Grave of the Szylling and Frankowski families
The names and dates of the deceased appear on the back of the headstone. grave #
[lot C1 017 ]
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Maria DOBROWOLSKA
born DOUGLAS
( 1872-1961 )
born DOUGLAS
( 1872-1961 )
Born in the Ukraine, daughter of James Douglas, a Scots engineer from Glasgow, specialist in sugar refining. Married Aleksander Dobrowolski. They had two children, Roza (below) and Stefan (who served as an officer in the 17th Lancers' regiment, then as a military Attaché in London before being posted to Washington and later to Mexico where he died). Maria upheld Polish traditions in the country's eastern Borderlands. She lived in Warsaw during the war, was evacuated to Sweden and emigrated to Canada in 1947 where she settled with her daughter in Montreal. Died at the age of 89
Róża SZYLLING-FRANKOWSKA
born DOBROWOLSKA
(commemorated)
( 1895-1986 )
born DOBROWOLSKA
(commemorated)
( 1895-1986 )
Born in Kiev, daughter of Maria (above). Belonged to a family of Polish landed gentry (szlachta). Deeply attached to her native eastern Borderlands, she recorded the area's family histories and published a book on genealogy based on ancient sources, deposited in Canada's National Archives as well as in the Polish Library in Montreal. After the 1917 October Revolution she took refuge in Warsaw. In 1922 she married Stefan Frankowski, an officer in the Polish Navy. They lived in Gdynia and had two children: Stefan (René) and Maria Teresa Jolanta (Jola). She was awarded the Golden Cross of Merit for her pre-war community work. After the German invasion in 1939, she and her children made their way to England. They were evacuated to Canada in 1940 – the same year her husband perished in a German camp. In Montreal Maria-Roza worked at RCA Victor Co. for a number of years. She was also socially active, leading a number of Polish organizations, including the Committee in charge of looking after Polish graves in Saint-Sauveur Cemetery. In 1950 she married her second husband, General Antoni Szylling. After his death in 1971 she moved to Vancouver to live with her daughter Jola and her family. She died at the age of 91.
Stefan FRANKOWSKI
(commemorated)
( 1887-1940 )
(commemorated)
( 1887-1940 )
Naval officer, first husband of Roza Dobrowolska (above). Born in present-day Ukraine, he completed the Naval Cadet Academy in Saint-Petersburg with distinction and served in the Imperial Baltic Fleet. The King of Italy decorated him for bravery in rescuing victims of the 1908 earthquake in Sicily. Until 1917 he served as a navigation officer on Tsarist warships and was one of the few officers whose life was saved by his own sailors during the October Revolution. After Poland regained her independence in 1918, Frankowski joined the Polish Navy. He served as a military and naval Attaché in Sweden (1919-1921), then at Naval HQ in Warsaw. In 1923-1925 he completed his training at the École de Guerre Navale in Paris. Back in Poland, he headed a torpedo-boat formation in Gdynia and became Chief of the Naval Officers' Training School in Torun. Promoted to Commander, he became head of the Navy's General Staff in Warsaw, subsequently put in charge of Poland's naval defences in 1933 and in 1939. Under German attack in 1939, he defended the Hel peninsula. After capitulation, he was made prisoner-of-war in the Silberberg VIII B Oflag where he died in 1940. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral and decorated with numerous awards for helping establish the Polish Navy and for acts of courage in battle.
Stefan FRANKOWSKI
(commemorated)
( 1924-1961 )
(commemorated)
( 1924-1961 )
Born in Paris, son of Stefan (above) and Roza née Dobrowolska. Left Poland in 1939 with his mother and sister went to England and then to Canada in 1940. In Montreal, graduated from Loyola College and joined the Polish Navy. Served on warships until 1945, promoted to Lieutenant. After the war, studied at McGill University, graduating as an Electrical Engineer. Married June (Sally) Trotter with whom he had two sons, Krzysztof and Konrad. Lived in Brazil, managing the estates of Count Materazzo. Died in an airplane accident in Buenos Aires at the age of 37.
Antoni SZYLLING
( 1885-1971 )
( 1885-1971 )
Army General, second husband of Roza née Dobrowolska (above). Born near Warsaw, to an ancient Polish landed family with Bavarian Catholic roots. Trained in Agriculture, married dr. Zofia Bajkowska, a physician, with whom he had two sons, Jerzy and Karol. In World War I served in the Russian infantry, under Polish banners in 1917, was briefly made a German POW, then became involved in organizing Poland's newly-liberated army. Fought in the Polish-Soviet War, 1919-1920, at the end as Commander of an infantry Brigade. Head of Army Divisions in independent Poland, promoted to Brigadier-General in 1929.
In 1939 fought against the German invasion, led the Krakow Army east of the Vistula and is honoured as one of the three best army commanders of the campaign. He was captured by the Germans and remained a prisoner-of-war until liberation in 1945. In England, joined the Polish armed forces, promoted to Major-General in 1946. After demobilization, emigrated to Canada, and in 1950 married Roza (above). Recipient of numerous distinguished military awards, and author of a war memoir, its manuscript deposited in Montreal's Polish Library. Died at the age of 86, his headstone bearing the motto: "Gave his soul to God, his heart and mind to his Fatherland".
In 1939 fought against the German invasion, led the Krakow Army east of the Vistula and is honoured as one of the three best army commanders of the campaign. He was captured by the Germans and remained a prisoner-of-war until liberation in 1945. In England, joined the Polish armed forces, promoted to Major-General in 1946. After demobilization, emigrated to Canada, and in 1950 married Roza (above). Recipient of numerous distinguished military awards, and author of a war memoir, its manuscript deposited in Montreal's Polish Library. Died at the age of 86, his headstone bearing the motto: "Gave his soul to God, his heart and mind to his Fatherland".
Zofia SZYLLING
(commemorated)
( 1887-1944 )
(commemorated)
( 1887-1944 )
Physician, née Bajkowska, the first wife of General Antoni Szylling (above) and mother of Jerzy and Karol. Died in Sainte-Agathe at the age of 61, is buried in Côte-des-Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.
Jerzy H. SZYLLING
(commemorated)
( 1921-1943 )
(commemorated)
( 1921-1943 )
Son of Antoni and Zofia (above), born in Warsaw. Served in the Air Force in World War II, was shot down in England and was buried in Nottingham.
Karol S. SZYLLING
( 1924-1959 )
( 1924-1959 )
Engineer. Son of Antoni and Zofia (above), born in pre-war Poland. Was a Canadian reserve officer. Died tragically in an automobile accident in Edmonton at the age of 35.