The International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief is celebrated every year on the 22nd of August. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has these freedoms enshrined in articles 18, 19 and 20. Upholding these rights, however, is still hard nowadays. That is why the General Assembly decided (back in 2019) that each year, on the 22nd of August, we commemorate this day. It is noted that this day comes right after the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism – 21st August.
Even now, as you read this, people are labelled as security threats based on their religion/belief system. Some people live daily in fear because of that. Religious stigmatization is real, even now, after years where we have seen what it can do – eg. World War 2 (Death Camps).
We still believe that one religion should/set of beliefs should have supremacy over another. We still fight because one person is catholic or another is orthodox – even though we believe in the same God, same Trinity and we read the same texts in the Bible…
What YOU can do to make the world better?
Talk about this day > make your family, friends, and teammates know about it. Share the resources you find over social media. Share the knowledge!
Don’t be afraid to stand up > not taking action or not speaking about it only makes things worse. If you see injustice, report it. Help the person in need!
Educate yourself continuously > fact checks, reading information from different resources gives you a broader view.
#DidYouKnow
A Group of Friends of Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief was constituted at the UN General Assembly forum. The Group of Friends is composed of 30 member states and the European Union as an observer. Poland as an initiator chairs the works of the Group.
Members of the mission of the Council of Europe make an alarm in the report from Poland about violations of minority rights. “We see the negative impact of the current situation in Poland on the lives of members of this community,” warn representatives of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Europe.
From Monday, the delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Europe collected information about the situation of sexual minorities in Poland via videoconferences. Members of the mission spoke with activists of non-governmental organizations, local government representatives, the Ombudsman, but also with representatives of the family ministry.
The Council of Europe’s mission report indicated that “local governments play a key role in ensuring citizens’ rights as well as promoting dialogue and understanding”. The preliminary report on the work of the delegation indicated the resolutions adopted by councilors on LGBT issues.
LGBT rights in Poland. Council of Europe alert
The full report on the work of the delegation is to be ready early next year. As RMF FM explains, the Council of Europe dealt with the violation of the rights of the LGBT community at the request of MP Hanna Gill-Piątek and MP Krzysztof Śmiszek from the Left.
The legally non-binding resolutions of Polish local governments on LGBT issues were also criticized by some MEPs during the European Parliament debate on the situation in Poland, the station reminds.
In July, the European Commission decided to withdraw the decision to grant subsidies to municipalities that had adopted controversial documents. Helena Dalli, the European Commissioner for Equality, spoke about “LGBT-free zones” in Poland.
I thought it would be good for me to share with you, from time to time, stories of Amazing Polish Women. Hence today I start this series with a remarkable Polish lady that many have not heard of before: Maria Kwaśniewska.
The Story behind the photograph
From the moment I found this old photo of the Olympics in Berlin, in Nazi Germany, I felt the urge to share Maria’s story to the world. Or at least to my blog readers 🙂 As the photograph was received so well by so many of you, that I felt the need to give you a bit more background.
Who was Maria Kwaśniewska?
Maria Kwaśniewska was a Polish athlete, winner of the bronze medal in the javelin at the Olympic Games in Berlin, 14-time Polish champion in the long jump, triathlon, and pentathlon, and the member of the Polish national volleyball and basketball teams.
It was August 1936, at the Olympic Games in Berlin. There were 3 Javelinists on the podium, but only 2 of them greeted Hitler with the characteristic raised hand, the Nazi salute. The 3rd one wore a tracksuit with the Polish emblem and stood motionless, not even considering raising her hand to greet Hitler. A moment later, she was escorted to the honor box, so that the Führer could congratulate her. “I congratulate a small Pole”, said Hitler, the unexpected answer follows “You’re not so tall yourself”.
Kwaśniewska even received the informal Miss Olympics title, hence the reason she was invited to the private lodge to meet Hitler. The chancellor wanted to personally congratulate the best javelin throwers. During the meeting, the Chancellor of the Reich was photographed with three javelinists. Later on, a copy of the photo was handed to Maria as a souvenir. She didn’t realize how important the picture would later become. Just 3 years on, that photo proved to be a literal lifesaver for many people.
Second World War
When the Second World War breaks out, Maria Kwaśniewska is in Genoa, Italy, where, with a grant from the Polish Athletic Association(Polski Związek Lekkiej Atletyki), she is preparing for the 1940 Olympic Games in Helsinki, which are then canceled due to the attack on Finland by the former USSR.
At this time, Kwaśniewska is one of the best athletes in the world. When she hears about Germany’s invasion of Poland, she decides to leave Italy, which at that time was still safe, and to return to Warsaw. “I entered the country against the tide, as it were. People were already talking about war, so I could also have stayed [in Italy]. Everyone tried to talk me into staying, but I didn’t want to. At the Zebrzydowice border crossing, people looked at me as if I were mad. People were leaving the country in droves and I returned to Warsaw, even if I didn’t really know with what and how I was going to do it” – This is how Maria Kwaśniewska recalled this moment in an interview which she gave to the “Rzeczpospolita” newspaper in 2000.
Cross for bravery!
With a course completed as a paramedic and a driving license in her hands, she immediately joins in as an ambulance driver around the Warsaw power station. She transports wounded soldiers from trenches to the hospitals. She was rewarded the cross for bravery (Krzyż Walecznych) by Stefan Starzyński, the former Mayor of the city, for her involvement in the defense of Warsaw.
Maria Kwaśniewska worked non-stop for the resistance. At the beginning of August 1944, transit camp 121, also referred to as Dulag 121, is established by the Nazis. The camp was built for the civilian population of Warsaw. They were driven from their house in the Warsaw uprising and after its suppression. Within 6 months, around 400,000 people are channeled through this camp. The Nazis make their selections there: those who are strong enough are assigned to forced labor, the weak, the old, and the infirm are taken to concentration camps.
This is when Maria remembers the photograph with Adolf Hitler and she takes it as shows it to the guards at the entrance to the camp. The photo works its magic and proves itself to be a free pass, helping her smuggle people out of the camp. “I brought people out of the camp, going first to Pruszków and then to Podkowa Leśna, to my house. I had a transit camp in my house”, recalls Kwaśniewska adding: “The gendarmes raised their hands to their caps and let my transports through.”
When I first laid a foot upon Polish land I did not know much except a bit of history related to the Second World War. Auschwitz and Birkenau always spring to mind when people would start talking about Poland – and that is not just me talking here. To my shame, I have to admit that I even thought Marie Curie to be French! (Of course due to her name… I didn’t even connect that Sklodowska was also her name!). That is somewhat shameful to say it out loud, considering that she “brought home” 2 of the 17 Nobel Prizes that the Polish people won! There are so many interesting and fascinating things people just don’t know about Poland, so I thought I might share with you a couple of them:
The squadron #303 from the Royal Air Forces of the Battle of Britain was Polish. They were the highest-scoring squadron from the Battle. But they were not the only Polish squadron – there were 16! They had their own unique way of flying and treated war without fear but rather with a deep love for their country. They knew the way they could help it was by destroying as many enemy planes as they could. They developed the technique by coming up close and personal and shooting at the enemy at a very close range, making sure if maximum destruction. For example, 303 Squadron (during the Battle of Britain) shot 110 Nazi German planes! The No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron was not just the highest scoring of Hurricane squadron, but also had the highest ratio of enemy aircraft destroyed relative to their own losses.
At the end of the Second World War, over 115.000 Polish veterans settled in the UK permanently. This happened due to the fact that they could simply not come back home, as much as they would have wished. The Red Army came over the Nazi and one bad thing came over another… one occupation came after another… Poland had several cities (like Warsaw) wiped out from the face of the earth, living locations were low, the infrastructure was almost inexistent, Communist may have felt – for some – a helping hand, meant to bring order. Instead, it brought another type of terror. Heroes of the Second World War and the Underground Army were slaughtered and placed on trial.
Nearly 35% of the 60 million Polish people live abroad. #DidYouKnow that Chicago is actually the 2nd biggest Polish city after Warsaw? The biggest exodus of Polish people came during and after the Second World War. Of course, many Jews migrated undercover but not only. They fled all over the world, but the most “inviting” countries were the UK and America. #didyouknow that the Polish Resettlement Act 1946 was the first-ever mass immigration legislation of the Parliament of the UK? Over 200.000 Polish troops on British soil were offered British citizenship. Of course in this way Britain gained the laborforce in its own war-torn country, but still…
The oldest known Old Polish sentence is “Daj, niech ja pomiele, a 16th odpoczywaj” – “Let me, I shall grind, and you take a rest”. It is part of the Book of Henrykow – a Latin chronicle of the Cistercian Abbey in Henrykowin Lower Silesia. Since the 9th of October 2015, the Book of Henrykow entered the list of UNESCO “Memory of the World”.
#DidYouKnow there’s a statue in Poland that turns into Darth Vader when it snows? During a blizzard in Wejherowo it became obvious that the Dark Side indeed took over the statue Jakub Wejher, a 17thcentury nobleman and military leader, and brought to life it’s own Dark Lord… do you not think so?
BONUS FACT: 3 men in Trzebnica, Poland, spent 6 days building a 31 foot (that’s almost 9,5 meters!) Snowman with a barrel for a hat and a traffic cone for a nose. Why, you may ask… mmm… just because they were bored, nobody stopped them and they had fun 😉
Do you know any fun/interesting facts about Poland? Do share them in the comments sector below 🙂 I would love to hear from you!
The German daily Allgaeuer Zeitung wrote about its “Polish concentration camp” on its website. The Polish Embassy in Berlin intervened in this matter, demanding that the editors quickly correct this false statement.
News Taken from TVP.INFO (Site in Polish Language)
Allgaeuer Zeitung mentioned Auschwitz as “Polish” Concentration Camp
The newspaper, discussing the story of Enegelbert M., wrote that he was one of the last prisoners who was tattooed with a camp number on his shoulder in the “Polish” Auschwitz concentration camp.
Requests for correction
A press spokesman for the Polish embassy in Berlin, Dariusz Pawłoś, told Polish Radio that a letter was sent to the editor of the Allgaeuer Zeitung in Kemtpen immediately to request a correction.
“Words such as “Polish concentration camps” or “Polish death camps” or “concentration camps in Poland” are not only offensive to Poles and Polish citizens who suffered and died in these camps, but also to their families and the whole Polish society” – said Dariusz Pawłoś.
Always on the look-out
The press spokesman for the Polish Embassy assured that the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Berlin and Polish consular offices will always intervene in situations where the history of Poland is falsified and when the good name of Poland and Poles is defiled.
Yours truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug Bringing You The Polish News (Even From Abroad)
POLAND – A Portrait of the Country Through its Festivals and Traditions, is a children’s book project sponsored by the Polish American Arts Association of Washington, DC. The first edition, published in 2015, met with a very positive response and sold out within the year. Thanks to continued support from the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Poland, as well as generous donations from the Kosciuszko Foundation, other organizations, and individual donors, we have now published the second, expanded edition of the book.
Carla Hazard Tomaszewski is a true lady of Polish background, born and raised on American soil yet with a heart yearning for Poland. She is a 3rd generation Polish American – her maternal grandmother being born in Poland in 1898. Her grandmother came over on the boat as a baby in her mother’s arms, so she did not get to truly know Poland in its rich cultural depth. Their family settled in Baltimore, a city in the State of Maryland – near to Washington DC.
TravelLovePoland online magazine December 2017 issue – pages 74-75.
Carla, along with her brother Charles, inherited her artistic genes from her parents. She was born in Baltimore in 1951 and attended Maryvale Trinity College Prep from first grade through high school. Having apprenticed at KBH/Graphics design studio in Baltimore while still a student at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, she eventually graduated Cum Laude with a B.A. in art, winning the Steinbugler Award as a top art major, and began work at KBH/Graphics as an illustrator and graphic designer.
As a professional artist, she has exhibited extensively in numerous one-woman and invitational shows. She has had her work presented to Pope John Paul II as a gift upon his elevation to the Papacy in 1978, and, in 2005, to Anna Walentynowicz – mother of Poland’s Solidarity free trade union movement.
History of Poles in Baltimore
The history of Poles in Baltimore dates back to the late 19th century. The Polish community is largely centered in the neighborhoods of Canton, Fell’s Point, Locust Point, and Highlandtown. Poles are the largest Slavic ethnic group in the city and one of the largest European ethnic groups.
As of September 2014, immigrants from Poland were the 18th largest foreign-born population in Baltimore and the Polish language was the 11th most commonly spoken language, after English.
The first Polish immigrants to Baltimore settled in the Fell’s Point neighborhood in 1868. Polish mass immigration to Baltimore and other U.S. cities first started around 1870, many of whom were fleeing the Franco-Prussian War. The first Polish-language newspaper in Baltimore, titled Polonia, began publication in 1891.
Information about Polish History of Poles taken from Wikipedia.
Poland Children’s Book Project – The Background – The WHY?!
USA holds the largest number of people that hold total or partial Polish ancestry. There are an estimated 9.15 million self-identified Polish Americans, representing about 2.83% of the U.S. population. According to Wikipedia, there are roughly 20,000,000 people of Polish ancestry living outside Poland, making the Polish diaspora one of the largest in the world and one of the most widely dispersed.
Culture.PL listed the 7 Most Polish Cities Outside of Poland – 1) New York; 2) Paris; 3) Toronto; 4) London; 5) Vilnius; 6) Chicago; 7) Curitiba – it is no wonder that 2 of them are in the USA. The USA was a safe-heaven for people migrating from Poland. But this means that you have generations of people with Poland at heart but that has never actually experienced Poland firsthand. You might have now children that would have trouble staying in touch with their Polish Roots. This is why Carla Hazard Tomaszewski decided to give them a helping hand by creating the Poland Children’s Book Project.
Poland Children’s Book Project – How was it done?
The Poland Children’s Book Project was created specifically for the English speaking audience. But why was that? Because there were so few books available in the USA for the children to learn about the beloved homeland: Poland.
Under the auspices of the non-profit Polish American Arts Association of Washington DC, the author asked for private donations and also got a grant from the Foreign Ministry of Poland to pay for the expense of printing several thousand copies – some hardcover and most softcover.
Polish Roots: Poland, a children’s book project – Wianki
Poland Children’s Book Project – Public Reception
International Publicity
The Poland Children’s Book Project had its share of International Publicity by being featured in the TravelLovePoland online magazine December 2017 issue – pages 74-75.
International Cooperation
One of the stories featured in the book – Lech and the White Eagle – was sourced from a lovely blog about Poland and its folklore, customers, mythology, legends, history, and traditions: Lamus Dworski.
Polish Roots: Poland, a children’s book project – The Lajkonik
Reception from the public
Poland Children’s Book Project was first introduced to the public in December 2015, as “Poland – A Portrait of the Country Through its Festivals and Traditions”. It met a very positive response after its first printing and it was exhausted in no time! They have now published the second, expanded edition of the book (November 2017).
The second edition has a larger format of 8.5” x 11”; upgraded binding; additional 20 pages with more stories, crafts, recipes and songs – all traditional Polish!
How can one order the book?!
You can send out an order with a check made out to The Polish American Arts Association of Washington DC – noting, of course, that is for the Poland Children’s Book Project. You can see the prices above, in the photo.
Their goal is to get the books distributed to various libraries, Polish schools, and organizations across the USA. If your group is interested in acquiring copies of the book for your own use or to donate to a school or library, please let them know and they will arrange to send them. Tax-deductible contributions will enable them to distribute more copies. The book is available for $24 for hardcover and $15 for softcover. Volume discounts are as follows :
SOFTCOVERS 1-9 copies – $15 each 10-19 copies — $13.50 each (10% discount) 20-49 copies — $12.00 each (20% discount) 50-99 copies — $11.25 each (25% discount) 100+ copies — $10.50 each (30% discount)
I also highly recommend you to follow Poland, a children’s book project – Facebook page – as they do update it with excerpts and pictures from the book.
So, what are you waiting for? Do drop by their Facebook Page and ping them about the book – trust me, it is worth your time. The visuals are lovely and the book is engaging for children, as it provides them crafts that they can do in their spare time (while locked indoors due to Coronavirus, for example!).
Yours always truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug That Wants You To Learn More About Your Polish Roots
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