Polish Events

Communities form when people come together to share or respond to information that affects them personally. Communities form in towns, cities and, with today’s technology, online. There are hundreds of online communities such as Facebook, MySpace, Boston.com and PoloniaToday.com, a Polish news website. Polonia Today offers current events happening across the world concerning anything and everything to do with Poland. Two current events, the Murder of a Polish hostage by Taliban and the passing of American citizenship of Casimir Pulaski by the Senate, are big news issues that many people don’t know about. These two news events relate to current issues in our own country and we need to acknowledge them.

On September 28, 2008, Polish engineer Piotr Stanczak was kidnapped by armed men that murdered the two drivers and bodyguard that were traveling with him. Confirming his murder, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced Piotr Stanczak’s death and stated that footage of his death was released by the Taliban. The Taliban originally kidnapped the Polish engineer and would release him in exchange for a ransom as well as the release of six prisoners. The Taliban gave the Polish government until February 4 to pay the ransom before executing Piotr Stanczak, but the date was later extended by two days. Jacek Najder, Deputy Foreign Minister, declares that the Foreign Ministry worked to the best of their ability to save the engineer and to contact the Taliban. However, their efforts were unable to save Polish engineer Stanczak. It is said that the footage of Piotr Stanczak’s death was very disturbing so it was requested that the media not publish or release the documentation. Presently, there are very little Poles working in Pakistan. However, 1,600 Polish soldiers are currently serving in Afghanistan with the NATO mission. Likewise, only two Poles have ever been kidnapped, besides Piotr Stanczak, but they were eventually released.

Casimir Pulaski was a Polish war hero who became the Brigadier General of the American Cavalry during the American Revolution. Pulaski had many great accomplishments such as saving General George Washington’s life and aiding in the American victory at the Battle of Brandywine. Even though he died on September 15, 1777, Casimir Pulaski is still remembered today because Congress declared that October 11 as Pulaski Day in 1929. This special day is observed by Presidential Proclamation while many other memorial days for this Polish patriot occur throughout the year. Just on March 2, 2009, the Senate unanimously passed Pulaski’s posthumous citizenship and is observed as a Pulaski holiday in Illinois. Now, this bill for citizenship must be passed by the House of Representatives and then be signed by President Barak Obama. As a matter of fact, only six people have ever been given honorary citizenship in the United States including Marquis de la Fayette, Raoul Wallenberg, William Callowhill Penn and his wife Hannah, Mother Teresa and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Both of these current issues relating to Poland greatly tie in with events happening in the United States. The murder of Polish engineer Piotr Stanczak relates to the war in Iraq and Casimir Pulaski’s potential citizenship relates to the outcome of the Revolutionary War and our existence as an independent country. The news in Poland greatly affects our nation because of our alliance and relationship with this country. Despite these close relations, I find it very disappointing that very few Americans are educated about Poland and the help they have provided us throughout the ages. Poland has helped the United States beginning with our country’s initial attempt at freedom from Britain yet I have not heard a single reference to Poland in school this year. For example, in United States History class we learned about people from the Revolutionary War such as Marquis de la Fayette and William Penn, who were two of the six people given honorary citizenship in the United States. As a Polish-American I am outraged that we don’t discuss Poland’s key players yet we still talk about Frenchmen and Spaniards. Likewise, we talk about the United States’ alliance with France and Spain in class, but we still don’t mention Poland. Poland played a key role during the American Revolution yet the curriculum in Massachusetts public schools does not even broadly mention what Poland did for us. I feel that since we talk about people like Marquis de la Fayette and William Penn that we should also talk about their colleagues that also contributed to the Revolutionary War.

Communities can be found within almost any setting, and events occur within their corresponding microcosms. There are certain events that essentially link communities together, building upon an essential principle that we are all connected in some way or form, the human network. Events that take place in other parts of the world can have a major affect on what happens right here in our own backyards. For example, when Revolutionary ideas were developing in Poland when Casimir Pulaski was growing up, new ideas arose in England about religious freedom. Consequently, the colonies were formed and eventually the American Revolution came into play. Likewise, events in Poland in the modern world are related to events happening in the United States and in other parts of the world. Events like the murder of a Polish hostage and Casimir Pulaski’s potential posthumous citizenship link two countries that view each other in different ways. Poland and the United States have played great roles in terms of the history of both countries, yet we don’t seem to know all that much about each other. It is so easy to just go online and search for a new website to visit. We can learn so much if we just give a few minutes of our day to learn about some of the biggest people and events that have made us who we are today.Word Count: 970

In Desert And Wilderness

The best movies have the most important and touching themes. The Polish movie W Pustyni I W Puszczy, which translates into In Desert and Wilderness and based on the novel by Henryk Sienkiewicz, is a powerful movie that tells the story of two children and their journey across the African grasslands and desserts. In Desert and Wilderness demonstrates the true meaning of courage and friendship through the fight for survival.

“‘Praise Allah,’” yells the leader of a group of blood-thirsty Arabs. After being informed that his wife and children are imprisoned, the Arab leader, Smain, plots to kidnap the children of two engineers that his relative works for. Smain’s relative is instructed to bring the children, Nel and Stas, to the Mahdi rebels so he can get his family back. Smain’s relative, Chamis, betrays the family he works for claiming that, “‘Smain’s blood flows in me.He who betrays his own blood, betrays himself.” Nel and Stas have been kidnapped by a caravan of Arabs while their fathers were busy working on the Suez Canal and are traveling in the center of Africa. By the time they reach a small encampment, Nel and Stas are told that they can convert to Islam in hope that it could spare them. Refusing, Stas risks his and Nel’s life as Nel begins to show early symptoms of malaria. A “friend” in the encampment supplies Stas with quinine, medicine that will help Nel, and instructs the young boy to run away with two slaves as soon as the caravan heads into the desert. When the caravan faces a hungry lion, Stas is handed his rifle so he can kill the beast but quickly decides this is their chance to escape. After killing the lion, Stas turns on the Arabs and fights them off, as Chamis shows his last bit of decency and helps Stas until his death. Scared and lost, Stas and Nel have to continue on into the wilderness with two slaves and battle the desert to survive. Stas, Nel and the slaves face many dangers of the wilderness, including wild animals, disease, Arabs, starvation, dehydration and a wicked African chief. The most important question movie watchers are asking, how will they survive the unforgivable desert?

In Desert and Wilderness presents this story set in the late nineteenth century as a children’s adventure full of obstacles and dangers. In Desert and Wilderness is a Polish film that portrays two children’s struggles to return to their fathers as they journey through the African desert and wilderness. Nel and Stas, no older than twelve and sixteen, face many dangers that most people do not face in a lifetime. When is the last time you heard about two children who were stranded in the African wilds and lived to tell their story? Stas killed men in a skirmish when he received his gun as a Christmas present from his father only days earlier. Young and innocent, Nel never knew death until she witnessed it and barely escaped it herself. Stas and Nel gained much courage throughout the course of their journey. With the help of the slaves, who were familiar with the terrain, the small group played off of one another’s strengths and was able to function like their own microcosm.

Stas and Nel’s companionship with each other and the slaves essentially led to their survival. Stas risked his life wandering into the night-time jungle hoping he could find someone with medicine for Nel. If it were not for his courage and their strong friendship, Nel would not have survived. When the group first ran away from the Arab caravan, one of the slaves said that Stas was a much better master than his old one. Stas replied that he was not his master and they were free. Almost instantly, a sense of friendship formed and the group began to collect food and find shelter. Stas and Nel formed one half of the group while the slaves formed the other. Without Stas’s gun, the group most likely would not have survived the lions. Without the slaves’ familiarity with the terrain, the comradeship would not have survived the first few nights in the wilderness. Each half was equally as important as the other and was essential to everyone’s survival.

Stas, Nel and the slaves survived their time in the wild based upon one another’s talents, their courage and their strong friendship. If the slaves had never come into effect, Stas and Nel would have never survived the first night alone. Likewise, the slaves would not have survived if not for Stas and Nel’s acceptance and understanding. The slaves were a key element in the story’s plot and Stas and Nel’s survival. If things had not played out how they did, Stas and Nel would be dead and the slaves would still bear a life of hardship.
Word Count: 808

Marie Curie

Great achievements come through persistence if not obsession. Commonly known as Madame Curie, Marie Curie is one of the most acclaimed women who dedicated their lives to science. Winning two Nobel Prizes, Marie Curie was a genius who came from the middle class and achieved tremendous things.

One would think that all geniuses, such as Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawkins, Thomas Edison, are born all-knowingly, right? In some cases, they are. However, many of these people far beyond their time worked hard and were transfixed if not obsessed with reason and logic. Just imagine where would we be if there was no Thomas Edison, inventor of the light bulb, or Alexander Gram Bell, the inventor of the telephone. Our world has made drastic changes and discoveries since their time and we will continue to evolve. Being one of these geniuses, Marie Curie greatly contributed to science and changed the way women scientists were viewed by society.

Marie Curie was from Poland and her family really influenced the way her future would play out. Before she was Marie Curie she was Marya “Manya” Salomee Sklodowska. Marie’s father was a scientist who worked out of their home in Poland but lost his power to work in 1863 when Russian influence outlawed professors from their practices. Marie’s family was not wealthy but they were still able to afford private schooling for their daughter. However, the financial crisis began and slow increase and, when Marie was around the age of four, her mother became ill. In 1871 Marie’s mother showed signs of tuberculosis. After Marie’s mother’s death, the young girl was told she was never to ask what happened to her mother.

By the age of four, despite her mother’s death, Marie was able to read flawlessly. Likewise, she was also able to memorize poems and write perfectly. All of the four children, three girls and one boy, in Marie’s family were gifted with brilliance. Talk about lucky. But things began to take a tragic turn for Marie's family when her two sisters became sick with typhus. Sadly, one of her sisters, Zosia, perished at only twelve years of age. The death of her mother and sister cast a sheet of sadness of the Sklodowska family. Despite the tragedies, the family prevailed. It wasn’t a happily ever after, but it was something. The remaining children were very successful in school and all but one graduated at top of their class. Marie was only fifteen when she graduated high school.

Curie, after the demise of her mother, gave up her faith and religion but still studied and learned like there was no tomorrow. Years later, at the age of 23, Marie traveled to Paris with nothing but a mattress, a stool, clothes, food and water. Here Marie continued her education and she enrolled herself in a class of around two thousand, which only had 23 female students. Marie really pushed herself. It is amazing to read these numbers and acknowledge how far women have come in the past one-hundred and fifty years. Regardless, Marie spent her nights often times studying late into the night. Marie was treated with a lot of respect by male students within the school itself but Paris as a whole, as well as Poland, didn’t offer women many rights that are now known as assumed rights. Barbara Goldsmith, author of Obsessive Genius the Inner World of Marie Curie, says that “the rare female scientist was depicted as masculine, coarse, ugly, careworn, and industrious but making no significant contribution.” This was the stereotype at the time but Curie proved many wrong and surprised the world.

Marie is probable most well known for her discovery of radium. Specifically, Marie discovered the radioactive property of radium and explained this through scientific journals. Marie was one of few women at the time that received a degree in science let alone two Nobel Prizes. Before this, in the 1890’s, Marie met her future husband Pierre Curie. They wed in 1895 and essentially became partners in crime. Not literally, of course, but in working to make their mark in this world. The Curies were very dedicated to their work and “bounced” ideas off of one another such as discoveries like the electrometer, the X-ray and the radioactive property of radium.

Like many people too smart for their own good or too ahead of their time, Marie Curie wasn’t acknowledged for her work immediately. The geniuses of our world are always the oddballs of society yet they are the ones who make the biggest impact on our lives. Marie was full of perseverance and never stopped learning. It was her life goal to make her mark in the world and not just have her memory disintegrate like she had never been there. Never did Marie give up or did she let her identity that didn’t fit into society dictate her life.

“For me I am very gay-for often I hide my deep lack of gaiety under laughter. This is something that I learned to do when I found out that creatures who feel as keenly as I do and are unable to change this characteristic of their nature have to dissimulate it at least as much as possible….There were some very hard days and the only thing that softens the memory of them is that in spite of everything I came through it all honestly with my head high.”
Word Count: 898

Work Cited:Obsessive Genius the Inner World of Marie Curie by Barbara Goldsmith.

Walking on board the Carnival Liberty, I noticed the name tags of the crew members said not only their names, but their country of origin. It was astonishing to see the multitude of different countries that people came from and the variety of accents jumbled together over dinner conversations. Countries like India, Thailand, the Philippines, Canada, Russia, and Poland were on board such that it represented a microcosm.

Almost anywhere you go, you are bound to find someone that shares a certain quality with you. Whether you share a common country of origin, language, religion, ethnicity, or heritage, you can find something to talk about and a conversation almost always sparks up. I especially love when I discover that someone is Polish and I learn about their family background. During my cruise, this past week I was lucky enough to meet my two waiters, John and Ernesto, who were from the Philippines, as well as a waitress, Panyvee, who was from Thailand. These people were exceptional and had warm personalities.

Some of their culture was portrayed to my family and me when one waiter demonstrated his napkin-folding skills. Parts of Asia are very well known for origami, but I consider this napkin-folding “super-origami.” I also was fortunate to meet a Polish woman, Sofia, who worked at the coffee bar. Since cash was not used on the ship, we had to use a “sail-and-sign” card to purchase drinks or souvenirs. Whenever a purchase was made, the customer’s name would pop up and he or she would sign the receipt. When we purchased a coffee, Sofia immediately recognized my last name as Polish and pronounced it correctly the first time. I was pleasantly surprised. There was an immediate connection and conversation soon followed. We briefly talked about Poland and asked each other about their family. She explained to us that she grew up in Poland and vaguely mentioned her family. We told Sofia about ourselves and how we live as Polish-Americans. When we left to go back to the pool, we quickly said “thank you” and “good-bye” in Polish. A woman from Indonesia and another from Russia also worked at the coffee bar, which is somewhat ironic since Poland and Russia aren’t what you would call friends.

On the cruise we stopped at three different ports of call in the Western Carribean. We traveled to Cozumel, Mexico; Grand Caymen and Ocho Rios, Jamaica respectively. The culture in these three destinations varied from each other and the culture here in the United States. Almost immidietly upon entering each country I was able to detect a taste of the culture based upon what people were wearing, products for sale and the native's attitude towards tourists. In Mexico we were welcomed off the ship by Mexicans dressed as Indians. My cousin and I received a "warm" welcome when we had our picture taken with an Indian who kept getting us to smile by saying he was a Mexican Playboy. That day we mainly shopped around and eventualy stopped for lunch in Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, which was crawling with tourists who had a little too much to drink. A waitor made guacamole right in front of us and a Mexican clown snuck up behind me and stuck a balloon hat of a monkey with a palm tree on my head. Obviously knowing my luck my balloon hat was the biggest and most embarissing between my brother, my sister, my cousin and I. In Grand Caymen, however, we went snorkeling on a shore excursion and once again went to a Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. This Margaritaville had the most flare and the DJ's really got the crowd going by pouring free shots of tequila into anyone who volunteered and was legal. In Jamaica we shopped in a small series of stores which had security guards at every entrance. The natives were like sharks; they tried to get you to buy their service or product and they were very persistant. I felt safer in Mexico than in Jamaica, considering the barbed-wired fences surround you and the ship. Yet again we went to another Margaritaville, which had a water slide and pool right next to the dining tables. Overall, the three destinations presented some similarities but there were many other factors that greatly contrasted the cultures to that of the United States and even of Poland.

I know is something of a cliché, but you really do learn new things every day. When you meet a new person with the same heritage as yourself, you may learn new things about your heritage. The cruise was a great opportunity to compare and contrast the different cultures of the crew members, and the different ports of call. On the cruise, I visited Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Ocho Rios. Each port of call had something different to offer – both in terms of the people and the landscape.

There are many opportunities for conversation based upon common factors that people share. Next time you are at a restaurant or on vacation and you meet someone, ask about his or her home, family, or heritage, and you’ll be sure to find strike up a conversation. The person that is sitting next to you at a restaurant, or working at a coffee shop could be Polish, Italian, or French. By talking to that person, you may learn something new. I was privileged to meet someone from Poland, someone with whom I shared a common heritage. By talking to Sofia about that common heritage, I was able to brighten her day just a bit, by reminding her of her home back in Poland.

945

West Point, New York

Standing on the pavement of the sidewalk, I began to take in the breath-taking scenery that lay below me and in front of me. My legs were stiff from the four hour car ride and my head was throbbing from the constant quarrelling between my brother and sister. But now, everything was good. The reviving air was whispering through the trees as it rose from the valley below and cadets surrounded me as they hustled all over the campus on their routinely jog. This was the United States Military Academy at West Point, which is very well known for its academics. West Point is a reminder to all what had taken place in the year of 1776 between the American colonies and Great Britain.Over the course of my lifetime, I have had the privilege to visit West Point three times and I am visiting again this spring.

Each year I have been to West Point I have attended a memorial dedicated to Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a Polish war hero. Each memorial is over the course of two days. There is a conference on the first day and the second day follows with a mass at the church on campus, a parade with the West Point marching band and skydivers, a ceremony at the monument dedicated to Kosciuszko and a luncheon at the Thayer Hotel. West Point consists of an enormous military base and very mountainous and hilly terrain. The fortifications of West Point were designed by Thaddeus Kosciuszko in 1772 and were established as a military base in the year of 1802. West Point was built directly on the Hudson River and in the mountains as an advantage during battle. Kosciuszko was so brilliant that he devised a plan to put a chain across the river to stop the British fleet ships from traveling down the river.

West Point has always been an exhilarating and educational experience. The first time I had ever been to the military base, I was scared beyond belief. As our station-wagon pulled up to the check-in window, a man in uniform and carrying a gun approached our car. He asked my parents what their purpose in West Point was and several other security questions. By the time the questioning was over the man turned to my brother, my sister and I and said that we had to answer one question for him: "who lives in a pineapple under the sea?" Later that day my family and I decided to check out the museum just outside of the campus. Like any fifth-grader, I wasn't all too impressed with the museum and I wasn't able to appreciate what it really had to offer. However, my second visit to West Point when I was in the seventh grade had a very different change in scenery.

My grandfather was the head founder of The American Association of the Friends of Kosciuszko at West Point and decided to have me read two speeches that year. The first speech I read was during the conference and the second was in front of the Kosciuszko monument. These two instances happened to be the scariest moments I can recall. One distinct memory I have of that year at West Point was at the luncheon on the second day. My family was eating with the "vice" ambassador of Poland and his two daughters. My family had gotten up to get more food and I was left eating my alfredo chicken with the ambassador. I went to put a piece of chicken in my mouth and completely missed. When I looked up I realized that the ambassador was looking right at me when it happened, yet I still put the fork in my mouth like nothing had happened. Last year in West Point was the typical routine and nothing too out of the ordinary. I at least managed not to embarrass myself in front of any important political figures.

West Point is beautiful and a great spot to visit for historians and families alike. West Point has a vast span of rolling tree-covered mountains. The Hudson River snakes through the mountains while boats and barges trudge on to their destinations. West Point has spectacular views and provides a historical background that looks deeply into the history of the United States. The parade grounds, the mountains, the river and the public areas make West Point a guaranteed place to visit. The Thayer Hotel is located right on the grounds and is multifunctional for purposes like the annual conference for the American Association of the Friends of Kosciuszko at West Point.

My favorite attraction at West Point is the monument dedicated to Thaddeus Kosciuszko. The monument is mounted on a concrete base and ascends one hundred or so feet. On top of the base is a statue of Thaddeus Kosciuszko looking out at the Hudson River. This monument comemorates Kosciuszko for his contributions to the United States and features him almost as a protector of West Point.

West Point, New York was originally designed as a military base during the Revolutionary war. However, West Point eventually became one of the top rated colleges in the country and is known particularly for it's rivalry with the United States Navy. Truly there is nothing better than witnessing the sun set just over the tops of the mountains or having a smile spread from ear to ear across your face when you read "BEAT NAVY" written on the roof of the sports arena. West Point has developed into a successful United States military base all thanks to Thaddeus Kosciuszko's high intellect. West Point holds high standards for the students they educate to essentially send them out into the world to fight their own battles. West Point was and forever will be one of the greatest achievments of Thaddeus Kosciuszko and of the United States of America.

Word Count: 962

Polish and American Revolutionary War Heroes

Kosciuszko is shown on the top in black and white and Pulaski is shown on the bottom in color.

Whenever someone hears the term “war heroes” they often think of old men sitting in the VFW remembering the nights they fought in the war when they were young. Old men rambling on about their rites of passage during the most trying times of their lives. War heroes go beyond American veterans still alive today. In fact, some of the greatest war heroes date back to the American Revolution and Civil War. Two very important soldiers fought in the American Revolution war yet they were not American. Thaddeus Kosciuszko and Casimir Pulaski were Polish war heroes who greatly shaped the outcome of the American Revolution.

Thaddeus Kosciuszko is best well-known for his contributions in engineering during the Revolutionary War. Thaddeus was born into a family of noble background but was not considerably wealthy. Thaddeus’s father was a dignified man and would not allow Thaddeus to play war games with the peasant children. Thaddeus often pondered his father’s reasoning and he came to believe that all people are created equal and should be treated equally. Kosciuszko supported the rights of Negroes, serfs and peasants. Thaddeus thought that Negroes should have the right to an education, serfs should not be bound to the land upon which they worked and peasants should have more roles in society. After his death, Thaddeus left a sum of his money to be used to build a school for Negroes in the United States where African-Americans could be educated in trade and business. This school was the first Negro school to be built in the United States and was named after Thaddeus Kosciuszko in remembrance. In addition to his nobility, Thaddeus was also very well educated. He used his education and talents to help George Washington, the first president of the United States, to defeat the British troops for the independence of the thirteen colonies. In fact, Thaddeus Kosciuszko was the first “of all the distinguished military men who came from abroad to fight for the independence of the thirteen colonies,” says Robert H. Wilson, author of “Thaddeus Kosciuszko and His Home in Philadelphia”. After Thaddeus arrived in America, he was put to work designing several forts to be used as American bases. One of his best known projects was the fortifications at West Point on the Hudson River in New York. Thaddeus was named the chief engineer of West Point because of his military expertise in design. In effect, West Point is considered to be one of Kosciuszko’s greatest built defenses considering that the British forces never attempted to capture it. Kosciuszko was praised by both George Washington and Congress for his great accomplishments. Many historians and Polish people today consider Thaddeus Kosciuszko to be the “George Washington” of Poland. Thaddeus Kosciuszko greatly contributed to the victory of the thirteen colonies in their fight for freedom and currently has several memorials in his name including West Point and Cracow, Poland. Not only was Thaddeus Kosciuszko a hero and leader in his own country but also in America.

Like Thaddeus Kosciuszko, Casimir Pulaski aided George Washington during the Revolution and is referred to “a hero on horseback”. Casimir Pulaski was born on March fourth 1747 and was a very determined and eager boy throughout his youth. Casimir was born into a very noble and wealthy family and grew up with many opportunities to be able to make a difference in the world. At a young age, Casimir learned how to ride a horse and became very skillful while mounted. Casimir and a few of his friends used to play war games while on horseback and speared apples off of fences with lances they had constructed themselves. By the time Casimir was twenty years of age, Russian soldiers had begun to invade Poland. Russia sought Poland’s fertile land and came to conquer. Casimir’s father began to act out and tried to make his fellow Poles aware of the situation. Despite this, many Polish people went about their daily lives yet Casimir’s father continued to create armies. Casimir joined his father’s army and soon began to teach his men things such as how to ride a horse properly and how to shoot a musket at the same time. Not long after, Russians kidnapped the Polish King and accused Casimir of the crime and he fled his country. Later in his life, after escaping from country to country, Casimir was arrested and put in prison by the French because he could not pay his debts. After Casimir was released from prison he went to speak with Benjamin Franklin, the American ambassador located in France. There, Casimir talked about his desire to fight for General George Washington for the independence of the colonies. It was in 1777 that Casimir came to America to help fight in the Revolutionary War. Casimir was a man who sought liberty as a personal goal so that all people may be free. Despite the fact that he failed to expunge the Russians from Poland, Casimir brought his military knowledge to the colonies and realized that George Washington and the Congress did not have a thorough understanding of cavalry forces. Even though Casimir was an exceptional fighter and commander, he was strongly disliked by Americans. This factor led to Casimir resigning and the creation of the Pulaski Legion that battled in the South primarily. Essentially, Casimir’s beliefs and ideas were advanced compared to the Americans and were put to use during the American Civil War. To this day Casimir Pulaski is referred to as “an experienced and accomplish cavalry commander,” says author Francis Casimir Kajencki, and will be remembered as a true hero on horseback.

These two men, Thaddeus Kosciuszko and Casimir Pulaski, were great war heroes. Not only did they fight for Poland’s freedom and liberty but for America’s as well. I find it very disappointing that students today do not learn of these two Polish men. Considering all of their contributions to American history, the tales and life stories of Thaddeus Kosciuszko and Casimir Pulaski should be taught in schools nationwide. My knowledge of Kosciuszko and Pulaski comes solely from my experiences and learning outside of school.

Thaddeus Kosciuszko and Casimir Pulaski were exceptional heroes and greatly contributed to America's victory and played key roles in American history. Both Kosciuszko and Pulaski will be remembered by Poles and Americans as two men who fought passionately for liberty and freedom in two countries.

Word Count: 1,056

Polish Legends

Legends play a key role in today’s society and played an even bigger role in our society’s past. These stories were passed down from generation to generation, usually among the peasant class. Typically, the stories would change each time they were told since they were not written down. Thus, legends evolved from possibly rational and otherwise accurate events but were twisted over time as a result of retelling.

I am lucky and grateful that my Polish heritage has such rich and even inspiring legends. My grandfather gave my father a book about Polish legends, which I have read multiple times. I grew up with these legends and I am proud to say that I am Polish in knowing that. A few of my favorite legends go back to when I was a child. I was transfixed with looking at each individual picture and studying it as my father read aloud. My top three legends include the Story of Popiel, Who Was Eaten by the Mice; the Legend of Wanda, Who Drowned Herself Rather than Marry a German and the Trumpeter of Krakow.

The Story of Popiel is one of my favorites. Actually, this story is much like Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The Story of Popiel tells of a Polish King and his Queen and their treachery towards Poland. The Popiel and Macbeth, both acting as tyrants, share many characteristics. These characteristics include greed, cruelty and lack of good intentions for the country. King Popiel was a wicked man and his wife, though beautiful, was more wicked than he. The King went against the ways of previous kings and princes, which accounted towards the people’s hatred for their king. If anyone protested, they were tortured. The royalty let the Polish people go hungry and live in poverty. Eventually, the King's uncles turned against him and a most evil plan was devised. Rather than fight the uncles on the battlefield, the Queen insisted that Popiel invite them in to feast with them as a means of forgiveness and truce. Popiel gave a toast while his wife poured out the libations. After the toast, the first uncle realized they had all been poisoned, grabbed his weapon that was mounted on the wall and attempted to slay Popiel. After he died, the other uncles soon made attempts to kill Popiel but they could not. By the time the last uncle died, Popiel and his Queen stood laughing over the bodies. Soon enough it was discovered that mice were rising out of the lake and began to swarm the castle. Popiel and the Queen ran to the tallest tower in hopes of escaping, but they soon perished and were eaten by the mice. The death of Popiel and his wife was a turning point for Poland and the country was able to build itself up once again.

The Legend of Wanda is another tale that is very unique both in meaning and in content. The Legend of Wanda tells of Polish Queen Wanda. Wanda was the daughter of Krakus and became Queen after her eldest brother was murdered and her other brother was banished. Wanda was beautiful, wise and concerned with about interests of Poland. Wanda led many wars and helped Poland to prosper and grow in wealth and patriotism. Many princes were trying to acquire her hand in marriage. In fact, the King of Germany sent messengers and a letter to Wanda asking her for her hand in marriage. The German King stated that if she refused his offer, the German armies would attack Poland and send the country into turmoil. Wanda couldn’t let Poland fall to the hands of Germans through marriage or by attack. Upon little thought, Wanda ran to her quarters where she prayed to the gods that if she were to sacrifice herself that Poland would remain strong and whole. Wanda then ran to the Vistula and drowned herself. Today Wanda’s story is very well-known and she is a highly respected woman by all of Poland.

The Trumpeter of Krakow tells of one of the most heroic tales about the ancient capital of Poland. It was custom for a trumpeter to play the Hejnal four times every hour atop the tallest tower of the Church. One day the trumpeter saw a mass of dust forming over the land as the Tartars were approaching. He knew that he needed to warn the people of Krakow but running down to the streets would be a waste of time. The trumpeter began to play the Hejnal, over and over again. This caught the townspeople’s attention and they soon realized danger was approaching. Soldiers prepared themselves and families hid themselves safely away. When the Tartars reached Krakow they realized what the trumpeter was doing. The Prince of the Tartars took his bow and arrow and killed the trumpeter, who remained on top of the Church. When the trumpeter was shot the Hejnal ended on a broken note. To this day the Hejnal is played every hour in Krakow and ends abruptly on a broken note in memory of the brave trumpetor.

These legends describe ancient Poland at times of desperation and times of greatness. These legends tell of Poland’s heroes that led Poland out of brokenness and into triumph. Legends are what made up our past, they make up our present and I’m sure they will have an influence on our future.

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