Summary Information
Anthony J. Szymczak Papers
1945-1974
Milwaukee Mss 30
0.2 c.f. (1 archives box)
UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)
Papers of Szymczak, a prominent Milwaukee Polish radio announcer, primarily composed of scripts describing his visits to Poland. Other scripts in the collection include several written for holiday broadcasts, and to commemorate the deaths of Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. and Robert Kennedy. Also included are a few of Szymczak's speeches, clippings of newspaper articles, certificates and awards, fragmentary correspondence, photographs, and biographical information.
English, Polish
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mil00030 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Anthony Szymczak, eldest of nine children born in Milwaukee to Polish immigrant parents, received his education from Milwaukee public elementary schools, South Division High School, and University of Wisconsin-Extension. Even though he was born in the United States, Szymczak taught himself to speak and write Polish with great fluency, which served him well in his career. As a young man, Szymczak was active in the Polish Theater Guild in Milwaukee. In 1934, he began a Polish-language radio program on WISN; four years later, Szymczak moved to WRJN and WRJN-FM, where he conducted a daily hour-long radio program, The Kuryer Polski Polish Hour, and worked as an announcer. He later became director of the Milwaukee studios of WRJN, and also occasionally wrote articles for Kuryer Polski. In addition, Szymczak served as president of the Wisconsin Society, Federation Life Insurance Company (1940), and held many offices in Milwaukee and Polish-American civic groups and clubs. Because of his command of Polish, Szymczak often served as toastmaster for Polish-American organizations.
In 1935, Szymczak married Regina Rae Osowski, an American who shared his great interest in Poland and the Polish people. The Szymczaks visited Poland in 1959, 1961, 1966, and 1975. During the 1966 visit, Mrs. Szymczak learned of the town of Deby Szlacheckie, whose church had been destroyed during World War II; upon her return to the United States, Mrs. Szymczak began a fund-raising campaign that ultimately raised enough money to reconstruct the church. The Szymczaks returned to Poland in 1975 for the dedication of the new structure, but during the visit, Mrs. Szymczak suffered a heart attack and died; she was buried in the church cemetery. Szymczak has since remarried, and retains an active interest in Poland and the Polish language.
Scope and Content Note
The majority of the collection consists of typewritten radio scripts, in Polish and in English, composed by Szymczak for his radio programs. There are several scripts describing the Szymczaks' visits to Poland in 1959, 1961, and 1966, those for 1966 being particularly numerous. Included with the miscellaneous scripts are those written for special events: the deaths of Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy; and several holidays. A separate folder contains a few of Szymczak's speeches, including several versions of two speeches delivered during Pulaski Day observances, one of which was printed in the Congressional Record (October 17, 1949), and one commemorating the 1956 Poznan riots in Poland. Also present in the collection is a folder of biographical sketches; certificates and awards presented to Szymczak; a few items of correspondence, including a July 20, 1956 letter from Joseph R. McCarthy in reply to Szymczak's invitation to speak to the Polish American Congress; news clippings illustrating Szymczak's career and interests; and several photographs, mainly of Szymczak and other WRJN staff members.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by Anthony J. Szymczak, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1980. Accession Number: M81-045
Processed by Menzi Behrnd-Klodt, April 1981.
Contents List
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Box
1
Folder
1
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Biographical Sketches, 1980, undated
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Box
1
Folder
2
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Certificates and Awards, Programs, 1945-1969
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Box
1
Folder
3
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Correspondence and Other Papers, 1955-1974
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Box
1
Folder
4
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News Clippings, 1955, 1959, 1968, 1977, undated
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Box
1
Folder
5
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Photographs, 1940, 1945, undated
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Box
1
Folder
6
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Polish American Congress, 1956, 1964
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Radio Scripts
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Box
1
Folder
7
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Miscellaneous, 1945, 1963-1969 (English and Polish)
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Box
1
Folder
8
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“Poland Revisited,” 1966-1967 (English)
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Box
1
Folder
9
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Visits to Poland, 1959, 1961 (Polish)
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Box
1
Folder
10
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Speeches, 1949, 1956, 1960, undated
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Box
1
Folder
11
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Station WRJN, Background Information, 1966
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