Sunny Isles Beach resident Edmund Stawowy publishes World War II memoirs

Many of us may be unaware that 2005 marks the 60th anniversary of World War II. As we commemorate this important historical event our thoughts dwell, not only on the thousands of American and Allied soldiers, sailors and airmen who made the supreme sacrifice and will never come back – but also on the millions who returned and told their stories.

Some even wrote books about their war experiences as did Sunny Isles Beach Winston Towers resident Edmund Stawowy. Though it was always on his mind, Edmund did not begin writing his WWII memoir “A Call to Arms” until age 75. He felt his story about a patriotic young man who wanted to liberate his country from a ruthless invader would be one book no reader would want to miss.

Born in Poland, Edmund began his travels at age two when his parents emigrated to France, where his father worked in a coal mine of the French German border. In school, Edmund excelled in the study of languages. The Great Depression left his father out of a job, so in 1935, the family returned to Poland. Edmund kept in touch with one of his teachers, who was instrumental in getting him his first job. At 14, Edmund became an interpreter in Polish, French and German for a French construction company building a dam in South Poland. When World War II began, the French engineers returned to France. Edmund took refuge at a friend’s farm and then got a job teaching languages in a nearby city.

Edmund’s fervent desire was to reach France and enlist in the Polish army in exile. But the German occupation made it impossible to get out of Poland. He tried to exit through Slovakia but was captured and sent to Germany as a slave worker. After one year, he escaped to occupied France. In Paris, Edmund visited the French company he worked for in Poland. He was offered a job at a new dam the company was building in unoccupied France if he could get there. But the Demarcation Line was closely watched by the Germans…another adventure ensued.

After two unsuccessful tries at crossing the Demarcation Line and being jailed by the Germans, Edmund escaped again and headed for the new dam where he was welcomed by the engineers he worked with in Poland. He remained there for one year. Still wanting to join the Polish army now in England, Edmund enlisted in the French Foreign Legion to get out of France. He was sent to French North Africa for training. He thought his chances of reaching England from Africa would be better. While he waited, the Americans invaded Algeria. Vichy ordered the Foreign Legion to stop them. A cease-fire followed and the French Foreign Legion joined the Americans fighting the Germans in Tunisia. After only serving one year in the Legion, Edmund and other Poles were honorably discharged – free to join the Polish Armed Forces in England.

In March 1943, Edmund and other Poles left Algeria by ship. In the Atlantic, their ship joined a convoy of 30 other ships headed for England. Attacked by German U-Boats, the convoy was sunk. Carrying German prisoners of war, Edmund’s ship was spared. Arriving in Glasgow, Edmund and others were put on a train and transferred to a London clearing center for foreigners. They were then released into the care of the Polish Embassy and offered the opportunity to join one of the British military services. Edmund chose the Royal Air Force – he wanted to be a fighter pilot.

After the war, Edmund worked as a mechanic in England. In 1951, he emigrated to Canada. Finding Quebec wages low, Edmund moved to Ontario, where he worked as a welder. In 1953, he found himself in Vancouver BC. After one year, Edmund returned to Hamilton, welding for The Steel Company of Canada. In 1964, realizing that welding was unhealthy, Edmund got a real estate job in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. He worked there until Independence in 1973 – then it was off to Colombia, South America where he worked as an assistant manager in a gambling casino.

Two years later when the casino closed, Edmund opened a clothing business. In 1992, he found himself in a condo on 25th and Collins. He got a real estate license but decided not to work at it after all. He thought it was the ideal time to write his overdue WWII memoirs entitled “A Call to Arms.” Nearing completion is another book – a love story based on a real life experience entitled “Escape From Paradise” to be published in 2006.

While writing, Edmund also created and patented a World Geography board game. He has also found time to travel the globe in the company of his daughter Miriam Alexandra, an FIU graduate majoring in journalism with a Masters degree in languages from William & Mary’s College in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Edmond has two other successful children – Edmund Jr., who is an investment counselor in Toronto; and a daughter Summer – a Fort Lauderdale attorney.

Edmund’s extraordinary book “A Call to Arms” published by Trafford Publishing is now available at the Sunny Isles Beach Walgreens store. He is donating proceeds to hurricane relief funds and will gladly autograph your book…just phone: 305-792-0595.

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