Marcin Pietrzykowski

Macin left Poland because of what Hitler was doing in Europe. He felt that they would have a better life if they came to Canada.
On June 27, 1930, Marcin and his wife Marianne along with their 6 children left Poland. They were taken to Naleczow to board the train that would take them to the north of Poland. From there they boarded a ship called the Koscuiszko, Baltic American and landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The journey took 11 days. 
They then boarded a train and travelled across Canada to St. Edward, Alberta. The family had only $300.00 to start a new life. 
Martin was 38 years old.  Only 9 years after leaving Poland, Nazi Germany invades Poland on Sept. 1, 1939 and World War II begins. On Sept. 17 the Soviet Red Army invades Poland from the east and the two invaders divide the country between them. Over 6 million Poles lose their lives in the war, 20 percent of the population.