Wacław Kruszka

Wacław (Wenceslaus) Kruszka
Born	1868 Province of Posen, Prussia
Died	1937 Wisconsin
Known for	Priest, journalist, social activist, and author

Wacław Kruszka was a Polish-American priest, journalist, social activist, and author.

Wacław (Wenceslaus) Kruszka was born in 1868 near Gessen in the Prussian Province of Posen, one of 13 children. Kruszka's brother Simon, a Catholic priest, had been imprisoned during Otto Von Bismarck's Kulturkampf for protesting restrictions placed on the church and Polish culture. Wacław decided to follow his brother into the ministry, and initially studied with the Jesuits. He was forced to leave the order following some disagreements with the clergy. Kruszka then decided to follow his half brother, Michael Kruszka, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1893 to avoid increasing political persecution and the Prussian military draft. Michael Kruszka was the editor of a successful Milwaukee newspaper, the Kuryer Polski, which was the first Polish language daily in the United States. Wacław Kruszka entered the St. Francis Seminary and was ordained as a priest on June 16, 1895. He began assisting at St. Casimir on the East Side and then became a teacher at the school at St. Josaphat Basilica.

Kruszka was suddenly transferred by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to a small parish in Ripon, Wisconsin after allegations were made that he had fathered an illegitimate child with his housekeeper. He vehemently denied the allegations, but did end up paying for the economic maintenance of the mother and child. Whether or not this was an admission of guilt will never be known. Father Kruszka shared his brother's skills in journalism and writing, and while in Ripon he began writing articles for the Kuryer. He also found the time to learn 8 foreign languages.

...
Wikipedia