The Corner
A WW II Era Story of a Neighborhood
by
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During the 1930's through the 1950's, neighborhoods in the American cities were ethnic and race oriented. People clustered in familiar surroundings. It was a natural migration of the ethnic groups to move into areas where they could speak the same language, have similar cultural and religious backgrounds.
The meeting place for many men of such groups was the local corner, a cross-roads of a main and side street in the neighborhood. The second most frequented meeting place was the local cafe or beer joint. The latter term applied universally through-out the country to cafes. These were the places where the men gathered to discuss politics, sports, day-to-day activities, family problems, and life in general. That was the custom. Everyone was comfortable in the surroundings.
The ladies met at the local grocery or butcher shop and at coffee klatches. The meetings were therapeutic. There was little need for psychiatric consultations. Neighbors confided in each other. They were able to exchange personal problems, finding more often than not their problems were similar in nature.
The make-up of the various pockets within the neighborhoods consisted of African-American, Poles, Irish, Hungarians, Italians, Germans, and similar ethnic backgrounds.
This is the story of a street corner, Junction Avenue and Lucas Street, in Toledo, Ohio. A neighborhood comprised of Polish Americans. A people similar in nature to other ethnic and racial groups in the United States prior to WW II. Most were law abiding, hard working, family oriented, religious, custom oriented, very mindful of their heritage, and happy in their adopted land. A people that appreciated the relative security of the United States and the hope and promise of having a good life. They were no different than the Americans and thousands of immigrants of today who dream of owning their home, having a family, being able to obtain good educations for their children, and enjoying the fruits of hard work and freedom.
Many of the men that gathered on the corner had nicknames. The names that sometimes had meaning and in many instances more often than not meant nothing. But some place along the line most men received a nick name that stayed with that person until death. In most cases the origin of the name was lost. True, many of the nick names were not the most elequent to say the least. Names such as Bugs, Nuts, Morgan, Skidoo, and B.S. meant nothing. However, the names were accepted, though sometimes reluctantly, by most of the men. The names were a badge of recognition and of being one of the boys.
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About the Book
THE CORNER provides an historical record of the life style of young men in what could be considered a typical neighborhood prior to and during the WW II period in America. Toledo, Ohio is the setting of this documentary. The specific scene is the corner of Junction Avenue and Lucas Street, located in a solid Polish/American neighborhood. The story could be written of many other neighborhoods and ethnic and racial groups throughout the United States. It just so happens that the writer was a member of this particular group and neighborhood.
Dramatic changes have taken place since the time period addressed in THE CORNER. WW II impacted the way of life of all Americans. Ethnic and racial neighborhoods and groups are still located throughout the country but on a far less scale. Nicknames, a sign of popularity in most cases or of a special trait of the individual, are not as common in today's society. New and interesting developments have impacted the old meetings places and methods of communication amongst the young men throughout America. Television; new and interesting hobbies; and diverse civic, religious, and other group organizations that provide meeting places and many other features that make for a more effective life style of American youth have replaced the "old" but unforgetable meetings on the local "corners". Unfortunately a part of American culture and history are lost for the ages.
THE CORNER captures a capsule of a part of American life during an era that has literally disappeared from the the American scene.
About the Author
Melvin R. Bielawski , a World War II veteran, was drafted into the U.S. Army in May, 1945. Mr. Bielawski received infantry training at Ft. McClellan, Alabama. Subsequent to his infantry training he was ordered to Germany in November, 1945, and was assigned to the 633rd Medical Clearing Company located in Ludwigsburg, Germany. He was given a medical MOS (military occupation specialty) and placed in charge of the hospital in Prisoner of War (P.O.W.) Camp 78 (CI) in Zuffenhausen, Germany.
While on leave in Berchtesgaden, Germany, in July, 1946, he met his future wife, Frances, at Koenigsee a mountain lake in Bavaria near Berchtesgaden. They were one of the first American/German couples to be married in Germany after General Eisenhower lifted the non-fraternization and wedding bans between American military personnel and German civilians on January 1, 1947.
Following his military discharge in 1947, Mr. Bielawski was employed by a small business in Toledo and concurrently attended the University of Toledo (UT) under the G.I. Bill of Rights. He majored in Industrial Management (BBA). In 1950 he was employed by the Army at the Rossford Ordnance Depot. In July, 1957, he accepted a position in Germany. He had various assignments and promotions in Germany. In May, 1965, he returned to the United States with his family and to a position in the Pentagon . While employed by the Department of Defense, including the Pentagon and Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, he attended George Washington University and received his M.S. in Public and Government Administration. He retired from the Department of Defense in 1982. Subsequent to his Federal Government sevice, Mr. Bielawski was employed by several Defense contractors providing technical support and later established his own business providing consulting services to Defense contractors. Mr. Bielawski and his wife Frances currently reside in Alexandria, Virginia.