natalie and the children, Vladimir, Frank and Kathy to accompany him, they would have to
undergo conversion to Judaism.
Another issue was the perceived (and probably real) reflection of how the exit of one brother would affect the
others’ chances. Janek, who joined the Communist Party immediately after the war, was worried that Stefan’s
outspokenness and possible exit would adversely affect his career. Since they shared the same (assumed)
name Drobot, and were identical twins, the actions of one would obviously rub off on the other. Julek, having
changed his name to Rutkowski, did not have such problems, since officially he was not related to the twins. He
could therefore pursue his efforts to obtain visas without the fear of repercussions against the others.
Life in postwar communist Poland became extremely difficult and unpleasant. It was not a place where the three
surviving Djament brothers wanted to bring up their young families. In the early fifties (and, in Stefan’s case
immediately after the war – see below) they began looking for ways to get out. It was not an easy matter. Getting
passports was practically a bureaucratic impossibility; as Poles from behind the Iron Curtain (as the divide
between Western and Eastern Europe was known) and as Jews, they would not be allowed into any country
without an entry visa.
There was an advantage to being a Jew, they could automatically be granted a visa to new state of Israel, created
in 1947 as a homeland for all Jews from all countries. In 1950, Israel enacted ‘the law of return” which allowed
anyone who could prove Jewishness to acquire citizenship. In Stefan’s case there was an hurdle however; his
Russian wife Natalie was not Jewish, and under Jewish law children of a non-Jewish mother are not considered
Jews. In order for Natalie and the children, Vladimir, Frank and Kathy to accompany him, they would have to
undergo conversion to Judaism.
Another issue was the perceived (and probably real) reflection of how the exit of one brother would affect the
others’ chances. Janek, who joined the Communist Party immediately after the war, was worried that Stefan’s
outspokenness and possible exit would adversely affect his career. Since they shared the same (assumed)
name Drobot, and were identical twins, the actions of one would obviously rub off on the other. Julek, having
changed his name to Rutkowski, did not have such problems, since officially he was not related to the twins. He
could therefore pursue his efforts to obtain visas without the fear of repercussions against the others.
Janek at first would not think of emigration at all because he was a member of the Communist Party, and was
enthusiastic about becoming part of the new regime. He was working as an engineer for the government at
power plants, creating a new electric grid for the country. In the early fifties however he came to realize that life
under the Communist regime was not all that it was supposed to be. He also began to look a way out. Israel was
not an option. As a party member, he had a lot to lose by applying for a visa to Israel. He devised a scheme
whereby he would get a position with the government’s trade commission and hope to get a posting abroad. In
April 1956 he got his opportunity when he was appointed the commercial counselor to India. In his job, he had
ready access to the working details of the trade commission, as well as the Polish Embassy in New Delhi. This
was of course the time of the cold war, a period of conflict, tension and competition between the United States
and the Soviet Union and their respective allies. An American moved in to the apartment above and the two
neighbours became friends. After a few weeks, the American asked whether Janek was prepared to defect to the
US. Although wary at first, he agreed to meet with a representative from the US embassy who indicated to Janek
that the US would be prepared to “help” Janek in exchange for certain information regarding the activities of the
trade office and the Polish embassy. Janek agreed to the proposal. Thus began Janek’s involvement with CIA
who organised his defection, including a stay in a safe house outside Washington while he was providing them
the information they had asked for. He was still in India when Julek and Stefan had obtained their exit papers and
left Poland, and in 1960 he finally defected and landed with his wife Wanda, and their children Adam and Eve, in
the US.
Stefan tried to arrange his emigration as soon as he returned from Siberia in 1946. He wrote letters to his
presumed relatives in the U.S. as well as his college friend, Karol Mysels trying to obtain a “sponsor”, i.e.,
someone in America who would vouch for him, and perhaps provide some initial financial assistance, if needed.
Apparently Mysels was successful to some extent, since it seems that Stefan had in his possession some
documents relating to emigration. Then, Stefan suddenly broke off all contacts with Mysels and all the other
people who were trying to help him. One theory, which cannot however be proved, since nobody saw any of the
papers and Stefan refused to discuss the matter, has it that Janek got hold of Stefan’s papers and destroyed
them, or persuaded Stefan to do so, since a relative in America, especially a close one, would have been as a big
detriment to his career and prospects in the communist party.
When the possibility of immigration to the US disappeared, Stefan went on with his academic career in Wroclaw.
In the mid fifties the grimness of life under a communist regime got to him and he began to look for ways out. In
order to get a passport, he needed a visa. In order to get a visa, he needed an invitation from an academic body
such as a university. When his brother Janek, after joining the Communist party was posted in India as a
commercial counselor, Stefan requested his help in obtaining an invitation to a university in the US. Janek
meanwhile was recruited by the CIA and could not, or would not, help and Stefan languished in Poland for
another couple of years. By now Natalie had enough of her daily struggle in Poland whilst Janek was seemingly
living a life of luxury. When he came to Poland for a periodic visit from India she threatened to denounce him.
Janek had no option but to refer the matter to his American handler and in soon an invitation came from the
University of Chicago. Coincidentally, soon afterwards, a visa from Australia also arrived, arranged it seems by
Stefan’s thesis advisor who had contacts there. However with no firm offer of a job in Australia, Stefan chose to
emigrate to the US. He got his exit passport, and the family arrived in the United States on November 30, 1959 to
begin a new life. They were met in New York by a CIA agent who looked after them for a few days before sending
the family on to Chicago.
More details regarding Stefan’s emigration are outlined in his biography written by his son Vladimir. There is a
different version recorded in Janek’s letter to Stefan’s son Frank in 1993 in which he described his role in getting
Stefan and his family out of Poland. There is no proof as to the accuracy of these events as described in either
document and it is not intended to debate here which has the more credibility.
**
So, all three surviving Djament brothers had the courage and smarts to get out of Poland with their families in
order for all to have a better life. But it was not without cost: the twins, Stefan and Janek, had a terrible falling out
once both were safely in the U.S. which resulted in tensions between the two families that lasted for decades.
The cause of the feud is not entirely clear. Was it Janek destroying Stefan’s visas, as Stefan’s family maintained?
Or was it the money that Janek felt Stefan took from him unfairly in the U.S. as Janek claimed? Or, was there
another reason altogether?
We will never know for sure.
enthusiastic about becoming part of the new regime. He was working as an engineer for the government at
power plants, creating a new electric grid for the country. In the early fifties however he came to realize that life
under the Communist regime was not all that it was supposed to be. He also began to look a way out. Israel was
not an option. As a party member, he had a lot to lose by applying for a visa to Israel. He devised a scheme
whereby he would get a position with the government’s trade commission and hope to get a posting abroad. In
April 1956 he got his opportunity when he was appointed the commercial counselor to India. In his job, he had
ready access to the working details of the trade commission, as well as the Polish Embassy in New Delhi. This
was of course the time of the cold war, a period of conflict, tension and competition between the United States
and the Soviet Union and their respective allies. An American moved in to the apartment above and the two
neighbours became friends. After a few weeks, the American asked whether Janek was prepared to defect to the
US. Although wary at first, he agreed to meet with a representative from the US embassy who indicated to Janek
that the US would be prepared to “help” Janek in exchange for certain information regarding the activities of the
trade office and the Polish embassy. Janek agreed to the proposal. Thus began Janek’s involvement with CIA
who organised his defection, including a stay in a safe house outside Washington while he was providing them
the information they had asked for. He was still in India when Julek and Stefan had obtained their exit papers and
left Poland, and in 1960 he finally defected and landed with his wife Wanda, and their children Adam and Eve, in
the US.
Stefan tried to arrange his emigration as soon as he returned from Siberia in 1946. He wrote letters to his
presumed relatives in the U.S. as well as his college friend, Karol Mysels trying to obtain a “sponsor”, i.e.,
someone in America who would vouch for him, and perhaps provide some initial financial assistance, if needed.
Apparently Mysels was successful to some extent, since it seems that Stefan had in his possession some
documents relating to emigration. Then, Stefan suddenly broke off all contacts with Mysels and all the other
people who were trying to help him. One theory, which cannot however be proved, since nobody saw any of the
papers and Stefan refused to discuss the matter, has it that Janek got hold of Stefan’s papers and destroyed
them, or persuaded Stefan to do so, since a relative in America, especially a close one, would have been as a big
detriment to his career and prospects in the communist party.
When the possibility of immigration to the US disappeared, Stefan went on with his academic career in Wroclaw.
In the mid fifties the grimness of life under a communist regime got to him and he began to look for ways out. In
order to get a passport, he needed a visa. In order to get a visa, he needed an invitation from an academic body
such as a university. When his brother Janek, after joining the Communist party was posted in India as a
commercial counselor, Stefan requested his help in obtaining an invitation to a university in the US. Janek
meanwhile was recruited by the CIA and could not, or would not, help and Stefan languished in Poland for
another couple of years. By now Natalie had enough of her daily struggle in Poland whilst Janek was seemingly
living a life of luxury. When he came to Poland for a periodic visit from India she threatened to denounce him.
Janek had no option but to refer the matter to his American handler and in soon an invitation came from the
University of Chicago. Coincidentally, soon afterwards, a visa from Australia also arrived, arranged it seems by
Stefan’s thesis advisor who had contacts there. However with no firm offer of a job in Australia, Stefan chose to
emigrate to the US. He got his exit passport, and the family arrived in the United States on November 30, 1959 to
begin a new life. They were met in New York by a CIA agent who looked after them for a few days before sending
the family on to Chicago.
More details regarding Stefan’s emigration are outlined in his biography written by his son Vladimir. There is a
different version recorded in Janek’s letter to Stefan’s son Frank in 1993 in which he described his role in getting
Stefan and his family out of Poland. There is no proof as to the accuracy of these events as described in either
document and it is not intended to debate here which has the more credibility.
**
So, all three surviving Djament brothers had the courage and smarts to get out of Poland with their families in
order for all to have a better life. But it was not without cost: the twins, Stefan and Janek, had a terrible falling out
once both were safely in the U.S. which resulted in tensions between the two families that lasted for decades.
The cause of the feud is not entirely clear. Was it Janek destroying Stefan’s visas, as Stefan’s family maintained?
Or was it the money that Janek felt Stefan took from him unfairly in the U.S. as Janek claimed? Or, was there
another reason altogether?
We will never know for sure.
Julek, with Adam
and Alice in Genoa
and Alice in Genoa
Safety drill aboard
SS Roma
SS Roma
Julek, in Warsaw with his wife Irena and their two children, Adam and Alice, was
working on the rebuilding of a city turned to rubble by the retreating German army.
He considered the possibility of going to Israel. His sister-in-law emigrated there
in 1956 with her young family and he wanted to follow them. But he hesitated to
leave his wife’s parents behind. In 1957 however he and Stefan applied for exit
visas to Israel. According to Julek’s letter to Frank in September 1993, they met
with a government representative from Israel who happened to be, before the war,
a sports commentator for the same daily paper that Jozek was economics editor –
when Stefan enquired as to his choice of immigrating to Israel, Australia, Canada
or the US, he replied honestly “anywhere but Israel”.
Then Julek had an opportunity to go to Australia. The country was undergoing a
building boom and was desperate for skilled professionals. He was always
fascinated by the distant country – he had a childhood friend who was sent there
by his father after the First World War and described the beauty of the country in
letters. Irena had relatives who settled there in 1952 and were able to sponsor his
application so, at the end of 1956 he obtained entry visas for Australia. His tickets
were paid for by the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) in Vienna which for
generations provided essential lifesaving services to world Jewry through its aid in
rescue and resettlement. Julek was very proud of the fact, that after successfully
establishing himself in Sydney, although not obligated to, he was able to repay
HIAS in full. The journey was documented by Julekk and Adam, with a movie and
a diary, which can be seen here.
working on the rebuilding of a city turned to rubble by the retreating German army.
He considered the possibility of going to Israel. His sister-in-law emigrated there
in 1956 with her young family and he wanted to follow them. But he hesitated to
leave his wife’s parents behind. In 1957 however he and Stefan applied for exit
visas to Israel. According to Julek’s letter to Frank in September 1993, they met
with a government representative from Israel who happened to be, before the war,
a sports commentator for the same daily paper that Jozek was economics editor –
when Stefan enquired as to his choice of immigrating to Israel, Australia, Canada
or the US, he replied honestly “anywhere but Israel”.
Then Julek had an opportunity to go to Australia. The country was undergoing a
building boom and was desperate for skilled professionals. He was always
fascinated by the distant country – he had a childhood friend who was sent there
by his father after the First World War and described the beauty of the country in
letters. Irena had relatives who settled there in 1952 and were able to sponsor his
application so, at the end of 1956 he obtained entry visas for Australia. His tickets
were paid for by the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) in Vienna which for
generations provided essential lifesaving services to world Jewry through its aid in
rescue and resettlement. Julek was very proud of the fact, that after successfully
establishing himself in Sydney, although not obligated to, he was able to repay
HIAS in full. The journey was documented by Julekk and Adam, with a movie and
a diary, which can be seen here.
Fortunately, the 2nd generation of
Djaments – Vlad, Frank and Kathy; Adam
and Alice, and Eve – made a conscious
decision not to perpetuate the ill feelings.
That is why, when they all met in Mexico in
1996, they wore T-shirts that read:
“Speaking Again After 50 Years”.
Djaments – Vlad, Frank and Kathy; Adam
and Alice, and Eve – made a conscious
decision not to perpetuate the ill feelings.
That is why, when they all met in Mexico in
1996, they wore T-shirts that read:
“Speaking Again After 50 Years”.
Acknowledging the
influence of the internet
influence of the internet
A Djament by any other name….
Since the family name is Djament (or Diament as the Polish authorities insisted), from where
did the names Rutkowski and Drobot originate ?
During the Second World War it was not a good idea to have a Jewish sounding name.
Although Israel Djament could relatively easily pass for an Aryan, he decided to change his
name. In 1942 he wrote to friends who had previously obtained false Aryan papers for
themselves (this was, in fact his future in-laws) asking if it were possible to procure for him an
Aryan birth certificate. By bribing relevant officials, this was not too difficult and not long
afterwards he received from them a birth certificate belonging to a dead Aryan whose name was
“Stanislaw Rutkowski”. He adopted this name and adopted his original Polish name Juliusz
(Julek) as his second name. This certificate was a basis for preparing of all other necessary
documents such as identity card, travel permits and even his graduation certificate. He changed
his name officially only in 1947.
Jakub and Samuel Djament were far away in Siberia. In 1945, when the war ended, they,
together with thousands of other refugees, wanted to return to Poland. Jakub, who before the
war was a supporter of the (then illegal) Polish Communist Party and as such had established
connections with the “Association of Polish Patriots” in Moscow (basis for the future Polish
Communist Party), was put on a priority list. In 1945 he returned to Poland with strict instructions
to change his Jewish sounding name. As he believed that all the other members of the family
had perished, he had total freedom in choosing whatever name he wanted and chose “Drobot”
after a Ukranian classmate in Lwow. As it did not end in "ski" or "ow" It wasn't obviously Polish o
but it was easy to pronounce and spell in any language and therefore "international". He chose
Janek as this was similar to Jakub.
When his brother Samuel finally arrived in Poland in 1946, there was no reason not to adopt the
same surname, so he changed his name to Stefan Drobot. In retrospect, this turned out not to
be a good decision as it subsequently had implications on his efforts to obtain emigration
papers (see “Escape from Poland” story).
- As related to Eve by Julek in his letter of June 1989
Since the family name is Djament (or Diament as the Polish authorities insisted), from where
did the names Rutkowski and Drobot originate ?
During the Second World War it was not a good idea to have a Jewish sounding name.
Although Israel Djament could relatively easily pass for an Aryan, he decided to change his
name. In 1942 he wrote to friends who had previously obtained false Aryan papers for
themselves (this was, in fact his future in-laws) asking if it were possible to procure for him an
Aryan birth certificate. By bribing relevant officials, this was not too difficult and not long
afterwards he received from them a birth certificate belonging to a dead Aryan whose name was
“Stanislaw Rutkowski”. He adopted this name and adopted his original Polish name Juliusz
(Julek) as his second name. This certificate was a basis for preparing of all other necessary
documents such as identity card, travel permits and even his graduation certificate. He changed
his name officially only in 1947.
Jakub and Samuel Djament were far away in Siberia. In 1945, when the war ended, they,
together with thousands of other refugees, wanted to return to Poland. Jakub, who before the
war was a supporter of the (then illegal) Polish Communist Party and as such had established
connections with the “Association of Polish Patriots” in Moscow (basis for the future Polish
Communist Party), was put on a priority list. In 1945 he returned to Poland with strict instructions
to change his Jewish sounding name. As he believed that all the other members of the family
had perished, he had total freedom in choosing whatever name he wanted and chose “Drobot”
after a Ukranian classmate in Lwow. As it did not end in "ski" or "ow" It wasn't obviously Polish o
but it was easy to pronounce and spell in any language and therefore "international". He chose
Janek as this was similar to Jakub.
When his brother Samuel finally arrived in Poland in 1946, there was no reason not to adopt the
same surname, so he changed his name to Stefan Drobot. In retrospect, this turned out not to
be a good decision as it subsequently had implications on his efforts to obtain emigration
papers (see “Escape from Poland” story).
- As related to Eve by Julek in his letter of June 1989
Escape From India
Janek was sent to India, for the second time, in 1968. The first time was as Commercial
Counselor with the Polish Embassy, from 1956 to 1960. This time he was there as Westinghouse
International's vice-president for India, Burma, Nepal & (as it was then) Ceylon. He ran a small
office, with a secretary and a couple of staff, and spent a great deal of time on the road, visiting
various Westinghouse offices and projects around the subcontinent. This Westinghouse was not
the one that people associate with toasters and air conditioners - it was the heavy industry branch
of the company. They built hydroelectric generators and desalinization plants and when we
traveled as a family, we seemed to stop to visit an inordinate number of dams.
Life in India the second time was good. We started off living in a luxury hotel - the Oberoi
Intercontinental, with a fabulous pool where Jan loved to swim and befriended many other expats
and the airline crews who were always passing through. In late fall, Janek and Wanda moved into
a gorgeous white mansion at 4A Maharani Bagh in a brand new development on the southern
outskirts of the city. There were a living room, a dining room, two smaller rooms (each with its own
bathroom) which became his and her studies, a kitchen with a walk-in pantry, a small "powder
room" for guests off a huge centre hall with a curved wrought iron staircase leading to three
bedrooms, each also with its own bathroom - six bathrooms in all, for two people. White marble
floors throughout. A veranda that ran the length of the house off the master bedroom, and below
along the living room. And servant quarters above the garage. There was James the bearer (or
butler), Cook the cook, and a sweeper, a low-caste Indian who did all the nasty jobs James and
Cook refused to do because of their status. In addition, there was the mali, or gardener, who came
every few days; as did the dhobi, or laundry man, and a night watchman who stood guard from
sunset to sunrise. There were two cars – an Australian white Ford Fairlane sedan and an Indian-
made Ambassador car, both of which were luxuries in a country where the waiting list for an
automobile for the average person was seven years. And, of course, a driver to negotiate Delhi's
chaotic traffic of cars, overloaded buses, horse carts, three-wheeled scooter taxis, dogs, cows,
pedestrians, none of whom seemed to register that there were such things as rules of the road.
I left Delhi in June 1969, after finishing high school, and left Janek and Wanda to their six
bathrooms, innumerable servants, and hectic social life of cocktails and dinner parties. They had
a lot of friends, especially among the European and American diplomatic corps, as well as some
old Indian friends from their first tour with the Polish legation. Janek worked (including travel),
Wanda played tennis and bridge. The "white" transient population in Delhi had enormous privilege
and, in a caste society where status is determined by skin colour, was held in high esteem. It also
didn’t hurt that US dollars went a long way in rupees.
Janek was sent to India, for the second time, in 1968. The first time was as Commercial
Counselor with the Polish Embassy, from 1956 to 1960. This time he was there as Westinghouse
International's vice-president for India, Burma, Nepal & (as it was then) Ceylon. He ran a small
office, with a secretary and a couple of staff, and spent a great deal of time on the road, visiting
various Westinghouse offices and projects around the subcontinent. This Westinghouse was not
the one that people associate with toasters and air conditioners - it was the heavy industry branch
of the company. They built hydroelectric generators and desalinization plants and when we
traveled as a family, we seemed to stop to visit an inordinate number of dams.
Life in India the second time was good. We started off living in a luxury hotel - the Oberoi
Intercontinental, with a fabulous pool where Jan loved to swim and befriended many other expats
and the airline crews who were always passing through. In late fall, Janek and Wanda moved into
a gorgeous white mansion at 4A Maharani Bagh in a brand new development on the southern
outskirts of the city. There were a living room, a dining room, two smaller rooms (each with its own
bathroom) which became his and her studies, a kitchen with a walk-in pantry, a small "powder
room" for guests off a huge centre hall with a curved wrought iron staircase leading to three
bedrooms, each also with its own bathroom - six bathrooms in all, for two people. White marble
floors throughout. A veranda that ran the length of the house off the master bedroom, and below
along the living room. And servant quarters above the garage. There was James the bearer (or
butler), Cook the cook, and a sweeper, a low-caste Indian who did all the nasty jobs James and
Cook refused to do because of their status. In addition, there was the mali, or gardener, who came
every few days; as did the dhobi, or laundry man, and a night watchman who stood guard from
sunset to sunrise. There were two cars – an Australian white Ford Fairlane sedan and an Indian-
made Ambassador car, both of which were luxuries in a country where the waiting list for an
automobile for the average person was seven years. And, of course, a driver to negotiate Delhi's
chaotic traffic of cars, overloaded buses, horse carts, three-wheeled scooter taxis, dogs, cows,
pedestrians, none of whom seemed to register that there were such things as rules of the road.
I left Delhi in June 1969, after finishing high school, and left Janek and Wanda to their six
bathrooms, innumerable servants, and hectic social life of cocktails and dinner parties. They had
a lot of friends, especially among the European and American diplomatic corps, as well as some
old Indian friends from their first tour with the Polish legation. Janek worked (including travel),
Wanda played tennis and bridge. The "white" transient population in Delhi had enormous privilege
and, in a caste society where status is determined by skin colour, was held in high esteem. It also
didn’t hurt that US dollars went a long way in rupees.
The country was governed by the Congress Party, with founding father
Jawarhalal Nehru’s daughter Indira Ghandi as Prime Minister since
1966. Things were initially stable for the most part. Gandhi followed a
leftist philosophy inherited from her socialist father, including a policy
in 1969 of land reform, and ceilings on personal income, private
property, and corporate profits. She also nationalized the major
banks, which put her at odds with the rest of her party. There was
growing nationalistic unrest in the Punjab, with a secession
movement brewing. She went to war against Pakistan in 1971 (and
won) and expelled 10 million Bangladeshi refugees. These things
made her popular with ordinary Indians but raised the ire of various
special interest groups.
Then things turned for the worse: there were crop failures in 1972
and 1973, and skyrocketing world oil prices. Mrs. Gandhi's rule was
challenged by railroad employees’ strikes, a national civil
disobedience campaign, an all-party, no-confidence motion in
Parliament against her, and, finally, a legal judgment that declared
her 1971 election win invalid and barred her from taking her seat for
six years.
Jawarhalal Nehru’s daughter Indira Ghandi as Prime Minister since
1966. Things were initially stable for the most part. Gandhi followed a
leftist philosophy inherited from her socialist father, including a policy
in 1969 of land reform, and ceilings on personal income, private
property, and corporate profits. She also nationalized the major
banks, which put her at odds with the rest of her party. There was
growing nationalistic unrest in the Punjab, with a secession
movement brewing. She went to war against Pakistan in 1971 (and
won) and expelled 10 million Bangladeshi refugees. These things
made her popular with ordinary Indians but raised the ire of various
special interest groups.
Then things turned for the worse: there were crop failures in 1972
and 1973, and skyrocketing world oil prices. Mrs. Gandhi's rule was
challenged by railroad employees’ strikes, a national civil
disobedience campaign, an all-party, no-confidence motion in
Parliament against her, and, finally, a legal judgment that declared
her 1971 election win invalid and barred her from taking her seat for
six years.
Jan on a hunting trip
Jan signs contract to
build a sugar refinery
build a sugar refinery
She thought by sending American businessmen to jail, their home offices would hastily see
things her way and hand over the controlling shares to win their employees' freedom. She
miscalculated. Much to Janek's cost.
He was arrested on trumped up charges of "corruption" - there may indeed have been a few
bribes involved, but that was the cost of doing business in a very corrupt country. There was
even an article in the national slander sheet, Blitz, accusing him of paying out millions. As if.
He was taken from the mansion in Maharani Bagh to Tihar Prison. I don't know the details of the
story: was he handcuffed? Was he allowed to call a lawyer? All I do know is he spent a
miserable night in a cell. Typical of Janek, even that turned into a great story. In the cell next door
was Charles Sobhraj,a notorious French-Vietnamese jewel thief and serial killer who was in
Tihar for the poisoning death one of his robbery victims. Janek realized Sobhraj was living well
on the inside - he had personal servants and food brought in from outside. What he didn't know
at the time was that Sobhraj had smuggled jewels into the prison and used them to attain rajah
status among the inmates.
Janek’s stay in Delhi’s underworld was brief, but there was more to follow. And it was a shock:
Westinghouse flat out abandoned him. Their response to Mrs. Gandhi was essentially: “Do
whatever you want. He doesn’t work for us.” And while the “legal” proceedings were underway –
presumably there was to be a trial – Janek was forbidden to leave India. He would have needed
an exit visa, which was denied.
He was not the only one in this situation. The head of Goodyear suffered a similar fate. And
such was the oppressive atmosphere in Delhi that his Indian friends stopped taking his calls.
I can only imagine Wanda’s response to all this, given her history in German-occupied Poland
and her days under Stalinism. Somehow, entirely to his credit, he managed to persuade the
authorities to let her go. Oh, and take all their belongings with her. As soon as possible, she left
for Virginia, where Adam and Lucy had settled.
Janek was stuck in India alone indefinitely. But he was not without his resources. Among their
American friends was a couple named Arthur and Jean Reppun. They worked for Pan American
airlines in Delhi. Jean, I think, was Australian (one of them was). Through them, Janek
contacted Julek. And asked to borrow his passport.
Julek later told me that the Djament brothers spent a lot of time saving Janek’s ass when they
were growing up. But as soon as the request came in, Julek was there for his younger brother.
He “lost” his passport, which in fact he handed over to Jean to smuggle back to India. And to
make Janek’s Ozziness more convincing, he sent along a traditional khaki bush hat.
Janek thought he and Julek looked sufficiently alike – balding, blue-eyed, only two years apart in
age – that he took the chance of passing himself off as his own brother. He boarded a bus in
Delhi and spent about two horrifying bumpy and noisy days travelling through the Punjab,
probably passing through the Sikh holy city of Amritsar (where Mrs. Gandhi didn’t have many
friends) and crossing the border into Pakistan. Julek’s passport, and the hat that partially
obscured his face worked like a charm; no one at the border post thought to wonder why a 62-
year-old white man was riding the people’s express, and they waved him through.
From there, he went to Lahore, which is a major Pakistani city and caught a plane. He was
gone. Never to return.
Back in New York, he needed to settle his affairs. Westinghouse reached a deal with him: let’s
call it an early retirement, shall we? He didn’t have much choice. He could have launched a
lawsuit against the company for abandoning him in such an ignoble way. But he wasn’t young,
and he certainly did not have deep enough pockets to go against their lawyers. So he accepted
a pension and signed all the papers. And then went down to the D.C. area to join his beloved
Wanda. They bought a house in Fairfax, Virginia, and lived there for more than twenty years,
during which time he was mostly depressed and certainly soured on the idea of American
corporate loyalty.
Janek had proven once again that he was an escape artist: he had escaped Hitler, he had
escaped Stalin, and now he had escaped Indira Gandhi.
— as remembered by Eve
things her way and hand over the controlling shares to win their employees' freedom. She
miscalculated. Much to Janek's cost.
He was arrested on trumped up charges of "corruption" - there may indeed have been a few
bribes involved, but that was the cost of doing business in a very corrupt country. There was
even an article in the national slander sheet, Blitz, accusing him of paying out millions. As if.
He was taken from the mansion in Maharani Bagh to Tihar Prison. I don't know the details of the
story: was he handcuffed? Was he allowed to call a lawyer? All I do know is he spent a
miserable night in a cell. Typical of Janek, even that turned into a great story. In the cell next door
was Charles Sobhraj,a notorious French-Vietnamese jewel thief and serial killer who was in
Tihar for the poisoning death one of his robbery victims. Janek realized Sobhraj was living well
on the inside - he had personal servants and food brought in from outside. What he didn't know
at the time was that Sobhraj had smuggled jewels into the prison and used them to attain rajah
status among the inmates.
Janek’s stay in Delhi’s underworld was brief, but there was more to follow. And it was a shock:
Westinghouse flat out abandoned him. Their response to Mrs. Gandhi was essentially: “Do
whatever you want. He doesn’t work for us.” And while the “legal” proceedings were underway –
presumably there was to be a trial – Janek was forbidden to leave India. He would have needed
an exit visa, which was denied.
He was not the only one in this situation. The head of Goodyear suffered a similar fate. And
such was the oppressive atmosphere in Delhi that his Indian friends stopped taking his calls.
I can only imagine Wanda’s response to all this, given her history in German-occupied Poland
and her days under Stalinism. Somehow, entirely to his credit, he managed to persuade the
authorities to let her go. Oh, and take all their belongings with her. As soon as possible, she left
for Virginia, where Adam and Lucy had settled.
Janek was stuck in India alone indefinitely. But he was not without his resources. Among their
American friends was a couple named Arthur and Jean Reppun. They worked for Pan American
airlines in Delhi. Jean, I think, was Australian (one of them was). Through them, Janek
contacted Julek. And asked to borrow his passport.
Julek later told me that the Djament brothers spent a lot of time saving Janek’s ass when they
were growing up. But as soon as the request came in, Julek was there for his younger brother.
He “lost” his passport, which in fact he handed over to Jean to smuggle back to India. And to
make Janek’s Ozziness more convincing, he sent along a traditional khaki bush hat.
Janek thought he and Julek looked sufficiently alike – balding, blue-eyed, only two years apart in
age – that he took the chance of passing himself off as his own brother. He boarded a bus in
Delhi and spent about two horrifying bumpy and noisy days travelling through the Punjab,
probably passing through the Sikh holy city of Amritsar (where Mrs. Gandhi didn’t have many
friends) and crossing the border into Pakistan. Julek’s passport, and the hat that partially
obscured his face worked like a charm; no one at the border post thought to wonder why a 62-
year-old white man was riding the people’s express, and they waved him through.
From there, he went to Lahore, which is a major Pakistani city and caught a plane. He was
gone. Never to return.
Back in New York, he needed to settle his affairs. Westinghouse reached a deal with him: let’s
call it an early retirement, shall we? He didn’t have much choice. He could have launched a
lawsuit against the company for abandoning him in such an ignoble way. But he wasn’t young,
and he certainly did not have deep enough pockets to go against their lawyers. So he accepted
a pension and signed all the papers. And then went down to the D.C. area to join his beloved
Wanda. They bought a house in Fairfax, Virginia, and lived there for more than twenty years,
during which time he was mostly depressed and certainly soured on the idea of American
corporate loyalty.
Janek had proven once again that he was an escape artist: he had escaped Hitler, he had
escaped Stalin, and now he had escaped Indira Gandhi.
— as remembered by Eve
On June 25, 1975, Mrs. Gandhi declared a State of Emergency and
the government suspended civil rights. She pushed through
amendments to the constitution that exonerated her from any
culpability, and jailed thousands of her opponents.
None of this had any immediate effect on Jan or his work. Until, that
is, she decided to expand her nationalization efforts to include all the
foreign firms in India. Congress made it a condition of doing
business in the country that a company would have to cede a 51%
share to Mrs. Gandhi's government. Needless to say, this did not win
her any friends among the international business community. One by
one, international firms simply closed their offices and withdrew.
Coca Cola was one – after that, you couldn’t get a Coke in India for at
least a decade. When she realized her scheme had backfired, she
decided on a bold move: take hostages.
the government suspended civil rights. She pushed through
amendments to the constitution that exonerated her from any
culpability, and jailed thousands of her opponents.
None of this had any immediate effect on Jan or his work. Until, that
is, she decided to expand her nationalization efforts to include all the
foreign firms in India. Congress made it a condition of doing
business in the country that a company would have to cede a 51%
share to Mrs. Gandhi's government. Needless to say, this did not win
her any friends among the international business community. One by
one, international firms simply closed their offices and withdrew.
Coca Cola was one – after that, you couldn’t get a Coke in India for at
least a decade. When she realized her scheme had backfired, she
decided on a bold move: take hostages.
Indira Gandhi