Mayor: A. Samulik
Vice-Mayor: J. Maleszyk
Vice-Mayor: A. Leo
Secretary: D. Bolesta
Assessor: J. Szafranski
Assessor: J Prokopowicz
Councilor: J. Abramik
Councilor: A. Latkowski
Councilor: Ks. W. Bieniecki
Councilor: P. Klejst
Councilor: J. Adamski
Councilor: Cn. Czulman
Councilor: F. Banachewicz
Councilor: M. Szapiro
Councilor: Sz. Kulik
Councilor: J. Meluch
Councilor: B. Szapiro
Councilor: A. Maleszyk *

I had heard my maternal grandfather, Alexander Maleszyk, talk about some of his life in Europe. It is always nice to come across documentation to back up oral family history. This is one such document. Not only is he in the photograph, but also there are members from several other related (via marriages) families such as Latkowski, Kulik and Meluch (possibly a family friend). These are all surnames that I can recall hearing as a child. My grandfather is pictured to the far right of the group.

One of these men was my grandfather's best friend, a Jewish banker. Sadly I do not recall his name. I can remember meeting him in Toronto, Ontario, CANADA, as a child. He and his family had managed to leave Europe before the Nazi invasions. Even though he was a highly respected banker in Ostrow, Poland, because of Canadian banking regulations he was unable to resume his career in Canada. He ended up owning a shop selling Koshered chickens on Spadina Street in Toronto. My grandfather used to take me along to see "his old friend" at the shop. We'd go into the back where I'd meet his grandson, about my age too, 10 years old. There the men would talk, and we would listen. Sitting on chicken crates we would pluck chickens (we were not very good at it), and the men would smoke cigars, except when the Rabbi made his rounds to kill and to inspect the fowl and premises. Then grandfather's friend had to look after business. Looking back on this I understand full well that no matter what one's background or religious beliefs, there is nothing like a true friend. My grandfather used to say to me, "When you have a Jew for a friend, you have a friend for life." Truer words were never spoken.