There are so many unsung heroes in the battles that took place all over Mother Earth, yet it seems to me that the Polish People do tend to keep the memory of their heroes longer alive. There are a myriad of books about them, songs that are sung, events that are hosted (especially with the remembrance days related to World War II) and I thought I might share with you some stories about some really remarkable characters. Today I wish to share with you the story of an amazing Polish Woman: Jadwiga Piłsudska.
The Daughter of a HERO
Jadwiga Piłsudska-Jaraczewska (born 28 February 1920) is a pilot, who served in the Air Transport Auxiliary during the Second World War. She is the one of two daughters of Marshal and Naczelnik Józef Piłsudski. And if you have no clue who Piłsudski is… well… I have no clue under what rock you have been under!
He was the person responsible for the creation of the Second Republic of Poland in 1918, 123 years after it had been taken over by Russia, Austria, and Prussia. He was a man that made miracles happen! He devoted his entire life to the service of his country, Poland, and he always wanted to make sure the Red Army would not come back. Józef Piłsudski was buried in a crypt of the Wawel Cathedral in Kraków, among Polish kings. His daughter surely had one hell of a fatherly figure to look up to!
Jadwiga, learning to fly (age 17)
Born and raised for Greatness
Born on the 20th of February 1920 – in Warsaw, Poland – she was the youngest daughter of the Marshal Józef Piłsudski. She must have heard and seen so many stories from her father and the people visiting, that her true spirit awoken and she decided she will carve her own path in history. Thus, in 1937, Jadwiga started flying gliders and obtained her pilot license. Her interest in aviation began at the age of 12 when she began building model airplanes, so the career path she chose was not a surprise. 2 years later, she graduated from secondary school and decided to study aircraft engineering at Warsaw Polytechnic – that was the year 1939!
September 1939 – Poland gets invaded by the German Nazis and we see the beginning of World War II. Jadwiga and her family realize that under such circumstances the best decision is to leave the country as soon as possible, in order to live and fight another day. Jadwiga, her sister (Wanda), and her mother get to Lithuania first and then to the United Kingdom; where Jadwiga resumes her studies. In 1940 she enrolls at Newnham College, Cambridge University.
The trip is not without its ups and downs… They managed to get to Riga, from where one of the last scheduled airplanes released from Lithuania flew to Stockholm. From the capital of Sweden, organized by the Polish Embassy, they set off to Great Britain, where they were looked after by Ambassador Edward Raczyński.
Up in the clouds
Jadwiga Piłsudska receives her aircraft pilot license and in July 1942 she joins the Air Transport Auxiliary. During wartime in Britain, she flew unarmed military aircraft in the dangerous skies of that time – she had the rank of Second Officer (Flying Officer). She was one of the several Polish women who served as wartime ferry pilots in Britain during the Second World War – alongside Anna Leska and the Lithuanian-Pole Barbara Wojtulanis. In an opinion issued by British superiors in November 1943, she was rated as “an extremely promising pilot with above-average skill.”
Due to the Communist takeover in Poland, she remained in England after the War, as a political émigré. Jadwiga has never accepted British citizenship. She used a Nansen passport, valid for all countries in the world, except Poland.
In 1990, with the collapse of the Communist government, she returned to Poland and lived in Warsaw. She died on 16 November 2014, in Warsaw at the age of 94. May God rest her in peace!
NOTE: The Cross of Merit with Swords is awarded for deeds of bravery and valor during times of war not connected with direct combat, and for merit demonstrated in perilous circumstances. The Order of Polonia Restituta (Polish: Order Odrodzenia Polski, English: Order of the Rebirth of Poland) is a Polish state order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on foreigners for outstanding achievements in the fields of education, science, sport, culture, art, economics, national defense, social work, civil service, or for furthering good relations between countries.
Hope you enjoyed Jadwiga’s story and I hope you will start looking into her story more yourself 🙂
After a one-year break, Cracovians will again be able to admire the great dragon show in the bend of the Vistula River. The jubilee Great Parade of Dragons will take place on September 11 in a new, environmentally friendly formula. “Radically reduced noise, biodegradable, low and medium pyrotechnics that will not affect the environment” – says Adolf Weltschek, director of the Groteska Theater.
The traditions are coming back, even in COVID times
The colorful march of dragons and the evening pyrotechnic, light, and laser dragon spectacle is a tradition that has been attracting not only the youngest to Wawel for two decades. For 20 years, the Groteska Theater project has been enriched with new attractions and effects, picnics and competitions have joined the Great Dragon Parade.
During this period, the show was watched by over a million people, states Adolf Weltschek, the originator and director of the Great Dragon Parade.
The pandemic postponed the Jubilee by 1 year
Last year, the 20th-anniversary “Dragons” was to be the largest parade that took place so far – “the best of Parada”, where the most spectacular creatures were to appear with an extraordinary pyrotechnic, light and laser spectacle. These plans were thwarted by a pandemic, but after a year-long break, the dragons will not return to the Vistula until September, but, as the director of the show announces, it should be spectacular.
“Usually, the Great Parade of Dragons was held in 2 parts, this year there will be no day part, i.e. the great march of dragons through the streets of Krakow. We regret it very much, but the pandemic has prevented schools and kindergartens from being able to take part in the parade, explains Adolf Weltschek. On another hand, we managed to organize a great show on the Vistula. In a traditional shape, providing great effects and a spectacular experience as usual, albeit with some changes”.
Adolf Weltschek
The Jubilee will be celebrated on 11th September
The jubilee screening will take place on September 11 at 22.00. The most important attraction of the evening will be, as every year, huge flying dragons, animated on barges and ships by actors of the Groteska Theater. In addition to the flying and floating creatures known from previous editions, new ones, specially prepared for this occasion, will appear on the Vistula during the show.
This year’s dragon show will be environmentally friendly, thanks to a new type of pyrotechnics used in the show, which is completely biodegradable.
“At least 75 percent pyrotechnics, which we will use during the show on the Vistula, is the so-called “Silence pyrotechnics”, which does not emit as many decibels as traditional explosive pyrotechnics – so the nuisance when it comes to noise will be radically reduced. It will be low and medium pyrotechnics, not significantly influencing the space where the show will take place”
explains the director of Groteska
Vaccinated people only?
The dragon show will take place in a sanitary regime, in line with the current restrictions.
“People who want to watch the show in the space designated for the public will be asked to voluntarily declare to the security staff that they have been vaccinated – explains the director of Groteska. “It doesn’t mean, of course, that other people won’t be able to see the Dragons.” Unvaccinated viewers or those who do not want to declare will be able to take their seats in the part that is not the area of the mass spectacle.
explains the director of Groteska
Originally the Great Dragon Parade was announced for September 4, the date change, Weltschek explains, was dictated by technical conditions.
Read here the article in Gazeta Krakowska, in the Polish language.
“An enchanted carriage, an enchanted carriage driver, a tormented horse” – this is one of the slogans with which a group of pro-animal activists, residents of Krakow, go to the Main Square. They are against the use of horses by horse-drawn carriages, the more so as – as they emphasize – tourists can travel through the historic center in electric cars. A group of people who appeared on social media (on Facebook) as a grassroots initiative “Wio z Krakowa“, have had two protests for stopping the carriages located in the heart of the city already and are planning further protests.
Many horses suffer from heat strokes
During their protests, the activists present on the boards original photos of horses from Krakow that fell on the streets of the city. There are also slogans on the boards that are to be sent to passers-by and people who intend to take the course in a horse-drawn carriage. “By boarding the carriages, you pay for the suffering of the horses. You rest and they work. Aren’t you ashamed?” – this is one of the slogans that appeared on the protest last Friday.
“We want to change the regulation that allows the functioning of carriages in Krakow, but we also noticed that there is a great need to educate people who are potential users of carriages” – explains Monika Kohut, one of the activists. “Admittedly, people themselves react to the fact that the carriage horses get tired of working in hot weather. But we also say how they are used, what their exploitation looks like, that this is a 12-hour job every other day – because it is allowed by the regulations”.
Will fights break loose?
During protests, sometimes the carriage drivers react nervously, they also move with their carriages to another part of the Market Square. Activists report this behavior as a misdemeanor because it causes the carriages to move illegally.
The initiative “Wio z Krakowa” intends to periodically repeat its protests. This is another initiative of this kind by animal protectors concerning Krakow. We would like to remind you that the Krakow Animal Defense Association has been demanding a total ban on the use of carriage horses to work in Krakow for 4 years.
The topic of horse-drawn carriages was also taken up by the councilors of District I in their resolution of the end of June. They demand that the president of Krakow conduct public consultations and prepare an analysis of the functioning of carriages in the Old Town.
Until August 15, the Small Market will be filled with the smell and taste of various dumplings. And all this as part of the 19th Pierogi Festival.
You will never know what Krakow tastes like, until you will take part of the Pierogi Festival!
If you never tasted a pirogi before, you are in for a treat! Pierogi are made from dough and they come in various shapes and sizes and with different fillings: from meat to vegetables to seasonal fruits (those are always served with sour cream, and sometimes with sugar on top).
During the festival, it is great to join in as the restaurants compete for the best pierogi and they experiment with the tastes. They don’t just do the regular ones (like pierogi ruskie) but come up with combinations that blow your mind away! One of the most successful editions was the 2007 Pierogi Festival when around 30,000 pierogies were consumed daily.
Pierogi Festival in Krakow was first organized in August 2003 and lasted 2 days!
During this year’s edition of the festival, there will be many competitions. For the best Russian dumplings (pierogi ruskie), the winners will receive a statuette of St. Jack. The second statuette – King Casimir the Great – will go to the hands of those who will make the one and only – the best dumplings! This time, the winners in both categories will be selected by the jury, and not by the audience.
Gourmets will be awaited by 12 exhibitors – dumplings and restaurants, which will serve their signature dishes in various forms.
When is the Festival running?
It started yesterday, 11th August, and will run until the 15th of August 2021. The stands will be open from 10.00-24.00. The organizer of the festival is the Krakow Merchant Congregation.
I do hope you will get to check it out and eat some fine pierogi!
From 23 July, Cracovians will see a sculpture of the patron of the tenement house on the facade of the Krzysztofory Palace. St. Krzysztof returned here after 230 years. “After many years, St. Krzysztof will again take care of this part of the city” – says Dr. Michał Niezabitowski, director of the Krakow Museum.
Ceremonial unveiling – 23rd of July 2021
Although some Cracovians had the opportunity to see the moment when the figure of the patron saint of the palace appeared on the building, its ceremonial unveiling took place on July 23 at 13.20. St. Krzysztofory on the facade of the Krzysztofory Palace – after 230 years of absence – coincided with the opening of the building after many years of renovation.
“One of the elements of the palace’s return to the public is the return of St. Krzysztof, who was thrown from the facade at the end of the 18th century by the then owner of the palace, Jacek Kluszewski. A few years ago, we unveiled the niche, and after many years, St. Krzysztof will take care of this part of the city again”, explained Dr. Michał Niezabitowski, director of the Krakow Museum, which has its headquarters in the Krzysztofory Palace.
The ceremonial unveiling at Krzysztofory Palace – photo taken by Anna Kaczmarz
Krzysztofory Palace dates back to the 13th century!
The origins of the tenement house at 35 Rynek Główny, now the seat of the Krakow Museum, date back to the 13th century. Its name was supposed to come from the statue of St. Christopher (St. Krzysztof). According to popular iconography, the sculpture was to depict a saint carrying the Baby Jesus across the river. 230 years ago, in 1791, the last figure of the saint was removed from the facade of the Krzysztofory Palace by the then owner of the palace, Jacek Kluszewski, and the niche was bricked up.
It is not known what happened to the figure after it disappeared from Krzysztofory. One of the theories was that the fragments of the damaged statue of St. Krzysztof, in the collection of the National Museum in Krakow, which would be confirmed by the story that the sculpture was not removed, but thrown, which caused protests from residents and church hierarchs. However, according to the latest research related to the unveiling of a niche on the facade of a tenement house at 35 Main Square eight years ago, it appears that it was probably not it.
A new statue for the patron Saint
The author of the new presentation of the patron of Krzysztofory is prof. Aleksander Śliwa, winner of the competition announced by the Krakow Museum this spring.
My darlings, it is so nice to have you again dropping over to listen to my rantings. Today I wanted to continue the series of Things You Should Know About Krakow as it seems you have rather enjoyed the first post on this topic. So without any further ado, let me share with you my knowledge. I have lived in Krakow for over 10 years now, so… as I like to point out: SHARING IS CARING! 🙂
Not only in Krakow but the City Cards can also be found in any of the big cities around the world. I have used them in Paris, in Vienna and London and they always come in handy. They come paired with a free map that holds all the hot spots that you should go to + discounts for the museums and specific shops + free public transport. Depending on your stay in this fair city, you can select a 1-day card at 25 dollars or a 2 day for 40 dollars or a 3 day for 45 dollars. The longer the stay the cheaper the card gets and the more discounts 😉 You can buy the card online or from any of the Info Points in Krakow. There are several Krakow Museums for free with it, so do make sure you look into this offer before you book your trip here!
Saint Peter and Paul’s Church on Grodzka, Krakow, Poland
2. Enjoy Krakow by Walking
There is no method better to really feel the beating heart of a city than by walking it and mingling with the locals! The Krakow Old Town – Kazimierz, the Jewish Quarter – Podgorze… they are all within walking distance. The pavements are good and the only problem you might encounter is if you will take high heels, as the streets in Old Town Krakow are cobblestoned. Wear flats or some sports shoes that you are comfy in and you are set up for the day. When I first came here – 10 years ago – I would roam the streets all day long, looking for new nooks and corners that brought up the magic of this city. I still do that… when time permits 🙂 If you are too tired, you can always grab a tram. They are fast and almost always on time (exception: when we have heavy rain/rainstorm and the streets tend to get flooded).
Lovely pierogi from Babcia Malina, Krakow, Poland
3. Experience Street Food
Street food in Krakow is not the regular street food you would think of. There are plenty of food trucks spread around the city that provide healthy snack options for everyone. Some offer meals in a jar – from local market products – some even offer hand-rolled fresh sushi! But the more traditional options include maczanka krakowska (kinda like a hamburger on a bun), zapiekanka (kinda like pizza, but on a half of a baguette, with loads of toppings), obwarzanek (kinda like a pretzel but… not quite), or paczki (kinda like donuts but without the whole in the middle).
You need to be prepared in detail for this trip, before heading out to Krakow. We have here cobbled streets – so no high heels for you! We have the electricity supply at 220 V – so the visitors from the US/UK will need adaptors for their electronic devices! We have a pretty strict rule about medicine and most of it is sold on a recipe – make sure you bring your own, or else you will probably need a doctor to prescribe you something and there is a possibility that the drug you use might not be on the market here!
Oscypek (Mountain Cheese) – Krakow, Poland
5. You must try the local cuisine
Obwarzanek Krakowski – Protected by the EU Traditional Foods list. It is kinda like a pretzel or a bagel but a different process to it and taste. To learn more about its history and significance, I encourage you to go to the Obwarzanek Muzeum in Krakow.
Oscypek – Highlanders Cheese, straight from the mountains. It can be smoked as well. Paired with zurawina (cranberry) jam is marvelous! You can find it at any of the fairs around Krakow and it is a #mustEat when in the area. Usually brought in from the Zakopane region.
Kremówka papieska – This classic dessert was a childhood favorite of Pope John Paul II – and when the people of Poland found out, they renamed it ‘Papal cream cake’ in his honor. It is a typical, traditional Polish dessert – very old-school. Everybody loves it!
Maczanka krakowska – crusty bun to be loaded with the tender, juicy pork, and soaked until dripping in delicious onion gravy. One of the best “hamburgers” you will have 😉
Saint Mary’s Basilica (Kosciol Mariacki) has always been a symbol of Krakow. A Symbol containing multiple other Krakow Symbols, like The wooden carved altar by Veit Stoss or the Bugle Call Tower with its Hejnal or The Legend of the 2 Brothers. After Tartar raids in the 13th century left the original church in ruins, St. Mary’s Church was rebuilt in Gothic style on the existing foundations and consecrated in 1320. In the early 15th century the towers took the iconic form they have today when the northern tower was raised to 80m high and made into a watchtower for the city. From that watchtower, the Bugle Call plays every day, every hour, no matter rain or shine!
How can one visit the Bugle Call Tower – Mariacki Church?
The Tower cannot be visited during all the months of the year, so make sure you don’t plan to visit it during wintertime as it is closed then. There is always a chance of frost on the stairs so only the Bugle Call player gets to go on top. But! During the summer months, it is always open for visitors and you can check the schedule below.
From July to October (except religious holidays) Monday — closed from Tuesdays to Saturdays 10.00 a.m.- 6.00 a.m. Sundays – 1.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m.
January, February, March, November, December — closed
The ticket price, as of July 2021 is 15 Zloty per person or 10 for 7 to 18 years olds.
Come check the video I did on my first climb up to the Bugle Call Tower – Mariacki Kosciol, Krakow, Poland
Things you should know about the tour
Children up to 7 years old are not allowed to go – due to the steep steps (danger ahead!)
There is a limited amount of tickets everyday. You cannot book/buy tickets in adavnce. Just for the same day. Tickets can be bought at the ticket office only (Plac Mariacki 7).
Children between 7 and 18 years old get a discount.
People with walking dissabilities cannot get to the top as there is no elevator or method to pull up any wheelchairs 🙁 sorry for that 🙁
In case of bad weather the tour (just like the Eiffel Tower, in Paris) gets closed down.
The Tower entrance is located on the side of Mariacki Church, from Florianska Street.
A group of no more than 10 people can enter every 30 minutes.
Krakow Kosciol Mariacki – St. Mary’s Church, Krakow, Main Market Square
Did you know?
That the Bugle Call (Hejnal) players are actually firemen? They stay there (up in the tower) on shifts that are 12 hours long! They need to “get to work” by climbing the 271 steps, every day, and they play the Hejnal every hour, for their 12-hour shift. Before the stairs were built, there was no way to get on top except with the help of a very tall ladder (wooden). Thank God they don’t use that anymore!
Yours always truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug that loves views from the top (of the world)
It will be a unique opportunity to see the panorama of Kraków and Małopolska from the top of the Kościuszko Mound at sunset. On June 21, Kościuszko Mound will be open to visitors longer. This is a special action organized on the occasion of Kupala Night, on the longest day of the year.
Kościuszko Mound is a unique place with a beautiful panorama of the city and its surroundings. We know that there are people who would like to stay longer at the Mound, watch the sunset, and Krakow at night. That is why we decided to make it possible.
Leszek Cierpiałowski, director of the office of the Kosciuszko Mound Committee in Krakow
Kupała Night & the special ticket from Kościuszko Mound
On Monday, June 21, the sun will set at 8:53 pm. The mound will then be open to tourists until 21.30. During this time, it will also be possible to visit the Kościuszko Museum and the multimedia permanent exhibition “Kościuszko – a hero still needed”. On this day, from 7 p.m., a promotional ticket price will apply – tourists will visit the Mound on the basis of reduced tickets (PLN 14).
We encourage you to come to the Mound earlier and take advantage of all the attractions available in the ticket.
Leszek Cierpiałowski, director of the office of the Kosciuszko Mound Committee in Krakow
In addition to the modern exhibition, you can also visit an educational route devoted to the private life of Kościuszko and an exhibition of wax figures, see a model of the Kościuszko Mound and the Kościuszko garden and take a walk along charming alleys on the way to the Mound. Children can enjoy the playground with a miniature of the Kościuszko Tower and a special sightseeing path at the core exhibition.
My darlings, it is so nice to have you again dropping over to listen to my rantings. Today I wanted to continue the series of Things You Should Know About Krakow as it seems you have rather enjoyed the first post on this topic. So without any further ado, let me share with you my knowledge. I have lived in Krakow for over 10 years now, so… as I like to point out: SHARING IS CARING! 🙂
MPK_Tram-line-for-11-November_Krakow_Poland
1. Validating public transport tickets
In order to use public transport in Krakow – be it a tram or bus – you must first buy a ticket. Small kiosks sell them, but your quickest and safest option is buying them from the MPK vendor machines. You will be able to spot them right away as they are present next to the tram/bus stops and they have the colors of the city: white and blue. The nice thing about them is that you can pay either by cash or card (even PayPass/contactless or BLIK). The menu is in several languages: Polish (main, of course…), English, German, French, Italian and Spanish.
The MPK (Public Transport Authority of Krakow) tickets can be for single usage – 20 min, 40 min, 60 min – but there are also weekend tickets (or week-long or even monthly ones) that you can use on your stay in the city. However, if you will look at point #3 below, and if you plan to really get to know Krakow… you can always walk it and get a tram only if you are tired or if it rains. But when you do take a tram/bus, make sure you do these 2 basic steps: 1) Buy a ticket; 2) When entering the bus/tram make sure you validate it by using the yellow boxes on the bars inside. Without validation your ticket means nothing, and if you will get caught you will have to pay a big fine!
Drinking in Public is permitted only on the terrace/bar areas – Krakow, Poland
2. Drinking in public
It is illegal to drink in Public in Poland! Don’t even try it as you will get a fine! Public spaces – including parks, benches, and everywhere else you may try to open a beer to cool yourself on a hot day – are off-limits!
You can, however, choose to go to a pub or lay down and enjoy the sun from a terrace, while sipping on your Aperol Spritz or your beer. Outdoor seating areas that are licensed to sell alcoholic beverages do not count 😉 However, if you take your drink and step outside of the premises to have a smoke… you’re up for a fine!
Drinking alcohol in public places can land you in a dry-out cell for the night and you may get also a hefty fine. The legal blood-alcohol limit for driving is just 0.02 percent! The fines can get up to 300 euros + the “prison” sentence for the night, so you can sober up.
On Florianska Street – Krakow, Poland
3. Book a hotel in Old Town or very near it
If you wish to have a nice stay in Kraków, not be touristy and actually experience the city like a local, then you should book an Airbnb or apartment in the Old Town. Or if you wish to splurge, take a hotel – there are plenty to choose from! Why Old Town, you may ask, rightly so… well… everything is within walking distance. You need not get a cab, or even public transport, as all the most notable places can be reached and discovered on foot.
It is true, the streets in the Old Town are cobbled stoned so high heels would definitely not be a good fit. Think sports shoes and flats and you’ll be fine 😉 plus, by walking you will truly learn and feel the heartbeat of the city. Make sure you check the side streets, the small shops, the old-school architecture of the “Kamienicca” – most buildings in the Old Town are from the 18-1900s. Unlike Warsaw (which was heavily bombed during the Second World War and destroyed almost 90%), Kraków has managed to keep its historic buildings.
Vistula River at Autumn-time – Krakow, Poland
4. If visiting avoid June-August (High Season)
I know everybody loves taking time off for holidays during summertime, but if you will choose the months of June, July and August to come visit Kraków, than be prepared for loads of tourists. Those 3 months consist of the High Season here.
Instead of summer, I highly recommend you to try the Polish Autumn. It’s not as hot, the trees are changing their leaves and they look marvelous, you can taste the famous fresh “szarlotka” (PL: apple pie) and local ciders (which are absolutely yummy!). Also, if you are a fan of skiing, winter may be a good time to come over too. The Tatra mountains are near (Zakopane is just a few hours away) and you can enjoy the lovely views.
Czartoryski Museum, Krakow, Poland
5. Pre-book tickets for the museums online
Museums in Kraków are definitely worth being put on the list. Everyone will be able to see something interesting: from 19th century paintings as big as an entire wall, by the local artist Jan Matejko, to the Stained Glass windows; from modern art at MOCAK to Spitfires at the Aviation Museum; from real mummies (including a cat mummy!) to pages of the original Book of Death. You name it, Kraków has it!
The best way to experience the museums is without the queues though. For that, you can always go online and reserve and even pay for the tickets. Print them or download them to your phone and just get to the museum at the designated time. There are multiple branches that you can choose from, so just click here for the full list.
To be fair to my dear readers, I was not born in Poland. Nor raised. This country happened upon me! I did not know much about Poland before my first visit here, about 11 years ago. All I knew was that it was a post-communist country (like my homeland: Romania), that the capital was in Warsaw, that Helena Rubinstein lived here and made amazing cosmetics, that the Schindler’s List was filmed here and that Auschwitz was just a stone throw away from Krakow. You could say… quite limited knowledge!
I moved here 10 years ago, during summertime, and I never regret that step since. Of course, as we live we learn and we absorb information from around us, so I thought I might share with you 10 Interesting Facts about Poland – my adoptive Homeland.
Manuscript of the Constitution of the 3rd May 1791 – Poland
1. Poland Constitution is the 1st in Europe and 2nd in the World
Date Ratified: May 3, 1791 Last Amended: October 21, 2009 Author(s): Historical – Ignacy Potocki, Hugo Kołłątaj, King Stanisław August Poniatowski, Stanisław Małachowski, Stanisław Staszic, and Scipione Piattoli; Modern – Komisja Konstytucyjna and Zgromadzenia Narodowego Government Type: Unitary semi-presidential constitutional republic
Although the Constitution of San Marino is technically older, Poland’s Constitution of 3 May 1791 is generally considered the world’s 2nd-oldest modern constitution and the oldest in Europe.
2. Marie Curie was NOT French, but Polish!
Her original name was Maria Salomea Sklodowska before she married a Frenchman named Pierre Curie. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person and only woman to win twice, the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different fields.
Born in Warsaw (7th November 1867), at the age of 16 she won a gold medal on the completion of her secondary education at the Russian lyceum. Due to the fact that at that time women could not join the University in Poland, she moved in 1891 to Paris. Married Pierre Curie in July 1895 and they started their partnership – discovering polonium (Maria calling it after her native homeland).
3. Holds the biggest castle in the world: Malbork Castle
UNESCO designated the “Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork” and the Malbork Castle Museum a World Heritage Site in December 1997. The Malbork Castle is the largest castle in the world measured by land area. Build some time in the 13th century, it was meant to be a fortress for the Teutonic Order. The purpose was to strengthen the Order’s control of the area, following the Order’s suppression of the Great Prussian Uprising of 1274 (of the Baltic tribes). The castle is now a museum and can be visited – it is also a stone’s throw away from the Tri-City (Gdansk, Gdynia, Sopot).
4. Nicolaus Copernicus was Polish too!
Yes, you read that right! Like Marie Curie, Nicolaus Copernicus was Polish too! Copernicus was born and died in Royal Prussia, a region that had been part of the Kingdom of Poland since 1466. Born on the 19th of February 1473 in the city of Torun, he attended the University of Krakow (now Jagiellonian University).
Copernicus’ 4 years at Kraków played an important role in the development of his critical faculties and initiated his analysis of logical contradictions in the two “official” systems of astronomy—Aristotle’s theory of homocentric spheres, and Ptolemy‘s mechanism of eccentrics and epicycles—the surmounting and discarding of which would be the first step toward the creation of Copernicus’ own doctrine of the structure of the universe.
Collegium Maius – Inside the Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
5. Poland has the second oldest University in Europe
The Jagiellonian University was founded by King Casimir III the Great in 1364. It means that it’s the second University in Europe as the first one was created in Prague sixteen years before. Founded in 1364 by the King of Poland Casimir III the Great, the Jagiellonian University is the oldest university in Poland, the oldest Slavic university, the second oldest university in Central Europe, and one of the oldest surviving universities in the world.
Notable alumni of the Jagiellonian University
Notable alumni include astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, poet Jan Kochanowski, Polish King John III Sobieski, constitutional reformer Hugo Kołłątaj, chemist Karol Olszewski, anthropologist Bronisław Malinowski, writer Stanisław Lem, and President of Poland Andrzej Duda. Students at the University who did not earn diplomas included Nobel laureates Ivo Andrić and Wisława Szymborska. Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) enrolled in the Jagiellonian University of Krakow in 1938 to study Polish Studies at the JU Faculty of Philosophy, but shortly after enrollment, his studies were interrupted by Sonderaktion Krakau. In 1953, Father Wojtyła presented a dissertation at the Jagiellonian University of Krakow on the possibility of grounding a Christian ethic on the ethical system developed by Max Scheler.
Auschwitz Memorial – Oswiecim, Poland
6. Auschwitz – the largest Holocaust tool
#LestWeForget I will always remind myself and my readers of the horrors of the Second World War and the destruction that Nazi Germany brought. Auschwitz was the largest of the Nazi death camps and it was comprised of actually 3 camps (closely connected to each other): Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II (Birkenau), and Auschwitz III. It was originally created to be a prison for Polish prisoners but then Auschwitz II was built in the vicinity and… well… it’s all history! Auschwitz II became the mass killing site for Jews, gypsies, and unwanted human beings.
Auschwitz II was created specifically to be part of the “Final Solution” – Nazi Germany’s plan to annihilate all European Jews. The older people, women that were weak, and the children were immediately taken from the cattle carts and killed in the immense gas chambers (multiple) built there. Men were used for hard labor until they dropped dead on the spot. Even with the gas chambers, they were evil… disguising them as shower houses so that the prisoners would not try and fight their way out of it.
More than 1.1 million people were killed in Auschwitz! Overall estimates state that around 6 million European Jews were killed during the Holocaust.
Palace of Culture and Science – Warsaw, Poland – Spring 2020
7. Warsaw was not the first Polish capital
Everyone knows that nowadays the capital of Poland is Warsaw, however… did you know that Gniezno was the first Polish capital? Gniezno is a town in central-western Poland which was among the earliest Polish settlements. Alongside places like Poznań and Ostrów Lednicki, it was one of the primary places of residence of Poland’s first historical ruler, Mieszko I, who lived in the 10th century (his birthdate is unknown, but he passed away in the year 992).
The second one was Krakow. Kraków was the capital of Poland from 1039 until 1079 + from the year 1138, the city once more enjoyed the status of the capital of Poland until the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries.
Kraków became the capital of a monarchy that extended over natively Polish lands as well as vast Lithuanian-Ruthenian areas. The royal court played an important part in the shaping of cultural and artistic life. (…) The Wawel Castle became a pearl of Renaissance architecture; (…) it proudly served as the residence of the rulers of a modern and strong state. At the end of the 16th century, the capital was moved to Warsaw, Kraków lost its importance, retaining only its representative role as the city of royal coronations and funerals.
From ‘Historia Krakowa’ (Kraków’s History), www.krakow.pl, trans. MK
8. Pope John Paul the 2nd was also Polish 😉
Pope John Paul the 2nd was born Karol Józef Wojtyła – John Paul II was the second-longest-serving pope in modern history after Pope Pius IX. Born in Poland, John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope since the 16th-century Pope Adrian VI. To be fair, he lived a pretty amazing life!
Born in Wadowice, moved to Krakow, enrolled at the Jagiellonian University. He volunteered there as a librarian and did the compulsory military training in the Academic Legion – where he always refused to fire a weapon. He had a talent with languages – learning as many as 15! Karol worked as a messenger for a restaurant, manual labourer in the limestone quarry in Krakow. He also was the very first pope to visit a mosque AND the White House!
9. Polish King Kazimierz Jagiellończyk is the “Father of Europe”
Casimir IV (in full Casimir IV Andrew Jagiellon; Polish: Kazimierz IV Andrzej Jagiellończyk ; 30 November 1427 – 7 June 1492) was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440 and King of Poland from 1447, until his death.
Of his 9 children, one became a cardinal, 4 became kings, one was canonized, and the 3 daughters were married off to become mothers of the heirs of the greatest dynasties in Western Europe (Sophie (6 May 1464 – 5 October 1512); married to Margrave Frederick V of Brandenburg-Ansbach + Anna Jagiellon (12 March 1476 – 12 August 1503); married Bogislaw X, Duke of Pomerania; they had eight children, including Sophie of Pomerania, who became queen of Denmark + Barbara (15 July 1478 – 15 February 1534); married Duke Georg dem Bärtigen of the Saxony )
10. The last Polish monarch died in prison 🙁
Stanisław Poniatowski was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1764 to 1795, and the last monarch of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. A controversial figure in Poland’s history, he is criticized primarily for his failure to resolutely stand against and prevent the partitions, which led to the destruction of the Polish state. On the other hand, he is remembered as a great patron of the arts and sciences who laid the foundation for the Commission of National Education, the first institution of its kind in the world and sponsored many architectural landmarks. To be noted that during his rule the famous Polish Constitution of the 3rd of May was written!
He died in semi-captivity in 1798 in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Well… I do hope you enjoyed my facts about Poland 🙂 Do let me know how many you knew before and what surprised you the most from what was written here. And don’t forget: Sharing is Caring!
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