I am hoping to find more information on my grandmother's family which emigrated to France and later returned to Poland.
Stephan JELEN married Maria HUDZIK in August 1922, probably in Chrzanow Poland. They moved to Somain France probably in 1924. This town was geared to coal production and had a large population of Polish workers. Stephan was a coal miner and Maria a housewife. Since all services there were provided in Polish, they never learned to speak French (though the children learned it in school). They never assimilated into French culture and the family returned to Poland in 1948, settling in Katowice. My grandmother had married by then and remained with her husband in Belgium from whence they later moved to Canada.
If anyone else knows of this family please contact me at
cwills69@hotmail.com. My grandmother never knew her own grandparents, nor any aunts or uncles.
children of Stephan JELEN and Maria HUDZIK:
daughter Karoline JELEN b.Chrzanow Poland, now lives in Katowice Poland
son Roman JELEN b.Somain France, m.Mila (surname unknown), d.Katowice Poland
daughter Christine JELEN (my grandmother) b.Somain France, m.Oscar DENORME in Pecquencourt France, now lives in Delhi Ontario Canada
daughter Sophie JELEN b.Somain France, m.Jacques PAKUSZEWSKY, d.Katowice Poland