Summary Information
Walter Zukowski Papers
1976-1981
Milwaukee SC 93
0.2 c.f. (3 folders)
UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)
Memoirs written by Zukowski in 1981 of his boyhood in Poland, his family, emigration to the United States in 1905, and life in Milwaukee until 1917. A second memoir written in 1976 recounts Zukowski's military experiences during World War I, based on a diary kept while serving with an ammunition supply unit of the 32nd “Red Arrow” Division. The memoirs include newsclippings, a photograph of Milwaukee officers of Company B, 5th Wisconsin Infantry, and a list of those officers and enlisted men. In addition, there is a small file of correspondence and clippings relating to World War I veterans, “Polish jokes,” and other concerns of the Polish American community.
There is a restriction on use of this material; see the Administrative/Restriction Information portion of this finding aid for details.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-milsc0093 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Walter Zukowski was born in Augustow in Russian Poland on January 8, 1899. In 1905 he came to the United States with his mother; his father, Joseph, had preceded the family by several years and had worked as a miner in Spring Valley, Illinois. The family eventually settled in St. Hedwig's Parish in Milwaukee; later they moved to the parishes of St. Casimir's and St. Mary of Czestochowa. Zukowski attended parochial grade school until age 14, then worked a variety of jobs to earn money for his family, while attending school.
During World War I, Zukowski served with the American Expeditionary Forces in England, France, and Germany. Following the war he returned to Milwaukee where he worked as an insurance agent, a salesman, and a public relations man. From 1923-1931, he worked in the public relations department of Holeproof Hosiery Company, using the name of Walter Stanley at the company's request. Apparently Zukowski lost his job with the company because of his involvement with the Textile Workers Union. Subsequently, Zukowski worked as a floor manager for Schusters Department Store and at Sears until his retirement in 1964.
Scope and Content Note
The collection includes a folder entitled “An American Born in Poland,” consisting of memoirs written in 1981 of Zukowski's boyhood in Poland, his family, emigration to the United States, and life in Milwaukee until 1917. A second folder contains the “Memoirs of Sergeant 'Zuki'” (written in 1976), which recount Zukowski's military experiences during World War I, based on a diary he kept while serving with an ammunition supply unit of the 32nd “Red Arrow” Division. Within the typewritten memoirs are newsclippings, a photograph of Milwaukee officers of Company B, 5th Wisconsin Infantry, July 1917, together with a list of those officers and enlisted men, April 1917. Also included with the memoirs are a list of the dates and places where Zukowski served while in the Army and copies of correspondence regarding his attempts to join Army intelligence during World War II (dated 1977), and pertaining to his memoirs and his files held by the Army, 1978.
In addition, there is a small file of correspondence and clippings, 1977-1978, relating to World War I veterans, “Polish Jokes,” and other concerns of the Polish-American community.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Walter Zukowski retains all literary rights to his memoirs.
Presented by Walter Zukowski of Greenfield, Wisconsin in 1980-1981. Accession Number: M81-50, M81-374
Processed by Menzi Behrnd-Klodt, September, 1981.
Contents List
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Folder
1
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“An American Born in Poland,” 1981
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Folder
3
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Correspondence and News Clippings, 1977-1978
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Folder
2
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World War I Memories, “Memoirs of Sergeant 'Zuki,'” 1976
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