The Spring Board Meeting of The American Council for Polish Culture (ACPC) was held in Cleveland, Ohio. Members were absolutely delighted by the extensive activities and food extravaganzas, which were hosted by Ben Stefanski, President of the Polish American Cultural Center- John Paul II. Contributions were also made by Thad Cooke, founder of the Jamestown Colony of Poles in Cleveland and George Sobieraj, President of the Cleveland Society of Poles. More »
It is once again time to renew your membership in the Polish American Cultural Center honoring John Paul II. For those who are not members of the Center, we hope you will join us in our mission to preserve and promote Polish traditions and culture in the Cleveland area.
We had a successful year in 2009 and we continue to be optimistic about our future. We had a number of events such as celebrations of Polish Constitution and Independence Days. Our biggest event of the year was the reception held to honor our living veterans of the Polish Armed Forces in World War II.. We hosted several receptions and a number of dinners including one for Kościuszko Foundation, Ohio Section. Our celebration of Wigilia and the showing of Jasełka by the children of the Polish school were a big hit with the public. We sponsored the appearance of Eleni and Ich Troje, the artistic groups from Poland. We also held First Polish Youth Talent Show. We continue to have Sunday lunches which have become very popular among Polanians as a Sunday get together. More »
February 10, 1940 - the second most important date, after the Soviet invasion of September 17, 1939, to engrave itself in the memories of the residents of the eastern kresy (borderlands) of the Second Republic. The first mass deportation of Poles to Siberian camps, officially known as „resettlement”, began at dawn on February 10th, seventy years ago. More than 220,000 people were taken - state officials (including judges, prosecutors, and policemen), self-government activists, foresters, landowners, and those in the military with families. The deported were taken to the northern regions of the Soviet Union, near Archangelsk, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Komi. An estimated one and a half to two million Poles were taken to this „inhuman land” by the Soviets during four deporations, lasting until June 1941. More »
From “Saving Private Ryan” to “Inglourious Basterds”, there have been plenty of tales told in our popular culture about the exploits of World War II soldiers, as portrayed by stars such as Tom Hanks and Brad Pitt. Much less well-known is the story of a humble Northeast Ohio witness to the very start of the Second World War, seventy years ago. 96-year-old Jerzy Maciuszko recently shared some of his harrowing experiences with ideastream®’s David C. Barnett, who has produced a sound portrait that captures the fear along the front lines and the joy of playing violin in a prisoner-of-war orchestra.
Listen to this: Dorota Sobieska, co-founder of Cleveland’s Opera Circle, traveled to Bulgaria in June to appear as soprano soloist with the Pazardzhik Symphony Orchestra under Grigor Palikarov. She sang four Donizetti arias, including “L’amour suo mi fe’ beata…Ah! ritorna qual ti spero” from “Roberto Devereux.” Here’s the remarkable live performance, complete with high G - that’s G above high C! - a Sobieska interpolation.
Some time ago, Dr. Elzbieta Ulanowska published an article in our “Forum” on the enormous contribution of Polish mathematicians in the victory over the Bolsheviks in 1920. Let me only remind readers that the Polish mathematicians deciphered the code used by the Red Army, so all the moves of the Red Army’s divisions were well known to the Polish leadership.
Many of us remember another, better known event in this history, when, again, Polish mathematicians played the main role. This is the Enigma Secret. And here’s how it all started. In 1927, or at the beginning of 1928, an innocent package has arrived from the German Reich at a customs office in Warsaw. More »
NEW YORK: KOSCIUSZKO FOUNDATION PRESIDENT Alex Storozynski announced today that a $1,000 prize would be awarded for the best essay written by an American student between ages 18 and 22 on the worldwide significance of the 1939 invasion of Poland.
Mr. Storozynski said,
With the 70th anniversary of World War II approaching, the Kosciuszko Foundation wants to encourage students to study and comment about the events of 1939 that changed the lives of their parents and grandparents. Many of these Polish-American students were born in America because their forefathers were refugees from a horrible war waged on humanity by the Nazi dictator of Germany, Adolf Hitler, and the dictator of the Soviet Union Jozef Stalin.” More »
One day towards the end of last year, I read in the Plain Dealer that Professor Wiesław Binienda, Chairman of the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Akron, was recognized by NASA for his achievements in the area of composite materials and their application to jet engines. At first, I did not recognize the name, but after a while… -yes, of course, this is about the husband of Maria Szonert, who wrote the book on World War II and writes in the American and Polonia press, our friend from the editorial board. More »
My fate forever remains bound to the fate of my country.
Jan Nowak-Jezioranski has passed away. Our distinguished countryman, true hero, great moral authority, a man entirely dedicated to his country, departed on his final mission on January 20, 2005 at the age of92. He was buried with honors in his native soil at the Powazki Cemetery in Warsaw.
Jan Nowak-Jeziorański is a representative of the first generation born in a resurrected Poland. He was a graduate of the Adam Mickiewicz Gimnazium in Warsaw. He was a soldier in the September 1939 Defense Campaign and legendary courier of the Main Command of the Home Army. He participated in the Warsaw Uprising. He was director of the Polish Section of Radio Free Europe. He was a great leader who helped pave the way for Poland into NATO. More »
