MD, Lt Col Jan Duszkiewicz (1930-2022)
The -Ukrainians, who in 1947 were displaced from the south-eastern regions of Poland -to the so-called Recovered Territories as part of the Operation Vistula, often -repeated, and still repeat in their conversations: "Learn. What you have -in your head will never be taken away from you." Jan Duszkiewicz, whose -own life story could serve as an example of how much can be achieved in life -through work and determination, also reiterated this many times.
Jan -Duszkiewicz was born in the village of Berezka in the Lesko district on 1 July -1930 into the family of Jan and Katarzyna. He completed primary school in 1944. -In 1947, together with his mother and three sisters, he moved to the village of -Kozy (now in Bytów district). Between 1947 and 1951, he attended secondary -school in Słupsk. As he recalled years later, he often had to spend the night -at the railway station. This eventually drew the attention of the school -tutors, who sent the teenage boy to an orphanage. Just before his matriculation -exam (1951), Jan Duszkiewicz’s mother died. After his high school graduation, -Duszkiewicz passed his exams to the Military Medical Academy in Łódź (1951). Lt -Jan Duszkiewicz received his diploma from the Academy on 31 August 1957. As a -military doctor, he was assigned to a unit in Choszczno. Here, he began to -specialise in surgery, not without problems. Jan Duszkiewicz’s superior did not -agree that he should leave the unit. However, Duszkiewicz resorted to a trick, -which he later recounted with undisguised satisfaction. The trick was that -Duszkiewicz would leave the unit’s premises on his bicycle, which he would -always store in the same place on his return. With time, his superiors could -tell from his bike whether Duszkiewicz was in or out of the unit. In order to -confuse the commandant and pursue his specialisation in the civilian hospital, -Duszkiewicz decided to buy a second bicycle, which he did not tell anyone about -and which he used to go outside the unit. This anecdotal situation reflects -well the character of Jan Duszkiewicz, who, regardless of the difficulties, -always tried to fulfil the goal he had set himself.
From -Choszczno, Duszkiewicz was transferred to Szczecin, where he could more easily -continue his surgical specialisation. Three years after his transfer, he gained -a first degree of specialisation in general surgery and immediately began -specialising in the second degree. At the same time, he gained a first-degree -specialisation in healthcare organisation in 1970. Duszkiewicz’s career was, -however, hampered by his background and his refusal to join the Polish United -Workers’ Party. Nonetheless, in 1980 he obtained the second degree of -specialisation in general surgery, and in 1983 the title of Doctor of Medical -Sciences awarded by the Scientific Council of the Postgraduate Teaching Centre -at the Military Medical Academy in Warsaw. Jan Duszkiewicz’s papers have been -published in professional journals: A -case of venous leg ulceration with particular resistance to treatment. A case -of a puncture wound of the heart treated surgically, "Lekarz -Wojskowy". 1983. vol. 59, no. 7-8; A -simple method of bladder catheterisation. Using an originally designed lamp in -taking photographic images, "Lekarz Wojskowy", 1990, vol. 66, no. -11-12. Jan Duszkiewicz retired in 1993, but continued to work at the hospital -for many years.
Jan Duszkiewicz was a highly respected doctor. He earned his professional position -not only with his expertise, insight and inquisitiveness, but also with his -empathetic approach to patients. He never refused to help anyone, which not -only earned him a lot of sympathy (he was jokingly referred to as the -"doctor of the Bieszczady", because a great many people from that -area sought help from him), but also exposed him to trouble. Paradoxically, it -was the uniform of a professional soldier that protected him from the actions -of the communist secret police, who had information about the help Duszkiewicz -was giving, as well as about his activity in the Ukrainian community.
Apart from -his professional and academic path, Jan Duszkiewicz also realised himself -socially, especially in the Ukrainian community in Szczecin. He was a regular -participant in meetings, artistic reviews and concerts, which were organised in -the city by the local branch of the Ukrainian Social and Cultural Society, and -later of the Union of Ukrainians in Poland. Together with a number of other -people, he contributed to the organisation of children’s art reviews in -Koszalin, which continue to this day. He also took care of the Malvy children’s -group in Szczecin.
-On 28 April -1990, on the anniversary of the Operation Vistula displacements, during the -Szczecin Medical Forum, with the participation of more than thirty doctors from -all over Poland, the Ukrainian Medical Society was established, with Jan -Duszkiewicz as its first chairman. The Society paid particular attention to the -development of cooperation with doctors from Ukraine, the creation of -opportunities for Polish citizens to pursue medical studies in Ukraine, as well -as activities in the humanitarian area.
In Ukrainian -circles, Duszkiewicz was famous for his sense of humour and kindness. He liked -being among people and people liked to be in his company. The image that -remains in my mind is that of one of the annual Greek Catholic indulgence -feasts in Biały Bór, still in its old location, in the cemetery chapel in -today’s Sosnowa Street, adapted for the needs of the church, where, surrounded -by praying crowds of pilgrims, with confessionals lined up among the crosses -and long queues, in a side alley Jan Duszkiewicz gave medical advice to anyone -who asked for it. What will also remain are the very kind conversations -motivating me to persevere in my scientific work, the sincere joy and the phone -call when I defended my doctorate in 2005, the sentence repeated many times at -the time stating that “doctorates are not found in the trash bin”. There will -also remain the memory of his lifelong passion, beekeeping, about which he -could dissertate as long and as passionately as about medical cases or events -in the Ukrainian environment.
Jan -Duszkiewicz’s life companion was his wife, Anna (née Oleszko). The couple -married in December 1962 and lived together for 60 years. They had two children -and three grandchildren.
The final -years of Jan Duszkiewicz’s life were marked by suffering. He died on 25 August -2022 and was buried on 2 September 2022 at the Central Cemetery in Szczecin in -the presence of his family, friends and -with an honour guard of Polish Army soldiers.
Jarosław Syrnyk
Sources:
І. Душкевич, Просебе, "Українсьский альманах" 2008.
-Душкевич Іван / П. Пундій // Енциклопедія Сучасної України [Online] / Редкол. : І. М. Дзюба, А. І. Жуковський, М. Г. Железняк [та ін.] ; НАН України, НТШ. – К. : Інститут енциклопедичних досліджень НАН України, 2008. – Source: – su.com.ua.
–ЛікарБещадів. 80-літтяІванаДушкевича. Розмовляла Анна Вінницька, "Наше слово" №37, 12 IX 2010.