Galician Trails: The Forgotten Story of One Family

by Zalewski, Andrew

  These were also the years when automobiles began to appear on the roads, although they would remain beyond the means of the average person for a long time to come. We can only wonder what Joseph or Stephania would have thought about these horseless carriages; but it is safe to assume that some of the loud engines must have captured their attention on leisurely strolls. There were deeper signs of the changing times: The public was amazed at press reports of a commoner suing the Belgian king after being hit by an automobile the monarch was driving.40 Clearly, a new era had arrived, and not only from a technological standpoint. Soon, there was talk of a city steam- or gas-powered omnibus service. Initially, its route was planned between the bustling train station and Stanislawow’s downtown.41

  Cars were seen with increasing frequency on the roads, although during the snowy winters, horse-pulled sleighs were still considered more reliable means of transportation. (Die Muskete May 17, 1906; ŐNB, Vienna.)

  There were related announcements that didn’t seem to be taken seriously. Automobile drivers were not to exceed three miles per hour in busy urban places; this was reasoned to be appropriate because it was comparable to the speed of a pedestrian. They were permitted to move at nine miles per hour in other places, matching the pace of a trotting horse. Only in open spaces were cars allowed to drive at their full speed of approximately 30 miles per hour. The police also reminded citizens that these new machines required license plates—no exceptions.42 In winter, however, there was no competition from such relatively untried inventions. Horse-drawn sleighs still ruled the roads, and residents of Stanislawow demanded that bells be attached to the harnesses to warn passersby.43

  The city’s original train station soon became too modest for this proud town that aspired to become the third metropolis of Galicia. Thus, a few years after the Regiec family settled there, an ambitious reconstruction of that building began. Tour books of the period described the refurbished terminal, completed in 1908, as one of the most elegant in Galicia; it had been built at the cost of 600,000 kronen (equivalent to U.S. $2.4 million today).44

  In the summertime, Stanislawow was a convenient location for brief excursions. A short trip by carriage would have brought the Regiec family to the banks of the River Bystrzyca, a frequent spot for bathers and a nice place for a picnic. At times, members of the public would complain that cabbies refused to take city dwellers to this popular spot, wanting to avoid a long wait until their passengers were ready to head back to town. Young ladies were warned not to go there without a family escort; “horror stories” were published about pranksters throwing girls’ clothing into the river when they were in the water. We can only imagine the embarrassment of the unfortunate young ladies in long undergarments, looking for ways to get home unnoticed.45

  Stanislawow. The original train station from the turn of the century (the town was linked with local and later national railways since 1866). The building underwent major reconstruction, with the new train station opening in 1907. (Postcard from the early twentieth century.)

  There were other places for the family to go, particularly as Joseph’s affiliation with the railways provided them with discounts on train travel. Early on, before Bronislawa Lösch’s passing, there might have been a few trips back to visit her in Nowy Sacz. Or they could have taken a shorter train ride, only an hour or so, to the village of Jaremcze. Since 1894, when the railroad had connected this secluded village to the wider world, Jaremcze had become a favored summer destination for residents of Lvov as well as Stanislawow. With many villas, restaurants, and small hotels along the main road, it was considered the perfect place to relax, socialize, or just escape one’s own dusty town. Well-marked trails through a pine forest brought visitors to a waterfall or led up the surrounding summits to the best places to view an impressive bridge spanning a deep mountain valley. By the time the Regiec family would have visited Jaremcze, its local attractions drew as many as 1,500 summer visitors every year. As today, however, vacationers complained of the increasing prices of rental accommodations; two-bedroom apartments for the summer were offered for the outrageous price of 200 or even 300 kronen (the equivalent of U.S. $1,020 or $1,530 today).46

  Train ticket printed in the three languages most commonly spoken in Galicia. The line connecting Lvov with Czerniowce (Bukovina) was passing through Stanislawow.

  But the highlights of those years, for Helena, were trips taken with her family to faraway places within and even outside of the borders of Austro-Hungary. My grandmother would always remember her visits to Vienna and Venice. By the standards of the day, it was rare for a young woman to venture so far; only a few affluent people could afford to send their daughters on such eye-opening trips. The journey would start with a ride in a horse-drawn cab, which would carry the four, with their many pieces of luggage, to the train station about a mile from the city center. Once there, passengers could purchase tickets printed in Polish, Ruthenian, or German. For the average person, a ticket to Vienna cost about 46 kronen (equivalent to U.S. $245 today). But as my grandmother described it, Joseph Regiec and his family traveled at a special rate and in a special car furnished with separate bedroom compartments and an office to conduct business. At times, the car would be detached, so official duties could be completed at a particular location, to be reattached to the next train heading toward the capital of the empire.

  Even if Joseph had no work to be done along the way, the journey from Stanislawow to Vienna could take up to 36 hours.47 First, the train headed west via the Galician Transversal Railway or through the more northern route of the Galician Railway of Archduke Charles Louis. After traveling 410 miles in about 24 hours, passengers arrived in a west Galician town, where they changed to the Emperor Ferdinand Northern Railway. Those with more time could have a brief visit to the nearby city of Cracow. The last leg of the trip, 256 miles, took travelers beyond the borders of Galicia on a journey of up to 12 hours. First the train passed through Austrian Silesia and then, after taking a sharp turn south, it went through a mountain pass and parts of today’s Czech Republic before finally reaching Vienna’s Nordbahnhof station.

  Despite the name “Austro-Hungarian Empire” and the country’s dual monarchy, Vienna retained an undisputed role as the empire’s splendid capital. Budapest, the Hungarian seat of government, was a great city; but old Vienna could not be matched. There were many attractions for visitors, including stately palaces, museums, the opera house, and frequent concerts. For the young Helena, there were a few images that stayed in her memory for years. The Ringstrasse, as she later recalled, was a broad avenue encircling the city center, with elegant buildings along its way; it was considered one of the finest streets in Europe. There was a variety of trams in town—some were still pulled by horses, others were powered by steam; and then there was the most recent invention, powered by electricity.

  As they would have done today, Helena’s parents surely took their children to the city’s famous museums and galleries. Years later, however, Helena would not mention Vienna’s paintings or sculptures. Instead, it was the Museum of Natural History that made the biggest impression on her, with its displays of rare rocks, precious gems, and even meteorites. She also remembered a collection of medical curiosities, including one jar that was said to contain a preserved human stomach full of fingernails. Many years later, this would become the highlight of my grandmother’s scary warnings about what might happen to children who bit their nails.48

  Helena Regiec as a student in the women’s teachers’ school in Stanislawow.

  Another place that Helena would remember was the Prater. This public park, on the grounds of a former imperial hunting retreat, featured many coffeehouses and fine restaurants; broad avenues were lined with chestnut trees for leisurely strolls or rides in horse-drawn carriages. But the main attraction for the Regiec girls was the amusement park, which had even more enjoyable activities—in particular, the Viennese Giant Wheel (Wiener Riesenrad), which had been erected for the golden jubilee of the emperor
Franz Joseph. The Regiec family could sit in one of the large gondolas attached to its rim and, in just a few minutes, they would enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view high above Vienna.49

  Back home, Stanislawow also offered attractions. In June of 1905, an exciting trade show was in town. This touring exhibit displayed various new products manufactured in Galicia. The city was blanketed with posters announcing free admission; schools arranged trips for their students, and the press asked the public to support Galician businesses by attending. In two days, 8,000 people saw the show. A broad range of products was on display, from a precursor of decaffeinated coffee (called “healthy coffee”) to trendy tiled stoves that offered homes both warmth and a decorative touch. Locally made sweets in elaborate wrappings were said to compare well with similar products imported from Paris.50

  Some complained that not enough men from Stanislawow were in attendance—in any case, a few of the immediate needs of local businesses were being addressed when speakers appealed to visiting women to demand Galician merchandise when shopping. In the long run, however, the exhibit was seen as a way to convince the younger generation that there were many professions waiting for them in Galicia. But despite all the novelties on display, local newspapers mockingly reminded the public of a paradox: The interior of the main post office was still lit by antiquated kerosene lighting, while the city prison would soon enjoy modern gas lamps.51

  Regardless of this fact, a construction boom was definitely visible around Stanislawow. Opening early in 1905 was the Parisian-style Gartenbergers’ Passage, an elegant shopping arcade where the public strolled from one shop to another under a high glass ceiling. A previously unattractive inner courtyard squeezed between buildings had been transformed into a chic place, allowing passersby to enter through one of five enticing gates. Inside, large windows displayed attractive merchandise under gas lights, adding not only convenience but extra ambience. For those interested in technology, the Norbert Ehrlich store was the place, offering a new American invention, the typewriter. Just next door was the even more popular Cafe Edison, with live music by a military band or Hungarian gypsies, and a quieter reading room. The Passage quickly became the spot to meet other shoppers, take a quick shortcut from one street to another, or just have a break in the cafe. It isn’t difficult to imagine two young sisters, Helena and Wanda Regiec, on occasion with their mother, Stephania, walking through the Passage, glancing through the windows at the many items on display.52

  Several other buildings, with large apartments boasting the most desirable addresses, were being erected around this time on Sapiezynska Street, so often frequented by the Regiec family. Some hoped that with all this construction, apartment rents would soon become more affordable for railway employees. However, in May of the following year—the traditional month for lease renewal—many were described as “suspended between heaven and earth” (or between dreams and reality) wondering what had happened to those more affordable places to live. In the end, such hopes turned out to be only wishful thinking.53

  Stanislawow. Gartenbergers’ Passage was an enclosed shopping area with elegant shops and the popular Cafe Edison.

  In the summer of that year, quite a different event took place. Stanislawow, not to be outdone by other European cities, witnessed a bit of Americana. The famous Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show visited the city for two performances. This complex enterprise included 800 people and 500 horses, which arrived in three specially designed trains. Thousands of spectators lined the streets to watch the horse-drawn covered wagons and performers of “The Congress of Rough Riders of the World” in their native costumes, riding magnificent steeds through town. After this exotic procession reached a large field next to the military grounds, stables and a huge tent containing an arena with 12,000 seats were erected within only three hours. The kitchen, powered by an electric generator and with cooks in white uniforms, was quickly ready to serve meals to the performers. With crowds from surrounding areas descending on the city, the atmosphere could be only compared to today’s rock concerts. But the unaccustomed audience was a bit taken aback by assaults on their wallets when Buffalo Bill programs, Buffalo Bill drinks, Buffalo Bill souvenirs, and other items were incessantly offered for purchase.

  Stanislawow. The corner of Kazimierzowska and Sobieski streets in the downtown. (Postcard from the early twentieth century.)

  The performance itself featured riders and marksmen from around the world. Certainly it was the first time that Stanislawow had witnessed Native American, Mexican, Gaucho, Arab, Cossack, and Japanese riders all in the flesh in one place! There were many re-creations of the sort of cowboys-and-Indians tales that had shaped Europeans’ views of the American frontier. A happy ending was always a must—although ferocious-looking Indians attacked a settler’s cabin, they were quickly repelled by Colonel Cody (Buffalo Bill himself), who dashed to the rescue on horseback with a group of mounted cowboys.

  Only 45 minutes after the last spectator had left the big tent, the field was emptied; and the show left Stanislawow that night. Later, some wondered which had been more exciting: the show itself or seeing this amazing operation appear and disappear without a glitch. Press reviews were mixed, but the event was a success for the Buffalo Bill enterprise, reportedly bringing in more than 40,000 kronen (equivalent to U.S. $202,000 today).54

  The year 1908 began for Stanislawow with a heavy snowfall; many roads were closed, and railway transport was canceled for days. The city felt like one under siege, cut off from the rest of the world without even mail or newspaper deliveries. Heroic efforts had to be undertaken to rescue unfortunate train passengers; some had become stranded between cities, their tracks buried under massive amounts of snow.55 Nonetheless, winter brought good news to the Regiec family. In early January, there was the announcement of a long-anticipated promotion for Joseph. His new position as commissioner in the Department of Revenues for the Regional Railway Directorate meant an increase in annual salary to 2,600 kronen (equivalent to U.S. $72,400 today). Surely, it must also have been welcome news at 1 St. Joseph Street that the new rank carried four paid weeks of vacation per year, a rare benefit in those days. And contrary to the family’s earlier experiences with Joseph’s advancements, there was no need for them to relocate.56

  Toward the end of the year, a different type of celebration took place in Stanislawow and far beyond its boundaries. The entire Austro-Hungarian Empire was rejoicing at the 60th anniversary of Franz Joseph as emperor. News traveled fast about a spectacular light show in front of the Imperial Palace in Vienna, attended by 1.5 million spectators. In Stanislawow, a 24-gun salute and a military parade started the day; the downtown was decorated with flags, and commemorative pictures of the monarch were displayed in many windows. But the occasion was likely welcomed in the Regiec household for other reasons as well: First, Railway Directorate employees were given the day off. Second, Joseph Regiec was awarded the Jubilee Cross and the commemorative medal for civil administration; no doubt, those were reasons for a small celebration at 1 St. Joseph Street.

  The cartoon “Older Statesman” carried the caption, “My ladies, don’t worry about Austria! I’ve been declared dead so many times!” It was published on the 60th anniversary of Franz Joseph’s becoming emperor. (Die Muskete December 3, 1908; ŐNB, Vienna.)

  Many other citizens would be recognized by the state with honors and decorations, and commentaries in the raucous Galician press were unusually polite and respectful toward the emperor, who was generally depicted as a wise, elderly man. Some noted that he had begun his rule as an absolute monarch in a time of great crisis; 60 years later, he was a respected constitutional monarch, presiding once again over what was described as a weakened Austro-Hungarian Empire. Hopes were expressed by many that, with the passage of time, Galicia would evolve even further toward a federal model of increasing self-governance.57

  With the first decade of the twentieth century coming to a close, Joseph had many reasons to feel a bit of satisfaction. He was m
uch closer to that place in life where he had so wanted to be when starting his career in a small school in the countryside. Not much is known about Joseph’s and Stephania’s married life, but no stories of trouble at home were ever recalled by my grandmother. Their union had given them two daughters, now in their early twenties, who were approaching a time of decision about their own lives. Professionally, Joseph’s perseverance had paid off, and he was feeling secure in the career that had brought him to a comfortable existence in Stanislawow. News of this hard-earned success even traveled back to some of the places that he had passed through along his path.58

  More important than his own professional success, or even despite it, Joseph was a good man who remained interested in the welfare of others. As a former teacher, he always retained a keen interest in education. On top of his professional obligations, Joseph volunteered in some of his spare time, becoming active in an association that supported Galicia’s schools and aimed at improving their curricula. By coincidence or by choice, this was the same civic organization, the Folk School Association, in which his sister-in-law, Bronislawa, had been active; Joseph was elected to the executive committee of Stanislawow’s chapter out of more than 600 members. On their behalf, he and others were empowered to provide financial help to six schools in the area.59 Perhaps with Joseph’s vision and support, the group thought of attracting more people to their reading rooms by offering more than newspapers, magazines, and books. They also began to provide free legal advice, a service that was initiated in 1910. Apparently, this campaign turned out to be very successful, not only helping to raise the educational level of Stanislawow’s citizens but also, in a more immediate way, aiding those who had to deal with the town’s sometimes overwhelming bureaucracy.