Information about Members of the Family

last update: 10 September 2001

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Tomasz MineykoC.1

He was born in 1730 and he died in 1834. He married Przesmycka.

He became mayor of Stoklisk township (starostwo stokliskie). At that time, it meant that he controlled the monarch's estates in this region that included mostly big farms. He replaced Jozef Bouffal who served before him. His treatment of peasants and town people was possibly too harsh as after ten years of his management they complained to the local court that Tomasz made too much money for the sovereign and himself.

However in his public life he was much more popular. He was nominated as leader of the landowners in Kowno region in 1785 (pisarz ziemski). He was elected also as a member of Parliament (Seym) into Four Years Seym and became a full member of the Assembly of Friends for the Constitution of May the 3rd. Tomasz served as senator in the Senate Chamber in Warsaw Castle when the Seym (Polish Parliament) voted in the new Constitution on 3 May 1791. He represented the city of Wilno and opposed Hugo Kollontaj's faction that wanted to take away szlachta's (nobles') exclusive voting privileges. Hugo Kollontaj supported the progressive idea that voting powers should be based only on estate ownership, that any heraldic inherited privileges should be eliminated from political life. In this respect, he tried to introduce a capitalistic system similar to the French Revolutionary ideas. Tomasz led the faction that defended szlachta's (nobles') privileges inherited from generation to generation irrespective of the material status of the person. Unfortunately, Tomasz's views were backward. Fortunately for the Polish nation, the Seym voted the most progressive Constitution at that time in Europe. In spite of Tomasz's some reservations towards new constitution, he fully supported it and made a big contribution to it. Anyone who worked on this legal document became a Polish hero forever.

When Russia, Austria and Prussia partitioned Poland, Tadeusz Ksciuszko led the uprising against the invaders. Tomasz Mineyko took an active role in the war. He was even elected to the highest leadership of this uprising. He became a full member of the Central Government of Great Duchy of Lithuania (Deputacja Centralna Wielkiego Ksiestwa Litewskiego). When Russia took over Lithuania the assembly organized in Kowno elected him as chairman of the landowners in Lithuania in 1795.

In 1808, he bought a large estate (about 6,000 hectares) from Dowgiallo, called Dubniki near Wormian that became the most valuable holding in the family for many years.

Because Tomasz was very successful in everything he did many of his descendants were named Tomasz.

Jozef Mineyko D.7

He lived for about 100 years. He served as an officer in Napoleon's army during the French campaign against Russia. He was one of the 98,000 Poles of the Grande Armee that marched into Russia.

Tomasz Mineyko E.1

He was born in 1806 in Dubniki and died there in 1855.

He was a chairman (marshal) of the landlord's association in Wilno province from 1843 to 1846.

He married Emilia Wawrzecka (23 September 1812 - 1 November 1878). She was the daughter of the chairman of the noble association of Braclaw province (Michal Wawrzecki and her mother Lopacinska). As a result of this marriage, Emilia brought into the Mineyko family beautiful estate Widze Lowczyskie, constituting of more than 3,000 hectares.

Tomasz was a very overweight person. At home, he had three special chairs on which he used to sit at the same time. He always had a very good appetite and weighed about 290 kilograms. He moved around only on his horse that accustomed to his master. He liked to hunt rabbits on that horse. He had a very good sense of humor and was a good natured person. He had only one vice, in addition to food: cards. He had a friend who usually won. Once, when they sat down to play cards, Tomasz suggested to his friend that he should take all the money before they start to play because he was going to lose anyway. His friend took all the offered money, which included few heavy bags of silver coins, to make sure that Tomasz would not change his mind. Tomasz laughed.

Tomasz had a close friend, Aleksander Fredro (1793-1876), who was a well-known author. Aleksander's plays were direct descendants of the Polish eighteenth century theater. All are comedies set in the world of the country szlachta (Polish nobles). Aleksander's frequent visits at Tomasz Mineyko's estate influenced his writing.

Zofia Mineyko E.2

Zofia married Karol Bystram who was a chairman of nobleman association of Poniewiez county. He owned the following estates: Bystrampol, Zmujdki, and Nadoki. Zofia brought to the marriage an estate of Upita.

The ancestor of the Bystram family was Jan Kazimierz Bystram who served directly king Wladyslaw IV. Jan Kazimierz was a grandson of Krzysztof who served a prince of Courland, Wilhelm. A monarch granted for his services a land in 1645 (Dwojkonie and Zwirblany). Jan Kazimierz Bystram had two sons: Jan Ewald and Otton Alexander. They had German names because of their German mother who was from the family of von Heyking. Ottonar Alexander went back to Courland. His brother Jan Ewald stayed in Zwirblany, marrying Polish, Anna Swiecicka. Jan Ewald bought two estates called Borklojnie, located in the valley of the river Jody. Later, he divided his estates between his four sons. Boguslaw Kazimierz received villages Dudance, Ulunce and Gautkalnie. Alexander received Kucze and Zambrzyszki. Later, Boguslaw left his estates to his son, Bartlomiej. And Bartlomiej left them to his son, Karol. The estate belonging to Boguslaw was renamed as Bartlomiejow, and then Karolowo. Alexander's son, Andrzej inherited Borklojnie. Andrzej left dividing his estate between his two sons: Kazimierz and Dominik. Dominik was a general in Lithuanian army. Later, Dominik gave his part to his own brother, Kazimierz. The name Borklojnie was changed to Bystrampol, in second half of 18th century. Because, Dominik and Kazimierz died without any descendants, the entire family estate end up in hands of Karol Bystram from Karolow. He had only one son, Karol who married Zofia. In addition, Bystrampol was enlarged by estates left by Biallozor and Tyszkiewicz. When Zofia brought to the marriage estates of Upita and Stulciszki, the estate covered thousands hectares of land.

When a son of Karol and Zofia, Wladyslaw participated in the uprising of 1863, the Russian government arrested Karol and kept him in jail. Also, the authorities took over the entire estate. However, only because of the intervention of a Russian aristocrat friendly with the Bystram family, the government returned estates to the family.

Jozef Wincenty Mineyko E.3

Jozef lived in Wilno and used to look after Zygmunt Mineyko (F.10) who stayed with him whilst at high school. Zygmunt never forgot his uncle hospitality for the rest of his life. Zygmunt moved to Jozef's apartment in 1852 and stayed there for several years.

Stanislaw Jerzy Mineyko E.4

He married Cecylia Chrzczonowicz. Stanislaw died in 1856. Cecylia lived for about 100 years and died in 1900. Stanislaw and Cecylia belonged to the Lutheran church.

The brother of Cecylia's grandmother was Kazimierz Szukiewicz. He was a famous astronomer who worked for the Vilnius University. He did an astronomical research in the beginning of 19th century producing detailed map of stars. He converted this map into a model made of bronze. When Russians took over Lithuania they dissolved the university and stole the model of stars. Kazimierz Szukiewicz sued the Russian government, however he never received back the results of his many years work.

Stanislaw was the owner of the estate Balwaniszki located in nearby town Oszmiana. His grave can still be found in Wilno cemetery.

Bronislaw Mineyko F.2

Bronislaw was born on 1 April 1846 and died on 27 October 1887. He graduated from the Landowners Institute (Szlachecki Instytut) in Wilno. Later he graduated from the Technological Institute of St. Petersburg in Chemistry.

In 1863 when he was only 17 years old he took part in the uprising against Russia joining the Feliks Wysloluch's group (Reds with leftist orientation). He fought in Swieciany and Troki region. After Russians suppressed the uprising, he looked after the family estate and was a great lover of horses.

He married Countess Anna Morykoni (1854-1937), daughter of Lucjan Morykoni and Ludwika (maiden name: Ledochowska).

Gerard Mineyko F.7

Gerard Mineyko was born in 1830. He graduated in law from the Moscow University. He did not engage in political activities. He focused on studying. After graduation, he started teaching at high school in Lida, in Belarus. However, the board of education reasigned him to high school in Archangelsk on 31 May 1856, were they promoted him to a more senior teaching position. He was hoping to get an assignment closer to the Lithuanian soil. He asked the St. Petersburg's board of education boss, count Delanow, for an assignment at high school in Mohylev, Belarus. The boss rejected his pleas. He remained in Archangelsk for the rest of his life. He married the daughter of Peter Beklemiszew. Beklemiszew was famous for his participation in an expedition of F. Bellinsghausen and N. Lazarew that reached Antarctica. At that time, Archangelsk was a small town with 20,000 inhabitants. However, people were brave and open minded. Gerard lectured law and history at the high school. He gained a high authority in the town. However his interest was rather in science than in teaching. He cooperated in research with Archangelsk Statistical Committee since November of 1864 for more than 25 years. Eventually, he became a chairman of that organization. His achievements were mostly in geographical and economic research using modern statistical analysis. He developed a network of village teachers who supplied him with data. His publications became known even outside of Russia.

At that time, Karl Marx could read well in Russian. Some of his corespondents, knowing this fact, sent to him many Russian publications. He was mostly interested in statistical, agrarian and economic issues from Russia. He had noticed publications of the Archangelsk Statistical Committee, and especially publications of Gerard Mineyko (and his student, A. Jefimienko). Marx made some comments that Russia may not be ready for revolution because of her social environment. Gerard's publications might have played some role in his conclusions. However, Gerard Mineyko did not engage in any political activity. He was not a Marxist.

Gerard died on 19 August 1889. However, his family continued a contribution to the Russian science.

Eustachy Mineyko

He was born in 1838. He married Stefania Gan whose family name was derived from Khan, who descended from the Mongols and came to Lithuania when the Mongols invaded Russia in the 13th century.

He took part in the uprising of 1863 against Russia. He was court marshalled and sentenced to 12 years hard labour in the Penzen region of Siberia. As he had problems with his eyesight throughout his life, he was unable to escape as therefore had to serve the entire term of his sentence. Subsequently he returned to Lithuania and devoted himself to the administration of the family estate of Balwaniszki.

Zygmunt Mineyko

He was born in 1840 in Balwaniszki and died in Athens, Greece in 1925, and was married to Prozerpina Manaris, the daughter of a high school principal, in Ionina, Greece.

He had an extraordinary life and became sort of a family hero, as a result of which many of his descendents were named Zygmunt after him.

In 1858, Zygmunt moved to St. Petersburg. His brother-in-law, Aleksander Tydman was a close relative of the Russian general Franz-Edward Iwanowicz Todtleben (1818-1884). Todtleben made his mark in the Crimean War (1853-56, between Great Britain, France, Turkey, and Sardinia against Russia), especially during the battle for Sewastopol. Edward Todtleban helped Zygmunt enroll into the best Military Academy in Russia, the commandant of which was the Emperor himself, Aleksander II. Zygmunt received the best military education possible in Russia at that time.

He spent only a few years in this Academy. He returned to Lithuania and joined the underground movement against Russia, as a result of which he had to flee the country. He escaped to Italy where he enrolled at the Military School in Genoa (established in 1861 by Garibaldi, who was very supportive of the Polish cause at that time). This school trained Polish volunteers for a future uprising in Poland against occupying Russian, German-Prussian and Austrian Forces. Subsequently, Zygmunt lectured on the subject of war fortifications.

He left a couple of years later in order to join the Polish uprising (1863). He took part in the first battle, led by Marian Langewicz in Galicia, near the village of Grochowiska, on 18 March 1863. Although they won the battle against the Russians, the campaign failed, and Zygmunt escaped through Prussia, to Lithuania. He organized and led a partisan group of 28 young militants. In the first battle, nearby the village of Rosoliszki, about 65 kilometers from Oszmiana, they lost against the Russian regular troops, with only one fatal casualty - Polonski. Zygmunt managed to escape again, and found shelter under a forest ranger's roof. The ranger however betrayed him. The Russian police captured him and imprisoned in Wilno, and a court marshal sentenced him to death by hanging. Zygmunt's mother Cecylia, begged the Empress of Russia to change the verdict, in this she had the support of Todtleben. However, the Empress rejected her pleas. At that, Cecylia bribed generals Wiesielecki and Murawjew with 9,000.00 rubles (at that time, an enormous sum), and generals reduced the sentence to 12 years hard labour in the mines of Siberia.

All prisoners had to walk thousands of kilometers to Siberia. On the way, Zygmunt met French prisoners, similarly sentenced for their part in the support of the Polish uprising of 1863. Russians sent them to work in mines as well and Zygmunt met them nearby the city of Perm. He memorized all their names, in the hope that one day he maybe able to pass this information to the French authorities.

Whilst on this journey between Tobolsk and Tomsk, his close friend Strumillo died of Typhus. Strumillo's sentence was much lighter than Zygmunt's. Russians sent him there only for the settlement. Because Strumillo resembled Zygmunt in age and appearance, Zygmunt successfully switched identity. He ended up in Tomsk almost a free person. There he started up his own business making fur hats, pillows, and artificial flowers. The business was so successful that before long he had contracts to decorate the houses of the richest families in town! Soon he saved enough money to finance his escape. He bought a wagon and horses, the necessary food supplies, and together with two friends dr. Okinczyc and Waszkiewicz escaped through Moscow and St. Petersburg back to Western Europe. The escape was full of strange adventures, sufficient to qualify a separate novel. Whilst in St. Petersburg, police secret agent Plaksin helped him on the final lap to Western Europe.

Zygmunt left St. Petersburg on an English ship under the name of count von Mebert. Initially, he spent a few months in Holland. Later, he moved to Paris where found his way to the Emperor Napoleon III and passed the list of the imprisoned French freedom fighters working in Siberia. When Alexander II of Russia visited France in 1868, Napoleon III brought up the subject of the French prisoners in Siberia. The Emperor of Russia could not deny the list of specific names. He promised to free them. Shortly Russians liberated all the French prisoners and they met Zygmunt whom they had never forgotten. As a reward, the French government let Zygmunt study for free in the best Military Academy. He graduated with a degree in civil engineering and as a result, he had no problems making an honest living. He specialized in the construction of bridges, roads and rail roads.

Eventually he went to Turkey and then he moved to Greece where he spent the rest of his life. He helped Greece in the wars against Turkey in 1896, 1897 and 1912. For example, he prepared the plans for capturing the city of Janina from the enemy. In the 1912 war, these plans were crucial in achieving a victory. King Konstantin (1868-1923) decorated Zygmunt with the highest medals for his service to the country (1917 and 1922). He also worked in the Greek government administration. He was a manager of engineering department of Greek army. The Greek Parliament in 1910 conferred an honorary citizenship on him. It is interesting that he was also the first Polish sports correspondent for the Olympic Games in Athens. He was a correspondent of "Dziennik Polski". He deposited his memoirs and articles in the Library of Jagielonian University.

Zygmunt also had some achievements in archeological research. He discovered the ancient temple of Dodona near the city of Janina. The cult that came from Egypt had priests called Selloi, who practised their rites in ancient Greece. They led a very Spartan life, slept on bare soil, never washed, and tried to interpret God's will from the humming of oak leaves.

Zygmunt was also a prominent Freemason. A Loge called Vox Ukrainia, belonging to the Grand Orient du Russie initiated him. Later he became a member of the Grand Orient de France, of the Grand Orient d’Italie and of the Loges Panhellenion and Pythagoras of the Grande Loge de Grece, where he was extremely active. He also belonged to the Supreme Counsel of Greece of the Masonic Old and Accepted Scottish Rites. When he died, thousands of Masons came to his funeral in Athens.

Albertyna Mineyko F.11

She was born in 1837 and married Aleksander Tydman, who was a Courland noble (he was German). Before she was married, she was very active in subversive activities against the Russian government. Aleksander Tydman was a colonel in the army. He died from cholera in Rewel in Latvia. Aleksander's sister married a Polish lawyer Selens in Wilno.

Julia Mineyko F.12

She was beautiful, liked to wear dresses in the Polish national colors (white and red), used to sing Polish patriotic songs in church. She had a very good voice. She died at the age of 17 years, committing suicide.

Rosalia Mineyko F.13

She married Zasimowski late in life.

She remained single for many years because of some extraordinary events. Her brother Zygmunt witnessed the death of his close friend, Strumillo who asked Zygmunt to send to his mother a Bible and a last message. Before Zygmunt left Russia, he sent the Bible and the last message (from Strumillo) through his mother Cecylia to Strumillo’s mother. The event created a very close friendship between the Mineyko and the Strumillo families.

Rosalia fell in love with the younger son of Strumillo. However, the boy was not wealthy and did not have a higher education. He only had a high school diploma. Both families suggested him to go to St. Petersburg and bribe some officials there in order to obtain a government position in Wilno. Cecylia gave him a couple thousand rubles for this. The young Strumillo went to St. Petersburg and a year later he came back assuring everybody that he had achieved this goal. Both families arranged a wedding.

When Rosalia was waiting at the church, her fiance (Strumillo) did not show up. The families went back to Strumilo's home to see what had happened. They found Strumillo dead, he shot himself leaving a note that he spent the rubles in St. Petersburg without securing his and Rosalia's future and that he could never look her in the face again.

Rosalia remained in mourning for many years wearing only black clothes and thought only of Strumillo for a very long time. Eventually, she married Zasimowski.

Jozef Mineyko G.1

He was born on 22 March 1879 in Dubniki. He received a basic education at home. He went to a high school in Poniewieze. After two years he switched to Wojciech Gorski's private school in Warsaw. He attended there until 1897. However he graduated with a high school diploma in 1898, Wilno. He started his studies at the Riga Polytechnic University in autumn of 1898 and graduated with diploma in Business. During his studies he traveled with his brother to Western Europe. He had training on the job at the Wilno Commerce Bank in 1900. He married a Russian woman, Natalia Matwiejewna Maszewska. At that time Russia did not allow mixed marriages. He and his wife had to leave Russia. They went to Geneva, Switzerland. After short studies at university and short training he started work at Credit Lyonnais bank. When Russia changed the law regarding mixed marriages, he and his wife went back to Dubniki, Lithuania in 1905. They lived together with Jozef's mother. For a short time, Jozef went to Riga to get experience in banking at the Russian State Bank arranged by his father in law. Having this experience, Jozef moved with family to Wilno. He initiated and organized Wilno's Cooperative Credit Union. He remained a director of this institution until 1917. He also became a representative of the First Russian Insurance Company.

After the First World War, when Poland was liberated, Jozef's family moved to Warsaw. They spent only summers in Dubniki. They looked after with care the forest farm in Osinowka. This included a lumber business which Jozef owned in Wilno.

Jozef worked as an executive of the Eastern Bank in Warsaw since 1920. He became a director of the Landowners Bank in 1922. Later he also became a director of Warsaw department of the Wilno's Industrial-Agriculture Bank. Then he became a loan director of the Ordynacja Zamojska's bank in 1932. In addition, he was a member of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farm Reform.

Jozef's family spent the Second World War in Warsaw. They went through the Warsaw uprising and ended up in Proszkow camp (like many others). After the war they lived in Warsaw. Jozef worked in the Commerce Bank from 1949 to 1957.

He died on 3 September 1970.

Wladyslaw Mineyko G.2

He was born in 1876 and he died in 1952. He went to schools in Poniewiez, Wilno and Warsaw. He studied also in Mitawa. Then he looked after the estate of Widze Lowczynskie that he inherited from his father. For a short period of time he worked for Wilno's Co-op Credit Union. He spent the Second World War in Wilno. After the war he moved to Warsaw and stayed with daughters where he died.

Ludwik Mineyko G.3

He was born in 1883 and lived with his mother well into his adult life. He went to school in Warsaw. He finished an agriculture at the Agriculture Academy in Dublany and managed the family estate of Dubniki. He lived there with his mother, her sister and then with his wife, Jozefa Vismin. Bolsheviks shot him in 1920. His wife died in 1970.

Maria Mineyko G.4

She was born in 1880, died in 1978 and married to Mieszkuc. She studied visual arts at the Academy of Arts. She used to paint pictures. She had her last exhibition in Warsaw when she was almost 100 years old, just before her death. After the Second World War she lived in the city of Lodz. Her husband also had an education in Arts and used to teach visual arts at high school in Oszmiana before the Second World War. Occupants shot him in the back and killed him in 1941 whilst he was cycling and did not hear a German soldier ordering him to stop.

Roman Mineyko G.6

His date of birth is unknown and he died in 1918. He married Helena Zwolinska who was born in 1891 and died in 1948. Roman had a university degree in agriculture. Before World War I he managed a large estate - Uszyce - near Kamieniec Podolski in the Ukraine that belonged to a wealthy count. After the Russian October Revolution most of the wealthy landowners were in danger of loosing their lives. One day some of the revolutionary soldiers came to the house and assumed that Roman was the wealthy count, no explanation to the contrary would do. Roman had his 5 years old son Zygmunt (H.16) in his arms, and his wife Helena as well as his other children standing next to him. The soldiers took young Zygmunt away from his arms and shot Roman in front of the family.

After the execution his wife Helena together with her 4 children left Ukraine and returned to the family estate Balwaniszki, Lithuania. The Mineyko family had divided the estate Balwaniszki between Helena and her brother-in-law Zygmunt Mineyko (G.8) and both of them had to gradually buy it off their uncle Zygmunt (F.10) from Greece. She became the owner of the Ozyszki estate comprising of approximately 120 hectares. She built a new house and supplemented her income from the estate by teaching in the local village school.

In 1940 Russians deported her to Kazakhstan to a little village called Kirylowka together with her daughter-in-law Wladyslawa and her 4 years old granddaughter Basia. A few years later, she tried to escape to Teheran in Iran. However she missed the train answering a call of nature, she also lost all her documents and possessions. Somehow later she managed to return to Lithuania and eventually was re-united with her son (Zygmunt H.16) in Poland, but died soon after in Gizycko due to exhaustion.

Zygmunt Mineyko G.8

He was born in 1886 and died in 1975 in the city of Gdansk. He married Stanislawa Walicka who died in 1978. Zygmunt was the last owner of the Mineyko estate, Balwaniszki. He had a university degree in agriculture, spent most of his life tending this estate. During the Second World War he played an active role in the partisan's movement against Soviet and German invaders.

Andromacha Mineyko G.10

She married count Karol Potocki who was born in 1869. He was the son of Nikodem and Ludwika (nee Jablonowska) and belonged to the famous Potocki family that produced no less than thirty-five senators, three Hetmans and one Field-Hetman in under two hundred years. One of his ancestors fought in the battle of Vienna between Ottoman Empire and the united forces of Europe. She died in November of 1939 in Bursztyn near Rohatyn.

Zofia (Sophi) Mineyko G.11

She was born in 1883 and died at the age of 97 on 27 August 1981. She was always interested in Polish affairs. She married Georgios Papandreou who became the prime minister of Greece, and subsequently their son Andreas also became a prime minister. She inherited the beautiful house from her father, Zygmunt Mineyko, located in Athens. She left this house in her will to her beloved grandchildren.

Georgios (George) Papandreou

He was born in 1888, in Kaletzi, Achaia, Greece and Sophie Mineyko was his first wife. He died in 1968 in Athens. He was elected as prime minister in 1944-5 and in 1963-5.

He studied at the Faculty of Law, the University of Athens and did his postgraduate work in Germany.

He started his political work under influence of Liberal politician Eleftherios Venizelos. When he was 27 years old he became an administrator of the island Lesbos. Two years later he became the general governor of the island Chios and served as governor of the Aegean islands from 1917 to 1920.

George P. became a member of parliament in 1923, elected in Mytilini. From 1930 to 1932 he served as a minister of education and initiated the first very successful school building program.

In 1930s he lost confidence in Venizelos' polices and started his own Democratic Socialist Party. When the fascist dictatorship of Metaxas took over the government, he fled from Greece. For short period of time the government imprisoned him. Eventually, he went to the Middle East.

In October 1944, he became the first prime minister after the liberation of Greece. His success over communist movement was only possible because of the support that he got from Winston Churchill and British forces. He was extreme anti-Communist and became the target of the communist uprising that increased in December 1944. British helped his government to survive. However, to pacify populist sentiments General Nikolas Plastiras replaced him as prime minister.

In 1950, George founded the Georgios Papandreou Party. He even formed the government for short period of time (1950-1). In the election of 1952 he was elected as independent. Then he joined the Liberal Party as a new leader. He formed the Centre Union in 1961. He questioned the legitimacy of the right's victory. He tried very hard to overturn the results. He was a master of political rhetoric. His actions undermined the right political forces. As a result, he won the victory in November 1963. Konstantinos Karamanlis' Radical Union lost. He repeated the success in February 1964 (53% of the popular vote). This time the success was huge.

His government achieved a lot, especially in the area of education which was George's favorite. However, his government was plagued with problems relating to the crises in Ciprus. George disagreed with the monarch Constantine II and insisted that the government should control the defense ministry, not the sovereign. In spite of these problems, he demanded a new election. The new election was scheduled for May 1967. Everybody expected him to win.

However, the military coup took over the government on 21 April 1967 and spent rest of his life under house arrest. His funeral attended by huge crowds was a big manifestation of nation's desire for freedom and it paved the route for George's son, Andreas real resistance to the dictatorship.

Stanislaw Mineyko G.12

He was born in 1875 and died in 1924. He had a Ph.D. degree in medicine specializing in Pediatrics. He served in the Greek army. He died in Saloniki, Greece as a result of a disease that he contracted when he treated wounded soldiers. He published many of his works and poems.

Jadwiga Mineyko G.14

She was born in 1886 and died in 1932. She married prince Stanislaw Maria Ludwik Maciej Jablonowski. Stanislaw was born on 24 February 1879 in Bursztyn Palace and died on 28 August 1921.

Stanislaw was a direct descendant of Stanislaw Jablonowski who led the Polish infantry and cavalry. He played a crucial role in the battle of Vienna between Turkey and the European forces on 12 September 1683. He swept the enemy through the Vienna Woods.

The family Jablonowski was one of the most famous families in Poland.

Wielki Koronny Hetman Prince Stanislaw Jablonowski (1634-1702) cavalry leader at Vienna was the grandfather of King Stanislaw I Leszczynski. He was also the great-grandfather of Queen Marie of France, wife of Louis XV. He was thus also the ancestor of Kings Louis XVII, Louis XVIII and Charles X along with almost all the 19th and 20th century Catholic crowned heads of Europe. Stanislaw Jablonowski was British King Charles II's proxy at the Christening of Jan III Sobieski's daughters. Charles was the godfather to Sobieski's younger daughter.

Hetman's son Jan Stanislaw Jablonowski was the husband of Jeanne Marie de Bethune. Her mother, Marie-Louise de la Grange d'Arquien, (wife of Francois de Bethune, Louis IV's ambassador to Poland) was the sister of Queen Marie-Casimire of Poland, wife of Jan III Sobieski. Through this link the Jablonowski family was very close cousins with both the Sobieski and the English Stuart dynasty--Princess Maria Sobieska married James "III" Stuart, the Old Pretender.

Hetman's grand-daughter, Marie-Louise Jablonowska, Princesse de Talmont, was the first public mistress of Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) who was also her second cousin. She also had an affair with King Stanislaw I Leszczynski as did her sister Katarzyna Ossolinska, nee Jablonowska.

Prince Maurycy Jablonowski's (1809-1868) mother-in-law had been married to Prince Lucien Bonaparte, brother of Emperor Napoleon I.

Princess Maria Jablonowska (1863-1914) married Maurice Bernhardt the son of the world famous actress and legend, Sara Bernhardt. Sara had had affairs with many powerful men including King Edward VII. Maurice's father was the Prince de Ligne.

Cecylia Mineyko G.16

She spent most of her life in the U.S.A. and married John Wilhelm Quinn who was Irish and came from the old Irish Royal family. He was a professor at the Washington University.

Aldona-Safo Mineyko G.17

She married an officer from the Greek Army, Livertan. Turks killed her husband during the war in 1912.

Kazimierz Mineyko G.18

His Greek name was Euthimios Casimir Mineikos. He was born in 1893 and became the president of the Polish-Greek Trade Council in Athens. He married Merope Catsaros. She was born in Smyrna in 1903. She was the youngest daughter of Anthony Catsaros, and important businessman and also owner and chief editor of a satirical and political newspaper “O Kopanos - The Knocker”. To realize the influence of the Greek press of Smyrna (in the first quarter of XX century) someone has to take into consideration that Smyrna in 1922, the last year of Greek rule, was Greece’s most populous city. It was much larger than Athens or any other city at that time.

After his death, he was buried in the same cemetery as his father, Zygmunt Mineyko(F.10) and his brother Stanislaw Mineyko(G.12).

Maria Szetkiewicz G.19

She was born in 1854, and died at the young age of 31, as a result of TB, leaving two young children with her husband Henryk Sienkiewicz. Her mother Wanda Mineyko (F.4) together with Henryk raised them.

Henryk Sienkiewicz

He was born on 5 May 1846 in Wola Okrzejska, in Eastern Poland. He died in Vevey in Switzerland on 15 November 1916. He has written many novels. He came from noble family, however a relatively poor one. He went to high school in Warsaw in 1855, then he studied in Business School in 1866. Because he had to work, he quit university in 1872. He worked as a journalist from 1872 to 1887. In the beginning he worked as a reporter and later became a co-owner of the newspaper "Slowo". He spent years 1876-78 in America, mostly in California. He returned to Europe in 1879.

In the years' 1880-1885, he went with his wife, Marynia to many Austrian, Italian and French sanatoriums trying to cure her TB. Unfortunately, nothing really helped.

He liked to travel. In 1886, he went to Constantinople, Athens, Naples and Rome. In 1888, he went to Spain and at the end of 1890 he went shooting in Zanzibar, Africa.

He has become the best known Polish author. For his book “Quo Vadis”, he was awarded the Nobel prize in 1905.

When the First World War started, he went to Switzerland. There with the help of A. Osuchowski and Ignacy Paderewski, he became the chairman of the Committee (for the Victims of War in Poland).

He was politically active even as a young journalist. He helped establish the first museum in Warsaw, supported the idea of building a Mickiewicz monument. In his political statements he criticized Prussian anti-Polish policies. During the 1905 revolution, he supported Polish independence under the leadership of Polish National Democratic Party. His political views were conservative.

He became known in Poland after he wrote "With Fire and Sword". When he followed this novel with sequels ("The Deluge" and "Pan Wolodyjowski") which formed "Trilogy" his novels became almost a kind of Bible for Polish society. "Trilogy" became a national best-seller and stayed at the top of the charts in Poland for 100 years. The "Trilogy" helped determine the soul and character of Polish nation. There are not similar novels written for other nations. It is truly unique. "With Fire and Sword" is a story of love and commitments, adventure and treason set against violent Bohdan Hmyelnitzki's Cossack revolt. He introduced in his novel a hero named Zagloba. Zagloba became a very popular image of Polish folk and in many ways reflected his father in law, Kazimierz Szetkiewicz (1827-1898).

Sienkiewicz is the best known outside Poland for his novel "Quo Vadis". He finished this novel in 1895. His friend H. Siemiradzki, a painter influenced his creativity. He described Rome at time of Nero and reflected a relationship between Rome, the capital of Europe at that time, and Christianity, a new religion. Sienkiewicz has shown a pagan world of Rome in a very visual way. He painted a picture using words instead of pencil and paint. His descriptions are full of details making visual impressions on readers. He connected history of Poland with Christianity, introducing Siliesian beauty, Ligia into the book.

The other novel, which also had an enormous impact on the Polish nation, was "The Teutonic Knights". It was historical novel. Sienkiewicz described crucial events from times of Ladislaus (Wladyslaw) Jagiello, monarch's policy, influence of Western culture over Polish, the process of conversion of knighthood into noble class, waking up of the Polish nation and defeat of Teutonic Knights. The description of the battle of Grunvald (Tannenberg) showed that the defeat of Teutonic Knights by Poles was an expression of justice and was necessary in order to retain independence and dignity. The success was only possible as a result of the united effort of the entire nation. The novel reflected historical details to such an extent that most characters are very believable.

Sienkiewicz wrote many other novels. He remains the most widely read novelist in Poland and helped shape the Polish nation.

Jadwiga Szetkiewicz G.19

She was born in 1856 and died in 1941. She married Edward Franciszek Janczewski-Glinka, professor of Jagiellonian University of Cracow. He was born on 14 December 1846 in Blinstrubiszkach. He died on 17 July 1918 in Cracow. At the beginning he worked in France. He became a professor of plant anatomy and physiology in 1875 at the Jagiellonian University, Cracow. His works included the discovery of how plant roots grow. His works published in 1889-92 initiated genetic research in the area of plants. He also researched mushrooms. In recognition of his work, he was awarded the Prix de Candolle (a Swiss award). He was interested in plants of Lithuania.

Jadwiga Tydman G.21

She died in 1900 in Murowana Oszmianka. She married Franciszek Blazejewicz (1848-1939). He was the owner of the farm Lubciszki (about 60 hectares) which was estimated at 17,149 zlotys in 1927 (with 10,000 zlotys of mortgage). The farm was 49 kilometers from Wilno and 15 kilometers from Oszmiana. Franciszek used to build rail roads and he also was a honey producer. When he died he was buried along side his wife.

Piotr Mineyko G.32

He was born in 1868 in Archangelsk and died in 1920, probably Bolsheviks killed him. Peter Mineyko was an engineer in Archangelsk, Russia. He built seaports of far North. For example, he has designed a shipyard in Solombal where small ships were built. This shipyard was open on 7 September 1911. The family Mineyko of Archangielsk collected a library of 80,000 books. They had become truly the center of a cultural life of Archangielsk before the October Revolution.

Adolf Mineyko G.38

He was born in 1850. When he was a 55 years old widower Adolf married Stefania Iwaszewska on 1 March 1905. Stefania was married before and her maiden name was Tullowska. She was born in 1871. Her father was Wincenty Iwaszewicz and her mother was Elzbieta, maiden name Milaszwicz. Police wanted Adolf and he left his home on 9 November 1906 and his faith remained unknown.

Michal Prot Mineyko G.40

His father and mother are not known. He married Prakseda, a Russian woman. However, his descendants are aware of belonging to the Mineyko family. The addition "Prot" was given because so many other members of the family had a name Michal. Michal-Prot was a musician. He owned an orchestra company. He traveled to many cities in Russia giving many concerts. He also taught music. He gave concerts in Baku, Dniepropietrovsk, Vladykaukaz, Moscow and St. Petersburg. He had some connections with the tsar court. He was arrested during the October Revolution, he rejected any cooperation with the Bolsheviks, and he died in jail in 1920. After his death, Prakseda escaped from Moscow to Poland with her five children. However, she soon died as well. Her children ended up in an orphanage in Warsaw. They remembered that their family also was related to the French prime minister, George Pompidour.

Zofia Mineyko - sister Maria Amata H.2

She was born in 1906 in Wilno and spent her childhood in the same city. She went to high school in Szymanow (from 1918 to 1924). Then she studied a two year course in Jazlowiec (1924-1926). She graduated with a high school diploma in Szymanow in 1936 when she was already a nun. Zofia joined the Order of Immaculate Sisters on 21 October 1927 in Jazlowiec. She was fully accepted as nun on 16 July 1926. Then, she went through the final ceremony of belonging to the order on 2 July 1935.

When she became a nun she was teaching French in Jazlowiec for 4 years and then was teaching a religion in Nizniow from 1932 to 1933. Tehn, she was reassigned for next four years to Szymanow where she was teaching again religion and was also responsible for a general schooling. In mean time, she upgraded her education. She had finished Higher Teaching Course in Jazlowiec, 1931 and the Religious Course in Szymanow, 1934. She was a principal in a school dormitory for 17 years: in Jaroslaw (1936-1939), in Szymanow (1940-1945), in Walbrzych (1949-1951), and in Warsaw (1951-1953).

She became a superior of the order in Jaroslaw (from October 1959 until July 1963), and in Nowy Sacz (until August 1968). She went to Szczecinek in October 1969 where she taught religion and again managed the nun order in years 1975- 1977, and moved to Szymanow in 1977 where she stayed until her death. She looked after sick people, helped those who were alone, especially in surrounding villages. Sister Amanta always kept in touch with her many previous students. At the end, she got sick herself with Alzheimer’s disease.

She was a deeply religious person all her life.

Tomasz Mineyko H.6

He was born in 1901 in Lithuania and died in 1972 in England. In 1933 he married countess Anna Kossakowska. He was an officer in one of the elite cavalry regiment - 1st Krechowiecki Lancers in Augustow and commanded the regiment’s 1st squadron. He graduated from the Higher School of Warfare and was destined for eventual regimental command. When World War II broke out, he served in the September campaign, and his regiment was the last to be taken prisoner of war on Polish soil. When the regiment became a part of the General Kleeberg’s forces, the regimental colours were buried in a spout artillery shell at the cross section of woods (so as not to fall with enemy hands). Tomasz was one of only 3 officers made privy its location. He spent the War in Offlag VIIA in Murnan (Germany) and was in charge of the secret radio transmitter. At one stage when the regimental C.O. was killed in action he took over the command of the regiment. After the war he was promoted to Lt. Colonel and decorated with Polish highest military medal the Virtuti Military, among others, for his actions during the war. He is buried in London Abbot Daron in England.

Anna Mineyko (Hania)

She was born countess Kossakowska in 1910 in Poland, and married Tomasz Mineyko (H.6) in 1933. In April 1940, together with her twins Michal (I.7) and Maria (I.8), her orderly mother (75 years old) and an older sister Lili, she was sentenced to 5 years hard labour. Russians deported them to Kazakhstan in Siberia. At that time, Hania had a third child Aleksander (Alek) who was only 5 months old and had to be left behind. In 1942 she managed to escape with the twins and her mother to Teheran in the Middle East. In Teheran she worked first for the Americans and subsequently in the Polish Consulate in the department of culture. In 1945 together with her twins she went via Iraq and Damascus to Beirut where she essentially worked for the British Military authorities, and saw the end of World War II there. At Christmas 1945 she briefly reunited with her husband, but shortly after he had to leave to rejoin his unit. From August to October 1946, she went via Egypt, Italy, Germany and France and eventually arrived in England in October 1946 where she once again reunited with her husband. Finally in 1958 her youngest son Alek came to join the family in England. She lived in Hampton Abbot, Devon in south west England. She died in 2000.

Temira Teresa Mineyko H.10

Her nickname was Mirka. She was born in 1920 and she died in 1987. When Mirka went to high school in Wilno she had two close girl friends: Zofia Hermanowicz born in 1921 and Mimi (Maria) Stankiewicz born in 1919. Zofia and Mimi were sisters.

Before the Second World War, Mirka grew up in her estate in Dubniki. After the War she moved with her mother, Jozefa Mineyko (maiden name Vismin) to Warsaw. They lived at address Mokotowska 40. The apartment at Mokotowska 40 belonged to them, however communists had taken it away from them. The authorities let them occupy only one room in the three bedroom apartment. She lived at Mokotowska until her departure to Sweden on 9 may 1958. She married count Maurycy Bosak Hauke in 1950.

Anna Mieszkuc H.11

She grew up in the town of Oszmiana. She married Piotr Hertel and lives near Warsaw. Her husband, Piotr Hertel, used to work for the Ministry of Culture in Poland.

Irena Mieszkuc H.12

She grew up in the town of Oszmiana. She married Stanislaw Kucza-Kuczynski.

When the Soviets took over Oszmiana, Russians arrested him for activities in the resistance movement. In 1941, when war broke out between the Soviet Union and Germany, the jail where he served his term was evacuated, and he was taken to eastern Russia. However, on the way Germans surrounded the transport. The KGB officers tried to kill some prisoners in order to make the evacuation easier. One officer read the names of the prisoners to be shot. He read the name Stanislaw Kucza-Kuczynski in between the other names. However, Stanislaw pretended that he was not there. For some unknown reason, the officer did not repeat his name. Stanislaw escaped sure death. This event occurred in the town of Stara Wilejka. Later, he ended up in the Moscow jail. There were rumors that he came back to Lithuania during the war and that he got shot. Anyway, he did not survive the Second World War.

Stanislawa Mineyko H.14

She was born in 1917. She married Ignacy Nowicki. He was born in 1904 and died in 1977. Ignacy Nowicki had a university degree in agriculture.

Mieczyslaw Mineyko H.15

He was born in 1915 and died in 1980. Completed an Air Force Cadets at Bydgoszcz, Poland from October 10, 1932 to June 20, 1935. Before the outbreak of the World War II he lived at Ozyszki on the family farm, near Oszmiana and Wilno. As a part of 5 Air Regiment he fought in the campaign in Poland from 1 September 1939 to 18 September 1939. Russians captured him, held him prisoner and deported to labour camp in USSR in 1939/40. Soviets released him on amnesty via Murmansk, USSR. He arrived to the United Kingdom and joined the Polish Air Force under British command at RAF Kirkham. He served in the trades of aircraft hand and electrician in the United Kingdom until finally discharged. Assigned to the Polish Air Force Depot Blackpool on November 22, 1941. Attached to the No.14 School of Technical Training on February 5, 1942. He was a part of the No.307 Polish Night Fighter Squadron, the No.305 Polish Bomber Squadron, the No. 3129 and the No. 6305 Servicing Echelons in support of operational flights in defence of the United Kingdom and over the Continent (North-West Europe) from June 24, 1944 to July 17, 1944 respectively. Re-assigned to the Polish Air Force Depot Blackpool on July 17, 1944. He was posted to the Reserve Squadron, Polish Air Force Depot on 18 July 1944, and then enlisted with the Polish Resettlement Corps. Once his plane was shot down, but he survived (in spite of his injuries). After the war he came to Toronto, Canada where he worked in the optical manufacturing business, and he is buried there.

Zygmunt Mineyko H.16

He was born in 1912 in Mohylew Podolski, in Ukraine.

As a five years old boy, he witnessed his father's execution (Roman G.6) by revolutionary soldiers committed in 1918. His widowed mother took him and his siblings from Uszyce to the family estate of Balwaniszki, Lithuania (in 1920).

He remembers the visit of his grand uncle, Zygmunt Mineyko(F.10) from Greece.

He attended secondary school in the town of Oszmiana. Then, he went to agriculture school in Bukiszkach, near the city of Wilno.

In 1934 he was drafted into the Polish Army (prior to the Second World War part of Lithuania, including Wilno, was Polish territory) and was assigned to the Third Polish Tank Battalion, stationed at Warsaw. Around this time he married Wladyslawa Gan who descended from the same family as the wife of Eustachy Mineyko(F.9). His first daughter Barbara (I.15) was born in 1936. In 1939, Germans captured him as a member of the Polish Army (at Piaski near the city of Lublin). Within a few days he managed to escape to Russian occupied territory and worked as a truck driver in the town of Poniewierz.

Russians deported his mother, wife and young daughter to Siberia. At this time, in 1940, the Russians allied with the Germans and occupied the eastern half of Poland.

After the Germans invaded Poland and declared war on the Soviet Union, Zygmunt returned to the family farm of Ozyszki, where he joined the underground Polish Home Army. Among other tasks, the duty of the Polish Home Army was to identify collaborators with the Gestapo (Nazi secret police) and if possible eliminate them. Zygmunt with his fellow freedom fighters was given the task to execute a known German collaborator by the name of Koziol-Poklewski. When he went to Koziol-Poklewski's farm, the farm hands protested claiming that the blame will fall on them and the Germans will murder them the next day. Zygmunt changed the verdict from death to a beating, as a warning that the collaboration must stop. However, Koziol-Poklewski continued the collaboration. Zygmunt tried once more to execute the verdict of the Home Army. This time, Koziol-Poklewski escaped, as Zygmunt's life at Ozyszki was now in grave danger he was reassigned to the 5th Brigade of Home Army. As a member of this group he took part in numerous engagements against the German forces.

The Polish Home Army also fought the Soviets and unfortunately there were Polish collaborators with this enemy as well. While still a member of the 5th Brigade, Zgmunt's commander named Czarny, subsequently known as Lupaszko (Zygmunt Szelendziasz), gave him an order to execute one of these Soviet collaborators. When Zygmunt went to the collaborator home, he could not execute the order. Little children surrounded the traitor. Zygmunt remembered what happened to him when he was five years old, he disobeyed the order and pretended that the execution had taken place. Unfortunately this was discovered the following day. He was arrested, court marshalled and sentenced to death by firing squad. A priest listening to his confession understood Zygmunt's reasons and pleaded on his behalf. As a result the death penalty was commuted to demotion.

Zygmunt continued to fight against the enemies of Poland within another partisan group. They were able to liberate the city of Wilno (the enemy injured him during the battle 12 July 1944). The Soviets recaptured Wilno and Zygmunt was taken prisoner and released in February 1946.

After his release he returned to Poland and settled in the Olsztyn region and worked in agriculture. Whilst living near the city of Olsztyn, he recognized the same Koziol-Poklewski who was once a Nazi informer, but now a communist activist. Zygmunt informed the authorities and they prosecuted Koziol-Poklewski. During the trial Zygmunt met a witness for the defense, Maryna Plucinska whose life Koziol-Poklewski saved, by hiding her during the war. Koziol-Poklewski however was found guilty and sentenced to death. Although the sentence was not carried out, someone killed him under unknown circumstances. Zygmunt divorced his first wife Wladyslawa, who returned from Siberia with her daughter, and married Maryna Plucinska. Zygmunt and his second wife, Maryna raised three children.

Jadwiga Mineyko H.17

She was born in 1911 and died in 1957. She married twice. First, to Mieczyslaw Soroko. Secondly, to Miroslaw Bukowski. Miroslaw Bukowski was born in 1913. He died in 1944 during a partisan fight. She had a son with Miroslaw Bukowski.

Ludwika Helena Potocka H.22

She was born in Patras, Greece in 1905. She married Zygmunt Jordan. During the Second World War she remained in Poland. She escaped with her son to Athens in June of 1945. She lived between 1948 and 1973 in England and then she moved to Greece. She died there on July 16, 1994. She rests in the Mineyko family's tomb in Necropolis cemetery in Athens. She used to speak fluently in Greek, Polish, English, French, German and Russian..

Andreas Papandreou H.23

He was born in 1919 in Chios and died on 23 June 1996 in Athens after long illness.

He had a very interesting life. He was the Prime Minister of Greece for about ten years and won the general election three times: in October 1981, in June 1985 and in October 1993. In January of 1996, after a stay in hospital for two months for lung and kidney failure, he resigned. Even after his resignation he remained in control of his Socialist Party.

He graduated from Athens University School of Law. The government arrested him for alleged Trotskyist activity while a student in 1939 during the Metaxa dictatorship. After his release from the prison, he was deported to the United States.

He obtained a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University in 1943. After becoming an American citizen, he served with the US Navy during World War II. After the war, he made a career as an academic economist and taught as lecturer at many American universities, especially at the University of Berkeley in California.

He returned to Greece, at the request of the prime minister Konstantinos Karamanlis, and led the Centre of Economic Research and Planning. A year later he was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of the Athens Economic Research Centre and was Advisor to the Bank of Greece.

He entered parliament for the first time in 1964 as a deputy for Achia, his father's birthplace. He became a minister in his father's Centre Union government. In that two-year period he served as Minister to the Prime Minister's office and subsequently Co-ordination Minister.

When the military junta took over the government in April 1967 dictators immediately arrested him. Due to very strong U.S. pressure the junta released him from jail after eight months and sent into exile for the second time in his life. First he went to Sweden where he lectured Economic Science at the Stockholm University (1968-1969). Later he went to Canada. He lived in King city, just north of Toronto. He lectured Economics at York University (1969-1974). In February 1968 he founded the Panhellenic Liberation Movement (PAK). He became a political leader of a big Greek minority in Canada (especially in Toronto). He expressed more radical views than he used to do in Greece. He called for armed uprising against fascist dictatorship of Greece. He criticized U.S., NATO and EC politics towards the junta.

He returned to Greece in August 1974 and founded the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). He called for an end to dependence on the US and for radical domestic reforms, and promised to make PASOK a truly democratic party. However he never kept that promise. He always remained an absolute dictator of his party. His attitude in this respect was more in line with Greek traditions. In the first election the party received only 13.5% of the vote. However three years later he gained 25%. It gave him enough votes to become the country's main opposition party leader. Finally, he won 48%, a landslide of the votes enough to form the government. He became Prime Minister at last and held the post till June 1989 elections, when his party lost to the New Democracy party. Changes in the government were more in style than in substance. In spite of his harsh criticism, the US bases remained, and Greece continued to be a member of NATO and EC. After the election in 1985, many economic problems overshadowed Papandreou's successes. At the end, his affair with a former air hostess became a scandal. In July 1989 he divorced Margaret his American wife of 38 years and mother of his children, and married 33 year old Dimitra Liani, daughter of an army general. He sold the house that his mother left and built a beautiful villa where he moved in with his new wife (later Dimitra inherited this expensive piece of real estate). At the same, time Papandreou was involved in the $200 million Bank of Crete embezzlement scandal but was cleared of all wrongdoing in January 1992.

He bounced back in October 1993, when he began his third four-year term as prime minister. His fragile health kept him from active leadership role. He was hospitalized in Athens' Onasion Cardiosurgery Center on 20 November 1995, for lung and kidney failure and returned home on 21 March 1996.

Maria Jablonowska H.24

She was born on 11 November 1907 in Patras, Greece and died in February of 1978, in a fire in her house in Krakow. She used a title of Her Serene Highness Princess that she inherited from her father. She married Stanislaw Cienski on 23 June 1931. He used a title of Knight of Honour and Devotion in the Knights of Malta. He also was decorated with a medal of Virtuti Militari. He was the son of Tadeusz Cienski and Countess Maria Dzeduszycka. He was an estate owner.

Karolina Jablonowska H.25

She was born in 5 February 1906 in Patras, Greece. She died on 26 June 1956 in Oborniki, Silesia. She used a title of Her Serene Highness Princess that she inherited from her father. She married baron Adam Heydel on 11 August 1924 who was the son of Franciszek Tomasz Marian Heydel and Countess Melania (nee Dzieduszycka). Adam was born on 22 August 1895 in Beremiany Manor and died on 25 August 1975 in Wolomin. He was an estate-owner and had a degree in agriculture. He served in the army during the First World War. Adam and Karolina lost all of their palaces and estates during the war. After the war they went to live in the small town of Oborniki in Silesia. Prince Czartoryski lived nearby, once one of the richest men of Poland. He lived like a pauper after the war.

The family Heydel has a very interesting origin. Polish ruling class had tried to introduce a democracy since 16th century. They elected all Polish monarchs since that time. They elected three times Saxon sovereigns. All of them had a name Augustus. They did not spend much time in Warsaw ruling their kingdom. They preferred staying in Dresden. However, they needed some representatives whom they could trust. One of them was an aristocrat Heydel. The Heydels originated in Thuringia and settled in Poland in the 18th century where they loyally served the Polish Saxon Kings. Although they had settled in Poland and married into Polish families they were still legally foreign. Poles were not permitted to possess titles at this time and those families that did have titles (Radziwill, Jablonowski, etc.) possessed titles from foreign Crowns and were not allowed to use them in Poland. However as the Heydels were not strictly Polish King Stanislaus Augustus thought it would be appropriate to reward them for their services with a Polish title (very rare). Accordingly, the King asked the Sejm (Parliament) approve the granting of a Baronial title on the Heydels. The Sejm agreed and the Heydels became Barons in 1772. Later confirmation was made in the Congress Kingdom 1820 and 1824 with Austrian confirmation in 1826. The Heydels are thus one of the very few families to possess a Polish title. The great historian, Simon Konarski writes: "The Heydels proved their love of Poland by rendering distinguished services on different occasions to the causes of culture and science. Again in the last war (Second World War) they sacrificed their lives out of love for their adopted country."

Zofia Jablonowska H.26

She was born on 31 August 1908 in Bursztyn Palace in Galicia. She uses a title of Her Serene Highness Princess that she inherited from her father and also had a title of Dame of Honour and Devotion in the Knights of Malta. She married Count Xavier-Michal Puslowski on 25 August 1930. He had a title of Knight of Honour and Devotion in the Knights of Malta. She and her husband were the luckiest of the family. They escaped to England and soon became comfortable. They entered "high society" in England and lived a happy life. She currently lives in London, England.

Ksawery Puslowski

He was born in 1906 and died on 6 January 1998. He married, in 1930, Princess Zofia Jablonowska, who survives him. There were no children.

He was a leading figure in the Polish community of London, and a person whose harsh experience of life only confirmed his innate goodness.

The son of Count Wladyslaw Puslowski, Ksawery Puslowski was born on 29 September 1906 at Pieski, near Slonim, then in north-east Poland, now in Belarus. His family had English connections. Prince Luis Pignotelli d'Aragon, his maternal grandfather, had married Ida Cavendish, first cousin of the 7th Duke of Devonshire, and grand-daughter of Sir William Rumbold.

In Poland Ksawery was heir to some 600,000 acres, most of them forest. The scale of the estate may be gathered from a remark he let drop years later in London; defending the Poles against charges of anti-semitism. He observed that his family had built many synagogues for their Jewish tenants.

Puslowski was not destined to enjoy his inheritance. He was still a child when, as a result of his family's keeping open house for three days over Easter, some hounds got in and helped themselves to the food left out on the table, knocking over a candelabra and starting a fire. The house was destroyed.

The Puslowskis duly built a replacement, in the Palladian style. During the First World War this house was requisitioned by a Russian general who had been at school in St Petersburg with Ksawery's father. When the Russian army was in full retreat in 1917, Ksawery's mother persuaded the general to put his personal train at the Puslowskis' disposal for the removal of the household contents to Moscow. The priceless cargo took two days to pack up, only to fall into the hands of the Bolsheviks when it arrived in Moscow. Little of it was ever seen again.

After the First World War, Bolsheviks overrun the Puslowski estates. The family escaped to Warsaw, where they were accommodated at the British Legation by their cousin Sir Horace Rumbold, 9th Bt, later a formidable ambassador in Berlin.

After Polish drove back the Russians in 1920, Ksawery helped to manage the family estates. A crack shot, he won a silver medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

The Puslowskis finally lost their estates with the division of Poland after the Nazi-Soviet pact of 1939. Puslowski fought in the Second World War as a reserve officer in the 29th Horse Regiment, and later as a partisan.

Escaping to London, he was appointed ADC to Wladyslaw Raczkiewicz, the President of Poland, and used to attend the President's meetings with General Sikorski, Prime Minister of the Polish Government in exile.

When Germany attacked Russia at the end of June 1941, Puslowski never doubted that the invasion would eventually be repulsed. Sikorski signed a treaty with Russia that annulled the partition of Poland made in 1939, but the discovery in 1943 of the Polish officers' grave at Katyn ended all desire for pacts with the Soviets.

After the war, Puslowski stayed in London and obtained a job inspecting hotels for the American Automobile Association.

Although his bad luck continued in London - a Delacroix, one of his few remaining treasures was stolen from his flat - Puslowski never lost his joie de vivre, or his knack of putting everyone at their ease.

By the way, Tadeusz Kosciuszko who was a Polish and American hero, grew up on the Puslowski estate of Mereczowszczyzna. Kosciuszko's father was in charge of maintaining the estate and had a house there. Xavier Puslowski was trying to see if the house could be restored.

Janina Blazejewicz H.33

She was born in 1892 and finished high school in Wilno. She went to Russia from 1916 to 1918. She worked in administration at the University Stefan Batory in Wilno, from 1922 until 1939. She was sent to Germany for forced labor from 1943 to 1945. Then, she lived in Gdynia from 1945 until 1979 and is buried there in the Gdynia-Witomino cemetery.

Kazimierz Blazejewicz H.34

He was a land survey engineer and before the Second War he had a prosperous business in Wilno and owned three houses. He increased his inherited estate by 8 hectares. After the war he went from Wilno to Koszalin, and then to Szczecin where he died in 1970. His wife, Maria Raube was a dentist. She died in Szczecin, 1965 and is buried in the Cmentarz Centralny.

Edward Blazejewicz H.35

He was born on 18 October 1888. He finished schools in Wilno and Moscow. He was discharged from Russian army during the First World War on grounds that he did not have healthy teeth. In war between Soviet army and Polish army, in 1920, he was stabbed by a Soviet bayonet (he survived) in Lubciszki. He managed the farm in Lubciszki and worked as a land surveyor. Soviets arrested him in September 1944 and jailed in Oszmiana. Then, he was exiled to Siberia on 8 May 1946. He worked on the co-op farm "Krasnyj Majak no 2". Then, he left to find a better job near Krasnojarsk or Kansk. He was lost and his death is unknown.

His wife was Kamilla Baniewicz, born on 27 April 1894 and died on 18 September 1962 in Szczecin.

Ksenia (Xenia) Gemp H.47

During the War, when most population of Russia starved to death, the government asked the scientists of Archangelsk to develop a new source of food made of seaweed. The main specialist in this area was Ksenia Gemp, a student of A. Jeftuszenko. She discovered that chemical content of seaweed can supply all necessary substances required by a human body. She supervised the procedure established in Lenningrad for processing of seaweed. It is not an exaggeration if we would say that she saved thousands of lives in Lenningrad as a result of her research. In 1943, Leningrad people sent a letter to Ksenia Gemp in appreciation of her help.

Her maiden name was Mineyko.

The family Mineyko of Archangelsk collected a library of 80,000 books. They had become truly the center of a cultural life of Archangelsk before the October Revolution. Currently, in Puszkin House, the Literature Russian Academy maintains special Gemp Foundation that contains about 200 rare old books donated by Ksenia Gemp and her husband, Aleksiej. Ksenia Gemp published many books by herself. Recently, she published a book "Legends of White Sea". In this book she described many facts from the research done by her father, Piotr Mineyko and grandfather, Gerard Mineyko. She also remains an honorary member of the Geographical Society of Russia and was also granted a title of honorary citizen of Archangelsk.

Andrei Mineyko H.50

Andrei was born in 1885, in the town of Oshmiany, near Vilnius, currently in Belarus. He married Praskovaya Ivanovna (1900-1942). He belonged to the Bolshevik party since March 1917. During the October Revolution worked in Smolny, directly for Felix Dzierzynski, whom he probably knew from his teenage years. He was a war commissar and directly was engaged in defense against contra revolutionary forces. He was posted as a communist leader in Gomel in 1920, and then in Kaydanov. After that he worked as a party activist in Gatchin. He hid his nobleman background from his comrades. However, the authorities found out his connection with pre revolution landowners class. They excluded him from the communist party in the beginning of 1938. He was arrested as an enemy of people. He was sent to Gulags in Vyata region. He died from exhaustion in 1940. The government officially pardoned him in 1956, many years too late. His wife during the war was surrounded by Germans in St. Petersburg. Due to hanger she died there together with her younger son, Oleg. They were buried in the cemetery of Piscarevsk.

Yuri Mineyko

He was an younger brother of Andrei Mineyko. Until the Second World War he worked as an artist in circus. His faith is unknown after the War.

Elzbieta Morzycka I.6

She married Andrzej Markowski and lives in Warsaw. Andrzej graduated from the Warsaw University with a Masters degree in psychology (1973) and worked for many years in the Public Opinion Research funded by Polish TV.

Michal Mineyko I.7

He was born in 1934. He married Beryl Preston. She was born in 1940. Michal lives in West Norwood, London, England and has two sons Stephen and Andrew.

Maria Mineyko

She was born in 1934. She studied Occupational Therapy in London, England. She married Andrzej Lubienski who studied Chemistry at the London University, England. He also has Masters degree from the Fairleigh Dickenson University, New Jersey.

Maria lives in New Jersey, U.S.A.

Wladyslaw Mineyko I.10

He is also known as Andrew. He married Janet Dawes. They live in Scotland. He owns and operates a hotel near Perth.

They live in a beautiful house, West Tempar. A butt and ben house were built about 1700 or just before when a well was dug. Previously the "village" was farther south and up the hill near the burn and was all black houses that are still visible. Other small cottages have disappeared. West Tempar was built in 1905. The Laird's house has always been West Tempar by the steading. The walls are two to three feet thick and there are shutters inside on all windows.

Anna Bosak Hauke I.11

She was born in 1951. She came to Sweden with her parents in 1958. She worked for the Swedish trading firm in Warsaw between 1976 and 1987. She married Tadeusz Janowski, a land owner of the estate Bartodzieje near Radom. The estate remained in the hands of the pre-war owners. However, the communist system prevailed so much in their lives in the beginning of eighties that they left Poland and have lived in Sweden since 1987. Her husband has a Master degree in gardening engineering. They live with four children in Stockholm.

Halina Nowicka I.12

She was born in 1938. She married Andrzej Gawecki. She is a professor of psychology at the Poznan University, Poland.

Barbara Mineyko H.15

She was born in 1936. She married Marek Zelazkiewicz. She has a university degree in agriculture. She was deported to Siberia during the Second World War and currently lives in Warsaw.

Krzysztof Mineyko I.16

He was born in 1950 in Poland and married Joanna Malgorzata Kaminska who was born in 1948. Both Krzysztof and Joanna obtained a Masters degree from the Warsaw University in psychology in 1973. Krzysztof came to Toronto in 1981. As he had problems in bringing his family to Canada, he wrote in 1982 to Andreas Papandreou (H.23) asking for his help. Following Andreas' intervention with the Polish government his family joined him in Canada. Krzysztof studied at York University and in 1995 obtained a Bachelor degree in Computer Science, and now works in the computer department of the Toronto Police Services. Joanna works as a teacher and teaches Grade One.

Romuald Mineyko I.17

He was born in 1952. He married Anna Skokowska. He has a degree in engineering and specializes in ship engines. He came to Canada in 1982 and works in a shipping company as a Business Manager.

Anna Nike Mineyko I.18

She was born in 1953. She married Henryk Jankowski and later divorced him. She has a Masters degree in Polish Literature. She lives in Toronto, Canada and works as a supply teacher. In 1998 she married Carl Leskowsky.

George (Georgios) Papandreou I.20

He was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA on 16 June 1952.

He finished King City Secondary School in Toronto, Canada. From 1970 - 75 he studied Sociology at the Amherst College, gaining BA in Sociology and MA in U.S.A. He did also undergraduate studies in Sociology at Stockholm University from 1972 to 1973. He received M. Sc. Degree in Sociology and Development from London School of Economics, England. Finally, he attended the Fellowship at the Center for International Affairs (CFIA) from 1992 to 1993 at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.

He held many government posts in Greece. He worked for the Ministry of Culture as the Under Secretary for Cultural Affairs from July 1985 to February 1987. Then, he was in charge of the following matters: Greeks of the Diaspora, Adult Education (Continuing Education), and Youth Affairs.

From 1988 to 1989, he was responsible for Government Coordination Bid for the 1996 Olympic Games.

He was a Minister of Education and Religious Affairs since 1988 to 1989.

He was Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 1994 and he was responsible for US - Greek Relations. He also took part in the Greek President negotiations on the new EU membership of Sweden, Austria and Norway.

In July 1994 he again became a Minister of Education and Religious Affairs and remained in that post until October 1996.

Currently, he is the Alternate Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic.

His career in Parliament is as follows:

His party career in the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) is as follows: His other political activities included: He received the following awards: He speaks Greek, English and Swedish.
Currently, he is a Minister of External Affairs.

Nick Papandreou I.30

He was born in 1956 in Berkeley, California, USA. He studied economics at Yale and Princeton, literature at the University of Vermont. From 1989 to 1991 he worked as an economist at the World Bank. He now lives in Athens, Greece and writes full-time. "Father Dancing" was his first book.

Maria Heydel I.26

Maria Melania is a baroness. She was born on 18 January 1947 in Poznan, Poland. She was educated at Nowy Sacz convent. She went to London in the 1960s. She married Anthony Mankoo on 7 March 1970. They had two children. The eldest, Nicholas died of meningitis at the age of one. Maria was an office credit-controller and a teacher in England. Upon moving to Canada she became an accredited court and immigration interpreter. She is employed as a Polish-English translator-interpreter in Ottawa, Canada.

Philip Mineikos I.30

His Greek name is Philippos. He has two children: Alexander (in Greek, Alexandros) and Eleanor (in Greek, Eleonora). Alexander is 8 years old and his sister is a year younger. Philip lives and works in Athens. He is the marketing director of the Greek version of “Scientific American”. His children live with their mother Elizabeth Cornette in Montpellier, France. Philip and Elizabeth were married in Paris in 1989, and were divorced in 1998.

Zygmunt Blazejewicz I.34

During the Second World War, he was a member of the VI Wilno Brigade of the Polish Home Army and took part in many skirmishes against the Germans. When the Soviets pushed the Germans out of this region (currently Lithuania) the VI Brigade ceased to exist (officially on 18 July 1944). This happened when the Russians arrested the entire leadership pretending friendly meeting.

Zygmunt Blazejewicz avoided being arrested and with a small group of 10-12 partisans moved to Poland near Bialystok. He decided to continue fight, this time against communist occupation of Poland. His group reached Bialystok region at the end of August of 1944. The group of 14 divided into two parts near the town of Osowiec and Zygmunt became the leader of one group.

When he heard of the Warsaw uprising being continued, he moved south reaching the township of Bielsk Podlaski. Because the Soviet Army concentrated in this region and the partisans did not have much a chance of to wining, they went underground and hid in the villages around the town of Siemiatycze. However Zygmunt engaged in many skirmishes against the enemy (around Bielsk Podlaski in the winter of 1944/1945).

In January 1945 Zygmunt restored contact with the previous leader of the V Brigade of the Home Army. The new leadership of Home Army agreed to rebuild the structure of the partisan movement and continue the fight against the new communist state. Zygmunt was elected as a leader of this unit in the Bialowieski Forest (the last primeval forest left in Europe where unique European bison survives in the wild). Zygmunt led his group in many very successful skirmishes and was responsible for death of 50 Soviet soldiers and 19 communist police officers.

He took part in action in Mala Narewka on 1 April 1945 and took over the town of Bocki on 7 May 1945. He won three battles against communist regular troops: in the villages of Majdan and Topily on 28 May 1945, in Sikorki on 8 August 1945 and in Midusy Dworaki on 18 August 1945.

The leader of the partisan movement in this area, major Zygmunt Szelendziarz disbanded the Brigade on 7 September 1945 when it became obvious that Poland would remain communist for many years. The Brigade stood no chance of winning against the communist regime.

Zygmunt escaped to South America, and then to U.S.A. and lives in Arizona.

Vladimir Mineyko I.58

He was born in 1925, in Rostov. When his father was arrested in 1938, he witnessed it. Later, he painted a picture of the arrest. He called it "1938 year, from my childhood". During the Second World War he was surrounded by Germans in St. Petersburg, with his mother and younger brother. His mother and brother died of hunger. Vladimir miraculously survived. He graduated from the military school in Orlov, specializing in tanks. He was sent to the front in the Ukraine. He also fought in Rumania against Germans. He was promoted to the command rank. He commanded unit number 304. After the War, he graduated from the Art Academy in Minsk. He learned painting from a famous artist Valentin Volkov. He married Maya Borisovna in 1953. She was a teacher. Vladimir painted portraits, landscapes, and many other themes. He specialized in painting landscapes of Polesie. Recently, he donated 45 pictures to the museum in Mozyr. These pictures show different parts of his beloved Polesie. He had two sons. Both of them are engineers.

Antoni Komorowski

He belongs to the count Komorowski family. He is a cousin of a princess Matylda Komorowski who recently married to the prince of Belgium. Polish famous actress Maja Komorowska and the current Polish Minister of External Affairs, Bronislaw Komorowski belong to the same family. A father of Bornislaw was a famous traveler, poet and diplomat - Zygmunt Komorowski.

Stefan Mineyko J.9

His personality can be well expressed by the event that took place when Stefan was 10 years old, in 1974. He came from England to take part in sporting competition for adult runners in Cracow. He competed in 3 kilometers run with the best runners in this class. Stadium spectators watched the event with some reservations when they saw a boy trying to compete with so good athletes. Stefek continued laps after laps with strong conviction. Even when runners went ahead of him by one full lap he continued. He had only one goal: to finish the distance. Time did not matter. When he finished, the applause continued for a long time.

Andrzej (Andrew) Mineyko J.10

The story “Bike to the Future” written by Vicki Hill describes Andrew’s personality.

Bike-mad Andy was on the right track when he drove the boss of a motorcycle shop round the bend.

“I went in every day to look at the bikes and nag him to give me a job,” says Andy. “Eventually he gave in, and now I am one of his top salespeople.”

Andy started out as a motorcycle courier and took a City and Guilds course in mechanics. Then he got his lucky break at the Hamilton’s motorcycle shop in Streatham, South London.

“I lived and breathed bikes,” he says. “When I wasn’t riding them to bits, I was reading about them. So this is the perfect job for me. We sell second-hand bikes as well as new ones. A lot of my time is spent checking over machines people bring to trade in and working out a fair price for them. You have to be able to tell a wreck with a good paint job from a genuinely sound bike. To keep up with the latest developments in new bikes I go to the big manufactures’ seminars and sales meetings. We try to suit everyone, from the granny who wants a moped to take her to the shops to the enthusiast looking for a top of the range 1100cc machine. Buying a bike is a big decision and there are a lot of things the customer needs to think about before choosing. I always sit down with them and we talk about what they’ll be using it for, how much they can spend and what size and power of bike they’ll feel comfortable with. Then I’ll either let them have a short test ride, or if they haven’t got a licence I’ll take them out on the pillion. I’ll tell them all about the bike and how to care for it. Some people will take weeks to make up their mind, and I never try to rush them. I’ll never forget one lad. He’d been saving for years and came into the shop at least three times a week to look at the bikes. The look on his face when he finally had the cash and wheeled out his new bike was just brilliant. He could have burst with pride!”

Anna Monica Elizabeth Lubienska (Anik) J.11

She was born in 1960. She has a degree in English Literature and in Communications from Rutgers University, New Jersey, U.S.A.

Andrzej Kazimierz Stefan Lubienski J.12

He was born in 1962. He studied Computers at the Chubb Institute of New Jersey City, NJ, U.S.A.

Monica Aleksandra Lubienska J.13

She was born in 1965, has B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from Rutgers University, New Jersey. She is married to Richard Mount who has M.B.A. in Engineering from Rutgers University and B.Sc in Mechanical Engineering from Stevens Inst. of Technology. They have two daughters, Rebecca and Veronica and live in Alabama, U.S.A.

Mikolaj Cienski J.36

He was born in 1966. Mikolaj is a mountain climber. He has been to the Himalayas many times. In the late 1980s he was set to be the youngest person to ever climb Mount Everest. He went with an all-Polish expedition. Unfortunately, he lost his boot early in the climb and had to remain behind the other members of the troupe. This was actually a blessing-in-disguise as all the other members of the troupe were killed in an avalanche. Mikolaj survived solely because he lost his boot.

Rafal Zarin J.39

Rafal emigrated to Canada on 12 March 1990. Currently, he works as a Landscaping technician for the city of Kitchener.

Rafal Heydel-Mankoo J.41

He was born on 1 June 1976 in London, England. He lived in England until 1988 when his parents and he moved to Ottawa. He went to the University of Ottawa, from where he graduated with B.A. honours in History. He was employed in the Treasury Board of Canada. Currently, he attends the Law School at the University of Ottawa (from September of 1999). He is the Chairman of the Monarchist League of Canada--Ottawa Branch. He is also a member of the International (Winston) Churchill Society and the Royal Stuart Society. He is the author of the soon to be published book: The Ancestry of Baroness Karolina Heydel, nee Princess Jablonowska. Volume one is now completed (300 pages) with at least one more volume to write. He has written articles about Sir Winston Churchill, the British royal family and Polish nobility. He helped facilitate the 22nd International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences. He can be regarded as the official genealogist of the Jablonowski family. He has the passion for the Jablonowski family. He has acquired the largest private collection of Jablonowski-related items, in the world.