It is our school tradition to visit Calvary Hill Cemetery in Dallas in late October or early November.

This year, we met on Saturday, October 30 to visit the graves of praiseworthy local Polish people. It is our opportunity to learn more about Polish people who were here before us, their stories and accomplishments. We can also show our students a little more what the All Saints and All Dead Days are in Polish tradition.

Thanks to the stories that Have been told us by Mr. Jurek Dąbrowski, we become familiar with the names and lives of Poles who started organizing local Polish diaspora here, in DFW area. Here are the graves of of Mr. and Mrs. Sławik, Mr. and Mrs. Korfanty, Mr. Jan Nowicki and his wife, Władysława Janina Nowicka,Mr. Jerzy Wędrychowski and some more.

Stanisław Antoni Sławik (1910-1993)
During the World War II, Slawik worked as a diplomat for polish government in the Washington D.C. After the war, he had stayed in the USA and in the late 40. He moved to Dallas, TX. In 1948, together with his wife, he opened the restaurant ‘Old Warsaw’ in the downtown Dallas. The restaurant had European style, the wine was served with the meals which was quite unusual back then. Mr. Slawik sold the restaurant a few years before he died but the place kept its atmosphere for a while afterward.
Old Warsaw was a place for employment for Poles coming to USA after the war as well as later during the Solidarity emigration. Back in the fifties, the restaurant was central spot for the small local Polish diaspora. In 1958, the Polish Self Help Association in Texas had been established as the organization providing low interest loans to Polish emigrants. The organization is still active, under the new name of Polish Association in Texas.
Mr. Slawik’s wife, Janina Maria Wilczer Slawik was a professional actress in Poland before the war. She had established a drama group in Dallas as well as the traveling theatre troupe presenting Polish popular plays for kids.
Mr. and Mrs. Slawik were local activists, helping Poles in Dallas area throughout the decades. They were also the co-founders of the Polish parish in Dallas.

Zbigniew (1905-1970) and Eugenia Korfanty (1913-2006)
Zbigniew Korfanty was one of the four children of Wojciech and Elżbieta Korfanty.
Wojciech Korfanty is a Polish historical figure. Since his childhood, he had been connected to the Silesia and was an activist and politician fighting for its returning to Poland after the Poland regained its independence in 1918. He was one of the leaders of the Silesian Uprisings. He died in the days before the outbreak of the II World War in Warsaw. After his death, Mrs. Elzbieta Korfanty had to flee Poland with their children and the family to avoid any repressive measure.
During the WW II, Zbigniew was an officer in Polish Army in the West. After the war, he had settled with his wife Eugenia and their family in Dallas, TX. They both were active in the local Polish diaspora helping Polish emigrants. Mrs. Korfanty was an accountant in the ‘Old Warsaw’ restaurant. Together, with Mr. Slawik they all had cofounded Polish Association in Texas as well as the Polish parish in Dallas. The Korfanty family still lives in the DFW area. Mr. Michael Korfanty, great grandson of Wojciech and Elzbieta, has relocated back to Poland in 2019, as it had been reported by the “Dziennik Zachodni” in Katowice.

Jerzy Wędrychowski (1902-1961)
He was a Polish aircraft engineer and designer. He was one of the cofounders of the RWD planes. During the WW II he was a head of the aircraft producing and designing company in Ankara. After the war, he stayed in Turkey and in 1949 moved to USA. He settled in Dallas, TX and had been working for the TEMCO