As you may know, Poland is the most accommodating country toward the Ukrainian people. The UN states that over 14 million people are thought to have fled their homes since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Poland has taken the most, as you can see from the numbers below.
(Some people who traveled from Moldova to Romania are included in both countries’ totals).
The Help offered
The EU has granted Ukrainians the right to stay and work throughout its 27 member nations for up to 3 years. Poland, which has taken the highest number of refugees, and Moldova, which has the largest concentration of refugees by population, have both asked for international support to help fund their efforts.
The Struggles
Poland has offered many special benefits in order to support the growing number of Ukrainian refugees. For example payments for the households that keep refugees, free use of public transport, extra spots in kindergartens and schools, and free medical benefits (checkups and tests). Unfortunately, due to the high number of people that need help and the lack of funds, the Polish Government has decided to revoke some of the benefits.
The Withdrawal
The families or individuals that have taken refugees into their homes, via a law passed in March, were entitled to a daily payment of 40 zlotych (approximately 8-9 euros). The Government, sometime in April, counted that about 600 000 Ukrainian people benefited from such help.
Last week, though, the deputy interior minister Paweł Szefernaker announced that this benefit will no longer be available. He also mentioned that many refugees chose to return back and mentioned that since the 10th of May there have been more people crossing the border into Ukraine than into Poland.
Starting the 1st of June also the free municipal public for the refugees from Ukraine has been revoked. Free train travel is also off since this month.
200 works, mostly art, but also projects and products of artistic craftsmanship, personal mementos, manuscripts and photographs – Wyspiański’s legacy can finally be seen in the museum dedicated to the artist. The new branch of the National Museum in Krakow was established in the building of the former granary at Plac Sikorskiego 6. – This is a unique moment to see Wyspiański in an intimate, personal, and intimate way, says Andrzej Szczerski – “We can see up close how the most famous projects were created, how the artist created graphic and design works. We will also see Wyspiański here – the artist of the interior”.
A museum dedicated to Wyspiański
For years, the museum announced in Krakow, which is to be created with Wyspiański in mind, is still a foggy future, the priority of the NMK in the coming years is the renovation of the Main Building. For now, the works of the author of “Wesele” will be presented at 6 Sikorskiego Square. On 3 levels of the Wyspiański Museum, which was established there, there are 200 works by the artist.
We put Wyspiański in a building whose rooms are smaller than large museum rooms, thanks to which we bring out other values of his work, which can be seen especially in the spaces devoted to his graphic works or portraits, images of Krakow, where we can see that Wyspiański looks great in intimate interiors. It is a model of a museum-artist’s house, where we are closer to the artist than in large gallery spaces.
Prof. Andrzej Szczerski, director of the National Museum in Krakow
Wyspiański‘s collection open to the wide public to enjoy!
Wyspiański’s library and his graphic works are displayed in the basement. There is also a multimedia stand where you will be able to see the cataloged entire Wyspiański collection owned by the National Museum in Krakow. In the next room, you will find the theatrical costumes of Wyspiański’s project from the NMK collection, you can also see fragments of famous theater and film productions of his plays – this part of the underground focuses on Wyspiański’s theatrical work.
Self-portraits, images of the closest family and friends, views of the studio, landscapes spreading from the studio’s windows are presented on the ground floor of the building.
Religion and nature-focused works take the main stage!
The main part of the exhibition is the first floor, where the 3 most important themes in Wyspiański’s work are presented: religion and nature-focused on works from the Franciscan church, antiquities related to the works for the Medical Society, and Wawel and history organized around Wawel projects and national symbolism.
An important element of the whole is the courtyard, where theatrical performances or recitations of Wyspiański’s works will be presented in the future, as well as works of contemporary art inspired by Wyspiański.
You will have to come back to this place, because the exhibition will change every year – for conservation reasons, we cannot show all of Wyspiański’s works all the time. Each year we will present around two hundred works. The first change will take place in 2023.
Prof. Andrzej Szczerski, director of the National Museum in Krakow
The largest paintings made in the oil technique, which are more resistant to light, or those that will be partially covered during the exhibition, in accordance with the conservation requirements, will be permanently exhibited.
I don’t know about you, but I love Wyspiański’s work and definitely, this museum is on my 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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
In June and July, shooting for the new Netflix production will be made in Krakow. ABM studio responsible for casting is looking for extras, episodists, and professional actors aged 50+. The production itself is shrouded in mystery.
Netflix is looking for extras in Krakow
“For 2 months of shooting, we will need a huge number of extras, episodists and professional actors, so if you are passionate about the industry, you want to experience your first adventure on a film set, or just treat it as a part-time job. We invite you to apply” – we read in the release ABM studies.
It is known that the film/series will be shot not only in Krakow. The ABM studio emphasizes that people who qualify for production will be able to continue the film adventure in the next part of the shooting at the Baltic Sea.
The implementation planned in Krakow is a film project of the Netflix platform. And this is what is known for sure. As the CEO of the ABM studio, Bartosz Stasina, informed us, the details of the project itself are classified as confidential.
Also, the Krakow Festival Office, the organizer of the Krakow Film Commission, whose main task is to help filmmakers working in Małopolska, does not want to reveal details. He mentions numerous “restrictions” regarding communication about Netflix’s projects.
Speculations about “Axis Mundi”
There was information in the media that it was about the series “Axis Mundi“, the plot of which is to be based on Slavic mythology and Krakow legends. The main character of the new Netflix series is a medical student – Alex. The girl becomes embroiled in an intrigue in which she will confront the world of Slavic beliefs. Magdalena Lankosz, Anna Sieńska and Gaja Grzegorzewska are responsible for the script of the series.
However, the director of the ABM studio denied the information that it was this production, moreover, the ABM studio is not involved in the production of “Axis Mundi“, and the shooting of the series has already ended.
So far, it is known that for the mysterious Netflix project, which will be created in Krakow, many extras, actors, and episodists aged 50+ are needed, and that the production will be created in the coming months.
On May 4, shopping malls, large-area DIY stores and museums will be opened. From 8 May it will be possible to use hotels. From May 15, restaurants and cafes are to be opened, but only in gastronomic gardens. Also, from the middle of next month, communions and weddings will be held with a maximum of 20 people. On May 29, students of all classes will return to school in a full-time mode. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced a plan to ease restrictions in the economy. It goes, among others for the opening of restaurants and hotels and a decision on shopping malls that are currently not fully open.
The virus will not disappear overnight!
At the beginning of the conference, the prime minister said that the data we receive allows us to make decisions related to unfreezing the economy. “They give rise to cautious optimism. The last days have shown that the third wave has probably broken”, said Mateusz Morawiecki.
The prime minister added that the virus will not disappear overnight. We must maintain certain flexibility in response. “We want the economy to return to the right track in a natural way” – added the Prime Minister.
Health Minister Adam Niedzielski announced that starting from May 1, uniform rules will be introduced throughout the country, which mainly concerns sports. “When it comes to closed facilities, we open all sports facilities and swimming pools for groups of children and youth” – says Adam Niedzielski.
The minister announced that the next step will be taken on May 15. “Perhaps we will then suggest that you do not have to wear face masks outside. This means opening gastronomy with a limit of up to 50%, theaters and cinemas” – added Adam Niedzielski.
Current restrictions
In accordance with the regulation of the Council of Ministers, from April 26, hairdressing and beauty salons, as well as tattoo and piercing salons resumed their activity in 11 voivodeships: Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Małopolskie, Mazowieckie, Podkarpackie, Podlasie, Pomorskie, Świętokrzyskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Zachodniopomorskie.
In the same regions, from Monday, grades 1-3 of primary school take place in a hybrid system. This involves conducting classes in such a way that no more than 50 percent of students in grades 1-3 of primary school attend these classes in a classroom setting, and at least 50 percent of students learn remotely.
In the remaining voivodships: Dolnośląskie, Łódzkie, Opolskie, Śląskie and Wielkopolskie, the existing restrictions were maintained.
GASTRONOMY
From May 15, outdoor gastronomy (in the open air) – open restaurant gardens. Activities in a strict sanitary regime – including the safe distance between the tables and the limit of people per table. From May 29, internal gastronomy – open restaurants. max occupancy 50 percent premises, operating in a strict sanitary regime – a safe distance between the tables, the limit of people per table.
SPECIAL EVENTS
From May 15, special events outside – the possibility of organizing, among others weddings and communions: limit up to 25 people. In a strict sanitary regime – incl. a safe distance between the tables and the limit of people per table (regulations are the same as in the case of outdoor gastronomy). From May 29, special events inside – the possibility of organizing, among others weddings and communions. Limit up to 50 people in strict sanitary regime – including a safe distance between the tables and the limit of people per table (regulations are the same as in the case of internal gastronomy).
SCHOOLS, NURSERIES, AND KINDERGARTENS
From May 4, children in grades 1-3 return to school in the normal manner. From May 15, children from grades 4-8 of primary schools and high school students return to school in a hybrid model. From May 29, full-time education for everyone. From April 19, the government made it possible for children to return to kindergartens and nurseries.
BEAUTY INDUSTRY
From May 1, hairdressing and beauty salons are open all over the country. They have been operating in Małopolska since April 26.
TRADE
From May 4, a shopping mall, construction and furniture stores are open. Limit: 1 person per 15 square meters.
HOTELS
From May 8, hotels open to guests, max. 50% occupancy, closed restaurants and wellness and spa areas.
CHURCHES
From May 4, places of worship have a limit of people – there must be 15 m2 per 1 person. The obligation to cover the mouth and nose and keep 1.5 m away from other people remains the same.
SPORT
From May 1, outdoor sports – max. 50 people. From May 1, swimming pools and sports halls are open for organized groups of children and teenagers. From May 15 – fans return to stadiums, up to 25% of the audience. From May 29, sports in indoor facilities and swimming pools are available to all. 50% occupancy. From May 29, gyms, fitness clubs, and solariums are open.
CULTURE
From May 4, museums and art galleries open. From May 15, cinemas and open-air theaters open. From May 29, cinemas and theaters are open at 50% audience.
Hope soon we will get people travelling more, fairs will open up and we can get to a new stage of normal…
Measuring devices have been installed on the observation balloon stationed on the Volyn Boulevard to determine the composition of the atmosphere as well as the meteorological conditions.
In addition to the fact that the balloon can change colors, we managed to obtain the approval of the European Aviation Safety Agency for our pictograms. Clouds will change their color depending on the state of the atmosphere, the state of the air according to the colors we are used to, i.e. green is good air, red is bad air. At the moment, we are showing data from the reference station of the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection from Dietla Street, which is closest to the balloon and shows the air condition in the center of Krakow. It is an educational function so that when we see, pass a balloon or see it in the air, we think that the air we breathe is simply important. It affects our health and a lot depends on us, our attitudes, whether we get on a bike or get on a big, heavy SUV and we will drive alone on the streets of Krakow. Such everyday decisions affect the air condition in Krakow.
Marek Kufel from Balon Widokowy
This company is responsible for balloon flights stationed on the Volyn boulevard near the building of the former Forum Hotel.
Measurements for the Copernicus Project
On the night of March 10-11, the crew of the Krakow sightseeing balloon together with a group of scientists from the AGH University of Science and Technology Stanisława Staszica in Krakow also conducted a campaign of aviation measurements. Many measuring devices have been installed on the balloon to determine the composition of the atmosphere as well as the meteorological conditions.
“On board the balloon there were, among others modern device for precise measurements of greenhouse gas concentrations (CO2, CH4, and H2O) G2311-f by Picarro, device for real-time determination of the fractional composition of suspended dust OPS3330 by TSI Inc. and a number of meteorological and auxiliary devices” – calculates in the office in Krakow.
The flights were performed from 12 to 8 am, at hourly intervals, to the maximum altitude resulting from meteorological conditions. “It was the first such measurement campaign in a balloon in Krakow and probably in Poland. The aim of the campaign was to investigate the vertical distribution of pollutants and trace gases in the urban atmosphere, which allowed for the validation of satellite data obtained from the European Copernicus project”, add the magistracy.
The campaign was organized as part of the EU research project CoCO2, funded by the Horizon2020 program, in which 25 partners from Europe participate.
Now we are waiting for the results of the research to be published by the office.
First, the inhabitants of Krakow noticed the disappearance of the iconic Cafe Bunkier café, now the renovation works of the Bunkier Sztuki Gallery of Contemporary Art are in full swing. This is the first renovation in over half a century, and the reconstruction is expected to last until April 2024. At that time, the gallery moved its seat to the Potocki Palace at 20 Rynek Główny.
Over 3 years-long renovations!
The renovation and modernization of the building of the Contemporary Art Gallery Bunkier Sztuki, which will take about three years, will include the development of modern lighting, sound and projection systems, construction of new mechanical ventilation, air-conditioning, and heating system ensuring the required conditions for the exhibition of works of art, creation of a properly equipped and properly sized workshop facility for the organization of exhibitions, separation of warehouse space meeting modern standards, improvement of safety standards.
A tender was won and work has begun!
“The general contractor for the investment was selected through a tender, which is a consortium of PBO Śląsk Sp. Z oo and WODPOL Sp. Z o. O. and the Academy of Music in Katowice. WODPOL carried out in Krakow such projects as the reconstruction of the Aviation Museum hangar as well as the modernization and reconstruction of the lobby of the Rydygier Hospital “– informs the Gallery.
Despite the crisis, the city that finances Bunkier Sztuki activities has not withdrawn funds for the renovation of Bunkier Sztuki, which will cost nearly PLN 21 million.
No more Bunkier Sztuki Cafe 🙁
The current project is based on the concept of Robert Konieczny. The idea that won in 2016 assumed the expansion of the basement by additional floors, where the gallery was to be located, the placement of a movable ceiling and the liquidation of the popular café in its current location.
The history behind Bunkier Sztuki
The building of Bunkier Sztuki was established in 1965 as the seat of the Krakow Art Exhibitions Bureau. The building was designed by Krystyna Tołłoczko-Różyska. The characteristic façade made of concrete casts of wooden formwork was designed by Stefan Borzęcki and Antoni Hajdecki. The bunker was built in opposition to the neighboring Art Nouveau Palace of Arts, and its shape aroused considerable controversy in the artistic community and among the inhabitants of Krakow at that time. The gallery is the only building of brutalist architecture in the Old Town. For the last 55 years, the seat of Bunkier Sztuki has not been modernized.
Substitute HQ over at Potocki Palace
During the renovation period, the Gallery will carry out exhibition and publishing activities in its substitute headquarters located in the Potocki Palace at 20 Rynek Główny. The new location will also house the MOCAK Bookstore BUNKIER.
This year, due to the pandemic, we will not meet at the Small Market Square to sing Christmas carols together and feel the atmosphere of Christmas. The carol singing lesson will be held in a changed format – on the Internet.
Where can we find the SongBook for this year?
For this occasion, the Polish Song Library has prepared a special virtual songbook. This way, all will be able to sing the most beautiful Christmas carols with their loved ones, at the Christmas table. The premiere of “The Polish Songbook, or Christmas Carols to Sing Around the House – Online” will take place on Sunday, December 20 at 5 pm. It will be available on the website: https://bibliotekapiosenki.pl/strona/
We are all in this together!
Traditionally, the Loch Camelot Theater will help in singing. They have recorded background songs for the most beautiful Christmas carols for this occasion. The repertoire includes the below songs:
“Silent night”, “When Christ is born”, “Today in Bethlehem”, “In the silence of the night”, “God is born”.
In addition, the director of the Polish Song Library – Waldemar Domański – will talk about singing lessons in December. The film will be a nice reminder of the meetings for some, and an explanation of the phenomenon. These events have brought together over half a million participants since 2002.
The Krakow Singing Lessons for one and all!
The Krakow Singing Lesson is already over 76 concerts. During the concerts, the audience learns to sing Polish songs, patriotic songs, and Christmas carols. So far, about 500,000 have been distributed free songbooks. The originator of the project is the director of the Polish Song Library, Waldemar Domański.
Polish language article on Gazeta Krakowska can be found here.
Chochołowska Valley. Dramatic scenes took place in the Chochołowska Valley. Tourists witnessed one of the horses fall down and hit the road. Despite this, the coachman after a few minutes harnessed him to the carriage again to continue his course.
The incident occurred on July 8, 2020. “It was very sultry that day and although the cabman claims that the horse stumbled – it is difficult to accept such a version as credible. Horses endure heat and humidity very badly. The author of the film also saw blood dripping from the nose of the animal” – quotes can be read on ratujkonie.pl . The case was publicized by the Viva! Foundation.
After a few minutes, the horse was again harnessed to the cab and probably had to continue the course. “Two adults with two small children rode in the cab. When the horse was lying down – they did not even dismount for a long time. This attitude saddens us twice – even such great suffering did not cause that they gave up comfort for the good of the animal. They probably went on …” – can be read on the Facebook profile of ratujkonie.pl.
Viva Foundation! protests
Horses in the Chochołowska Valley do not have such a difficult route as those from the route to Morskie Oko, but dangerous situations still happen. Viva Foundation has been protesting against the exploitation of horse work in the Tatras for years!
“We have been saying for years that the Tatras are not a place for horses. Even on such a potentially easy route and even with such a small load, compared to that from Morskie Oko, horses working in adverse Tatra conditions are subject to dramatic accidents, such as the one we have just learned from tourists wandering the Chochołowska Valley” – Anna Plaszczyk, from the Viva Foundation!
“Understanding the mechanism of thermoregulation and stopping work in conditions of high temperature and humidity is the only effective way to ensure the well-being of horses working in the Tatras. But the people have been ignoring this for years because profits are more important to them than the welfare of animals” – added Anna Plaszczyk.
What is your opinion on this? Have you ever been on a carriage drawn by horses – be it in the mountains or in a big city (like Krakow, for example)? Have you ever thought of the conditions the horses are kept?
Would love to hear out from you!
All the best,
Twisted Red LadyBug Bringing you Polish News
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