Trying to trace Wicher family roots in Ukraine

[Riggers68]

Hope this post is in the right area geographically first and foremost .

Im doing some family research into my wifes grandpa Wlod Wicher who came to the UK in around 1945-46. He was born in Kharkiv in the Ukraine in 1916 . We are led to believe that at some time he served in the Polish Army and we have his Army number . On arrival in the UK he went to a local Army camp with other displaced Polish/Ukranians soldiers .

We know his parents names and assume they were also born in the Ukraine. He had numbered tattoo on his forearm which he later covered over in later life. We assume from this he may have been in some form of concentration camp .

He hardly discussed his past and we are trying to find out what are the best points of contact to source information about his parents and any other immediate family from the Ukraine.

If anyone can point us in the right direction it would be much appreciated

[garstonite]

Hiya Riggers and welcome to Rootschat ...I may be of some help due to my father in law being from Rogatyn,Ukraine and coming to this country ...a long story - but might explain your wifes grandad coming here in 1947 era ...first of all , read this link ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_Waffen_Grenadier_Division_of_the_SS_(1st_Ukrainian)

after reading that article - could it be the case with Grandpa Wich Wicher ?

because they fought for the Germans and not the Allies , many families were told that Ukranian soldiers fought with the Polish during WW2 - it`s simply not the case .
My father in law was Ostap Kabluckyj and when RUSSIA invaded Ukraine before WW2 the Ukranian men willingly joined a special SS unit - 14th Galicia Waffen to fight against the Russians in WW2( who were in Ukraine )...when the Russians were pushed back by the Germans and Ukrainians , the 14th Galicia Waffen were sent to Italy and were captured by the British in May 1945...when WW2 finished - the Ukranians were given the choice of going to England as POW`s -or - returning to Ukraine to probably face a firing squad ....BY THE RUSSIANS
my father in law was shot in Italy and came to England as a POW - all in all - around 8,500 Ukranians came to Britain - they served 3 years ( mostly doing farm work providing more food for UK ).....after 3 years my father in law was released as a free man - ....every last Friday of the month my father in law had to report to the local Police station here in Liverpool to state he wasn`t an active member of the Communist Party - or he would be sent back to the Ukraine...they were basically still treated as outcasts ...so many said they were Polish - because the Polish fought against the Germans ....
http://www.ukrainiansintheuk.info/eng/01/former-e.htm

hope this helps in some way - do you know the name of the UK Camp he went to in 1947
if so - this may point the way as to whether he was a POW ....to my knowledge , Ukraine and Polish soldiers weren`t together in POW camps ...
good luck in your research ....if you find he WAS a POW ...contact me and I have info on that research ....the other point is - when 8,500 POW`s from Ukraine were registered as they entered the UK - THEY couldn`t speak English - and many mens names were Mistranscribed ...
do you have his Army Card that states his name actually was Wlod Wicher    ....or is it an English Registration card ??

[garstonite]

this site was invaluable to me in my research - and a member named Hannia was very very helpful to me ...has a friend in Kiev University that helps
once you register for free - you can then go the Genealogy forum and post about your Wicher roots in Ukraine
www.ukraine.com
register
wait for confirmation e mail
once you have that - go to this link
http://www.ukraine.com/forums/genealogy/
good luck
 
ADDED..........I hope you don`t mind - but I know how difficult it was for me with Ukranian research ...so I have asked on the Ukranian Genealogist Forum whether the surname Wicher is a family name in Kharkiv / Kharkov
http://www.ukraine.com/forums/genealogy/15523-surname-wicher-kharkiv.html#post118129

at least it will let you know if his name was spelt right - hopefully

[Riggers68]

thanks for this garstonite ,

i have no issues with asking your contact in the ukrainian genealogy forum

i have some more details , Wlodzimierz Wicher went to Weeton Barracks , Kirkham just outside Preston and like you mentioned he used to have to report weekly at a local Police Station .

Wlod was born on 11th November 1916 and his parents were called Ian (Jan?) Wicher and Suzannah Kowalska. Wlod had a sister (younger possibly Suzanne) who died in an accident on an underground date unknown.

many thanks again Mick

[Riggers68]

hi garstonite

 i have found out that Wlod was initially a POW somewhere in Italy before coming over to England. He spent a very short time in Deal Kent before moving to Kirkham barracks . We are seeing if we can dig out some of his paperwork that he came over with to see if includes an army service number

Mick

[garstonite]

Yes Mick - Rimini, Italy ... - that is where 14th Galicia Waffen were imprisoned until 1947
was Suzannah Kowalska born in Poland or Ukraine ??

[garstonite]

Unfortunately this tree doesn`t give all dates - but does start early 1800`s
I could only find 4 familytrees in Ukraine for Kowalska
this one is from
Dolina Province , Stanislowskie , Galicia , Ukraine ...
http://gw.geneanet.org/emdrew?lang=en&v=KOWALSKA&m=N

any christian names appear in this tree that look familiar ??

the 4 trees - 3 are owned by the same man - ALL in Galicia ...might be worth contacting him
would you like me to message you his e mail address to make contact ??

[Riggers68]

sorry to drip feed you garstonite

i have found that Wlod came over to England in either 45 or 46 and the camp he camp to was the Polish Agricultural Hostel Newton Camp Kirkham . I think this is the former name for Weeton Barracks . He stayed here until July 49 when he left. He was given a Soldiers Service paybook with a ref number whilst he was there. So he appears to have been paid whilst here

Mick

[Riggers68]

yes please regarding the email address . we dont know much more about the family unfortunately so i dont know Suzannas country of origin.

you have been very helpful . we have some polish documentation that he came with so we may look at getting it translated to see if it gives us any more clues

regards mick