Document text
Accession no.
yt :z;c:50
WPA L. C. PROJECT
Form -3
tirfLtertit UNIT
Frdlkloo Collection (or Type)
Date received
10/1UAU
Consignment no.
Shipped from
Label
Amount
Title_tarri,alc
seJ-1
Place gf origin
IllinOiS Date 6/20i
Project worker Hilda Polacheak
Project editor
Remarks
STATE
NAME OF ViORKER
ADDRESS
DATE
SUBJECT
NAME OF INFORMANT
FORM B
Personal History of Informant
Hilda Polaoheok
1410 East 57th Street
June 22, 1939
American Lives
"I Sell Fish."
Louis F
1. Ancestry Polish -Jewish.
2. Place and date of birth Gonitz, Poland, February 24, 1899.
3. Family life and one daughter
FOLKLORE
CHICAGO
4. Places lived in, with dates Gonitz, Poland from 1899 to 1921. In Cuba from
February 1st to Maroh 15th, 1921.
5. Education, with dates
None.
6. Occupations and accomplishments, with dates
Has been selling fish since he arrived in Chicago.
7. Special skills and interests None
8. Community and religious activities
None
9. Description of informant Five feet, five inches in height. Slightly bald-
headed. Sallow complexion.
10. Other Points gained in interview
W3650
FORM C
Text of Interview (Unedited)
STATE Illinois
NAME OF WORKER Hilda Polaohek
ADDRESS 1410 East 57th Street
DATE June 22, 1939
SUBJECT "I Sell Fish."
NAME OF INFORMANT Louis T.
FOLKLORE
CHICAGO
You manna know what I do? I sell fish. I begin to sell fish the day I
come to Chicago. And I still sell fish. Yes, I had plenty of excitement
before I come to Chicago. You want me I should tell you about it? All right;
why not?
'here was I born? In a small town in Poland, called Gonitz. I got married
when I was nineteen. When I was twenty-one, I had two children. It was two
years after the World War, and I found out that I would be called to be a
soldier. My wife skid she did not want me to be a soldier in the Polish Army.
She said better I should try to go to America. I could not get a passport,
because I was running away from militaire. (military service) I knew a feller
what used to take people across the border. So I fixed it up with him that he
should take me. This feller had two other men that wanted to go to America, so
two o'clock in the morning, it was January, and it was cold, we all met and we
walked through a weld (forest) about a mile and we were in Germany. I paid the
feller fifteen marks. The other fellers each paid fifteen marks. The three of
us then waited till morning and we hired a wagon and drove to Berlin. In Ber-
lin, we took train for Amsterdam, Holland. Then we took the boat for Cuba.
Now, in Cuba, the excitement started. I found a boarding house where I
shared a roam with two fellers. I wanted to get to Chicago, where I had three
brothers and many uncles and aunts. The only way that 1 could go to Chicago,
FORM El
Extra Comment
FOLKLORE
CHICAGO
STATE Illinois
NAME OF 1110REER Hilda Polaohek
ADDRESS 1410 East 57th Street
DATE June 22, 1939
SUBJECT WI Sell Fish*
NAME OF INFORMANT Louis Teootsky
was to be smuggled into America. After six weeks, I met a feller who said he
would take me to America for $150.00. I had enough money to pay this, so I
*old him: all right.
One very hot night in March, this feller who said he could take me to
Amerioa, came to the boarding house and told me to get ready. He said I could
not take anything. That it would take all night and all next day, and that I
would have nothing to eat and nothing to drink. Not even a drink of water.
Well, I did not want to stay in Cuba, so I went with him. He told me to walk
a few steps behind him, and not to talk. He said he must get some more fellers
who wanted to go to America. If I saw him go into a house, I should follow. I
do as he say. He stopped in twelve houses. And soon thirteen fellers was
following him. We came to the yam. (ocean) It was a very dark night. But the
feller who had the boat must have cat's eyes. He took our hands, one at a time,
and put us in a small boat. Maybe there was place for four men, and he put
thirteen in and he was fourteen. We lay in the boat like herring in a barrel.
Beoause we had no water, we all got thirsty. It was very hot and the heat from
our bodies, made it hotter. We were not allowed to talk. We were not allowed
to take off our clothes, There was no room to move even an inch. The only sound
was the noise from the engine of the small boat. We travelled like this all
night. The next day, we travelled all day. The sun made it hotter. The feller
who was taking us went the longest way, so we did not meet any boats. That day
STATE
NAME OF 1NORKER
ADDRESS
DATE
SUBJECT
NAME OF INFORMANT
FORM D
Extra Comment
Illinois
Iilda Polachek
1410 East 57th Street
June 22, 1939
*I Sell Fish.*
Louis Tecotsky
FOLKLORE
CHICAGO
was the worst day I ever spent in my life. I am ready to go to hell, if I have
to. It cannot be any worse than was that day in the boat. Well, about nine
o'clock in the evening, we got to Key West, Florida. The man pulled us out of
the boat. We were more dead than alive. He laid us on the shore and washed our
faces with the cool water. Then he gave us a little water to drink. He took us
*43 a dirty boarding house near the yam. There Are got something to eat. But I
could not eat. I only drank water. We slept on the floor. But the floor was
Heaven because we could move our arms and legs.
Well, the next day we took a train for Jacksonville, Florida. We waited
there six hours and then we took the train for Chioago. I'm telling you, when I
saw my brothers and uncles when I got off the train in Chicago, I cried like a
baby.
Well, maybe you think my troubles was over? No, my troubles was just
beginning. I found out that I could not become a citizen, and so I could not
bring mine wife and the children to Chicago.
Well, the first thing was to make a living. One of my brothers had a fish
market. So he gave no a basket of fish and told me where to go to sell them. The
first day, I made two dollars. When I could speak a little English, I peddled
fish in the high-toned places, and I could charge a little more Ithd I made a pretty
good living.
FORM D
Extra Comment
FOLKLORE
CHICAGO
STATE Illinois
NAME OF MRKER Hilda Polacheok
ADDRESS 1410 East 57th Street
DATE June 22, 1939
SUBJECT Sell Fish."
NAME OF INFORMANT Louis Tecotzky.
My wife was writing me letters how terrible it was in Poland. I sent her
money every month. But it was terrible to haveto keep quiet about being in Chicago.
I could not get citizenship papers, because I was smuggled in. And without citi-
zenship papers I could not bring my family to Chicago. Then my wife wrote me a
letter that one of our children died. I had plenty troubles. I couldn't go back
to Poland and I Gould not bring my family to Chicago. I dAdn't wanna go back to
Poland. But I did want my family.
Well, then a law was passed that all people who came to America in 1921 and
before could get their citizenship papers. Well, I can tell you I got my papers
as soon as I could. Then I brought my wife and my daughter to Chicago. And you
can see, I still sell fish.