On 8 February 1946, I was appointed by the Government Plenipotentiary for District 36 (county starosta) as head of Kleszczowa commune, based in Lisko (present-day Osiecznica).
As I struggled through the Bolesławiec–Zgorzelec Forest, I thought I would leave these woods after receiving my first pay.
There was already a MO police station in present-day Osiecznica. Its commander was Suchacki, and the officers were Wróbel, Krzan, Lasota and Godlewski.
Helena and Stanisław Szablewski, Michał Daszkiewicz and Wiktor Stankiewicz were already living here; they had stopped here while returning from forced labour in the Reich. I also became acquainted with the employees of the Commune Administration. They were Jan Denisiuk, Tadeusz Jawor and Mantwil Niemiec.
The commune comprised 10 villages, which did not yet have Polish names. The entire commune's livestock consisted of 9 horses, 2 cows, 15 goats, 1 calf and 5 hens. All the fields lay fallow, except for a few gardens beside residential buildings. There were not yet any offices or workplaces.
In spring 1946, military settlers, repatriates from east of the Bug and from the central voivodeships began settling here. At that time, 20 people were registered on the list of military settlers. Of these, only 5 remained alive.
By mid-April, the commune already had 56 Poles and 3,500 Germans. We were very poor; there was nothing to eat. Our pay was modest, but there was nowhere to spend even that modest income.
In March, Mr Piątkowski took over the management of the local ceramic works, while Kazimierz Ejsmund started up the mill in Parowa. Earlier, the first Forestry District was established in Osieczów, belonging to the Bolesławiec Forest District. The forestry post was taken over by the demobilized Kościuszko soldier, Mr Antoni Jankowski.
The first organization established in the commune was the Volunteer Fire Brigade, composed almost exclusively of Germans. The fire brigade was founded in January 1946. The first VFB units were established in the villages of Tomisław and Osieczów, followed by Osiecznica. Its commander was Michał Kowalewski from Osieczów.
More people arrived each day, especially demobilized soldiers. Reserve Lieutenant Kazimierz Bilewicz organized an industrial guard. Under these conditions, the spring sowing campaign began, assisted by the army. We were in constant contact with PUR (the State Repatriation Office), which was concerned with settling the commune. We received word that preparations were under way to receive repatriates.
A new stage for the commune began on 4 June 1946. That day, we warmly welcomed a transport of Polish repatriates from Yugoslavia, who settled in Tomisław and Osieczów.
In July of that year, further transports of Poles from Yugoslavia arrived, taking over farms in the villages of Osieczów, Ołobok and Parowa, and partly in Przejęsław. Most of them were farmers from Bosnia: Grabaśnica, Miłować and Nowa Topola. They brought livestock, cows and horses, which had been so scarce here. They also brought with them the customs and traditions they had acquired, and the speech of their forefathers, which they had not forgotten abroad. Their fathers came mainly from Małopolska. During the First World War, they left for Yugoslavia, where they could satisfy their hunger for land. There in Bosnia, they cleared forests, built homes and worked in agriculture. Thus Polish colonies arose in Bosnia. During the Second World War, many of them fought in the ranks of the Polish partisan movement in Yugoslavia, under the command of a Polish teacher, Captain Jan Kumosz.
Stores, schools and agricultural centres were established in a short time. Everyone worked willingly and with dedication, realizing that we were working for ourselves.
In mid-October, we welcomed Father Bolesław Orłowski, the parish priest, to Tomisław. He cared for the filial churches in Kliczków, Ławszowa, Parowa and Kierżno.
Fifty years of settlement are now history. Many of these wonderful repatriates have passed away. Let us keep them in our memory.
To those still living, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of repatriation and the return to the Land of Our Fathers, I extend my heartfelt wishes for good health and every prosperity. May God bless you.
Your first Commune Head, Bazyli Mulek