**“The Tree of Our Fate”**---

## **I. Piotr (1870–1920) – Root**

Piotr was born in the Russian Partition, in a poor log cabin. His father died when he was six, and his mother worked tirelessly. Piotr grew up in silence and hard work.

At the age of twenty, he married Marianna, a hard-working woman with no dreams of romantic love. They had three children: Jan, Franciszek, and Zofia.

During World War I, Piotr was drafted into the army. He died in the influenza epidemic in 1920. The house and land were left to Marianna and her children.

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## **II. Marianna (1875–1955) – Lone Ranger**

Marianna raised her children alone, teaching them work and perseverance, but not tenderness. Jan left for the city, Franciszek stayed at home, and Zofia married.

Marianna survived World War II, witnessing hunger, death, and destruction, but she never gave up. She died in 1955, and the house still stood, filled with memories.

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## **III. Jan (1895–1970) – Escape and Return**

Jan, Marianna's eldest son, left for the city. He studied and worked in a factory. He married Jadwiga, and they had three children: Marek, Helena, and Jerzy.

During World War II, Jan was conscripted into the army. After the war, he returned to the city and worked in administration. He died in 1970.

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## **IV. Franciszek (1898–1980) – Housekeeper**

Franciszek remained in the countryside. He married Anna. They had children: Ewa, Józef, and Krystyna. He was a strict, honest man, but emotionally unavailable. He died in 1980, bequeathing his home and land to the next generation.

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## **V. Zofia (1900–1985) – Life in the Shadow of History**

Zofia married early and had four children. Her life revolved around work and responsibilities. She sought not happiness, but survival. Her children grew up in a heavy silence.

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## **VI. Marek (1920–2000) – Ambition and Loneliness**

Marek grew up in the shadow of his fathers. He moved to the city and built a career. He married Elżbieta. They had three children: Piotr, Aleksandra, and Magdalena.

He was demanding and emotionally reserved, and the children often felt an emotional void. He died suddenly in 2000.

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## **VII. Helena (1925–2010) – Practical Love**

Helena, Jan's daughter, raised four children according to tradition. Her life was monotonous but full of duty. She died in 2010, and her children grew up feeling the burden of the past.

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## **VIII. Jerzy (1930–2015) – Rebellion and Understanding**

Jerzy grew up in the city, studied, and worked in government. He had a wife and children: Paweł and Anna. He was demanding, but tried to be more present than their fathers.

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## **IX. Andrzej (1955– ) – The Silent Guardian**

Andrzej remained at home. He cared for his elderly relatives and the home. He never married. His life was monotonous but full of duty. He taught the younger generation to survive and repeated the patterns of silence.

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## **X. Piotr (1960– ) – Freedom of Choice**

Piotr, Marek's son, moved to the city, studied, and then abroad. He built a life according to his own principles, trying to understand the burden of tradition.

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## **XI. Aleksandra (1990– ) – Discoverer of History**

Aleksandra wrote family chronicles, asking her elders about events that others didn't remember. She decided to live differently, not repeating patterns.

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## **XII. Lilia (2025– ) – A New Perspective**

Lilia is growing up in the 21st century. She has known her family's history since the late 19th century. She sees the burden of tradition, but she has a choice. She can live differently, learn to express emotions, and not repeat patterns of silence.

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## **XIII. Forecast of the Future (2050–2100)**

Future generations will not bear the burden of silence or tradition. The history of the home, survival, and the choices of the ancestors become a lesson. The roots remain, but the branches are free.

The saga demonstrates that **people do not repeat fates if they can understand and name them**.