I’ve had a request from Hubert Kuberski for information about Lt Basil Harvey ‘Bunny’ Austin and, in particular, about who now owns the rights to a book he wrote with the title Urszula. Bunny apparently flew with 31 Squadron SAAF during WWII and ended up in Durban.
He must have had quite an eventful time of it during the war because his aircraft was shot down during a mission to drop supplies to support the Warsaw uprising. He evaded capture after a Polish girl called Urszula hid him under her bed and he later repaid the debt by getting her out of Poland after the war.
Hubert tells me that a Polish publisher is very keep to publish a Polish language edition of the book but has not been able to trace the rights holder to get approval. He also says he is hoping to get a new English edition published. Please contact me if you know anything about Bunny Austin or who might now own the rights to the book.
Hubert
I am a historian – the most important thing is to solve the mysteries of the past – I personally do not have commercial goals. Maybe someone knows where lies Bunny Austin – the two older cemeteries in Durban where Austin, where is buried Bunny Austin: Stellawood Cemetery and West Street Cemetery.
Maybe the authorities of the cemetery will know who is care for the grave.
Urszula, who was saved by Bunny Austin and transported from Poland (behind the Iron Curtain) turns out to be a bigger mystery – where this woman lives?
I dream about a feature film – Polish-South-African co-production – because I write the best screenplays.
Trucy
I believe that Urszula may be / have been in Paris according to this information:
“…Five years later his book URSZULA was published describing this adventure and how he had managed to snatch the now twenty-six-year-old Urszula Stupik from beyond the Iron Curtain and bring her to the safety of Paris.”
extracted from: http://www.michalin.pl/szczep_jozefow/basil_harvey_austin.htm
Hope this helps!
chamberberk
Thanks Sarah my dear!! 🙂