Leon Blaszczyk and familyPolish Guardian Angels in California
by Artur Zygmont
Leon Blaszczyk and his family were not only a Polish American success story but also played an important role in the development of Polonia in Southern California, bringing Polish refugees of World War II to the Southern California area and helping them to establish themselves a new life.
Leon Blaszczyk was born in Poland on June 13, 1886. He was an idealistic young man and fought to overthrow the Tsar in the Revolution of 1905. When the Tsar's Cossacks successfully repressed these revolutionaries, Leon Blaszczyk quickly realized his future depended on leaving a Poland occupied by the Tsar's soldiers.
To avoid being arrested, he escaped to London. As a student of Biology and Agronomy he had no problem in finding employment with the famous Kew Gardens. Here he learned the technique of establishing and maintaining the classic English garden. An Australian millionaire was so impressed with Blaszczyk's gardening skills that he invited him to Australia to establish a classic English garden there. Subsequently, the famous Huntington of California's early street car network, enticed Blaszczyk to come to California to maintain, improve, and expand the now famous Huntington Gardens in San Marino (then also in Santa Barbara). And so, shortly before World War l, Blaszczyk arrived here and remained here for the rest of his life.
Knowledge of his gardening expertise spread far and wide. He was engaged to establish the Botanical Gardens at the San Diego Zoo. He was at least partially responsible for introducing the Australian Eucalyptus tree to California.
By the 1940's, Blaszczyk decided to go into business on his own. Quickly, he developed a type of novel fertilizing technique, later copied by many other garden supply enterprises. Sears Roebuck offered to buy Blaszczyk's invention but he preferred to work it himself. One well known brand name based on Blaszczyk's principles is Miracle Gro. That's the career of Leon Blaszczyk in California.
However, his heart was always in Poland. When World War II ended, Blaszczyk was anxious to make contact with Krystyna Suk, a grand niece. Through the Red Cross, Blaszczyk was able to learn that Krystyna Suk was in a camp at Murnau in Bavaria, because she had taken part in the Warsaw uprising. From there she made her way to Italy and then England where she married Henry Hertzlich. In England, Krystyna received countless packages of clothing (still rationed there) from the Blaszczyks, which she shared with her friends.
Krystyna Hertzlich and her husband were the first immigrants sponsored by Blaszczyk. They arrived at Union Station in January, 1951 and were met by Leon Blaszczyk, a relative she had never seen. Their first residence was with the Blaszczyks, where they came under the influence of the vivacious Eleanora, Blaszczyk's second wife, who insisted every one call her Ciocia (Auntie). So another saga in Blaszczyk's life began as more and more Poles came to the Los Angeles area through his intercession. He afforded them every type of assistance, including guaranteeing the United States Government that the Polish immigrants would not become dependent on public assistance.
Later in 1951, Andrzej Nizynski and his wife, Danuta, arrived at Union Station. Both had fought in the Warsaw uprising. Blaszczyk met them at the station and they spent their first days at the Hertzlich Glendale residence. Andrzej Nowakowski and his wife, Jadwiga (nee Zeleska) arrived in Los Angeles in April, 1952, sponsored by the Catholic Welfare Association, but they first lived with Krystyna and Henry Hertzlich, who now lived across the street from the Blaszczyks. In 1955, Katarzyna and Maciej Bielski arrived with their children Malgosia and Janek under Blaszczyk's sponsorship. Thus a new Polonia was being formed. Eleanora Blaszczyk quickly involved the new immigrants in Polonia activities, and in a few short years they provided the membership and the leadership for a host of existing and new Polish organizations such as Samopomoc (Self Help), Veteran's of Polonian Home Army (AK), the Polish School, the summer colonies for Polish children, a youth club Millennium, (out of which emanated the now well known Krakusy Folk Dance Ensemble), the Polish Parish Catholic Church, Our Lady of the Bright Mount Parish and other institutions.
Estimates of the number of Polish immigrants the Blaszczyks sponsored or befriended range in the forties. With the subsequent children and grandchildren, there must be well over a hundred Californians today with a Blaszczyk connection. The Blaszczyks never asked any questions of those they helped. Their house was everybody's house. The new arrivals called them "Wujek" (Uncle) and "Ciocia" (Auntie). Holidays were spend "en masse" at the Blaszczyk house. They considered these young Polish immigrants and their children their family. They assisted Blaszczyk with the gardening business, for it was not unusual for Blaszczyk to have more orders for his fertilizer than he could handle. Then he passed the word to his "family" and they would show up and spend the evening assembling these fertilizer bricks and singing Polish songs while working. Thus, the Blaszczyks had utilized their experience and success to assist many Polish refugees of World War II to adapt to the American way of life.
Eleanora Blaszczyk, the second wife of Leon, was born in Poland on April 15, 1886 and came to the United States as a child. While he was engaged in his new business venture, Lusia or Ciocia, as she was called, was encouraging and integrating the new immigrants to become active in Polonia activities. She was also an expert seamstress, really a dress designer, and sold many of her designs to Bullocks, a well known, upscale department store.
Among the many Polish immigrants the Blaszczyks brought to the United States or befriended, were five female survivors of the Warsaw Uprising. All five took part in the Uprising, although they did not know each other at the time. Each was sent to prisoner of war camps and they eventually met at Murnau in Bavaria. Murnau was also a prison camp for Polish officers; but when the Allies got control of the area, Murnau fell under Polish military jurisdiction and many Polish soldiers in the various camps in liberated Germany made their way to Murnau. Here, a Polish school was established, which the five young women attended and became friends. At the time, there was still a possibility that a Polish military unit would be formed in Murnau and returned to Poland. Soon enough, the harbingers of the Cold War became reality and the camp had to be dissolved. The five managed to get to Innsbruck, from there to Italy, and then to England, as alleged fiancees of Polish soldiers. In England, they finished their schooling, got married (but not to the alleged fiancees), were reunited in the Los Angeles area in the early and middle 50's. Here they raised their families. The children became successful adults, many professionals. The women are still the best of friends. The five are; Kasia (Nowakowska) Bielski, Krystyna (Suk) Hertzlich; Danuta (Kaczmarek) Nizynska; Hanka (Rebiszewska) Gutkowska; Malgosia (Derda) Tarwid.
Leon Blaszczyk died on September 14,1964. Eleanora had passed away three years earlier: August 17, 1961. Those who consider themselves part of the Blaszczyk family, not previously mentioned, include Malgosia (Derda) and Konrad Tarwid, Hanka (Rebiszewska) and Jerzy Gutkowski, PearI (Hooker) and Jerzy Pujdak, Kasia (Nowakowska) and Mark Bielski, Stasia and Slawmomir Szymanski, all of whom play an important role in the life of Polonia in Southern California.
From: Polish Americans in California, vol. II. National Center for Urban Ethnic Affairs & Polish American Historical Association. California 1995.