An unlucky mill

(from family memories during a banquet in a country yard, with a view on the described mill)

Place: Zadybie Stare (Lublin Province), years: 1938-1990.

     In 1938 the three brothers built a mill. At that time it was one of the most modern mills in Poland. It was powered by a diesel engine. The brothers were proud of it but they didn’t enjoy it for a long time. In 1939 the 2WW started and the mill was taken by the Germans. One of the brothers - Bolesław, made a sabotage not wanting to work for the benefit of the occupiers in his own mill. He removed several small parts from the engine. For this act he was sent to a labour camp, which was located in the south of Poland, in Sandomierz town. If the whole matter had happened a year later, Bolesław would have been sent to Auschwitz for his deed. From that camp hardly anyone was able to escape.

After a few months in the terrible place Bolesław broke his leg and there appeared the opportunity to buy him freedom as a person unable to work. His wife Władysława had to sell everything that presented any value in order to collect an appropriate amount.

    After the war, in 1945 the mill was returned to the rightful owners. When it seemed that everything would be back to normal, a tragedy happened. Kazimierz - son of Bolesław, did not turn off the engine and wanted to put on transmission belt. Then the flywheel pulled him into the machine. His body was thrown all over the mill. When Bolesław turned off the engine, his son's body was massacred. Kazimierz died on the wagon when he was on the way to the nearest hospital. Stains of his blood, despite of putting many coats of paint, are visible on the walls of the building till this day. The mill almost made Bolesław die but then it took the life his only son.

    In 1948 there was a communists’ regime in Poland, so the mill was nationalized. Bolesław, due to his knowledge and experience, became its head. To put food on the table, he took flour in the pockets of his trousers. Later Władysława baked bread from that flour.

    In 1956 the mill was returned to Bolesław. However, the situation in the countryside changed. At that time, collective farm (also known as "Farmers’ self-help") which bought agricultural products were established. In the neighbouring village a bakery was opened and local people stopped baking homemade bread. Bolesław's mill ground mainly for bruised grain. The business was profitable only after the harvest. Perhaps it would have been successful, if not taxes. The tax was calculated by an inland revenue inspector who was coming directly after the harvest. Then, near the mill there were 30 - 40 wagons wating, on each about 150-200 kg of grain for grinding. The inspector, seeing such a crowd, made a simple calculation: 320 working days multiplied by several tons of grain, which he saw on the wagons. Out of the harvesting season, there was no the business. Meanwhile Bolesław was constantly assessed. He showed the inspector the level of the electric meter (after the tragic death of his son, Bolesław converted Diesel to an electric motor) as proof that there is no electricity, so he cannot process 6 tonnes a month, when the meter indicated that the energy consumed was much less. Of course these arguments for the communists’ authorities were not convincing, therefore the mill was increasingly in debt. At the end the authorities confiscated it for debts. Then the mill stopped working. Finally, communal collective was willing to buy it. Bolesław did not live that moment. His wife Władysława started to apply for debt relief.

    The debt was finally relieved during martial law and this made possible finalization the selling of the mill. It was bought for the equivalent of four black and white TVs. Communal collective milled sugar that was imported from the Republic of Cuba - great friend of Poland in those days. This state of affairs lasted for 3 years, until the friendship with the Cuban state ended and the sugar ceased to flow into Poland. The production in the mill stopped again. Finally, the private person bought the mill, saving it from ruin and oblivion.