King Zygmunt I gave Nieznajowa to Stecko Olesko on September 4, 1546. In 1581, the village belonged to Stadnicki family and had two households: peasant's and  bailiff's.

In 1718, King August II decided to return Nieznajowa to the authority of the governor of Biecz. After Austria took over this land in 1772, Wilhelm Sieminski bought Nieznajowa and became its last owner.

In 1785, there were 296 Greco-Catholic residents and 7 Jewish residents.

In 1919, all the estates were purchased by Count Aleksander Skrzynski from Zagorzany, well known politician, premier and foreign secretary in 1925-26.

In 1914, the Austrian-Hungarian Army retreated through Nieznajowa. The Russian Army was stationed there for several months and this was pleasantly remembered by inhabitants. An Orthodox chaplain had services and this was one of the main reasons that almost the whole village became Orthodox in 1928. Across from the Greek Catholic church (Cerkwia Unicka) an Orthodox chapel was built. In 1930, during the night, everything from Cerkwia Unicka was transported into the Orthodox church.

In between the two churches was a wooden, one room school and a house for its Polish teacher. During the summers, the school was used as a place for Polish girls for military training. Near the Orthodox church was a police station. In the center of the village stood a pub built by Austrians. The owner of it was a Jew.

In the village were two stores, where everybody was able to buy basic articles. 

During the war, Germans often used the inhabitants as laborers for different kind of work: e.g., wood transportation.When, in 1944, military actions took place in Ciechan and Zydowskie, the Germans took over forester's house. At that time, family of Michal Kobak, the forester, used to live in those forestry farm houses as well as refugees from Grab and Rostajne. The Germans kept large amounts of ammunition in Nieznajowa. They also had large wooden shelters built on Zydowka Mountain. Afterwards, the UPA (an insurgency group) used those shelters. The Germans left Nieznajowa in January 1945.

Lemko residents left the village in 1945 and moved to Russia. Its Polish inhabitants moved to Czarne.

From 1969 until the state of emergency in 1981, a correctional institution was managed in Nieznajowa. The presence of prisoners quickly left its marks: the Orthodox church was ruined, crosses and chapels were devastated.

About 500 metres west of the Zawoja River, there are the remainders of the cemeteries with several graves. They were repaired in 1986. The most beautiful Orthodox church of Saint Kosma and Damian was ruined in 1965. Parts from it are in the museum of the old Orthodox church in Bartne.

People working in the two existing sawmills were making then 20 groszy per hour. The water-driven sawmill was managed by Julian Dobrzanski, who died on December 4 1967 and is buried at Czarne cemetery. The sawmill burned down in 1967. Presently, summer shelters stand at this place.

Six people from Nieznajowa were jailed in Thalerhof (a World War I concentration camp near Graz): Chomik Ilia, Senczak Lyka, Slota Michal, Pyrtko Ewa, Senczk Wasyl (died January 12, 1915), and Dmitryk Teodor (died January 5, 1915).

 

Written by Aleksander Gucwa
www.sekowa.info
Translated with permission by Grace Skowron

 

Background music: "Przeworska"
Karen Wisniewski, Detroit 2008
Edited by Dennis Benarz, Chicago 2008