From Borszczów to Apostołów

The turn of the 19th and 20th centuries saw an intensification of emigration across the globe. People set off in search of a livelihood not only to the United States, but also to countries in South America. Argentina was, at that time, a fairly economically stable country, although it was grappling with demographic problems. For this reason, the authorities organised special schemes and support centres for all those who decided to come here.

The miller Julian Szychowski also took advantage of these facilities and, together with his entire family – his wife Karolina and several children, including 10-year-old Jan – set off across the ocean. In 1900, they left Borszczów (then part of Austro-Hungarian Galicia, now Ukraine) and arrived in Buenos Aires. In the capital, they were accommodated at the famous Hotel de los Inmigrantes (Hotel for Immigrants), where medical care, food, lodging and, in time, vocational training awaited newcomers from around the world. However, this was not the end of their journey, as the Szychowski family soon set off on foot for a former Jesuit settlement called Apóstoles, in north-eastern Argentina. They were not alone, as 20 other families arrived with them, whilst the first Polish emigrants had already settled there three years earlier, towards the end of the 19th century.

Jan Szychowski in Argentina: fortune is a wheel that turns

Life was very hard for the new arrivals in Argentina at first. The climate here was completely different, and the flora and fauna were unfamiliar. Instead of the plants they were familiar with, the settlers planted cassava, beans and sweet potatoes. It also took two years before the maize they had sown could yield a harvest; that was how long the battle against the ants and capybaras destroying the crops lasted. In such circumstances, there was no time to think about school, and Jan – known as Juan in Spanish – had to put his education on hold. He was, however, a natural talent and – despite his lack of formal education – never stopped learning. At first he worked as an assistant to the local blacksmith, but by the age of 18 he had already set up his own workshop. Now he was able to develop his talents almost without limit.

Whatever Szychowski needed – machine parts, tools, even a single screw – he produced everything himself, with his own hands. This is how, amongst other things, the first lathe built entirely in Argentina came into being; previously, they had been imported from abroad. The young Pole also built machines for milling rice, producing cassava starch and, finally, grinding and sorting yerba mate. All of these contributed to a tangible improvement in the standard of living not only for his family, but also for the entire local community, for Jan Szychowski never thought solely of himself.

Memoirs from that time show that the local Polish community stuck together, and every Pole found employment at Szychowski’s La Cachuera enterprise. What is more, when our inventor built a dam on the River Chimiray for his business to supply the factory with electricity, all the residents benefited from the electricity – just as they later did from the telephone line.

Polish yerba mate

Legend has it that the goddesses of the Moon and the Pink Cloud decided to descend from the heavens to see what life was like on Earth. There, they were startled by a jaguar, and it is not known how things would have ended for them had it not been for a helpful old man. In gratitude, the goddesses gave him a shrub with miraculous properties. This very ‘magical’ plant is the evergreen Paraguayan holly, the infusion of which is a healthier alternative to coffee.

If we were to name just one product for which Don Juan – or Jan Szychowski – became famous, it would undoubtedly be yerba mate. It is one of the most widely cultivated plants in South America, which is why the Szychowski family also took up its production, bringing them both fame and fortune. And here, once again, thanks to the inventor’s ingenuity, the entire time-consuming and labour-intensive process of producing the dried leaves was significantly automated, for which the local government awarded Jan Szychowski the Order of Yerba Mate in 1960. As early as 1936, the Polish authorities had recognised his achievements by awarding him the Bronze Cross of Merit, and in 1956 he became an honorary member of the National Geographic Society. Today, Jan Szychowski is known as the king of Argentine yerba mate.

Jan Szychowski – the museum in La Cachuera

Visitors from Poland will be struck by the ubiquitous greenery at La Cachuera – beautifully maintained lawns, shrubs and exotic flowers, amongst which vintage vehicles are dotted here and there. Near the entrance gate to the estancia – as large estates are known in Argentina – called La Cachuera, there is a wooden shrine bearing an image of the Merciful Jesus. Further on, one can see two single-storey, brick-built, unplastered buildings with large windows and a canopy providing shade. Nearby flows the River Chimiray, whose current upstream is dammed by a dam – complete with a so-called Kaplan turbine – built by Jan Szychowski himself.

Mementoes of our compatriot – a capable entrepreneur, inventor and benefactor – can be found in the Museo Histórico Juan Szychowski, established here in 1997. The date of the museum’s establishment was no coincidence. It coincided with the centenary of the arrival of the first settlers from Poland and the lands of present-day Ukraine in the province of Misiones and the town of Apóstoles. Interestingly, two years earlier, the Argentine parliament, the National Congress, had declared 8 June ‘Polish Settlers’ Day’.

At the entrance to the museum there is a bronze plaque, unfortunately only in Spanish. It reads: Museo Histórico Juan Szychowski 1997 / A tribute from his descendants and La Cachuera S.A. to an example of life and work. [Juan Szychowski Museum 1997 / A tribute from his descendants and La Cachuera S.A. to his life and work – translator’s note]

Historical photographs are displayed on the brick walls – depicting Szychowski, his wife and children, as well as the first settlers from Poland. Other photographs document the establishment and development of the company. However, the artefacts deserve special attention. These include a multitude of tools, machines and vehicles. So we can see the ‘carros polacos’, famous throughout Argentina – simply ladder-style carts – as well as plant presses, sieves and even a cot, handmade by Szychowski himself. There is also a lathe, for which engineers from all over Argentina still flock here to this day. Whilst there, you can also enjoy the renowned Amanda yerba mate and see from old engravings how this drink was savoured in days gone by.

La Cachuera today

When visiting La Cachuera, let us remember that the red and white colours represent not only the Polish flag, but also the colours of the world-famous Amanda yerba mate packaging, produced by the Szychowski family. Following the founder’s death in 1960, the business was taken over by his sons, who named the company Amanda, though no one dared to change the colours themselves.

The company currently ranks second nationally as a tea exporter. Meanwhile, the provincial government of Misiones once again honoured Jan Szychowski in 1999 by awarding him the ‘Andresito’ medal and prize in recognition of his achievements. In the same year, the Szychowski family funded a computer lab at the local technical school in Apóstoles, which was named after Don Juan Szychowski.

Whilst visiting the museum in La Cachuera, it is also worth visiting other Polish settlements in this most tropical part of the country, with familiar-sounding names such as Wanda and Polana. Only then will we fully understand the saying, still in use today in Argentine culture: ‘Where no one can do anything, send a Pole.’