Surviving War, Oceans Apart: Two Teenagers in Poland and Japan Destined for Life Together
Join us for a book discussion and signing with Yanek Mieczkowski, author of Surviving War, Oceans Apart.
This work takes readers to two countries ravaged by World War II, Poland and Japan, recounting the wartime experiences of teenagers Bogdan and Seiko. Bogdan’s family abandoned its home in Bydgoszcz, Poland, and fled to Warsaw, where Bogdan fought for the Polish Home Army in the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. During this brutal conflict, as Poles tried to oust occupying Germans, Bogdan sustained severe injuries, and after the Germans crushed the Uprising, he endured seven POW camps.
On the other side of the globe, in Hokkaido, Japan, Seiko’s country went to war against the U.S. With school suspended, Seiko worked in a wartime factory. Her older sister died during the war, while her older brother trained as a kamikaze pilot.
Once the war ended, both Bogdan and Seiko immigrated to the U.S. to pursue educational opportunities. In bustling postwar New York City, they met, fell in love, and then started a family. Bogdan and Seiko’s story is one of hope, symbolizing recovery from war’s devastation and immigrants’ dreams of new lives in America.
A book sale and signing will follow the public event.
Details on Attending
Registration
Space is limited and registration is encouraged. Registration is open through March 26, 2025 or until the event is full.
Watch the Livestream
Register to watch the March 18 livestream here.
Where & When
March 18, 2025:
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
1000 Beal Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Program begins: 6:30 p.m.
March 19, 2025:
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
303 Pearl Street NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Private Friends of Ford Reception: 5:30 p.m.
Program Begins: 6:30 p.m.
Program Supporters
In partnership with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation is proud to bring Yanek Mieczkowski to Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor.
About Yanek Mieczkowski
Dr. Yanek Mieczkowski is an assistant professor at Florida Tech University and author of several books, including The Routledge Historical Atlas of Presidential Elections and Gerald Ford and the Challenges of the 1970s.
