Stanley Kijowski was born in Kansas City, KS March 26, 1924 to Peter and Agnes (Stawowy) Kijowski. He lived in Kansas City until 1933, when his family moved to Poland. During World War II he was taken from the family farm, by Nazi German soldiers, to do slave labor. Kijowski escaped, walked for weeks to get home, only to be turned in by a neighbor, and taken by the Germans. Enslaved in a different place, Kijowski escaped again, only to be captured by Germans once more. At one point he was taken to Auschwitz. While there, he was interrogated and beaten severely, but again he escaped. Kijowski was helped by the Polish underground to recover from his injuries, sparking a desire to help the Allied Polish resistance. Once within the organization, he was given the code name "Tarzan". Kijowski helped blow up German trains, and convoys, rescue prisoners' and participated in other covert missions. After the war, he returned to the United States and in 1949 joined the Merchant Marines. Kijowski was back home by 1953 and married Teresa Ziolo, and after a few years moved to Abilene, KS. Kijowski working for Standard Steel Works, and VacuBlast. He was a great musician, playing the violin, banjo, trumpet, and mandolin. He wrote music, sang  and played together with his wife in their band "The Polka Jets". They had four children. Kijowski has a book which tells more about his adventures during the war and his life. "Surviving the Holocaust": Stan Kijowski's Journey In A Wicked World.