150 Years Polish People In New Zealand

On 1 November 1944, 733 children, mostly orphans and half orphans, arrived in Wellington Harbour. They had lost their homes and family members following the 1939 German invasion of Poland and its subsequent occupation by the USSR

Despite more than 30 years passing, Pope John Paul II is still the only supreme pontiff to have come to New Zealand’s shores.

Prior to 1872 may have seen the odd Polish sailor until the 1860s gold rush drew many prospectors and a small influx of Polish Jews which set up business in Dunedin.  Samuel Edward Shrimski (1828 – 25 June 1902) became a 19th-century Member of Parliament and then a Member of the Legislative Council from Otago.

1872 -1900 saw a period of mass migration from Poland where a majority arrived from regions under German occupation. In 1870, Vogel introduced his works scheme to build New Zealand’s infrastructure and people via Hamburg were thought to be the ideal people to carry on the works.

1893 – saw an important period in New Zealands history, where women were seeking equality in literally a man’s world. It is important to note that these Polish pioneering woman went out to register and took interest in New Zealand political affairs.

The children & grandchildren of the early Polish settlers volunteered to defend their new nation and fight against their old foe Germany. This was also an extremely difficult time for settlers who had to prove their Polish identity.