Overview
- Description
- The Zyzniewski family papers relate the experiences of the Zyzniewski family in Łódź, Poland during World War II. The Zyzniewski family was a Catholic and active in the Polish resistance. The papers contain identification documents for Zygmunt Zyzniewski, Janina Zyzniewski, and their son Wiesław Kazimierz Zyzniewski (later Wesley Zineski). The correspondence was written by Janina and Wesley during their imprisonments in Radogoszcz prison and Auschwitz concentration camp, 1942-1942. The papers also contain photographs and two photograph albums of the Zyzniewski family with unidentified friends and relatives before the war (ca. 1928-1937).
The identification documents series includes a copy of birth and baptism certificate for Wiesław Kazimierz Zyzniewski, 1936; identification card issued to Zygmunt Zyzniewski, September 31, 1938; certificate of release of Wesley from prison, March 19, 1941; notification of money and items belonging to Wesley when imprisoned, September 8, 1942; Auschwitz concentration camp identification card for Wesley, December 10, 1942; death certificate issued for Janina Zyzniewski in Auschwitz concentration camp, January 23, 1943; identification card issued to Wesley at Buchenwald concentration camp, April 26, 1945; Displaced person identification card for Wesley, August 20, 1946; certificate issued in place of a baptismal certificate, February 11, 1947; documents relating to Wesley’s imprisonment in Buchenwald concentration camp, June 10, 1947; identification card issued to Wesley by the Polish Home Army, August 4, 1947; United States of America certificate of identity in lieu of passport issued to Wesley, April 3, 1947; Wesley Zyzniewski identity cards, May 5, 1947, June 17, 1948; statement regarding Wesley by Boleslaw Juchniewicz, November 22, 1949; statement regarding Wesley by Zbigniew Szmytke, November 28, 1949; United States Naturalization certificate for Wesley Cosmer Zineski, April 16, 1953; and copy of Wesley’s birth certificate, May 2, 1957.
The correspondence was written by Janina Zyzniewski and Wiesław Zyzniewski while imprisoned in Radogoszcz prison in Łódź and Auschwitz concentration camp, circa 1942-1943, 1953. Janina’s letters are addressed to her mother, Wilhelmine Jezierska, and other family members and were smuggled out of the prison. Her letters discuss fellow prisoners, her experiences in prison, and instructs her son about daily chores. One of her undated letters reveal she is aware of Wiesław’s imprisonment.
The photographs of the Zyzniewski family including Zygmunt Zyzniewski, Janina Zyzniewski, Wesley Zyzniewski, and Wesley’s unnamed older brother, as well as various friends and family members. An untitled photograph album, 1928-1929, contains photographs of the Zyzniewski family before the war in Poland. The album includes photographs of the children playing, riding bikes, sledding in the snow; the family posing in front of a windmill and an automobile; a wedding; and scenes of Ciechocinek, Poland. An untitled photograph album, 1930-1937 also includes photographs of the Zyzniewski family at the summer resort in Rochna, Poland; the children swimming, hunting, rowing, sailing, and fishing; the family out in the snow during the winter 1934; one of the boys wearing his first student’s hat; a portrait of one of the boys taken for his first communion; a road trip to Czechoslovakia; and portraits of various family members. - Date
-
inclusive:
1925-1957
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of the Estate of Wesley Zineski
- Collection Creator
- Wesley Zineski
- Biography
-
Wiesław Kazimierz Żyżniewski (later Wesley Casimer Zineski) was born on October 17, 1924 in Łódź, Poland. His parents were Zygmunt and Janina (“Jasha”) Zyzniewski, and they had one other son who was older than Wieslaw. The family lived in Łódź, Poland. The family was very active in the resistance during WWII. Wieslaw was a Corporal in the Polish Home Army. His brother was captured and executed, and his mother was also arrested for her political activities as well. Wesley was briefly imprisoned from March 8–19, 1941 in Radogoszcz. He was arrested again in Łódź by the Gestapo on February 12, 1942 for suspicion of underground political activities. For the next nine months he was interrogated and tortured by the Gestapo at the Radogoszcz prison in Łódź. In October 1942, Wieslaw was sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp and registered as prisoner 67767, until March 10, 1943 when he was sent to Buchenwald concentration camp, where he was liberated by the American Army on April 11, 1945. Janina was also arrested in 1942 and also sent to Auschwitz. According to the camp records, she was murdered there on January 4, 1943. Wesley immigrated to the United States on board the Marine Marlin arriving on April 8, 1947.
Physical Details
- Extent
-
3 folders
1 oversize box
1 book enclosure
- System of Arrangement
- The Zyzniewski family papers are arranged in three series.
Series 1: Identification documents, 1931-1957
Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1942-1943, 1953
Series 3: Photographs, 1925-1942, 1953.
Rights & Restrictions
- Conditions on Access
- There are no known restrictions on access to this material.
- Conditions on Use
- The donor, source institution, or a third party has asserted copyright over some or all of these material(s). The Museum does not own the copyright for the material and does not have authority to authorize use. For permission, please contact the rights holder(s).
- Copyright Holder
- Estate of Wesley Zineski
Keywords & Subjects
- Topical Term
- Children. Concentration camp inmates. Families. Poland--History--Occupation, 1939-1945. Wedding. World War, 1939-1945. World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons, Polish. World War, 1939-1945--Underground movements--Europe. World War, 1939-1945--Poland.
- Geographic Name
- Ciechocinek (Poland) Poland. Rochna (Poland) Łódź (Poland)
- Personal Name
- Alfons-Jan, Halemba. Chart, Edmund. Juchniewicz, Boleslaw. Szmytke, Zbigniew. Walus, Alojzy. Zineski, Wesley Cosmer. Zyzniewski, Janina. Zyzniewski, Wieslaw. Zyzniewski, Zygmunt. Jezierska, Wilhelmine.
- Corporate Name
- Auschwitz (Concentration camp) Radogoszcz (Concentration camp)
Administrative Notes
- Holder of Originals
-
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
- Legal Status
- Permanent Collection
- Provenance
- Wesley Zineski donated the Zyzniewski family papers to the United State Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2014.
- Funding Note
- The cataloging of this collection has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
- Record last modified:
- 2023-02-24 13:44:32
- This page:
- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn106730
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Also in Zyzniewski family collection
The collection consists of a watercolor portrait, correspondence, documents, photographs, photo albums, and publications relating to the experiences of Wieslaw Zyzniewski (Wesley Zineski) and his family, Polish Catholics, originally from Łódź, before, during and after World War II, during which Wesley and his mother Janina were arrested for their political activities and sent to Auschwitz concentration camp.
Watercolor portrait with frame of a Polish resistance member recovered by her family
Object
Watercolor portrait of Janina Zyzniewska preserved by her son Wieslaw and her mother Wilhemina Jezierska. The Zyzniewskis were a Catholic family from Łódź, Poland, who were active in the resistance organized to oppose the German occupation. Wieslaw and his mother Janina were arrested by the Gestapo in February 1942 for their political activities and sent to Radogoszcz prison. In October 1942, they were sent to Auschwitz concentration camp, where Janina died in January 1943. Wieslaw was sent to Buchenwald in March 1943 where he was liberated by the US Army in April 1945.
Certificate of Citizenship document holder
Object
United States Certificate of Naturalization document holder. The certificate was issued to Wesley Cosimer Zineski in 1953. The holder is part of a collection documenting the experiences of the Zyzniewski family before, during and after WWII. The Zyzniewskis were a Catholic family from Łódź who were active in the resistance. Wieslaw Zyzniewski (later Wesley Zineski) and his mother Janina were arrested by the Gestapo in February 1942 for their political activities and first sent to Radgoszcz. In October 1942 they were sent to Auschwitz, where Janina died in January 1943. Wieslaw was sent to Buchenwald in March 1943 where he was liberated by the US Army in April 1945.
Pamphlet
Object
Missal with a holy card and identity card inserted between the pages that belonged to Wieslaw Zizniewski. The Zyzniewskis were a Catholic family from Łódź, Poland, who were active in the resistance organized to oppose the German occupation. Wieslaw and his mother Janina were arrested by the Gestapo in February 1942 for their political activities and sent to Radogoszcz prison. In October 1942, they were sent to Auschwitz concentration camp, where Janina died in January 1943. Wieslaw was sent to Buchenwald in March 1943 where he was liberated by the US Army in April 1945.
Pamphlet
Object
Inscribed Cathlic missal with holy cards and documents inserted between the pages that belonged to Wieslaw Zizniewski. The Zyzniewskis were a Catholic family from Łódź, Poland, who were active in the resistance organized to oppose the German occupation. Wieslaw and his mother Janina were arrested by the Gestapo in February 1942 for their political activities and sent to Radogoszcz prison. In October 1942, they were sent to Auschwitz concentration camp, where Janina died in January 1943. Wieslaw was sent to Buchenwald in March 1943 where he was liberated by the US Army in April 1945.
