These Polish immigrants

Polish immigration reached its peak in the 1920s. France recruited a courageous working population eager to integrate. The history of Poland and its numerous territorial conflicts pushed the Poles to leave their country very often occupied either by the Russians or by the Germans. Many were born under foreign nationality and learned at school in a language other than that of their family.

Without knowing how to speak a word of French, without a penny, they had only their courage, their faith in the future and the desire to integrate. "We are not at home, we must be blameless". As much by their dress as by their honesty, they wanted to prove that they were not these "dirty polaks" as it was sometimes said. Polaks, surely but dirty, surely not! This could have been the motto of all these children of immigrant origin who suffered racism in the playgrounds or elsewhere. Because in spite of the efforts, the foreigner always arouses the fear or the reproaches. These children have grown up today, some proudly carry their origins while being deeply French, others are much more discreet and want to blend into the Nation. They have had diverse careers with some great successes.
Here is the non-exhaustive list of all these Poles come from far away or born here and let us not forget the most humble but not the least deserving who by leaving everything, made these French who made France.

To my grandparents Josef and Bronia Babelek.