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Coming to America: A Glimpse into the Runewicz Family

By 1890, a private accord, known as the Re-Insurance Treaty, insured a truce between
Germany and Russia. The years passed, and in 1894, Russia and France became allies supporting
each other financially and militarily. Germany did not renew their treaty with Russia in 1893,
because of Germanys increased interest in Austria-Hungary. Mounting tensions among borders
most likely caused the Runewicz family to flee Poland, the neighboring country to Germany and
Russiai. Daniel Runewiczs great grandfather was named Michael Runewicz born in Poland on
August 2nd, 1892 and his parents were Mike (Michael) Runewicz and Mary Goldovska. The
Runewiczs, afraid of possible complete Russo-German domination, migrated to Cleveland,
Ohio. By the end of August in 1914, all of Europe declared war on each other initiating World
War Iii.
In 1917, British spies intercepted a German telegram to Mexico urging them to engage
against America, famously known as the Zimmerman Telegram. That very year, the United
States passed the Selective Service Act allowing the government to conduct a draftiii. Early
records indicate that in 1917, Mike Runewicz denounced Poland as his native land and became a
naturalized citizen in America. The same day Michael Runewicz signed the paperwork for his
naturalization in 1917, he also willingly signed draft paperwork. However, no records
demonstrate that Michael was ever drafted to fight in the war. World War I officially ended on
November 11th 1918.
On February 10, 1925, Mike Runewicz married Rose Probul, of Pennsylvania. At the
time of their marriage, Rose was only 16 and required her parents permission to marry. Mrs.
Runewiczs (Probul) parents were Zigmund Joe Probul and Paulina Hanapoviz. Both agreed to
the union, and were present for the ceremony.

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During this time the United States had been dealing with the first Red Scare, which
initiated during, and continued after World War I. The Stacco-Vanzetti case caught national
attention as two anarchists/ socialists were being charged for the murder of two shoe warehouse
employeesiv. It was the controversial case of the time because of what truly fueled the case, and
not the actual evidence. Both men, Stacco and Vanzetti were executed on August 23rd 1927.
By 1929, the Stock market crashed. As suicide and devastation swept the nation due to
the crash in October, Michael Runewicz worked as a laborer for a factory. Michael worked for a
steel company, or factory, although Michael had other means of undisclosed income to support
his stay-at-home wife and children by the 1940s. Michael and Rose had three boys: Michael Jr.,
Joseph and Stanley Runewicz, according to a 1940s census. At the time of the census, Mrs.
Hanapoviz (Probul) had passed away, (possibly from hunger as most older folk and blacks of the
time of the depression had to fight to gain employment, and in the struggle ended up dying from
starvation) no death decree was ever recovered, the financial hard times of the crash may have
forced Joe Probul to live with the Runewiczs, as Rose was his only child. Joe Probul may have
never recovered from the crash.
In December 1941, the United States declared war on Japan and entered World War II
after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Germany and the Axis Powers later declared war on the
United Statesv. At 50 years of age, Michael Runewicz had to sign up for the draft again. His draft
card was filled out in 1942. In November 1942, the draft age was lowered to 18vi. Michael
Runewicz was not selected for the draft, however. At this point in time, he was most likely was
too old to be drafted and with the age lowered to 18, there were plenty more able bodied
individuals able to fight in the war than a 50 year old man. Michael Runewicz became a

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naturalized citizen, again, on December 29, 1943. No records have been found as to why there
were two different times at which Mike had to gain naturalization.
Little information was recovered for Daniels great uncles: Michael Jr. and Joseph
Runewicz. However, Stanley Runewicz (misspelled Runewioz, and also incorrectly misspelled
as Runawicz, by chronologists and census conductors) had a little more recovered information.
Stanley Runewicz was born in 1930, although the exact date was not recovered. His highest level
of education known (according to Daniels father Daniel Benedicts birth records) was 2nd grade.
He married Carol Ann Morrison, daughter of Frank and Florence Morrison. Frank Morrison was
a Delivery Man (truck) and Florence Morrison was a stay-at-home mother. Frank managed to
maintain employment throughout the depression with his steady truck-driving job. Florences
highest level of education was sophomore year in high school and Franks highest level of
education was junior year in high school. Frank and Florence were both born on the same year in
1909, but exact dates for either great grandparent, were never recouped.
Although much of the family history is still unknown, the interest acquired in searching
for the missing pieces has led me to continuously look deeper into how the Runewicz family
made their way to America. His great grandfather, Michael Runewicz, escaped two drafts in the
early years of America, and survived the Great Depression of the 1930s. He found work when
times were hard and also supported his father-in-law during the hard economic struggle of the
1930s. His can-do attitude set him apart from other families in that he managed to care for his
family of six. Michael Runewicz was the first to muscle through the beginning of their history in
America.

Europe 1890-1914. History Man. n.d. http://www.historyman.co.uk/ww1/Europe18901914.html.

ii
Interactive WWI Timeline. National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial. 2014.
https://theworldwar.org/explore/interactive-wwi-timeline.
iii
WWI: Timeline 1917. The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century. PBS. Community
Television of Southern California. 2004. http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/timeline/time_1917.html.
iv The Red Scare. US History: Pre-Columbian to the New Millenium. The Independence
Hall Association. 2014. http://www.ushistory.org/us/47a.asp.
v
World War II: Timeline. Holocaust Encyclopedia. United States Memorial Holocaust
Museum. 20 June 2014. http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007306.
vi This Day in History. History. A&E Television Networks, LLC. 2014.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/world-war-i-ends.
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