Bronisława "Bernice" Bielawska was born near Huta in the farming village of Omelanka, located in Stydyń district, Kostopol County, of the Wołyń (Volhynia) region in eastern Poland (today renamed as Omelyanka, Rivne Oblast, in Ukraine). Her parents (Stanisław Bielawski and Aniela Jankiewicz) and her husband (Jozef Chomicz) were also from this area.
Bernice married Jozef circa 1920 and they had five children, all born in Omelanka:
1921: Genowefa "Gienia"
1923: Janina "Janka"
1925: Josef "Joe"
1927: Anna Leokadia "Lodzia"
1929: Janek Janusz "Jan Jozeph"
In March 1943, Omelanka and neighboring villages were pillaged by pro-German Ukrainian Army insurgents who began attacking/liquidating the area's Polish settlements; over 1100 Poles were killed by August. All houses inhabited by the Poles were burned to the ground. Residents were bludgeoned, raped and murdered, including children - only those who fled into forests survived these raids along with the Chomicz family. Local Ukrainians looted the livestock and any remaining spoils of value.
(NOTE: Today, the village of Omelanka no longer exists, except in memory. What stands there today is a remembrance copy of the original 1943 cross, placed where once a Roman Catholic church stood, with Polish inscription "Jezu ratuj nas" (Jesus Save Us). There is also a commemorative stone, inscribed in both Polish and Ukrainian languages. This location has since been renamed Omelyanka and is near Huta in Rivnens'ka Oblast of western Ukraine).
Following the destruction of their villages, the few remaining survivors eventually reached rail stations at Rafałówka & Przemyśl, where they were processed by Nazis for shipment to Germany. In July, 1943, the Chomicz family was divided and shipped-out to various slave-labor concentration camps in boxcars. Bernice and son Jan were sent to a labor farm in Walsrode, Jozef and son Joe went to a different one and the daughters were shipped in boxcars to camps in Dachau.
On 07 Nov 1943, husband Jozef suffered a hernia while working as a forced laborer on a farm near Walsrode; following surgery in Fallingbostel, he died of complications the next day.
On 15 Apr 1945, the satellite camps of Bergen-Belsen were liberated by the 11th Armoured "Black Bull" Division of the British Army. Widowed, she resided in post-war DP (displaced persons) camps, first at Bergen-Belsen Later, she reunited with Makrocki family and daughter Anna at Funkkaserne barracks in Munich; then transferred to Wildflecken DP camp in Aug 1949.
From 1950, she lived with children Janka and Janek until they emigrated in 1951; then she resided with oldest son, Josef, until her emigration to the U.S. in 1958. She spent several years with daughter Anna's family in Plainview, Texas.
On 05 Nov 1969, she took the oath of citizenship along with her son-in-law, Jozef Makrocki, in San Antonio, Texas. At the time, she was the oldest person (82) on record to become a naturalized U.S. citizen, and a U.S. Senate Resolution was issued, honoring her for that distinction.
Her death at age 86 resulted from a heart attack. She was survived by 5 children, 9 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
As of 2015, this Holocaust survivor and her husband had a legacy of 11 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, 32 great-great-children, and 2 great-great-great-grandchildren.
Bernice married Jozef circa 1920 and they had five children, all born in Omelanka:
1921: Genowefa "Gienia"
1923: Janina "Janka"
1925: Josef "Joe"
1927: Anna Leokadia "Lodzia"
1929: Janek Janusz "Jan Jozeph"
In March 1943, Omelanka and neighboring villages were pillaged by pro-German Ukrainian Army insurgents who began attacking/liquidating the area's Polish settlements; over 1100 Poles were killed by August. All houses inhabited by the Poles were burned to the ground. Residents were bludgeoned, raped and murdered, including children - only those who fled into forests survived these raids along with the Chomicz family. Local Ukrainians looted the livestock and any remaining spoils of value.
(NOTE: Today, the village of Omelanka no longer exists, except in memory. What stands there today is a remembrance copy of the original 1943 cross, placed where once a Roman Catholic church stood, with Polish inscription "Jezu ratuj nas" (Jesus Save Us). There is also a commemorative stone, inscribed in both Polish and Ukrainian languages. This location has since been renamed Omelyanka and is near Huta in Rivnens'ka Oblast of western Ukraine).
Following the destruction of their villages, the few remaining survivors eventually reached rail stations at Rafałówka & Przemyśl, where they were processed by Nazis for shipment to Germany. In July, 1943, the Chomicz family was divided and shipped-out to various slave-labor concentration camps in boxcars. Bernice and son Jan were sent to a labor farm in Walsrode, Jozef and son Joe went to a different one and the daughters were shipped in boxcars to camps in Dachau.
On 07 Nov 1943, husband Jozef suffered a hernia while working as a forced laborer on a farm near Walsrode; following surgery in Fallingbostel, he died of complications the next day.
On 15 Apr 1945, the satellite camps of Bergen-Belsen were liberated by the 11th Armoured "Black Bull" Division of the British Army. Widowed, she resided in post-war DP (displaced persons) camps, first at Bergen-Belsen Later, she reunited with Makrocki family and daughter Anna at Funkkaserne barracks in Munich; then transferred to Wildflecken DP camp in Aug 1949.
From 1950, she lived with children Janka and Janek until they emigrated in 1951; then she resided with oldest son, Josef, until her emigration to the U.S. in 1958. She spent several years with daughter Anna's family in Plainview, Texas.
On 05 Nov 1969, she took the oath of citizenship along with her son-in-law, Jozef Makrocki, in San Antonio, Texas. At the time, she was the oldest person (82) on record to become a naturalized U.S. citizen, and a U.S. Senate Resolution was issued, honoring her for that distinction.
Her death at age 86 resulted from a heart attack. She was survived by 5 children, 9 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
As of 2015, this Holocaust survivor and her husband had a legacy of 11 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, 32 great-great-children, and 2 great-great-great-grandchildren.
Bronisława "Bernice" Bielawska was born near Huta in the farming village of Omelanka, located in Stydyń district, Kostopol County, of the Wołyń (Volhynia) region in eastern Poland (today renamed as Omelyanka, Rivne Oblast, in Ukraine). Her parents (Stanisław Bielawski and Aniela Jankiewicz) and her husband (Jozef Chomicz) were also from this area.
Bernice married Jozef circa 1920 and they had five children, all born in Omelanka:
1921: Genowefa "Gienia"
1923: Janina "Janka"
1925: Josef "Joe"
1927: Anna Leokadia "Lodzia"
1929: Janek Janusz "Jan Jozeph"
In March 1943, Omelanka and neighboring villages were pillaged by pro-German Ukrainian Army insurgents who began attacking/liquidating the area's Polish settlements; over 1100 Poles were killed by August. All houses inhabited by the Poles were burned to the ground. Residents were bludgeoned, raped and murdered, including children - only those who fled into forests survived these raids along with the Chomicz family. Local Ukrainians looted the livestock and any remaining spoils of value.
(NOTE: Today, the village of Omelanka no longer exists, except in memory. What stands there today is a remembrance copy of the original 1943 cross, placed where once a Roman Catholic church stood, with Polish inscription "Jezu ratuj nas" (Jesus Save Us). There is also a commemorative stone, inscribed in both Polish and Ukrainian languages. This location has since been renamed Omelyanka and is near Huta in Rivnens'ka Oblast of western Ukraine).
Following the destruction of their villages, the few remaining survivors eventually reached rail stations at Rafałówka & Przemyśl, where they were processed by Nazis for shipment to Germany. In July, 1943, the Chomicz family was divided and shipped-out to various slave-labor concentration camps in boxcars. Bernice and son Jan were sent to a labor farm in Walsrode, Jozef and son Joe went to a different one and the daughters were shipped in boxcars to camps in Dachau.
On 07 Nov 1943, husband Jozef suffered a hernia while working as a forced laborer on a farm near Walsrode; following surgery in Fallingbostel, he died of complications the next day.
On 15 Apr 1945, the satellite camps of Bergen-Belsen were liberated by the 11th Armoured "Black Bull" Division of the British Army. Widowed, she resided in post-war DP (displaced persons) camps, first at Bergen-Belsen Later, she reunited with Makrocki family and daughter Anna at Funkkaserne barracks in Munich; then transferred to Wildflecken DP camp in Aug 1949.
From 1950, she lived with children Janka and Janek until they emigrated in 1951; then she resided with oldest son, Josef, until her emigration to the U.S. in 1958. She spent several years with daughter Anna's family in Plainview, Texas.
On 05 Nov 1969, she took the oath of citizenship along with her son-in-law, Jozef Makrocki, in San Antonio, Texas. At the time, she was the oldest person (82) on record to become a naturalized U.S. citizen, and a U.S. Senate Resolution was issued, honoring her for that distinction.
Her death at age 86 resulted from a heart attack. She was survived by 5 children, 9 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
As of 2015, this Holocaust survivor and her husband had a legacy of 11 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, 32 great-great-children, and 2 great-great-great-grandchildren.
Bernice married Jozef circa 1920 and they had five children, all born in Omelanka:
1921: Genowefa "Gienia"
1923: Janina "Janka"
1925: Josef "Joe"
1927: Anna Leokadia "Lodzia"
1929: Janek Janusz "Jan Jozeph"
In March 1943, Omelanka and neighboring villages were pillaged by pro-German Ukrainian Army insurgents who began attacking/liquidating the area's Polish settlements; over 1100 Poles were killed by August. All houses inhabited by the Poles were burned to the ground. Residents were bludgeoned, raped and murdered, including children - only those who fled into forests survived these raids along with the Chomicz family. Local Ukrainians looted the livestock and any remaining spoils of value.
(NOTE: Today, the village of Omelanka no longer exists, except in memory. What stands there today is a remembrance copy of the original 1943 cross, placed where once a Roman Catholic church stood, with Polish inscription "Jezu ratuj nas" (Jesus Save Us). There is also a commemorative stone, inscribed in both Polish and Ukrainian languages. This location has since been renamed Omelyanka and is near Huta in Rivnens'ka Oblast of western Ukraine).
Following the destruction of their villages, the few remaining survivors eventually reached rail stations at Rafałówka & Przemyśl, where they were processed by Nazis for shipment to Germany. In July, 1943, the Chomicz family was divided and shipped-out to various slave-labor concentration camps in boxcars. Bernice and son Jan were sent to a labor farm in Walsrode, Jozef and son Joe went to a different one and the daughters were shipped in boxcars to camps in Dachau.
On 07 Nov 1943, husband Jozef suffered a hernia while working as a forced laborer on a farm near Walsrode; following surgery in Fallingbostel, he died of complications the next day.
On 15 Apr 1945, the satellite camps of Bergen-Belsen were liberated by the 11th Armoured "Black Bull" Division of the British Army. Widowed, she resided in post-war DP (displaced persons) camps, first at Bergen-Belsen Later, she reunited with Makrocki family and daughter Anna at Funkkaserne barracks in Munich; then transferred to Wildflecken DP camp in Aug 1949.
From 1950, she lived with children Janka and Janek until they emigrated in 1951; then she resided with oldest son, Josef, until her emigration to the U.S. in 1958. She spent several years with daughter Anna's family in Plainview, Texas.
On 05 Nov 1969, she took the oath of citizenship along with her son-in-law, Jozef Makrocki, in San Antonio, Texas. At the time, she was the oldest person (82) on record to become a naturalized U.S. citizen, and a U.S. Senate Resolution was issued, honoring her for that distinction.
Her death at age 86 resulted from a heart attack. She was survived by 5 children, 9 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
As of 2015, this Holocaust survivor and her husband had a legacy of 11 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, 32 great-great-children, and 2 great-great-great-grandchildren.
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