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Stefanie Naumann

The Story behind the Story

I’m thrilled to be able to fulfill my grandfather’s dream of having his memoir published. When I was a little girl, I would hear countless people tell my grandfather that his life story must be recorded. At parties, friends would try to keep him telling more of his war stories for hours. After a lot of pressure from the women in his life (my grandmother, mother, and me), he finally started writing his memoir in the 1990s. Although he didn’t finish it before his death in 2012, I had the happy discovery of finding everything I needed to finish it. After my mother’s death in 2017, I was cleaning out her garage, and found boxes and boxes of my grandfather’s journals, videotapes, audiotapes, and DVDs of my grandfather being interviewed about his life story over several decades. I also found countless letters that he and my grandma had written to each other when they were apart, after he escaped jail in Poland.
What fun this book journey has been!
I would love to speak at your event or just be able to talk about this amazing journey my grandfather had!
For interviews and speaking engagements, please send me a message.

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Stefanie answers your questions

How did this book come about?

I grew up hearing countless people tell my grandfather that his life story must be recorded. I remember noticing him tell his story at social gatherings, and whoever was listening would keep asking questions for hours on end. He started writing this book in the 1990s, but did not finish it before his death at age 93 in 2012. My mother passed away of cancer just 4 ½ years later in 2017. After her death, I was going through her garage, and found numerous journals, videotapes, audiotapes, and DVDs of my grandfather being interviewed about his life story over several decades. I also found countless letters that he and my grandma had written to each other when they were apart, after he escaped jail in Poland. I realized that I had enough material to fulfill my grandfather’s wish of having his memoir completed.

How much research did you do for the book?

A lot. I was able to connect with the children of the family, now in their 80s, who helped my grandparents as refugees in Sweden. They provided me with even more audio recordings of my grandparents being interviewed about their life stories. I contacted the daughter of my grandfather’s high school girlfriend, who helped me verify events. Through the help of a Polish researcher, I was able to track down the published diary of a woman who worked with my grandfather just before his arrest in Poland after the war, which helped to corroborate that portion of the story. Another Polish researcher helped me obtain and translate documents. I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the Poles. I contacted people in the towns where my grandfather lived, and verified names, locations, etc. I can’t tell you how many complete strangers offered to help me locate information, without accepting anything else in return. One of the best parts of this journey has been meeting Polish relatives that I never knew about.

Why is it important for someone to record their family’s history, and why don’t more people do it?

Eyewitness accounts are critical to learning from World War II and its effect on civilians, but each year there are fewer people alive with this firsthand knowledge. Whatever your background, it’s important to record your parents or grandparents’ histories. If we don’t record history, our descendants can’t learn from it. People usually think that they’re too busy to do this now. There are always going to be other things going on in our lives, so there is no perfect time to record your family’s history. When many people decide to finally record their families’ stories, they often wish that they had asked older relatives questions before they died.

For someone interested in recording their family’s history, how should they get started?

If you can hire a videographer, great. If not, just press the record button on your phone. Ask your older relative about their memories of their childhood, their grandparents, etc. You can even do a quick Google search to identify some good questions to ask your older relatives, if you’re not sure what to ask. If they have an old scrapbook with photos or documents, that’s another great place to start to get them talking. There’s no wrong way of doing this. The important thing is that you’re doing it.

Why is speaking more than one language more important than ever before?

Technology has made it easier to communicate with people all over the world. The business world has become increasingly global, so being able to communicate with clients and colleagues in more than one language will give you an advantage.

Do you speak another language?

When I was a kid I spoke Polish fluently with my grandparents. But, like a lot of teenagers, I began responding to them in English, and have since forgotten a lot of the language. As an adult I would practice with my grandparents and mother when they were alive, but now I have resorted to practicing on the Duolingo app on my phone. But I think my grandfather would approve. It’s a very difficult language.

What elements of your grandfather’s story are still relevant today?

There are still political refugees in the world, just as there were when my grandfather escaped Poland. There are still people being targeted because of who they are, or what they believe. My grandfather said that nations always begin calling people in opposing nations demeaning names as a first step in dehumanizing them and making them easier to oppress. He would have none of it.

My grandfather fiercely believed in independence and the voice of the people being heard in government. He said that the single most wonderful thing about America is that you always got a second chance. In so many countries—to whom you are born, whether you grew up in a city or farm, or the bank account of your parents indelibly marked your future. Not so in America. And he embodied that spirit by never holding a grudge against anyone and always giving second chances.

What are some examples of how your grandfather’s knowledge of nine languages helped him survive?

He became an orphan at the age of 13, and was able to live alone by tutoring other kids in foreign languages. During the war he translated German newspapers to farmers, job instructions to French prisoners of war, and impersonated a German soldier on occasion.

You are a professor of management in a business school. Did you notice any material in your grandfather’s life story that relates to some of the concepts covered in the courses you teach?

Yes. The book contains information about what the workplace was like for immigrants in Sweden and New York in the late 1940s. Even though my grandfather was educated and qualified for higher level jobs, like most immigrants at the time he could only get the lowest level jobs available. My grandmother often talked about how the female workers earned lower wages for doing the exact same jobs as the men where she worked. She often complained about her male co-workers taking more than the allowed amount of breaks, and spending all their time smoking and laughing.

Your book covers some serious subject matter. Were there any lighthearted or humorous parts that stand out to you?

Yes. The first that comes to mind is the Soviet Secret Police officer who drank the vial of alcohol containing my grandfather’s appendix. Another part that I found humorous was the fact that the book is about how languages saved him, and yet there were several times in his life where his knowledge of multiple languages got him in trouble. At the start of the war he was arrested for taking notes in an old Church Slavic language. He was accused of being a spy, when really these were just thousand year old alphabet letters that he learned in college. During the war his knowledge of languages got him in trouble when he responded to a German soldier in perfect German. By doing so, he accidentally insulted him because my grandfather’s pronunciation of German was too perfect and the soldier took it as a sign of disrespect coming from a Polish nationalist. Later in Sweden and New York he used his knowledge of languages to speak to some other immigrant workers in their native languages, and almost got himself killed because he did not realize his conversations had offended some Communists.

Are there any parts of your book that people have been surprised about?

Yes. Many have expressed surprise that Poles like my grandfather who were not Jewish were still targeted by the Nazis during the war. Being an intellectual made my grandfather a prime target. He said that the Nazis did not want the Poles to be smart enough to question anything or rebel. My grandfather had to hide his eyeglasses during the 5 ½ years of German occupation. Other readers were surprised that some of the farmers my grandfather encountered while on the run did not seem to understand what Hitler was planning.

The other thing people have said they were surprised about is more about me. The preface of the book mentions that both of my kids were born on my birthday. Our friends thought that my husband and I planned it that way, but no, both kids were happy surprises born on my birthday. So that’s our family fun fact.

In the News

Video of Stefanie during a book talk & signing (Seaside Library, Seaside, CA, September, 2019)

Article featuring Stefanie with the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (September, 2019)

Article featuring Stefanie in The Pacifican newspaper (Stockton, CA, October, 2019)

Article featuring the book at Groovin’ Moms website (October 2019)

Article featuring the book at Working Mommy Journal (October 2019)

Article featuring the book at Motherhood Moment website (October 2019)

Video featuring Stefanie as keynote speaker at the annual Heritage Banquet of the Polish American Club of Sacramento (October 2019)

Article featuring Stefanie at ThriveGlobal.com (November 2019)

Audio interview of Stefanie with Brenda Murphy, host of “The Idea Exchange” on WBEV Radio (November 2019)

Article featuring Stefanie at BabyBoomers.com (November 2019)

Article featuring the book in the Polish American Journal (November 2019)

Article featuring the book in the Pol-Am Eagle newspaper (November 2019)

Video podcast featuring the book with host @ThatOrganicMom Rebecca Huff (November 2019)

Video podcast featuring the book with host @FeminineRoadmap Gina Farrar (November 2019)

Article featuring the book at TheNerdyGirlExpress.com (December 2019)

Article featuring the book at Sunstone Languages (December 2019)

Article featuring the book at OpenlyBookish.com (December 2019)

Article featuring the book in the Polish American Congress newsletter (December 2019)

Article featuring the book at IndieReader.com (December 2019)

Podcast and article featuring the book by POLcast, the first English speaking podcast about Poland and Poles in the World (January 2020)

Podcast by the University of the Pacific’s OLLI program featuring the book (February 2020)

Article featuring the book at thoughtcrawlers website (March 2020)

American Voices with Bill Bradley (national Sirius XM radio program) featuring Stefanie (March 2020)

Review of the book by the Midwest Book Review (March 2020)

Article featuring the book in the Polish American Historical Association newsletter (March 2020)

Article featuring the book in The Big Issue magazine (April 2020)

Article featuring the book in Down the Hobbit Hole Blog (April 2020)

Article featuring the book in Over 40 and a Mum to One (April 2020)

Article featuring the book by Kmfi’s Writing (May 2020)

Article featuring Stefanie in the Point Lobos Docent Newsletter (May 2020)

Review of the book by The Reading Bud (June 2020)

Video of Stefanie’s virtual book talk at the Louisiana State University Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures (February 2021)

Article featuring the book in the Monterey Herald Newspaper (August 2023)

“Stefanie Naumann brings her grandfather’s compelling story to life with clarity and compassion. This well-written, immensely readable chronicle flows like a novel, exhibiting the vulnerabilities, strengths and ultimately the courage of its characters. Dr. Naumann’s work speaks to the inherent and eternal dignity of the human spirit, something in which every reader can rejoice.”

—Greg Fields, Author of Arc of the Comet, 2018 Kindle Book of the Year Nominee

“Astonishing in its directness and simplicity, this memoir of the Holocaust and Communist Poland delivers a gripping account of one man’s terrifying journey from orphan child to war refugee to American citizenship.”

—Leonard Kniffel, Past president of Polish American Librarians Association; Author of A Polish Son in the Motherland: An American’s Journey Home

“Stefanie Naumann has done an admirable job of honoring her grandfather’s memory, survival, and accomplishments. As fewer and fewer survivors of World War II remain, these first-person accounts are critical testimony and witness of what it takes to survive during war and in the face of great adversity. This story should resonate with other Polish Americans and their descendants. It also offers encouragement to other immigrants that yes, with drive, a quick wit, and a healthy dose of luck, it is possible to achieve the seemingly impossible goal of rebuilding a new life.”

—Katrina Shawver, Author of HENRY – A Polish Swimmer’s True Story of Friendship from Auschwitz to America

“A personal account of political upheavals, moral dilemmas and perseverance, Haska & Naumann’s book is written with passion and an intense attention to detail chronicling the lethal conditions of Nazi and Soviet occupations of Poland as well as the blessings of living the American dream. It is a story of integrity, prudence, sound judgement and sagacity, revolving around a compelling thought that ‘education is the only thing that could never be taken away from us.’”

—Dr. Arthur R. Rachwald, Professor Emeritus, U.S. Naval Academy, Visiting Professor, Diplomatic Academy of Vienna

“An engaging true story of how life survival depended on language mastery. The ability to adapt and willingness to learn new languages proved to be lifesaving to Tadeusz Haska on many occasions. After mastering languages, Tadeusz then turned it into his career. Great read!”

—Gregory Kojak, Chairman, The Polish American Association

“Stefanie Naumann’s book is a fascinating story about the author’s grandfather, who managed to escape jail in Stalinist Poland, and eventually settled in the United States of America, where he became a professor. Poland lost an extremely talented man.”

—Jan Sroka, Historian of Pomerania, Dziedzictwo Foundation, Sławno, Poland

“Haska’s story embodies the principal theme of survival during war – the ordinary individual finding the strength and courage to endure, perhaps even to save his loved ones. Living in a time of peace and blessed with the abundance of America we need to retell this story. Tadeusz’s memoir is unique in that he maintained his freedom and survived by tapping his talent for languages. This paid additional dividends after the war, allowing him to prosper in the United States.”

—Peter Obst, Poles in America Foundation

“A deeply moving personal account of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of war, its aftermath, and the dislocations it causes. It will be grimly familiar to many whose families have experienced the same, and an eye-opener for the fortunate ones who haven’t.”

—Ted Mirecki, President, DC Division of the Polish American Congress; writer, translator.

“Those of us who are children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of immigrants need to remember and keep the legacies of their struggles alive. As in the case of Tadeusz and Jadwiga Haska, my grandparents fled conflict in Europe and eventually came to the United States through Ellis Island to raise families and become the very fabric and steel that makes our democracy great. Enjoy this historical read!”

—Steve Loeffler, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired)

“How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story of Survival is an epic story of a resourceful young man who used his wits, skills, and education to survive the German occupation of Poland during WWII. Tadeusz Haska’s amazing story is a vivid portrait of a young Pole who had more than “Nine Lives.” His story is even more remarkable because it is a biography, making fictionalized stories of the war pale in comparison. Tad’s exceptional story provides readers insight into the situation average Polish people experienced during the occupation. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys literature from WWII, history, or wants to be inspired and mesmerized by heroism.”

—Donna Gawell, Author of In the Shadow of Salem

“This well-written memoir captures Tadeusz Haska’s journey as an emigre from post-war Poland, chronicling the personal sacrifices and uncertainties he and his wife Jadwiga endured — and overcame — on their way to a new life in America.”

— Chet Szerlag, President, Polish Genealogical Society of America

“I was honored to catch a glimpse of the tremendous challenges Tadeusz Haska faced in his personal journey to freedom. A compelling true life account of one man’s effort to do what is right. Anyone wanting an eyewitness account of life in war-torn Poland during World War II must read Haska’s and Naumann’s book. Also, a heartfelt round of applause to Stefanie Naumann for remembering her grandfather in such a loving way. I hope PAC “Voice of America” Newsletter readers will pick up a copy. Inspiring!”

— Dr. Mark Pienkos, Polish American Congress National Vice President for Public Relations

“In the growing repertoire of ‘post-memory’ books written by children and grandchildren of Polish survivors of WWII, How Languages Saved Me takes the place of honor…It would make a great mandatory reading for high school and college classes in the U.S., to teach American students about immigrant history…The value of this well- researched-and-written book stems from its factual content, portraying a man of outstanding virtues and talents, an exemplar of surviving adversity without becoming a victim, resentful and enraged at the world.”

— Maja Trochimczyk, Ph.D., Historian, Moonrise Press, Los Angeles

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