I too enjoyed the episode. A very different side to Magda. I do always so love her humour. I suspect in this instance she heard a lot she was not really prepared for.
Re her great grandparents in Dublin: It would have been interesting to see some death records for the children. To have lost 10 of 13 seems a lot. I wonder what the circumstances were. Were the deaths genetic or were these tragedies of the times? The poverty was stated but everything else was just very general.
Her grandfather’s police history was some shock. She was prepared for the possibility that he may have been involved in the IRA, which seems not be the case. Instead she learned of a criminal background. (The instances of theft and the drinking) Still her grandfather would have had a lot of responsibility given his father’s early death.
Clearly his war experiences had a serious effect on him and his post war condition must have really affected his family as well as himself. These stories on the tragedy of wars are always so moving. The visions of those suffering with shell shock were terribly graphic. The son (Magda’s Uncle) description of his father was such a contrast to what we had heard. (Articulate, Intellectual, Integrity, Dignity “he was a teacher, cos he taught me how to live”. ) His poem was really moving.
Her journey to Poland was very so sad: The involvement of her father and his family with the Polish Resistance. The visit with her Aunt was so emotional.
Magda seemed to already have some knowledge of what her father had experienced in the war, but it certainly became so much more real for her. The families involvement was all new to her. Hearing what people actually did in these wars is just so eye opening. (I guess the sort of things we really do not like to think about)
I enjoyed seeing such an emotive look at the ravishes of war on families in this episode. (a different slant on war)
Visits to 3 countries, the time just flew for me. I am glad Magda shared her story with us. We just never know what we will find when we start looking into our history. These wars destroyed men. They destroyed families. Magda has certainly evolved from her families traumatic background with a wonderful sense of humour.
Look forward to next week. Keep up the good work Diana and the WDYTYA team.
Cheers Kris
