WelCom December 2024/January 2025
Ela Polaczuk Rombel
The 80th anniversary celebration of the arrival of Pahiatua’s ‘Polish children’ in 1944, took place from 1 to 3 November 2024. Events were held in Pahiatua and Wellington including a deeply moving traditional Latin Mass at St Mary of the Angels Church to honour the enduring legacy of the Polish children and their families who were brought to New Zealand towards the end of World War II. This emotional service, celebrated in both Latin and Polish, provided a moment of reflection and reverence for the remaining members of the Pahiatua Polish children who were rescued from Soviet-occupied Poland in 1944.
The Mass, led by Fr Kevin Mowbray, was attended by a large crowd. Polish veterans, local dignitaries, members of the local parish and the Polish community from around the country, including 33 of the original children participated. For many, it was a reminder of a traumatic past, but also a celebration of survival, resilience, and the bonds forged through adversity.
The traditional Latin Mass was a central feature of the ceremony, with beautiful hymns sung in both Polish and Latin, blending the sacred traditions of the Catholic Church with the cultural heritage of the Polish people. Standards, carried with reverence, were accompanied by young people in traditional Polish costumes, adding a layer of historical significance to the occasion. The sight of the young faces in folk attire, standing proudly alongside the elderly survivors of the Polish community, underscored the passing of the torch between generations.
One of the surviving members of the Polish community said, ‘This Mass is a beautiful reminder that, though many years have passed, the spirit of the children who came to New Zealand is still with us. It lives on in our hearts, in our culture, and in the next generation of Polish New Zealanders.’
The story of the Pahiatua Polish children began during World War II, when 733 Polish orphans and 105 caregivers, were brought to New Zealand in 1944 as part of a resettlement effort after they had been displaced by the war and Soviet occupation. Many of these children had endured unimaginable hardships, having been taken from their homes in Poland and placed in Soviet labour camps. The New Zealand government, under the leadership of then-Prime Minister Peter Fraser, welcomed them with open arms and provided sanctuary, allowing them to rebuild their lives in a safe, new environment in the small township of Pahiatua.
The commemorative Mass for the Pahiatua Polish children was a poignant reminder of the strength of the human spirit, the importance of remembering history, and the power of community to heal and preserve the past for future generations.
Following the Mass, a luncheon was held at Shed 5, a restaurant on Wellington Harbour’s waterfront, where attendees shared stories further strengthening the bond between the community’s past and its future. There was a sense of unity, as people of all ages came together to celebrate their shared history and look toward the future with optimism.
The weekend of remembrance and celebrations concluded with a wreath-laying ceremony at the plaque dedicated to the memory of the arrival of the children 80 years ago, on the Wellington waterfront.
Ela Polaczuk Rombel is the current President of the Polish Association in New Zealand Inc. Ela’s uncle Zdzisław Gawronek was one of the Pahiatua Polish children who arrived in New Zealand during World War II. Ela’s grandfather Michał was fighting in Ander’s Army of Polish Armed Forces during her uncle’s recuperation in Iran. After his stepmother died, he was cared for as an orphan until, after the war, he was found and reunited with his dad and two older sisters in New Zealand. They all settled in this country.
