Stanley D. Jaworski
Encyclopedia
Stanley Dubik Jaworski, Sr. (ca. 1914 – September 7, 2007), was a Polish
prisoner of war
in World War II
, a team member in the 1936 Olympic games
in Berlin, a speaker of eight languages, and an author
who advocated automobile
safety and American
citizenship
for immigrants.
The Polish-born Jaworski attended universities across Europe
and hence learned multiple languages. He was a sprinter
on the Polish team, but did not compete in the 1936 Summer Olympics
, best remembered for the strong performance of the American sprinter
Jesse Owens
. Jaworski was a first lieutenant
in the Polish Army, when war broke out in 1939. He was captured and spent more than four years in POW camp Oflag VII-A Murnau
in Germany
. Jaworski escaped when United States
tanks and troops forced German soldiers to abandon the camp.
He then joined the Seventh Infantry of the United States Army
and became the interpreter and liaison officer between the American and the Polish armies. He was later the deputy director and repatriation
officer of the United Nations
Relief and Rehabilitation Administration in Munich. He married the former Helen Zilka, who was then assigned to UNRA in Augsburg.
Jaworski moved to Chicago
in 1948, became an American citizen, and from 1960-1985, operated a driver's education school in Northwest Chicago. He specialized in assisting foreigners in obtaining their licenses. An advocate of auto safety, Jaworksi wrote Drive Your Car Safely, which was published in Polish and Spanish
as well as English
. His book Land of the Free helps immigrants learn the path to American citizenship. He was also a watercolor artist
.
Jaworski died at his home in Clarendon Hills, Illinois
. In addition to his wife Helen, Jaworski was survived by his daughter, Julianne J. Smith and husband, Jim, of Lubbock
; two sons from Chicago, Stanley Jaworski, Jr., and wife, Mary, and Allan J. Jaworski; four grandchildren, and one great-grandson.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a team member in the 1936 Olympic games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in Berlin, a speaker of eight languages, and an author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
who advocated automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
safety and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
for immigrants.
The Polish-born Jaworski attended universities across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and hence learned multiple languages. He was a sprinter
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
on the Polish team, but did not compete in the 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
, best remembered for the strong performance of the American sprinter
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens
James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the sprints and the long jump. He participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the...
. Jaworski was a first lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
in the Polish Army, when war broke out in 1939. He was captured and spent more than four years in POW camp Oflag VII-A Murnau
Oflag VII-A Murnau
Oflag VII-A Murnau was a German Army POW camp for Polish Army officers and generals during World War II. It was located in the Bavarian town of Murnau am Staffelsee....
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Jaworski escaped when United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
tanks and troops forced German soldiers to abandon the camp.
He then joined the Seventh Infantry of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and became the interpreter and liaison officer between the American and the Polish armies. He was later the deputy director and repatriation
Repatriation
Repatriation is the process of returning a person back to one's place of origin or citizenship. This includes the process of returning refugees or soldiers to their place of origin following a war...
officer of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Relief and Rehabilitation Administration in Munich. He married the former Helen Zilka, who was then assigned to UNRA in Augsburg.
Jaworski moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1948, became an American citizen, and from 1960-1985, operated a driver's education school in Northwest Chicago. He specialized in assisting foreigners in obtaining their licenses. An advocate of auto safety, Jaworksi wrote Drive Your Car Safely, which was published in Polish and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as well as English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. His book Land of the Free helps immigrants learn the path to American citizenship. He was also a watercolor artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
.
Jaworski died at his home in Clarendon Hills, Illinois
Clarendon Hills, Illinois
Clarendon Hills is an affluent village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,610 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Clarendon Hills is located at...
. In addition to his wife Helen, Jaworski was survived by his daughter, Julianne J. Smith and husband, Jim, of Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
; two sons from Chicago, Stanley Jaworski, Jr., and wife, Mary, and Allan J. Jaworski; four grandchildren, and one great-grandson.