Kirkcaldy Book Launch: The Extraordinary Life of a Kirkcaldy-Trained WWII Hero
Join us at the Polish Club on 30th June for a Meet the Author and book launch about the extraordinary life of Jan Stepek, a Polish war hero, who did his military training in Kirkcaldy!
About Kirkcaldy Book Launch: The Extraordinary Life of a Kirkcaldy-Trained WWII Hero
Join us for an afternoon of astonishing stories of loss, resilience, and achievement as we follow the Stepek family through the wars.
Jan Stepek was born near Lviv, Poland, in present-day Ukraine. Son of a Polish resistance leader, Jan escaped a Siberian Gulag with his family and undertook an 8,000 km journey to Persia, where he was treated for typhus, starvation and dysentery.
Jan Stepek’s incredible odyssey took in Ukraine, Russia, Basra in Iraq, modern-day Iran and Palestine – all the hotspots in the news today.
Jan’s son Martin is the author. He says “When my dad arrived at the Persian refugee centre, he was so emaciated, he could circle his thigh in one hand.”
Jan then passed through several more locations in the Middle East before he was posted to Kirkcaldy for military training. He went on to serve in the Polish Navy and saw combat in many pivotal moments, including the battle of Monte Cassino, which paved the way for the D-day landings.
After the war, Jan settled in Scotland, where he became one of the country’s most highly regarded businessmen. His chain of home appliance shops were featured in the 1980s tv ads for Glens, Hutchisons, Robertsons and Stepek.
Kirkcaldy man, Bill Mair will interview Martin, who will read excerpts from his book and take questions from the audience.
The book launch for ‘Jan Stepek Part 1: Gulag to Glasgow’ takes place at 3pm on Sunday 30th June at Bennochy Community Hub SCIO (Kirkcaldy Polish Club), Bennochy Court, Kirkcaldy KY2 5TA
It is a free event, with tickets available via Eventbrite
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