GOOD NEWS
2016-2017
The American Institute of Polish Culture | Miami, Florida
The American Institute of Polish Culture, Inc. Mrs. Blanka A. Rosenstiel founded the American Institute of Polish Culture (AIPC) in 1972 as a non-profit, tax-exempt Florida Corporation. The aim of the Institute is twofold. First is to share with Americans the rich heritage of Poland, which has contributed in so many ways to the history of the U.S., and second, to promote the scientific, educational and artistic contributions of Polish-Americans. For over forty years our endeavors have received support from our members, donors, the enthusiastic participation of other ethnic groups in the community, and the friendly cooperation of the press, all of which have helped to strengthen our leading role in the cultural life of the community. AIPC will continue being a catalyst in promoting knowledge about Poland and Polish-Americans nationwide. Ongoing programs include: The Harriet Irsay Scholarship was established in 1992 and every year it awards ten to fifteen scholarships to talented students. All majors and areas of study are considered and most applicants are of Polish descent. Over the years, AIPC has awarded thousands of dollars in grants to worthy students.
In 1998, the Institute spearheaded the establishment of the Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies at the University of Virginia for research, education, and sponsorship of visiting scholars. In 2008, the Chair moved to the Institute of World Politics in Washington, D.C. AIPC also established the lecture series at the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies at the University of Virginia in 2005. AIPC also sponsors the Fund of American Studies in Washington D.C. AIPC has sponsored hundreds of lectures at educational facilities throughout the years. As a result of four decades of collaboration with Florida International University (FIU), the Lady Blanka Rosenstiel Lecture Series on Poland was established in 2010. Topics focus on current affairs involving topics such as globalization, art, music, politics and economics.
The first International Polonaise Ball was held 46 years ago and serves as the main fundraiser for the Institute. Every year a different theme explores the cultural ties between Poland and other countries, such as Spain, India, Greece, Japan, Italy, Great Britain, Argentina, Brazil, and China just to mention a few. Guests attend from around the world, and the Institute’s Gold Medal have been awarded to many worthy recipients, including President Lech Walesa; Dr. Andrew Schally, Noble Prize laureate in medicine; James Michener, author; Senator Barbara Mikulski; David Ensor, war correspondent and journalist; Professor Norman Davies, historian; Alexander Wolszczan, astrophysicist; His Eminence Adam Cardinal Maida; Dr. Scott Parazynski, astronaut; and sculptor Jerzy Kedziora.
In 1978, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel established an International Film Festival in Miami and presided over it for two years. A few years later, AIPC presented Polish films, and brought contemporary Polish film-makers and stars to the new For the Love of Film Festival to Miami. Many of the films have won major awards and some were screened for the first time in the U.S. AIPC continues to collaborate with the Miami Film Festival in showcasing thought-provoking works from Poland.
The Institute has long been a champion of fine and modern Polish and Polish-American art, and has sponsored and organized several solo and group shows. We also designed a visual history exhibit, Perspektywa Polska, which had its inauguration at Duke University, NC and traveled nationwide to museums and universities for over 25 years. It was donated to the Orchard Lake Schools, MI. AIPC has translated and published many books including the five volume history of Poland, Saga of a Nation written by Pawel Jasienica and translated by Alexander Jordan, and the rare Accomplished Senator by Wawrzyniec Grzymala Goslicki (1530-1607). Our annual magazine, Good News, is distributed to members and friends, and the Institute houses a library with books in both Polish and English. Publications are also available online, www. ampolinstitute.org and books can also be found in Kindle versions through Amazon for a nominal fee.
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Board of Directors Officers/Directors Founder, President, Chairman and Chief Executive Blanka A. Rosenstiel Vice President Barbara Cooper Secretary and Treasurer Dr. Jerzy Kyparisis Directors Monika Jablonska-Chodakiewicz Steven Karski Janusz Kozlowski Rose Kruszewski Danuta Kyparisis Teresa Lowenthal Grzegorz Okon Dr. Michel S. Pawlowski Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk Dr. Pat Riley Jaroslaw Rottermund Jacek Schindler Alex Storozynski Loretta Swit Roza Toroj Executive Director Beata Paszyc Executive Assistant Lynne Schaefer Committee Chairmen Fundraising Barbara Cooper Nominating Blanka A. Rosenstiel Polish Studies Chair Dr. Michel S. Pawlowski Scholarship Jaroslaw Rottermund Advisory Board Dr. Horacio Aguirre Hon. Maurice Ferre Mercedes Ferre Dr. Tully Patrowicz
Message from the President Dear Members and Friends,
Lady Blanka Rosenstiel
Dla chcącego nic trudnego. Nothing is difficult if one wants it. Polish proverb
This year has been an exciting milestone for The American Institute of Polish Culture. We celebrated our 45th anniversary and even I have to admit that this is quite an achievement! It has been an honor to be able to advocate for Polish culture and people in this great country for all these years. From the start I believed that highlighting the contributions Poles have made throughout the world would be a positive and uplifting endeavor. And I knew that the Institute would never run out of stories about life-changing events and the people who inspired them. Poland has endured centuries of hardships only to bounce back stronger and better every time. I was relying on the steadfast resilience of the Polish people to eagerly embrace a US-based organization that was dedicated to them and for them. America represented freedom and self-sufficiency, a land where dreams could become real and anything wonderful was possible. In 1956, when I arrived in the US as an emigrant from Brussels, Belgium, I became involved in Polish organizations and for three to four years I volunteered at the TV show, Echoes from Poland, led by Monsignor Wladyslaw Royek. I noticed that there was very little awareness of Poland in America and thought it stemmed from a lack of knowledge and actual facts. It was then that I made my mind up to do something about it. In the early 1970s, my Mother came to Miami and she insisted that I start an organization, so with my brother Waldemar, we established the Institute. After all these years, I am proud to say that AIPC has played an important role in righting the wrongs about Poland, eradicating historical misinformation, and shining a light on all the great work Poles have accomplished over the centuries. Then in 1989, the Solidarity movement led by Lech Walesa gave the newly free Poland visibility throughout the world. In recent years it has been so rewarding to witness the fantastic growth in Poland. AIPC has been able to publically recognize her native sons and daughters, to honor the long time, sometimes centuries long, friendships and collaborations between her and other countries and cultures, and to present current and inspirational programs and events that commemorate the vast contributions of Poles in America and abroad. That the year 2018 marks 100 years of Poland’s independence is incredibly exciting and we will be celebrating this historical anniversary at the 46th International Polonaise Ball on February 10-11, 2018 in Miami. The Save the Date announcement is on page 43 for details; it would be lovely to see you there. In this edition of Good News you will find uplifting and motivating stories. I particularly like the beautifully written article, “Women of Influence,” on page 30. This is the start of a series we will continue in future issues to showcase the enduring power of women and how their perseverance and passion have changed the world for the better. There are many people who have helped the Institute in reaching its goals; some have been with us since its inception. As always I thank my staff, Beata Paszyc, Executive Director, and Lynne Schaefer, Executive Assistant, for working with me to make AIPC as vibrant and relevant as it can be. And I thank the Board of Directors, members, donors and contributors for your continuing support; your generosity is immeasurable. We have made a real difference in the world and will continue to do so. Knowledge is power, learning is the key to understanding and a well-rounded education can lead to fulfillment and self-realization. With four and half decades of experience, I would say we are doing something very right! With kindest regards,
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Credits Editor-in-Chief & Publisher: Executive Editor: Assistant Editor: Printed By:
Lady Blanka Rosenstiel Beata Paszyc Lynne Schaefer StationAmerica, Miami, FL
Proofreading: Eileen Hall Barbara Muze Graphic Design: Maciej Fryszer / AmbientFrames.com Front Cover: Back Cover:
Contents 3 Message from the President 5 Life stories... 7 FIU and AMU Cooperation 9 Harriet Irsay Scholarship Beata Paszyc
Lynne Schaefer
Portrait of Madame Bouchard by Tamara de Lempicka (1931) Self Portrait in Green Bugatti by Tamara de Lempicka (1929)
11 Polish Theatre at FIU South 12 Polish Theatre at FIU North 15 Board of Directors Meeting 17 Beautiful Voices
Contributing Researchers and Writers: Annette Alvarez, Dr. Marek Chodakiewicz, Prof Phillip Church, Monika Grabowska, Maria Juczewska, Prof. Kyrill Kunakhovich, Matthew Kwasiborski, Beata Paszyc, Lara Pohlmann, Lynne Schaefer, Natalie Swatowski, Dr. Markus Thiel, Irene Tomaszewski
19 Kosciuszko Chair
All articles, including Did you know..., not given a by-line were researched and written by:
29 Consular Information Beata Paszyc Lynne Schaefer
Student Essays:
Thomas Bertorelli Marysia Moskal
W. Paul Hogge Katrina Wioncek
Photography:
Betty Alvarez
Beata Paszyc
24 Notes from My Travels 28 Consular Gatherings 30 Women of Influence 37 A "Yes" Warrior 41 Easter! Spring! Celebrate! 42 Polish Lectures at UVa 43 46th International Polonaise Ball
Sources: The following resources were used for research and photos. For a detailed list, please contact our office.
58 Recognizing Outstanding Achievements
The Chopin Foundation of the United States, Inc.; Culture.PL; cosmopolitanreview.com; Embassy of the Republic of Poland; Florida International University; The Fund for American Studies; The Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies at The Institute of World Politics; The National Museum of Women in the Arts; University of Virginia Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies (CREEES); Wikipedia
62 Trail of Hope: Anders Army
Distribution: The American Institute of Polish Culture, Inc. 1440 79th Street Causeway, Suite 117 Miami, Florida 33141 (305) 864-2349 www.ampolinstitute.org
60 Craft, Simplicity and Good Taste 64 Poland - Model United Nations 65 Tadeusz Kosciuszko's Quest 70 Polish Students at AIPES 71 Textbooks and Diplomacy 72 World Class Minds 73 Yuletide Cheer 75 Dance in Their Hearts 77 Polish Catamaran in Ft. Lauderdale
Co-Sponsored By:
78 Afterimage 80 Study Tour in Miami 81 Polish Education Reform
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland The Embassy of the Republic of Poland
Editor’s Note: The article, The Return of the Polish Question by Ewa Thompson, on page 61 of Good News 2015-2016 originally appeared in the Chesterton Review, Vol. 42, No. 192, Spring/Summer 2016.
84 The Last Goodbye 85 Our Visitors 86 Volunteers 87 Thanks to our Donors 88 AIPC Membership
2017 Š The American Institute of Polish Culture, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Good News magazine is published by the American Institute of Polish Culture for educational purposes only.
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89 For Your Reading Pleasure 90 Thank You Members!
Life stories... It is with joy and pleasure that I present to you the 2016-2017 issue of our Good News magazine. I hope each of you finds the articles interesting and educational, and you will reminisce about moments you have spent at cultural events, lecture series, films, the fantastic Ball and holiday parties, all organized and sponsored by The American Institute of Polish Culture.
Beata Paszyc Executive Director
I also hope that the article Women of Influence on page 30 will strike a chord with you. These bold women were brave, creative, and sensitive trail blazers, and their stories elicit admiration and wonder. They all followed their passion with a clear vision of their future and a determination and tenacity that helped them achieve great things. You may not have known about some of them and perhaps accounts of their successes have faded over time, but it is stories like theirs that will always be an inspiration for the rest of us. These women are extraordinary in any era of history and their influence resonates today. All of us can have an impact and leave a positive mark no matter how small the contribution. Each of us has a story to tell and we must tell it in our own voice. A story of our life that includes thoughts, experiences, and choices that have shaped our past and present and are shaping the dreams for our future. Each of our stories will have sections of happiness, joy, nostalgia, heartbreak and on and on; they are the foundation of who we are and what makes us, what makes our family, community and the world. I encourage you to embrace the suggestions in the article A Yes Warrior on page 37. Tell your story, write it down, record it, film it, and photograph it for yourself, family, friends, society, and for goodness sake. With gratitude,
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Prof. Stanislaw Wnuk, Mrs. Elzbieta Wnuk, Prof. Bronisław Marciniak, Mr. Andrzej Bytnar, Mrs. Meredith Newman, Prof. Andrzej Lesicki, Prof. Markus Thiel, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Dr. Aleksandra Bochenska, Prof. Kenneth Furton, Mrs. Natalia Chrominska, Mrs. Beata Paszyc, Prof. Rebecca Friedman. Prof. Krzysztof Szydzisz, Ms. Agnieszka Palacz, Mrs. Anna Pietraszek
FIU AND AMU COOPER ATION In the Fall of 2016, Miami greeted the second delegation from Adam Mickiewicz University Poznan, Poland who were visiting Florida International University to discuss an on going cooperation between these respected institutions. The Polish visitors were Prof. Andrzej Lesicki, the newly elected President of AM; Prof. Bronisław Marciniak, AMU’s President from 2008 to 2016; Dr. Aleksandra Bocheńska, Head of AMU Legal and Organizational Department; Ms. Agnieszka Palacz, AMU Chief Financial Officer, and Ms. Natalia Chromińska, the President’s Cabinet Director. During their stay from October 31 to November 6, 2016, the delegation enjoyed a tour of FIU’s campus and met with several of FIU’s top faculty and administrative personnel including President Mark Rosenberg; Provost Kenneth Furton, Vice Provost Meredith Newman, FIU’s Alumni Relations Team, Strategic Planning Committee Members and University Financial Leaders, FIU’s Office of Faculty and Global Affairs, Academic Affairs, and Human Resources. They also spent time with staff of The Green School of International and Public Affairs, especially Dean John Stack and Dr. Markus Thiel as well as with the Office of Engagement and the Academic Planning and Accountability team. The discussions focused on the possibilities of faculty and student exchanges, and cooperation among the various departments. The delegation was also invited to a dinner party at Lady Blanka’s residence. After the cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, everyone sat for a delicious gourmet meal. The guests engaged in lively conversations and exchanged ideas for collaborative work. The relaxed, personal atmosphere was the perfect opportunity for FIU’s and AMU’s leadership and faculty to meet. And as he did on his previous visit to Miami, Professor Marciniak sat at the grand piano and played a charming medley of American songs, including “I Did It My Way,” and some Polish tunes. Everyone sang with joy!
Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Prof. Krzysztof Szydzisz
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Mrs. Anna Pietraszek, Prof. Andrzej Lesicki, Dr. Aleksandra Bochenska, Mrs. Meredith Newman, Vice-Provost, Prof. Bronislaw Marciniak, former President AMU
Prof. Bronislaw Marciniak
Mrs. Beata Paszyc, Prof. Kenneth Furton, Provost, Dean John Stack, Prof. Rebecca Friedman
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HARRIET IRSAY SCHOLARSHIP FUND “If a man neglects education, he walks lame to the end of his life.” Plato (4th Century BC)
Scholarship History
We are fortunate to be able to award scholarships to worthy university students in the US every year. One of the key components of The American Institute of Polish Culture’s mission is to encourage those who are willing and eager to learn, and who want to broaden their world perspectives and pass the knowledge on to the next generations. We truly believe that it is those who are thirsty for wisdom who will be the ones to do great things and accomplish what others think is impossible. We are thankful to have a scholarship fund that helps students make their dreams a reality. Our gratitude goes to Harriet Irsay, née Jadwiga Pogorzelski, for giving us this opportunity. Ms. Pogorzelski, a first generation Polish American, was a firm believer in going after one’s dreams. As a newlywed, she and her husband, Robert Irsay, lived modestly in Chicago, but they worked hard for 30 years and finally achieved great financial success. So much so that they were able to buy the Los Angeles Rams in 1972 for $19 million, then traded them for the Baltimore Colts (now in Indianapolis). It was Mrs. Irsay who finalized the deal of securing the team by signing the check in a Chicago bank. A member of AIPC in Miami, Florida since its inception in 1972, she established the Harriet Irsay Scholarship Fund in 1992 because she believed in the Institute’s efforts to foster education and culture in America, and she also wanted to pay tribute to her Polish roots. Her passion was helping others in need and her philanthropy continues to touch hundreds of lives. Always farseeing, Harriet Irsay’s dreams focused on the future of America’s youth, most especially those of Polish heritage, and she believed that education was key to leading a fulfilling life where any ambition could be realized. Mrs. Isray passed away in July 2008, but her legacy remains with the contributions she made to us. She is greatly missed and remembered for her generosity.
Since 1992, the Institute’s Scholarship Committee has awarded scholarships to over 250 talented American students of Polish descent. This year, we are very happy to announce the award was raised from $1,000 to $1,500 for each student. We hope our readers will spread the word about the Scholarship and will continue to support the fund by making financial contributions. Pledges are invaluable in assisting the new generation of Polish-American students. All donations are fully tax deductible. For the academic year 2016/17, AIPC awarded 11 scholarship grants of $1,500 each. Recipients were asked to write an article on a Polish-related subject for publication in Good News. You will find a few of these articles in this magazine. Congratulates to all the winners and best wishes as you go forward in your studies, careers and lives. Please help shape the future of students, preferably of Polish descent, by making contributions to the Harriet Irsay Scholarship Fund. Additionally, we are always looking to establish new scholarships. Let us know if you are interested in starting a fund in your name at the Institute. If you would like to be part of the scholarship committee who dedicates its time to reviewing applications and selecting the most worthy students, please contact the AIPC for more information. To contribute to the Scholarship Fund, please see the Contribution Form at the back of this publication.
Scholarship Requirements Fields
Required materials
Must be attending school full-time in the US for studies such as: • Communication • Education • Film • Music • History • International Relations • Journalism • Liberal Arts • Polish Studies • Public Relations • Graduate students in business programs whose thesis is directly related to Poland • Graduate students in all majors whose thesis is on a Polish subject • Scholarships are awarded on a merit basis to full time undergraduates or graduates who are American citizens or permanent residents, preferably of Polish heritage
• Completed application • Original school transcript(s) sent directly from the school (US only) • Detailed resume or CV • An essay “Why I Should Receive the Scholarship” (200-400 words) • An original article written by the applicant on any subject about Poland (up to 700 words) • Three original recommendation letters from teachers or others who are familiar with the academic background and the applicant’s plans for the future. These letters must be originals on letterhead stationery, signed and mailed by the faculty directly to the Institute. No copies, faxes or unsigned letters will be accepted • $10.00 check or money order made out the American Institute of Polish Culture as a non-refundable processing fee
ALL REQUIRED MATERIALS MUST BE IN OUR OFFICES NO LATER THAN JUNE 26TH EACH YEAR - NO EXCEPTIONS PLEASE. The decision will be made by August 9th each year. All applicants will be notified by mail of their status as soon as possible after that date. If you have any questions, please contact our office at 305-864-2349 or write to assistant@ampolinstitute.org. Scholarship applications may be obtained by downloading them from our website at www.ampolinstitute.org or by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope with a request to: Scholarship Applications, The American Institute of Polish Culture 1440 79th Street Causeway, Suite 117, Miami, FL 33141-3555 Please note that you may apply yearly if you are still in school; however, we can only award a student once.
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Scholarship Recipients 2016-17
Thomas Bertorelli Brandeis University Sociology
Melissa Houghton Michigan State Music Education
Aleksandra Jasieniecka Fairleigh Dickinson University Film/Acting
Kamila Kudelska Columbia School of Journalism Journalism
Marysia Moskal Carnegie Mellon Computer Science
Roger Mroczek Harvard University Real Estate & Build Environment
Julia Sudol Kean University Elementary Education
Kasia Wiech University of Florida Biology
Katrina Wioncek American University Public History
Pictures not available: Anna Filochowska Curtis Institute of Music Violin Performance W. Paul Hogge Harvard University Public Administration Olivia Klenn College of the Holy Cross Education
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Julia Sarata St. Olaf College Foreign Languages Natalie Swatowski Florida International University International Relations Jacob Tyrawa University of Illinois Biology
POLISH THEATRE AT FIU SOUTH CAMPUS...
Phillip M. Church Associate Professor Associate Director of External Relations
by Professor Phillip Church Ever-tenacious in their desire to share Poland’s cultural history with young artists, Maria Nowotarska and Agata Pilitowska, two pioneers of the Polish-Canadian Theatre of Toronto, drove from their North Miami Beach hotel on November 10, 2016 to the Mitch Maidique Campus of Florida International University in order to share their life’s work in Polish theatre. There they recalled their training at the Krakow Conservatory, their time with celebrated filmmaker Roman Polanski and the lasting influence of Tadeusz Kantor and Jerzy Grotowski whose groundbreaking techniques helped shape theatre practices for actors and directors all over the world. In the very same FIU theatre space where Maria and Agata had performed their production of “Radiation,” a play about Marie Curie in 2013, the two actresses now faced a diverse number of questions from a curious and enraptured group of young performers. A slide show demonstrated the work the Polish-Canadian Theatre of
Toronto has produced over the years; the company in fact, is enjoying its 25th anniversary. As a final gesture, Agata and Maria performed a scene from the play that they were about to present that evening at the Biscayne Bay Campus, “Bonsoir Monsieur Chopin.” The FIU student actors were mesmerized as they watched and listened to two consummate actresses, mother and daughter, perform in their native Polish tongue. No translation was necessary, no costumes, no lighting no sound effects, only the enormous wealth of passion and color of voices that have experienced life and were now pouring that experience into an isolated dramatic situation. Truly a lesson in performance that no workshop could substitute. A realization perhaps that language is never a barrier to the felt-feeling of a truthful actor. Agata and Maria’s inner truth radiated to all parts of the theatre and the novice actors that filled the Studio Theatre at FIU took away an indelible lesson.
Phillip Church received his MFA from the University of California, Irvine and did his undergraduate work at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He is a member of Actors Equity, and specializes in Classical Performance. Phillip has been teaching in the Department of Theatre for thirty-five years. Professor Church has directed many plays in a wide variety of genres, and is the recipient of three Distinguished Director Awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for his productions of Pride and Prejudice, Arabian Nights, and Julius Caesar. He has also worked with many FIU and South Florida organizations on a variety of projects in various capacities. Just a sampling of these activities: He is the founding Artistic Director of What if Works Inc., a community-engaged alumni company that champions the arts to bring about social change (Most recently, a collaborative school tour of Julius Caesar in collaboration with award-winning Gablestage and “Flying Solo through Libraries”, a series of solo bio-dramas presented in Miami-Dade Public libraries); he created the Shakespeare-in-Stratford & London Study Abroad course in which students study and attend the work of the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-Upon-Avon and the Globe Theatre in London; he is the writer/director of “Conditions of Secrecy,” a film focused on the issue of AIDS in college featuring FIU alum Danny Pino (The Shield, Cold Case and Law & Order SVU) and sponsored by Blockbuster Video, Texaco, and Republic National Bank (His other film work, supported by the Audrey Love Foundation, “Loners Not Losers,” explores the issue of on-campus separation and alienation in college students). Currently, Professor Church is working with Florida Grand Opera on “The Passenger,” for which he translated Zofia Posmysz’s radio play version of the novel “Passenger in Cabin 45;” and he is in the midst of planning a premiere of Eric Bentley’s “Wedekind Cabaret”, a project that will be performed in New York on September 14th, marking Bentley’s 100th birthday.
Ms. Maria Nowotarska and Ms. Agata Pilitowska with FIU Students
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...AND AT FIU NORTH CAMPUS by Lana Pohlmann & Natalie Swatowski With a diverse demographic of students at FIU, it is important to become acquainted with socio-cultural differences in order to appreciate the similarities among populations around the world. One of the ways FIU does this is by co-hosting events with affiliated entities, such as The American Institute of Polish Culture (AIPC) in Miami who sponsor the Blanka Rosenstiel Lecture Series on Poland. These collaborations give students the opportunity to explore European cultures and arts that might have previously been unavailable and unfamiliar to them. Representing a fairly small percentage of the overall student body, the European Student Association values opportunities that inform their peers about Polish contemporary history and art. On the evening of November 10th, the Blanka Rosenstiel Lecture Series presented “Bonsoir Monsieur Chopin,” created and performed by two members of the Polish-Canadian Theater of Toronto at the FIU North campus. The play is a riveting stage piece that muses on Frederic Chopin’s life in France and how he became the darling of high society. Chopin’s music is considered some of the most dynamic of all time, and he inspired legions of performers, composers and fans over the last 170 years. Several lyrical poems by renowned Polish poets were recited throughout the play as a testament to Chopin’s eloquence and enduring romanticism. After the play, Professor Kemal Gekic, artist in residence at 12
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FIU’s music department, gave a wonderful recital of several Chopin pieces on the piano. With a mixed crowd of university students and outside guests from AIPC, the Chopin Foundation of the US and the Polish community, the event was considered a great success by many. For students of FIU, it was a special occasion to welcome community members to the Biscayne Bay campus, and to promote their university’s desire for inter-cultural appreciation. Attending students visibly enjoyed the play. “I really enjoyed how the event blended the cultural foundation of Chopin’s character with his beautiful music. Learning more about his life made the following musical performance even more realistic and thought-provoking.” - Olivia Napper, FIU student “Even though the play was in Polish (but with English subtitles), it was easy for me to follow and the actors did a great job of bringing Chopin’s story to life. I had never heard of him and his music, so I welcomed the event as an opportunity to expand my appreciation of the European arts.” - Kristianne Enriquez, FIU student “I am originally from Eastern Europe, and hosting this play with the European Student Association gave me the opportunity to not only share with fellow students some aspects about European culture, but also to appreciate my own heritage.” - Anastasiia Denysiuk, ESA Board Member
Mr. Leonard Nock, Ms. Iga Henderson, Prof. Kamil Gekic, M s. Agata Pilitowska, Mrs. Beata Paszyc, Ms. Maria Nowotarska, Ms. Lynne Schaefer, Mrs. Jadwiga Gewert
Prof. Markus Thiel, Ms. Natalie Swatowska, Mrs. Beata Paszyc, Provost Steven Moll
Prof. Kamil Gekic performing Chopin
Mrs. Rose Kruszewski, Mrs. Beata Paszyc, Prof. Kamil Gekic, Ms. Anaide Govaert, Ms. Jadwiga Garbacik ADVERTISEMENT
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Best Wishes for another successful year! Thank you for all you do in education and the arts. Lady Blanka Rosenstiel and The American Institute of Polish Culture Miami, Florida
Isabel and Marvin Leibowitz 14
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Mr. Jaroslaw Rottermund, Mrs. Roza Toroj, Mr. Janusz Kozlowski, Lady Blanka, Mr. Grzegorz Okon, Mr. Chris Garvin, Mr. Jacek Schindler, Dr. Michel Pawlowski
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING The Board of Directors’ meeting was held on April 6, 2017 at The American Institute of Polish Culture offices. Lady Blanka Rosenstiel opened the meeting by welcoming the Board members and thanking them for their presence and ongoing support. Due to time constraints in their professional lives, two of the Board members resigned this year: Mrs. Agnieszka Gray and Mrs. Inga Luksza Senis. However, they plan to stay involved in the activities of the Institute. Lady Blanka thanked them for their service and appealed to everyone to encourage new Board members to join. After the Minutes from the 2016 meeting were approved, Mr. Chris Garvin, a financial advisor for UBS who manages the Institute’s special accounts, discussed the financial status of the Institute. He talked about what UBS has projected and accomplished over the prior six months, and how UBS plans to continue to grow the funds for the organization. Mr. Garvin encouraged Board members to give generously especially since Lady Blanka has now established a special endowment fund for the Institute. He also asked everyone to enroll their friends and family as Institute members. Mr. Garvin emphasized that for the last 45 years, Lady Blanka has been the major financial donor for the Institute, and he stressed the key role members play in supporting a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote Polish heritage.
Dr. Michel Pawlowski, AIPC’s Chair for Polish Studies, then took the floor and spoke about his involvement with the University of Virginia (UVA) and the Polish Lecture Series there. He gave an account of his correspondence and meetings with the Foundation Director at UVA. The goal of the Institute is to monitor programming of the Polish Lecture Series and to assist in providing the best lectures, events and collaboration between the two organizations. He suggested more Polish themes for future lectures and events in various educational venues. The Harriet Irsay Scholarship report was presented by Mr. Janusz Kozlowski and Mr. Jaroslaw Rottermund. During the 2016/2017 academic year, 19 complete applications were received and from those, 10 students were selected to receive a $1,000 grant each. Articles placed in Polish newspapers were very helpful in bringing attention to our scholarship. Mr. Kozlowski and Mr. Rottermund commented on the fact that applicants were top-notch contenders for the award and how many of them are involved in Polish communities across the country. They also proposed that the scholarship grant for the coming academic 2017/2018 year be raised to $1,500 per person. The Board voted on it and the change was approved unanimously. Mr. Grzegorz Okon then discussed the newly implemented database for the Institute. His company, SourceCorp IT, designed, testGood News
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ed and installed a one-of-a-kind program for AIPC free of charge. Many new features were included to help reach members via email blasts about events and reminders to pay their dues. It is an ongoing process and Mr. Okon’s hands-on involvement has been instrumental in the database innovations. The Board thanked him for his input and expertise. Mrs. Beata Paszyc, Executive Director of AIPC, outlined the projects and activities the Institute presented during 2016-2017 season. The first topic was the Institute’s largest fundraiser, the International Polonaise Ball. The 45th Annual Ball and Brunch, celebrating Dream Designs Bridging Times, honoring Polish architects and engineers was held on February 4-5, 2017 at the Eden Roc Hotel and was a great success. An Early Bird price campaign was implemented online that offered a discount for each ticket purchased for the Ball up to a specific date, and all purchases for the Ball and the Brunch included automatic membership; both were very well received. Distinguished guests, decor, music, entertainment, dancing and food along with the festive and elegant atmosphere are what makes the Ball so special. Mrs. Paszyc thanked the Board members who financially contributed to its success; however, she noted that the rising costs of putting on such a high-end, glamorous fundraiser prevents the Institute from making a large profit. She once again challenged the Board to become more involved by encouraging new sponsors and giving generously, with the goal in mind that the 46th Annual International Ball will double the net funds raised for the Institute’s mission. Ms. Paszyc then talked about the Blanka Rosenstiel Lecture Series on Poland presented at Florida International University in
collaboration with the European Studies Program of the School of International and Public Affairs. She highlighted the well-attended play Bonsoir Monsieur Chopin and Chopin piano recital following, as well as the lovely reception. She also talked about the cooperation between Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland and Florida International University and a visit to Miami from an administrative delegation from AMU with their Chamber Choir. She went on to discuss how fun the past year’s holiday parties were and her hopes that even more members will attend both the Christmas and Easter gatherings in the coming year. Ms. Paszyc also presented the ongoing activities of the Institute, such as creating and publishing the Good News, keeping the website current and updated, posting regular updates on Facebook, ensuring that there are volunteers available to staff events when needed, and the importance of increasing new membership while maintaining the Institute’s valued current membership. She explained that our books have been donated during the year and how this helps keep AIPC in the public eye and is so appreciated by schools, organizations and libraries, and that all the books are now available in a Kindle version for purchase on Amazon. In closing, Ms. Paszyc thanked the Board members for all of their help and encouraged them to be as proactive as possible in getting more people involved in the organization. The final agenda item was the selection of the next Ball’s theme, and all were in agreement that a celebration for 100 years of Poland’s independence and long time friendship with America would be perfect. Lady Blanka adjourned the meeting.
Mr. Jaroslaw Rottermund, Lady Blanka, Mr. Grzegorz Okon, Mrs. Roza Toroj, Dr. Michel Pawlowski
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BEAUTIFUL VOICES On October 30, 2016, the University Chamber Choir from Poznan, Poland accompanied the delegation from Adam Mickiewicz University. Under the direction of Professor Krzysztof Szydzisz, the Choir has performed all over the world since 1992. The 24 members are university students, graduates and teachers who all share a passion for choral singing. Their beautiful voices were heard at 12:00 noon at the Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ. They performed a diverse program of international pieces by Josef Rheinberger, Ola Gjeilo, Leonard Cohen, along with works by Polish composers such as Andrzej Koszewski, Józef Świder and Marcin Wawruk. On November 4th, a joint choral performance featuring the University Chamber Choir and the Florida International University
Concert Choir from Miami was held at St. Patrick’s Church on Miami Beach. The FIU Concert Choir, under the leadership of Kathryn Kelly Longo, presented a program of romantic, contemporary and traditional compositions by Arvo Pärt, Sergei Rachmaninow, Johannes Brahms and Moses Hogan, among others. The AMU Chamber Choir performed another unique program with works by Henry Purcell, Vytautas Miškinis, and Polish composers. The University Chamber Choir also visited the American Institute of Polish Culture and gave an impromptu concert. Their voices were not only amazing, but there was so much joy and humor in the songs, they made everybody smile. It was such a treat - truly an uplifting and wonderful performance!
Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Professor Krzysztof Szydzisz from Adam Mickiewicz University
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KOSCIUSZKO CHAIR IN 2016-2017 By Dr. Marek Chodakiewicz and Maria Juczewsk a
INTRODUCTION The 2016-2017 academic year was a fruitful one for the Kościuszko Chair of Polish Studies and the Institute of World Politics. In addition to following the usual pattern of re-occurring functions and events, we also added new programs. In particular, we have greatly expanded our speaker series on Poland and her neighbors. We organized the 9 th Annual Kościuszko Chair Conference and the 7th Annual Kościuszko Chair Spring Symposium. We continued the Intermarium Lecture Series whose aim is to discuss geopolitical developments in the Intermarium Region, and we started an academic cooperation with a renowned military academy in France. We also followed and commented on the political developments in Poland under the new government, notably the visit of the US President Donald Trump to Poland in July 2017. A Polish edition of Dr. Marek Chodakiewicz’s highly popular book Intermarium was published in Poland, and subsequently, Dr. Chodakiewicz was awarded a prestigious Nagroda Przeglądu Wschodniego award for 2016 in the category for “works written abroad.”
We are truly grateful to all our benefactors and friends for their generous support as well as to our staff and interns for their hard work. We would like to thank Lady Blanka Rosenstiel and The American Institute of Polish Culture for establishing the Koscuiszko Chair at IWP and for their annual contributions. Our other donors are The Tadeusz Ungar Foundation, the Hon. Aldona Woś, Mr. Adam Bąk, Mrs. Ava Polansky-Bąk, Mr. John Niemczyk, Dr. Magdalena Pogonowska, Mr. and Mrs. Władysław Poncet de la Riviere, The Polish American Veterans’ Association (PAVA), Mr. Bogdan Chmielewski and his team at the Polish and Slavic Federal Credit Union, Mr. Jan Małek of PAFERE (The Polish-American Foundation for Economic Research and Education), and many others. Your interest in our Chair and your kind involvement enables the Kościuszko Chair of Polish Studies to inform the American public about Poland and to shed positive light on its history and culture.
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PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA ACTIVISM Dr. Marek Jan Chodakiewicz In the 2016-2017 academic year, a Polish edition of Dr. Marek Chodakiewicz’s Intermarium was published. Dr Chodakiewicz comments regularly on the changing political situation in Poland and Europe. The Kościuszko Chair is one of the few institutions that continues to present a narrative on Poland different to the one widespread in the American mainstream media. Since July 2016, Dr. Chodakiewicz has published more than one hundred articles in American and Polish electronic and press publications (SFPPR, International Research Intermarium cover Center, Rzeczpospolita, Do Rzeczy, Tygodnik Solidarność, Glaukopis). Primary topics included the presidential elections in the US, political debate in Poland, developments in the Middle and Far East, South America, Islamist threat to Europe, Russian information war and disinformation as well as topics related to the study of history for Glaukopis. Mrs. Maria Juczewska, Kościuszko Chair Associate Director Mrs. Juczewska, working for the Kościuszko Chair since November 2015, focuses on geopolitical developments in Central and Eastern Europe. This year, she has been contributing to the Selous Foundation for Public Policy Research. She analyzed the reasons why Polish Americans voted for Donald Trump. She also contributed to the discussion on the migrant crisis in Europe and Poland’s refusal to accept EU migrant quotas. Dr. John Lenczowski, IWP Founder, President, and Professor4 Dr. Lenczowski lectured on the Intermarium and related topics in a number of venues, including the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston. He also advised Polish and other allied government representatives on a variety of issues regarding NATO and transatlantic relations. President Donald Trump’s 2017 Warsaw Visit On July 5 and 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump visited Warsaw during his second foreign trip. He was welcomed enthusiastically by Polish citizens, while his moving speech on Western values was widely appreciated. Dr. Chodakiewicz was present in Warsaw at that time to provide a running commentary for Polish TV on President Trump’s visit. He also participated in the Intermarium State Dinner together with the representatives of other Intermarium countries.
INTERVIEWS This year, Dr. Chodakiewicz gave a number of televised interviews in relation to presidential elections in the US as well as President Donald Trump’s visit to Warsaw. He was interviewed by TVP Info, TVP 1, TV Republika as well as a number of smaller outlets, such as Wolność24 and Polonia Christiana. His lectures and interviews are widely popular on YouTube.
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THE SIXTH ANNUAL KOŚCIUSZKO CHAIR MILITARY LECTURE On September 15, 2016, the Kościuszko Chair of Polish Studies hosted its annual Gen. Walter Jajko Kościuszko Chair Military Lecture. The lecture was given by Dr. Thomas Flichy de La Neuville, Professor of International Relations at the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr in France and an IWP visiting professor. Dr. Flichy de La Neuville, an expert on Iran, lectures in France and abroad, most notably in Oxford. He has authored seven books on issues related to global security and he coordinates SYNOPSIS group, an international network of academic and military experts willing to provide a comprehensive response to contemporary defense challenges. The lecture was entitled The Changing Balance of Power in the World: Eastern Europe in 2030, (based on his book 2030: Le monde que la CIA n’imagine pas) and clarified security issues related to the changes of power in the world, with a special focus on Eastern Europe.
9TH ANNUAL KOŚCIUSZKO CHAIR CONFERENCE On November 12, 2016 the Ninth Annual Kościuszko Chair Conference took place. Topics covered a number of problems related to Poland’s past and present, such as the Jewish autonomy in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, rigged elections in January 1947, energy and cyber security in the EU as well as the reasons for emigration of the youngest generation of Poles in the 21st century. The program of the conference entailed the following five lectures. The Energy Outlook - United States, Europe, and Poland Mr. Adam Sieminski, from the US Department of Energy, discussed the international energy outlook and challenges to energy security in the United States and in Europe. Paradise of the Jews in Towns and Cities of Poland-Lithuania 13001795 Mr. Michael V. Szpindor Watson, Ph.D. candidate at George Mason University, elaborated on the disagreement between whether the Jews were treated better in royal or private noble towns. He analyzed where peace was best fostered, comparing the two types of towns. The Foundational Lie of Communist Poland: The January 1947 Elections Mr. John Armstrong, an independent scholar, discussed the January 1947 Elections that changed the course of Polish history after WWII. Greed or Exasperation? The Reasons for the Latest Wave of Polish Emigration Mrs. Maria Juczewska analyzed complex reasons for the massive emigration of young Poles at the beginning of the 21st century. Russian School of Cybernetics and Present Day Threats: Continuity and Development Mr. Piotr Trąbinski, an IWP M.A. candidate, discussed the development and the recent phenomena in Russian cybernetics.
THE SEVENTH ANNUAL KOŚCIUSZKO CHAIR SPRING SYMPOSIUM On April 8, 2017, Dr. Marek Chodakiewicz introduced a new initiative, the Center for Intermarium Studies. Then, six lectures focusing on the situation in the US and Europe followed. Topics ranged from Russian public diplomacy, through the role of Polish Americans in the American presi-
dential elections, to recent political developments in the European Union. Below, a short summary of the lectures is presented. An Introduction and the Unveiling of the Center for Intermarium Studies Dr. Chodakiewicz discussed the new Center and its role in providing a platform for extensive research and reporting on the region. A Bear in Sheep’s Skin? Dr. Caitlin Schindler, a Research Professor at IWP, focused on the analysis of how Russia uses public diplomacy and whether it does it in the same way as the West. She also pointed to the fact that Russia’s efforts to use public diplomacy are undermined by the nation’s use of active measures. Polish American Effort in the Trump Presidential Campaign Dr. Łucja Świątkowski Cannon, the Chairman of Polish American Advisory Council for Trump, elaborated on the organized efforts of Polish Americans to elect President Trump. Roman Dmowski at Versailles Dr. Alvin M. Fountain, an Honorary Consul of the Republic of Poland in Raleigh, North Carolina, lectured about the approaching 100 th Anniversary of the Paris Peace Conference and signing of the Treaty of Versailles. He focused on Roman Dmowski’s presentation at the Paris Peace Conference and how his positions were considerably in line with overall Polish aspirations. Conservatism or Right-Wing Populism? Ms. Orsolya Buzas, a Hungarian-born student of National Security and Statecraft at IWP, discussed political developments in post-communist Hungary. EU’s Democracy from Above. Europe: Emergence, Development, and a Political Construct Mr. Tibor Babic, an IWP graduate, focused his talk on democracy in Europe. He demonstrated how it developed from the Judeo-Christian tradition from Jerusalem, ancient Greece, and ancient Rome only to take its present shape as democracy from above – the EU. Are Poles Free to Disagree? Truth vs. Manipulation in the Polish Media Mrs. Maria Juczewska examined the extent of freedom of speech available to the citizens of Poland 27 years after the political transformation, which still remains open to question. She also posed more general questions about how this freedom can be achieved in post-communist systems and the most important factors that contribute to it.
After lunch, cadets helped US Military Academy Kosciuszko Squadron founder, LTG (ret) Edward Rowny, UMA ‘41, celebrate his 100 th birthday. LTG Rowny discussed themes of leadership, including the importance of integrity and the need for constant professional development. He shared his ideas and anecdotes from his seventy years of service, starting in WWII and ending as a key advisor to President Reagan during the START talks.
THE KOŚCIUSZKO CHAIR INTERMARIUM LECTURE SERIES The State of Democracy, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law in Poland - Recent Developments With Joanna Banasiuk, Ph.D., and Tymoteusz Zych, Ph.D., Ordo Iuris Institute for Legal Culture In October 2015, the Polish voting constituency gave unprecedented support to the conservative Law and Justice party, allowing it to govern unchallenged. Subsequently, imprecise and oversimplified assertions about the situation in Poland were disseminated by the media and appeared in documents issued by international institutions. The Ordo Iuris’ report, State of Democracy, Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Poland - Recent Developments, provided reliable data allowing for a better-informed public debate. The report provided the first fact-based, comprehensive and substantive legal analysis of the reforms introduced by the new government. Russia: Hydrocarbons, Autocracy, and Power Politics With Dr. Yuri Maltsev, Professor of Economics, Carthage College Dr. Maltsev spoke on Russian energy strategy, and how it fits in with Russia’s overall strategic picture, both in the form of the Soviet Union and without, in the contemporary era. Soviet economic planning was ruthless but utterly inefficient, and so when the façade of strength broke, the new Russian state had nothing to fall back onto except energy resources. The Art of War in the Age of Digital Disinformation: The Case of Poland With Anna C. Wellisz, Communications Strategist and Writer Mrs. Wellisz analyzed a number of disinformation techniques used by the mainstream media in Poland and abroad when creating a distorted narrative about political developments in Poland under the new, conservative government.
THE US MILITARY ACADEMY KOSCIUSZKO SQUADRON IWP was honored to welcome the US Military Academy Kosciuszko Squadron cadets for a lecture-lunch with IWP Professor, Dr. Marek Chodakiewicz. He spoke to the cadets on the history of Poland from its founding to the present, the implications of its strategic location in the past and present, Poland’s role in NATO and its contributions to the strategic security of the alliance’s eastern frontier. Cadets also examined the Polish perspective on Europe’s current problems with immigration, and Poland’s unique role in assimilating 1.5 million refugees from the war in Ukraine. West Point cadets with General Rowny
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Slovenian Political Developments and Slovenian NATO Troop Deployment to the Baltic States With Tibor Babic, an IWP graduate In Slovenia, people are mostly unsatisfied with the political situation. Support for Prime Minister Cerar, is dwindling, while President Pahor still enjoys popularity. Also, most people disagree with sending Slovenian troops to the Baltic States for NATO purposes. This deployment, however, is necessary for Slovenia to participate in the NATO protection and because Russia poses a threat to Eastern and Southern Europe. Georgia at the Crossroads: An Uncertain Future With Benjamin Fricke, Scientific Associate, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung South Caucasus Mr. Fricke discussed domestic politics in Georgia and Georgia’s international relationships with both the Russian Federation and the European Union. He opened with a brief excursus through Georgia’s history after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and he anticipates the Russian influence to continue not only in politics and the church but also in the economy and energy sector. Due to the turbulence in the Caucasus, Georgian statesmen should cogently discuss these issues so as to defend their national interests. Civil Society at the Crossroads: Three Models and the Case of Poland With Dr. Marcin Chmielowski, Vice President, Freedom and Entrepreneurship Foundation [Fundacja Wolności i Przedsiębiorczości] Dr. Chmielowski highlighted three major philosophical models in Poland: classical liberalism, social contract theory, and Central Europe dissonance. Classical liberalism argues that the relationship between civil society and the government is one of competition. Social contract theory contends that civil society exists somewhere between the state and private citizens as a means to communicate private interests with the state. The Central Europe dissonance model was developed during the Soviet occupation, when a change in the government seemed impossible, the state was occupied by people interested purely in power, and the entire system was seen as a lie. Supporters of this model were socialists, but desired a voice. This model, unlike the other two discussed, argued that civil society must live freely apart from the state. Business as Usual in Belarus: The Alternance Dance With Dr. Marek Jan Chodakiewicz Dr. Chodakiewicz discussed the recent protests against President Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus and their short-term and long-term implications. Western Sanctions on Russia are Harming Europe With Brandon Weichert, former Congressional staffer; Founder, The Weichert Report Mr. Weichert discussed how sanctions against Russia have exacerbated the decline of the European Union and the impact it has had on countries like Poland. He reviewed the unintended consequences of sanctions and whether or not sanctions were the best US policy towards Russia after Ukraine in 2014. Mariupol - The Gates of Donbass With Geoffrey Seroka, M.A. Candidate, IWP The port city of Mariupol has been a flash-point since the early days of the 2014 Ukrainian Crisis and promises to remain so because of its strategic, symbolic, and economic significance to both sides of the conflict. Safety in Tradition: Homeschooling’s Unexpected Rise in Post-Soviet Russia With Lauren Lee Mitchell, Global Outreach Coordinator, Home School Legal Defense Association 22
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This lecture explored the causes of Russia’s increased enrollment in homeschooling. Ms. Mitchell began by explaining Russia’s rich tradition of family education which was used as a tool for preserving “Russianness” in children. However, under the Soviet Union, homeschooling was strictly forbidden as the state wanted to use education as a tool to indoctrinate children uniformly. With the fall of the Soviet Union, family education made its return. Human Geography of the Caucasus: Identity, Culture, and the Russian Factor With Erik Khzmalyan, Fellow, Eurasian Research and Analysis Institute, M.A. Candidate, IWP Mr. Khzmalyan reviewed the geographic boundaries of the Caucasus and countries located in the region. He identified the region’s ethnicities and their cultural and linguistic differences, specifically focusing on those ethnicities that are less known. He then discussed Russia’s conquest of the Caucasus and the security challenges emanating from the Northern Caucasus. Where is Paris in the Moscow-Berlin Axis? With Brandon Weichert, Former Congressional staffer; founder, The Weichert Report Mr. Weichert spoke about France’s role influencing Russian-German relations and its historical significance in several wars aimed at keeping Germany at bay. During the Cold War, it was the Soviet Union that posed a major threat to France. The presentation ended with a discussion of France’s role in the modern post-Cold War era. Nicaragua: A Renewal of Russian Influence With Angie Abide, M.A. Candidate, Statecraft and International Affairs, IWP Mrs. Abide provided an overview of Nicaragua by giving a brief background of the country. She then focused on the history of Nicaraguan-Soviet relations, including the political, economic and military support that the Soviet Union had provided the Sandinista government in its rise to power. Finally, she discussed the reemergence of Nicaragua’s relationship with the Kremlin and how this relationship paralleled the one with the Soviet Union. Islam in the Russian Domain: History, Threats, and Containment With Erik Khzmalyan, Fellow, Eurasian Research and Analysis Institute, M.A. Candidate, IWP Mr. Khzmalyan discussed Russia’s interaction with Islam during the Tsarist and Soviet periods, Islam after communism, the radicalization of Muslim populations, and Russia’s fear of pan-Islamic movements. In Defense of the Fatherland: Russian WWII Narratives as Tools of the Kremlin With Rachel Bauman, M.A. Candidate, IWP World War II, or the Great Patriotic War, had physically and psychologically devastating effects on Soviet society and thus remains vital to Russian national identity. However, the particular symbols and narratives used to teach the history of the war and commemorate the victory have become emblematic of the power and desire of the state to shape collective memory and thus influence perceptions of current events in the post-Soviet sphere. The True Ambitions of Russian Foreign Policy Today With Brandon Weichert, Former Congressional staffer; founder, The Weichert Report Russian foreign policy objectives are poorly understood today because most analysts look at Russia through Western eyes. But Russia is not only Moscow; it is Siberia and the Far East as well. This lecture provided a three-dimensional view of Russia, which contextualized Russian actions
over the past decade beyond the headlines. It also illustrated why US foreign policy toward Russia is misguided and how to correct the strategic misperceptions.
LECTURES OUTSIDE OF IWP In the 2016-2017 academic year, Dr. Marek Chodakiewicz travelled extensively to give lectures at a number of prestigious conferences and events in the US and abroad. He spoke on topics related to Polish history and the contemporary geopolitical developments. Mrs. Maria Juczewska, in turn, presented a paper at a conference organized by the Harriman Institute of Columbia University. Captain Pilecki in America, Warsaw, Foksal Journalists Union, August 2016 During his annual summer trip to Poland, he gave a lecture about the ordeal of Captain Pilecki and the perception of his wartime sacrifice in America. Intermarium, the Land between the Baltic and Black Seas, 40th Annual Writer’s Workshop, September 2016 Dr. Chodakiewicz talked about the region of the Intermarium in Central and Eastern Europe. History and collective memories influence a nation, its culture, and institutions; hence, its domestic politics and foreign policy. That is the case in the Intermarium, the land between the Baltic and Black Seas in Eastern Europe. The area is the last unabashed rampart of Western Civilization in the East, and a point of convergence of disparate cultures. Memory, Strategy, Research: The Phenomenon of Anti-Communist Insurgents and the Way to Commemorate Them, Smolensk Commemorative Committee Conference, September 2016 At the Smolensk Commemorative Committee Conference in Doylestown, PA., Dr. Chodakiewicz spoke about the increasing popularity of commemorating anti-Communist insurgents in Poland. He emphasized the role of collective memory for the identity of the nation and the importance of preservation of heroic tradition and personal stories of Polish heroes of the most difficult periods of Polish history. How (not) to Speak about Poland at A Festival of Seven Cultures, October 2016 During a panel discussion in Krosno, Poland, Dr. Chodakiewicz stressed the value of strategic communication for Polish foreign policy and perception of Poland and Poles abroad. Russia and the War in the Ukraine: Strategic Communication at a Round Table Discussion, Putin’s Agitprop War: Can it be Beaten? within the framework of Project Grey: Russian Engagement in the Grey Zone, Spe-
cial Operations Command, National Defense University, October 2016 At an event organized by the National Defense University, Dr. Chodakiewicz detailed the intricacies of Russian propaganda concerning the conflict in the Ukraine. The End of America? and The Russian Way: What is Putin Up To? at the War Studies Seminar at Ecole Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr, May 2017 In May 2017, Dr. Marek Chodakiewicz was invited to give lectures at a renowned French military academy. For the benefit of the students and professors, he analyzed various scenarios of the future geopolitical developments and their implications. Intermarium as an element of historical policy, IPN, Warsaw, August 2017 The Worlds of Islam, Polonia Christiana, Urząd Dzielnicy Bemowo, Warsaw, August 2017 During his annual summer trip to Poland in 2017, Dr. Marek Chodakiewicz elaborated on the role of the Intermarium in the future of Polish foreign policy, and also in reference to the memorable Warsaw speech of President Donald Trump. At the lecture organized by Polonia Christiana, he went into extensive detail about the nature of Islam as a religion and as an ideology, and he also considered potential threats and future developments related to the movement of the Muslim migrants in the Middle East and in the European Union. Mrs. Maria Juczewska The Return of the New. Truth versus Manipulation in the Polish Media at the 22nd Association for the Study of Nationalities Convention, Columbia University, May 2017 Held at the Harriman Institute of Columbia University, Mrs. Juczewska presented her paper on the freedom of speech in Poland 27 years after the fall of communism. Annually held in the Spring in New York City, the ASN World Conventions bring together over 800 scholars from around the world to examine and push forward research on issues of Nationalism, Ethnicity, Violence, Conflict, Economic Development and many other topics. The Kościuszko Chair of Polish Studies has enjoyed a steady stream of visitors from Poland and Intermarium. We have also responded to numerous questions related to our field of expertise from scholars, journalists, and others interested in the region.
For more information about the Institute of World Politics, the Kościuszko Chair of Polish Studies, publications and opportunities to donate, please visit their website at www.iwp.edu Mrs. Maria Juczewska is a research assistant to the Kosciuszko Chair of Polish Studies at The Institute of World Politics in Washington D.C. She is also a contributor to SFPPR News & Analysis and American Thinker. In her scholarly work, she studies international affairs with special focus on the problems of Central and Eastern Europe. Having graduated from English Language and Interpreting studies in Poland, Mrs. Juczewska is a certified interpreter and translator, which led to her internship in the European Parliament in Brussels. She has worked in different European countries, specializing not only in translation, but in marketing and communication. She is also a graduate of Tertio Millenio seminar on the free society founded to deepen the dialog on Catholic social doctrine.
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NOTES FROM MY TR AVELS By Lady Blank a Rosenstiel This was an unusual year at Blandemar Farm, Virginia because of the amount of work I had to do before leaving Miami, especially all the planning for the new White Eagle Polish Center (the Polish American Club of Miami). I drove to Virginia on June 15th, just in time to organize a June 18th party for the Charlottesville branch of the English Speaking Union of the United States; I am a long-time member. I had only three days to open my home and prepare for over 80 guests, but I did it! I was sorry I missed the early Spring at the farm, but the terrace was filled with baskets of overflowing flowers - tulips, lilacs, cherry blossoms and other gorgeous blooms - making a beautiful and aromatic backdrop to the party. Guests mingled, sipped champagne, and helped themselves to delicious foods including some brought by guests. Even a few raindrops did not spoil the festive atmosphere. The early rain usually brings rainbows and did we have one! It framed the view of the lake in a colorful aureole and everyone reached for their cameras. So started a very busy Summer. I hosted a birthday party at the historic Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville for all of us born in July - Marilyn Williams on July 2, Robert Joskowiak on July 5, me on July 9, Marek Chodakiewicz on July 15 and Jacqueline Henley on July 28. We even raised a glass of champagne to my dear friend, Princess Marianne Bernadotte of Sweden, who was born on July 18 but could not be with us. The party was a lot of fun and enjoyed by everyone.
Dr. Marian Pospieszalski, Dr. Maria Pospieszalski, Lady Blanka, Mrs. Dorota Grabowski
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Lady Blanka, Mr. Wojciech Bukalski
I attended performances at the local Paramount Theatre of the Charlottesville Opera (I am on the Board of Directors) and concerts by a local orchestra with 100 musicians. These have been free to the public for the last 90 years and were a treat. And in September, together with many Poles and Polish-Americans, I attended a concert by Jose Carreras at Carnegie Hall in New York. The legendary tenor sang songs and arias from his life in music as part of his final world tour that included guest soprano, Margarita Gritskova. It was a spectacular show with nine encores! The Carreras concert tied in with the 80th annual Pulaski Day Parade in New York. Slawomir Platta, a New York attorney and friend of the American Institute of Polish Culture, was selected to be the Marshall of the Parade, and he spared no expense or effort in preparing a superb event. I was proud to be part of the parade and amazed how many organizations and Polish people celebrated it. It was thrilling to see Polish organizations from Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York represented in the parade with thousands of children dressed in traditional Polish clothes. This event touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes. To honor the 200th anniversary of General Tadeusz Kosciuszko’s passing and to celebrate the presentation of Resolution on Kosciuszko Day, the Ambassador of Poland, Alliance for Innovation, Polska Fundacja Narodowa and I invited representatives from UVA and IWP, local leaders and prominent guests - a total of 42 people - to a special dinner in the Jefferson Room at the Farmington Country Club on October 16th. Under the leadership of Delegate Nick Freitas, a Resolution was passed naming October 15th Kosciuszko Day in Virginia in perpetuity. The same Resolution was also presented for General Kazimierz Pulaski. Both Resolutions will be approved in January, 2018. We paid tribute to the legacy of Brigadier General Kosciuszko of the Continental Army, hero of Saratoga, architect of West Point, champion of freedom, promoter of tolerance, and “purest son of liberty” (to quote Thomas Jefferson). As the activities wound down, it was time to plan my return to Miami. The months at my farm could not have been more glorious. I am thankful for my dear friends, colleagues and others who always make my Summer a special season. I am already looking forward to next year!
Rainbow at Blandemar Farm, VA
Mr. Jeff Morrissey, Lady Blanka
Mr. Andrzej Bytnar, Ms. Elzbieta Chlopecka Vande Sande, Mrs. Krystyna Wasserman, Lady Blanka, Dr. Elizabeth Marchurt Michalski
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Mr. Slawomir Platta, Esq.
Lady Blanka, Dr. Michel S. Pawlowski
Mrs. Marilyn Williamson, Mrs. Cindy Joskowiak
Mr. Darek Barcikowski, Hon. Consul of Poland in Connecticut Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Hon. Consul of Poland in Miami, Florida
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Jose Carreras at Carnegie Hall
Dr. Julie Churchill Van de Water
Mr. George W. Handy, Mr. Macjej Swirski of Reduta from Poland, Lady Blanka, Delegate Nick Freitas, Mr. Robert Joskowiak
Dr. Henry (Phil) Williams III
Lady Blanka, Mr. Marek Maciolowski
Polish fans at Pulaski Day Parade
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CONSULAR GATHERINGS
Consular meeting place at Riviera Country Club
Mr. Jose de la Lama, Deputy Consul General of Mexico, Mr. Gorky Charpentier, former Consul of Ecuador, Mr. Tomas Abreu, Consul of Monaco, Lady Grace Carvajal, former Consul General of Costa Rica
Mrs. Beata Paszyc, Hon. Vice Consul of Poland, Admiral Tidd, Commander of The United States Southern Command.
Mr. Nabil J. Achkar, Secretary of the Consular Corps, Father Elie Saade, Pastor of Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Church
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Mrs. Beata Paszyc, Hon. Vice Consul of Poland, Doctor Fouad Ashkar
The Miami area is home to over 100 foreign consulates (both consulate generals and honorary foreign trade offices) and bi-national chambers of commerce who promote and facilitate international cooperation. The consuls and foreign trade officers who are posted in Miami-Dade County provide services to foreign nationals. The Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Poland is proud to represent Poland and has been a Consular Corps member since its beginning in 1998. The Honorary Consulate participates in monthly Consular Corps meetings in Miami. These gatherings are an outstanding platform for Consuls from all over the world. Local business leaders, cultural organizations and government officials are invited to talk about issues pertaining to consular activities and multinational collaborations. Speakers representing US government, local and state authorities, scientists, educators and representatives of various businesses and organizations provide important information in the areas of their expertise. Some of the charismatic speakers have included U.S. Southern Command Admiral Tidd; Miami Today Publisher and Editor, Michael Lewis; and Alexandra Villoch, President and Publisher of the Miami Herald. Each year the Consular Corps organizes a holiday celebration where all the celebrating countries bring special gifts that are then drawn during a raffle. On August 24, 2016, Miami-Dade Aviation Department, Protocol and International Affairs Division organized a fundraiser, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, at CUBAOCHO Museum and Performing Arts Center, Miami. The Honorary Consulate of Poland donated a gift of Polish chocolates, vodka, Chopin music and books for this worthy cause. All of these meetings are a wonderful occasion for Poland to be part of the energetic international community represented in Miami. Throughout the year there are also many diplomatic, commercial, cultural and social functions in which the Honorary Consulate participates and promotes Poland and Polonia in South Florida and the entire United States.
Mrs. Beata Paszyc, Hon. Vice Consul of Poland, Ms. Myrlande Lafont Pillet, Consul of Haiti
Ms. Greta Massoud Achkar, Mr. Irving Fourcand, Chief of Protocol and International Affairs.
CONSULAR INFORMATION It has been 13 years since Poland joined the EU in 2004. Many regulations and laws have been changed and amended; some of these changes relate to the application procedure for passports and visas. Effective June 2009, there is a requirement to appear in person before the Consul General to submit one’s passport application since fingerprints are collected for the biometric database, which can only be done through Consulate Generals. However, in order to assist Polish citizens in applying for passports, the Consulate General in Washington, D.C. schedules visits by Consuls to other states and cities in their jurisdiction, including the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Miami. In October 2016 and again in 2017, Consuls Barbara Goralczyk and Jaroslaw Goralczyk were in Miami. To make an appointment, applicants must contact the Consulate General in Washington, D.C. All of the information about passport applications for Polish citizens is available on the Polish version of the Embassy’s website: www.waszyngton.msz.gov.pl ADVERTISEMENT
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WOMEN OF INFLUENCE By Beata Paszyc and Lynne Schaefer
We are pleased to present a few Polish women whose names may not be familiar to you. Unique, brave, unconventional and immortal women whose stories read like the best novels. Among them are muses of celebrated artistes, patriots who fought courageously during war, members of the monarchy, and the beloved companions of powerful men. All of them share a sensitivity, boldness and unwavering passion about life, and each showed personal grit and bravery during sometimes difficult, controversial or scandalous events. We honor these women of influence.
Queen of France Maria Leszczyńska (born 1703) was the Queen consort of King Louis XV of France, who ruled during 1715 - 1774. She had no direct influence on French politics, but her Polish noble connections involved France in a European conflict that resulted in the eventual French annexation of Lorraine in 1738. Her father, Stanisław Leszczyński, was elected King of Poland in 1704, but was deposed in 1709. After relocating to Sweden and then Germany, by 1718 his family had finally settled Weissembourg in the Alsace Lorraine region of France. In the hopes of obtaining an heir to the French throne, Louis XV’s chief minister married the 15-year old King to the 23-year old Princess Maria at Château de Fontainebleau on September 5, 1725. Marie (officially changed to the French spelling) was the perfect choice because she had no political alliance nor was there any controversy about her that could affect the French throne. In addition, she and the young King were initially a love match, and Marie bore Louis 10 children, 8 daughters and 2 sons - only one of her sons survived infancy, dauphin Louis. However, by the time the King was 28 years old, he began a succession of affairs including a long lasting one with Marquize de Pompadure. From then on he and his wife rarely communicated nor did they pretend the marriage was a happy one. Nonetheless, Queen Marie remained poised and stoic during her husband’s very public infidelities and she gained great respect among the French citizens. Louis XV supported his father-in-law’s claims to the Polish throne after the death of August II the Strong in 1733, which led to the War of the Polish Succession. That same year, Stanisław was duly elected King of Poland for the second time, but ongoing disagreements about his appointment among the royal courts ensued and in 1736 Stanisław again abdicated the throne. As compensation, he was appointed the Duke of the Duchy of Lorraine and Bar, which was to revert to France upon his death. 30
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Queen Marie conducted herself with Catholic piety and was considered a dignified royal. She was the longest-serving Queen of France and set an example with her fairly simple lifestyle and innate grace. She had a few close friends with whom she shared a love of lively conversation, embroidery,
music and painting, and she enjoyed playing the guitar and harpsichord. She was admired for her generosity to the poor through her lifelong philanthropy, which earned her great popularity. Marie died at the age of 65 in Versailles, France.
Napoleon Loses His Head The lovely Maria Walewska was born in Warsaw in December, 1786 into a family that had been ennobled since 1574. Although not considered well-to-do by upper class standards at the time, the Laczynski’s owned a small holding and lived in dignified poverty for many years. During the years 1795 – 1801 she was taken care of by Frederic Chopin’s father, Mikolaj. Maria was the oldest of the five children and being the only daughter, she bore the obligation to uphold the future of her family. Therefore, when she was 18 years old, she married the 68 yearold Count Athanasius Walewski to ensure her family’s security. The Walewskis were one of the greatest houses in Poland and of ancient nobility. Countess Maria and her husband had a son, Antoni Rudolf Bazyli Colonna-Walewski, in 1805 but he was immediately taken by Maria’s sister-in-law and nieces. Distraught and lonely, she fixed her attentions on Poland’s freedom and its future. The political climate during this period was complicated. Since Poland had been virtually wiped off the map at the end of the 1700s, Polish nationalists were placing all their hopes in Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte as someone who might bring the country back into existence. Then fate stepped in; Maria met Napoleon. There are several romantic stories of how Maria and Napoleon met, but the most likely version is that she was one of many young ladies invited to a Ball in January 1807 to be presented to the Emperor as dance partners and possible amours. The following day, newspapers reported that the beautiful young Countess Walewski danced with Napoleon, but what they did not know is that Napoleon was so smitten with Marie, he sent her a letter that very same day. “I saw only you, I admired only you, I desire only you.” She was bombarded on all sides within her family and in political circles, including her husband, to accept Napoleon as a lover because it could be a very successful and strategic way to entice him to become involved in Poland’s cause. Marie initially resisted, but eventually gave in after being convinced it would save Poland. She became pregnant with Napoleon’s child in 1809 which was the catalyst for Napoleon to divorce his wife, Josephine, in order to marry a woman who could give him children and ensure the family’s dynasty in
France. However, he found someone other than Maria, who returned to the Walewski home to give birth to Alexandre Joseph. Her husband recognized the boy as his own and Napoleon, upon hearing of his son’s birth while on his honeymoon, sent Marie a large sum of money. In fact, she and Napoleon remained in touch for the rest of her life. As she was finally financially comfortable, her
marriage to Walewski was annulled and she remarried in 1816. In 1817, Marie died during childbirth with her third son. In 1937, Hollywood recognized the drama, intrigue and romance of Marie and Napoleon’s story, and released the film, Conquest, starring Charles Boyer and Greta Garbo. It was so lavish, it cost Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer over $2,700,000 to produce. Good News
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Magician of the Piano Maria Szymanowska (1789 – 1831) was a Polish composer and a professional piano virtuosa who was one of the first to ever tour extensively throughout Europe and to perform memorized repertoire in concert. Her playing was well received by critics and audiences alike, garnering her a reputation for a delicate tone, lyrical sense of virtuosity and operatic freedom. Her talent, beauty and charm inspired one admirer to write, “the look of her eyes has something of a magician and a child at the same time.” Szymanowska composed approximately 100 piano pieces. Like other women composers in the 19th century, she wrote predominantly solo music, miniatures, songs, and some chamber compositions. Her work is labeled stylistically as part of the pre-romantic period style - brilliant - and infused with Polish sentimentalism. She used innovative keyboard writing and some scholars have suggested that Maria’s work most likely influenced Chopin, who was born in 1810. Chopin was fond of the brilliant style and modified it in his pieces and performances as well. When she made a triumphant return to perform in Warsaw in 1827 at the National Theater, Chopin was in attendance, and as his career blossomed she was his staunch supporter. Born as Marianna Agata Wołowska in Warsaw, Poland into a prosperous family, her father, Franciszek, was a landlord and a brewer, and her mother Barbara (nee Lanckorońska) had noble heritage. In 1810 Maria married Józef Szymanowski with whom she had three children - Helena and twins Celina (who married Adam Mickiewicz) and Romuald. Maria separated from her husband in 1820 and they eventually divorced. By 1828, Maria had finished touring and settled in Russia’s imperial capital, St. Petersburg, where she served as the court pianist to the Tsarina and established a popular evening salon. With her stature as a performer and through the artists who populated her salon, she developed strong connections with some of the most notable musicians, poets and stimulating minds in her day including Beethoven, Rossini, Hummel, Field, Goethe, Pushkin and, of course, Adam Mickiewicz. Hummel and Field dedicated compositions to her and Goethe is rumored to have fallen deeply in love with her. In 1831, Maria’s magical life tragically ended during the cholera epidemic in St. Petersburg. 32
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The Beloved Stranger In 1832, when the French writer Balzac was starting to gain recognition, he received an anonymous letter from a reader who took great exception to his depiction of a woman in his second novel, The Magic Skin (La Peau de Chagrin). Balzac was quite intrigued and wrote back, thus starting an intellectual correspondence between the two, with one caveat. The reader insisted they should never meet nor would Balzac ever know a name, declaring “for you I am The Stranger, and shall remain so all my life,” and giving him precise instructions where to send his letters. The months-long correspondence created an allure and growing curiosity between the two and eventually The Stranger’s vow of never meeting dissolved. In 1833, they met and Balzac later claimed he “lost all bodily sensation” when he first saw the stunning woman before him; he was completely overwhelmed by her beauty and grace, and she, in turn, was captivated by his cheerful disposition and lovable personality. And so began the romance of noblewoman Ewelina Rzewuska Hańska and Honoré de Balzac. She was born in 1806 to a well-known family with wealth and military prowess. Ewelina was bright and curious, and possessed both the looks and musical talents that were so desired for young girls of her class and time. Her first marriage to a much older man ended in divorce after a few years, and she began several passionate relationships from a long list of suitors, including Alexander Pushkin and Adam Mickiewicz. By 1819, she married another much older man from whom she received a noble title; it was a marriage of families, not of love. Ewelina met Balzac during this long, tedious martial arrangement and was his muse throughout their relationship. Balzac based a number of characters on her and was inspired to write about subjects she suggested. Due to the many twists and turns of life, Hańska and Balzac were able to wed in 1850 but as fate would have it, Balzac died only a few months later. During the following year, she became the paramour of the French painter, Jean Gigoux, to whom she maintained a relationship until he died in 1881. Ewelina died one year later and was buried in Balzac’s grave at the famous Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.
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A Spirited Heart A revered and much celebrated Polish citizen went against the expected lifestyle deemed acceptable in a well-bred, noble family and lived a life dedicated to resisting oppression. Emilia Plater turned her back on the mores of young aristocratic women in the 19th century and became a vocal agitator against the Russian Tsar and a very visible member of the November 1830 Uprising to crush imperialism. Ms. Plater was born in 1806 into an affluent family that valued education, Poland, and the history of their ancestors. The young girl was fascinated with Polish military heroes, which most likely sparked her fervor to be part of any national struggle should the need arise. She experienced an epiphany when she was 17 years old and one of her cousins was forced to join the Russian army because of his pro-Poland beliefs. This inequity solidified Emilia’s determination to act against tyranny. There are many half truths, myths and legends among the real story of Emilia Plater’s involvement in the November 1830 Uprising. Some say she actually came up with the idea of the Uprising, while others claim she played a pivotal role in the battle and led many to safety. Much of the truth has been lost to history, but what is agreed upon is that Ms. Plater was a heroic fighter during this time of strife and her passionate public diatribes against the oppressor made her a famous revolutionary. Because of her, many people were inspired to rally toward the cause of freedom. She led a few units in battle and was regarded as a fearless soldier by those in higher ranks, recognized for her courage and dedication. As one of the few women involved in bloody combat, legends arose about her that exist to this day. Her image has been depicted in a number of paintings and sculptures, and poems, songs and novels have praised her as the epitome of the heroic female warrior. Emilia Plater’s life has been studied as an example of feminism and standing up and fighting for what is right. She seemed destined to a life of great service to her country, but unfortunately, near the end of the Uprising, she fell ill and died at the age of 25. 34
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Unbending Willpower Anna Dorota Chrzanowska defied her military husband’s orders to surrender during a siege attack upon his command post, Trembowla Castle. The onslaught by the Ottoman Turks that began on September 19, 1675 created so many lost lives of the defenders as well as an extreme shortage of supplies, that Captain Jan Samuel Chrzanowski was ready to give in. This infuriated his wife Anna, and she threatened to kill him and blow up the fortress along with herself if he pursued such an absurd idea. Not only did she persuade the Captain to continue defending the lands against the Cossacks and rally the people to carry on, she personally led a command against the enemies. Her strength and determination motivated the Poles, and after several more losses were suffered on both sides, the Turks surrendered in mid-October and ended the siege. This victorious battle became known as the Defense of Trembowla in Poland. Such exemplary acts of bravery by the Chrzanowskas earned them noble titles in 1676 from the Polish Parliament and the Captain was promoted to a higher military rank. The couple became quite famous, but most particularly Anna. She has been lovingly immortalized in paintings, novels and statues, and today it is because of her unbreakable resistance that she is honored for illuminating women’s essential participation during wartime and the service they perform with dignity, courage and fortitude.
“The whole nations crowns your name and your soul, and above all [the] two of them shall be honoured in spite of the sacrifices you had to make, namely as the mother of the head of the citizens and the good son of the fatherland as well as the wife of the patriot.”
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Soulful Imagination “a splinter of my imagination sometimes flares up from a word and sometimes from the smell of salt and I feel under me the ship shift from foot to foot and the ocean is immeasurable without any shore secure in a shell of wood I am wonderfully free I love no one and nothing” These words were written by Halina Poswiatowska, who is considered one of the most romantic of all Polish poets. Her prose was sparse yet rich, loving yet filled with longing and loss, mystical yet frank. She was able to create a whole world of emotions in a few stanzas and her willingness to show her soul endeared her to thousands.
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Halina was born in 1935 in Częstochowa, Poland. She developed a chronic heart condition when she was 9 years old during the occupation of Poland in WWII that plagued her with chills and weakness. Breathing and walking were difficult, so poetry became the way she could rise above it all. Very quickly her work became much beloved by Poles around the world. At the age of 25, she sailed to Philadelphia for her first heart operation which was funded by monies raised by her Polish Americans fans. She remained in the States and completed her undergraduate studies in three years even though her grasp of the English language was tenuous at best. Stanford University, one of America’s most esteemed universities, offered her a fully-paid admission to earn her graduate degree, but she decided to study philosophy at Jagellonian University in Krakow. In 1967 she underwent a second heart operation in Poland while attending university, but this time she did not recover and died at the age of 32. Halina Poswiatowska remains a central figure in contemporary Polish literature and her poetry continue to spark the imagination.
A “YES” WARRIOR By Beata Paszyc Looking at life in the most simplistic way, it boils down to choices to which the answer is Yes or No; two monosyllabic words deciding your fate. Yes to some things, No to others. But maintaining balance between the two does not necessarily mean a 50-50 split. Achieving harmony and equilibrium in life depends more on the quality of Yes. It is the courage, determination, and passion behind each Yes that will create the fullness of life we all desire. Invite true passion into your life. Invite success. Invite new experiences and open new doors. I invite you to become a Yes Warrior.
Each day we should be learning to say Yes! This should by no means define you as a “yes person” who agrees to do things only to please others. As Paulo Coelho put it succinctly, “When you say Yes to others, make sure you are not saying No to yourself.” The Yes I am referring to often means No to others. Do not always agree to what others expect or demand from you. Give yourself permission to say Yes to what you want to create for yourself. This kind of Yes opens the doors of perception; this Yes is the blank canvas on which you will paint the wild colors of courage, confidence and yearning to do things you want and desire. Here are some incentives to say Yes and to become a Yes Warrior: •
Consider times when you know you need to do something such as change your job, begin an exercise regimen, look for a partner, a new place to live, or visit a distant land. However, when the opportunity suddenly appears you find yourself saying, “No, I’m not ready” or “It’s not the right time.”
I recently came across the quote: “If someone offers you an amazing opportunity to do something and you’re not sure you can do it, say yes. Then learn how to do it later.” Richard Branson
I contend there is no such thing as perfect timing and there will always be an obstacle or two. You need not wait for someone to give you permission, for your kids to get older, for more time or money, or for ___________ (you fill in the blank). You can say Yes even when you are not feeling ready. You can trust that there is a bigger plan for you and that things will fall into place as you go along.
In this quote, Branson’s bold and vigorous Yes manifests a readiness to accept the unexpected and explore the unknown. Too often we hide behind a No that keeps us in our comfort zone or is based on fear of outcome: what if we fail? Wrapped in a comfortable blanket of No’s, we cannot avail ourselves of the miraculous chances and brilliant opportunities that may lie before us. Imagine an idea, something that ignites your fire within--you see it with your heart and it generates passion. You feel you should proceed, follow the flow, strive for the bliss; it feels good inside. But often the same idea scanned by your reason and a calculated brain leaves you unsure, and you find yourself settling with a cautionary No.
Yes opens the door of opportunity
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Yes attracts Yes A simple Law of Attraction: when you say Yes, you show the world “I’ve got this!” “Fake it till you make it” or, as Harvard professor and best-selling author Amy Cuddy put it, “Fake it till you become it. Do it enough until you actually become it and internalize.”
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You probably have already done this in your life. Perhaps it was your first job where you did not entirely know what you were doing, but you learned as you went. Maybe it was while volunteering in a hospital where you were faced with a new challenge of helping less fortunate ones. Perchance it was having children. There are no schools that teach us how to raise children, how to hold them, sooth them when they cry, or love them. You did those things because you said Yes and you learned as you went. You faked it till you made it. •
Yes strengthens your intuition As you examine any decision, situation, project, or challenge before you, try sitting quietly to let your intuition guide you. Your inner voice is the Sage within you, often referred to as a “gut feeling.” It is instinctive and will guide you in knowing what is right for you or not. Let it sit, like a seed in the ground; see if the roots take hold; become aware of how it makes you feel. When it spreads a sensation all over your body that awakens your senses and you feel energized by it, leap with all your might like a cricket from one leaf to another, enjoying the spring of a jump and not looking at the abyss below.
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Yes helps overcome fear of failure With a Yes you take a risk of a failure. That scenario, however, should not prevent you from accepting a challenge. The stories of famous people most often are not devoid of failure. It was their perseverance and persistence despite the rejection and failed attempts that helped them become successful. Whenever you are afraid of failure, know that drive and strength will carry you through to pursue your dream. Keep in mind some of the stories presented below; let them serve as your cheerleader and a positive energy to help you attain your goal. At the age of 22, Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper for “not being creative enough.” One of his early studios went bankrupt, but the creator of Mickey Mouse went on to be nominated for 59 Academy Awards and still holds the most Oscars won by an individual. Steve Jobs, was a college dropout, quit jobs, traveled, and then used his experiences to create an amazing iconic technology company.
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Oprah’s TV show, according to CNN, became the highest ranking show in American history. Oprah’s first boss told her she was too emotional and not right for TV, but by 2011 she was the best paid woman in entertainment and the only black female self-made billionaire.
Yes to a vote of confidence Being presented with a project or a challenge by another means they believe in you. They trust you are able to accomplish the task. It’s a gift of faith in your abilities, shows a conviction that you can do it, and an appreciation of you as one willing to help.
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When “The Beatles” first auditioned in 1962, Decca Records rejected them saying, “we don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.” The Beatles signed with EMI and are one of the best-selling groups of all time!
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There are countless stories like this; think of them whenever you are afraid of failure. •
Yes to one opportunity multiplies possibilities By saying Yes you are unblocking and being open. You become a magnet for new experiences and learning, and an untapped abundance of opportunity. When I first came to the US, I did not know anybody here. I stayed with Rita and her three boys ages 6, 8, 10 in Washington DC assisting her (a single Mom) by walking the kids to school, helping with homework, reading bedtime stories and performing everyday chores. Since my responsibilities only took a few hours, I filled my days to the brim as I said Yes to attending classes at Georgetown and American Universities, Yes to teaching English as a Foreign Language at the Lado Institute, Yes to working as a kindergarten teacher, and Yes to being an interpreter. I did not focus on obstacles, rather on openings, and each opportunity I embraced attracted another. I know those experiences led me to where I am today. They allowed me to come in contact with people who later offered me more possibilities to which I said Yes. Portals opened to new challenges, projects, relationships, and places. As the opportunities multiplied I was able to choose which ones to develop. Today I feel immense gratitude for all those serendipitous moments, all the possibilities realized, and all the subsequent friendships cultivated. All of this has made my life richer, more vibrant, a kaleidoscope of chances with infinite patterns of beauty, challenges and experiences. “Follow your bliss. If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while waiting for you, and the life you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in the field of your bliss, and they open the doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don’t be afraid,
and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be. If you follow your bliss, doors will open for you that wouldn’t have opened for anyone else.” Joseph Campbell When I first came to this land of opportunity, I met a woman named Sally. She had the most contagious laughter and a compassionate heart. She lived with her husband, two sons, and cousin in a house on Staten Island, NY. Their home was filled with love and a never-ending stream of international students. Sally said Yes to it all, to challenges, to hosting students from Spain and Poland, to helping their family from Italy. She told her boys and her friends that they can be anything they desire. She encouraged everybody to be loving, kind and limitless. One day a friend who recently lost his young wife to cancer asked this infectiously happy lady: “Why? Why did it happen to me?” She replied with a gentle smile, “For every why, there is a why not.” At that time I didn’t quite comprehend what Sally meant as she spoke to this grief stricken man. Now I realize what she meant was saying Yes to life includes saying Yes to parts of life—situations, unpredictable difficulties, sickness or death–that might not be things we like, that serve us sorrow, pain or loss.
tree. The world is perfect. It’s a mess. It has always been a mess. We are not going to change it. Our job is to straighten out our own lives.” Joseph Campbell in a Joseph Campbell Companion: Reflections on the Art of Living According to Rick Hanson, Ph.D., “Your ‘yes’ means that you accept the facts as they are, that you are not resisting them emotionally, even if you are trying with all your might to change them. This will usually bring some peace, and will help any actions you take to be more effective.” Being a Yes Warrior, is saying Yes to life with all its challenges, twists and turns, and bumpy roads. It is an approach that embraces all and knows the unexpected is inevitable. At the moment life is happening you may not know why, but know it will lead you to the unforgettable vistas, awareness and feelings that will enrich you. The advantages of saying Yes are enormous. Realize that and become a Warrior with an armor made of Yes’s. Say Yes to being alive, say Yes to your own life, to each day and each moment. Yes.
This is beautifully summed up in the following quote: “The warrior’s approach is to say ‘yes’ to life: say ‘yea’ to it all. Participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world. We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy. When we talk about settling the world’s problems, we’re barking up the wrong
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Best Wishes to The American Institute of Polish Culture Celebrating 46 Anniversary th
from:
Polish and Other European Specialty and Gourmet Foods LowellFoods.com 40
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EASTER! SPRING! CELEBR ATE!
Mrs. Barbara Cooper, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel
James Leng, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel
On Thursday, April 20, 2017, the Institute and the Chopin Foundation of the United States hosted the annual Easter Springtime party. And what a lively party it was! Among the 50 or so guests were some new faces, which we are always happy to see and meet. Mrs. Maria Blacha, our flower arranging, canapes preparing, beverage pouring and all around irreplaceable party expert, laid out trays of delicious Polish open-faced sandwiches with nuts and tropical fruits, along with sparkling water and wines. We were also the fortunate recipients of a huge donation of Polish sweets by Lowell Foods Inc. in Chicago (www.lowellfoods.com), including Poland’s beloved Prince Polo. We are truly grateful to Ivona and Conrad Lowell for their generosity in sending us such mouthwatering treats. The afternoon piano recital started with a charming piece, The Lunar Eclipse, by Nel Velez Paszyc, who has been playing at our parties for the last few years. Now 8 years old, Nel is getting better and better every year. Then 18 year old James Leng performed a Nocturne and an Etude by Chopin which had everyone in rapt attention. One of our renewed party treats theses past few years has been raffles, and they have been a hit for both the fun factor and in raising funds for both organizations. This year we raffled Lowell tote bags chock full with all the great candies and cookies. Guests were thrilled!
Ms. Iga Henderson, Mr. Rafael Leonor, Mrs. Barbara Cooper, Mrs. Izabella Wilamowska
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THE POLISH LECTURE SERIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA by Prof. Kyrill Kunakhovich During the 2016-17 academic year, UVA’s Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies (CREEES) organized three events as part of the Polish Lecture Series at UVA that focused on the theme of “Poland and the World.” The American Institute of Polish Culture has rightly pointed out that, “Poland has contributed in important ways to Western civilization,” and the lectures aimed to explore this contribution by emphasizing Poland’s impact on world affairs. Each talk focused on a different region of the globe - Europe, Asia, and North America - and in so doing, engaged scholars and students of these regions, and introduced new audiences to the global significance of Polish history and culture. In November 2016, CREEES organized a talk by Dr. David Petruccelli, then a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna (and now Assistant Professor of History at Dartmouth College). Dr. Petruccelli’s work explores the emergence of international networks for fighting transnational crime in the 1920s and 1930s. His talk, “The Samuel Lubelski White Slavery Trial of 1914,” explained how central the Polish lands were to this story. The town of Myslowice, where the three Polish Partitions met, became a center of human trafficking on the eve of the First World War and the site of a major trial that codified international law on migration. Dr. Petruccelli’s lecture attracted nearly fifty students, faculty members, and outside visitors, including Dr. Agnieszka Pasiecka from the University of Vienna and President of the Polish Studies Association. In March 2017, CREEES welcomed Dr. David Tompkins, Associate Professor of History at Carleton College. Dr. Tompkins is the author of Composing the Party Line: Music and Politics in Early Cold War Poland and East Germany, published by Purdue University Press in 2013. His current project explores the communist construction of friends and enemies in the Stalin-era Soviet Bloc. Dr. Tompkins’ talk, entitled “The East is Red,” focused on Poland’s relationship with the People’s Republic of China. It examined Poland’s cultural outreach to China led by traveling ensembles like Mazowsze and highlighted Poland’s significance as a global cul42
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tural beacon. Dr. Tompkins’ talk was followed by a lively discussion with roughly forty students, faculty, and community members in attendance. Later in March, CREEES hosted Dr. Małgorzata Fidelis, Associate Professor of History at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Dr. Fidelis is the author of Women, Communism, and Industrialization in Postwar Poland, which appeared with Cambridge University Press in 2010 and in a Polish translation in 2015. Dr. Fidelis spoke about her new project, entitled “The Sixties Behind the Iron Curtain: Youth Culture and the Global Sixties in Poland,” which featured numerous illustrations from periodicals like Dookoła Świata and Ty i Ja. It demonstrated that Poland was a major player in the construction of global youth culture, spreading a distinctive brand of modernity around the world. Dr. Fidelis’ audience of forty included Dr. Michel Pawlowski, Polish Studies Chair for the Institute, who took an active part in the discussion and subsequent dinner. CREEES is deeply grateful to the American Institute of Polish Culture for making these talks possible. With their support and generosity, the Polish Lecture Series at UVA has become a center of intellectual exchange and scholarship on campus. This is evident from the number of programs and departments that have co-sponsored the Series’ events - the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, the Corcoran Department of History, the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, the Center for German Studies, and the Center for Global Inquiry and Innovation. Lectures in this year’s Polish Lecture Series at UVA attracted faculty from across the university, including specialists in Media Studies, South Asian Studies, and American Studies. They also introduced more than one hundred undergraduate students to Polish history and culture. Such encounters embody the AIPC’s mission to “share with all Americans the rich heritage of Poland.” We thank the Institute for its continued support and look forward to fruitful collaboration in the coming academic year.
THE 45TH INTERNATIONAL POLONAISE BALL IN MIAMI
DREAM DESIGNS BRIDGING TIMES - HONORING POLISH ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS
Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Ambassador Piotr Wilczek
Ambassador Wilczek
Archbishop Wenski
Marshall Bielan
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Long, glittering evening creations and debonair tuxedos worn by elegant, distinguished guests while the sounds of the Polish language and classic music of our times floated through the crowd. All of this and more could be seen and heard during the wonderful 45th Anniversary of the International Polonaise Ball on February 4, 2017. It was held in the Pompeii Ballroom of the iconic Eden Roc Nobu Hotel in sunny Miami, Florida, steps to the azure ocean. It was an evening to remember. The Ball is organized annually by The American Institute of Polish Culture (AIPC), founded by Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, and it is a unique event. Not only does it cultivate Polish traditions and customs, but also it highlights Polish cultural links among countries all over the world. Since the first gala held in 1972, the Ball has acquired a remarkable reputation and is quite often cited as one of the most prestigious Polish events in the United States. There you can meet VIP guests including celebrities, scientists, artists, politicians and scholars. Every year the Ball is dedicated to a specific theme and 2017 was no exception. Dream Designs Bridging Times - Honoring Polish Architects and Engineers was a celebration of the international wonders and achievements they have created. For example, renowned, Poland-born engineer, Ralph Modjeski, was the master builder of North American bridges and his specifications are still the foundation for the construction of bridges today. The Master of Ceremonies, Mr. Douglas Evans, opened the Ball by calling the names of the dancers for the Grand Polonaise, the 17th century regal dance that is of great importance to Poles. Lady Blanka led the procession with her dance partner, the new Polish Ambassador, His Excellency Piotr Wilczek.
Mayor Regalado
Mr. Lisiecki
Senator Anders
Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Mrs. Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk
Ambassador Piotr Wilczek, Mrs. Ruby Bacardi
Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Dr. Krzysztof Palczewski
Mr. Michal Lisiecki, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Senator Anna Maria Anders
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Mr. John Frank Velez, Mrs. Greta Abu Nader, Mrs. Beata Paszyc, Ms. Anaide Govaert, Mr. Nabil Achkar
Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Mr. Zbigniew Jarosz
Mr. Jan Karaszewski, Mrs. Isabella Karaszewska, Mrs. Gabriela Grab, Mr. Witold Grab
Mrs. Nancy Savoie, Mr. Juan Carlos de Valle, Dr. Pedro Botto, Dr. Rebecca Friedman
Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Dr. Pat Riley, Countess Barbara Pagowska-Cooper, Dr. Mark Rosenberg, Mr. Grzegorz Okon, Ms. Beata Drzazga, Mrs. Beata Kulisa, Mr. Wojciech Kulisa, Mr. Bronislaw Bajcar, Mr. Howard Laks, Mrs. Irena McLean-Laks
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During the evening, Lady Blanka received a special award, “The Eagle,” from the weekly publication, Wprost, in recognition of her work as a ‘Polish Ambassador.’ The statuette was conferred by Michał M. Lisiecki, the publisher of Wprost, and by honorary guest of the Ball, Polish Senator Anna Maria Anders, the Secretary of State in the Prime Minister Chancellery, Plenipotentiary of the Prime Minister for International Dialogue. “Lady Blanka is a woman - an institution - whose actions here on this side of the Atlantic often mean more than the effects of official institutions and agendas. She is a person who has given her soul to the service of her first homeland,” said Mr. Lisiecki. AIPC also presents awards every year to worthy recipients who have made incredible accomplishments in their fields and in so doing, have made the world a better one for all. This year the Gold Medal, the Institute’s highest honor, was given to renowned architect Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk. Ms. Plater-Zyberk founded the international movement of New Urbanism which creates living and working spaces featuring environmentally friendly materials and promotes building self-sustaining communities that visually meld with existing ones. Dr. Krzysztof Palczewski, an eye and vision expert and inventor who has made significant breakthroughs in transformational sight research, also received a Gold Medal. The Amicus Poloniae, awarded by Ambassador Wilczek for outstanding efforts in promoting cooperation between the United States and Poland, was received by philanthropist Ruby Bacardi. Ms. Bacardi, a member of the Bacardi beverage empire, has been a supporter of the Institute for over 30 years. Lady Blanka also bestowed a Special Recognition award on Miami architect, Zbigniew Jarosz, for his achievements in international contemporary design projects and historical reconstruction projects in Poland. Among the guests at the Ball were Vice-Speaker of the Polish Senate, Adam Bielan; Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami; the Mayor of Miami, Tomas Regalado; the founder of the Piast Institute in Michigan, Dr. Tadeusz Radzilowski; the former president of the Kosciuszko Foundation, Alex Storożyński; John Petkus and Dr. Marek Pienkowski, the Honorary Consuls of the Republic of Poland in Las Vegas, Nevada and Knoxville, Tennessee respectively; and Polish businesspeople, architects, engineers and professors from various universities. Attendees came from the US, Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Cuba, England, Germany, Italy, Israel, Lebanon, Scotland, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela and, of course, Poland.
Mr. Jan Karaszewski, Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Ms. Izabella Wilamowska, Dr. Michel S. Pawlowski
Ms. Dorota Skladzien, Ms. Kinga Plich, Mr. Spencer Langley, Ms. Anna Ruszel
Ms. Caroline Byczynski, Mr. George Byczynski, Mrs. Maria Byczynski
Mr. Bronislaw Bajcar, Ms. Katarzyna Nowak, Mr. Francesco Senis, Mrs. Inga Luksza Senis, Mr. Keith Gray, Mrs. Agnieszka Gray, Mr. Marek Piotrowicz, Mrs. Malgorzata Piotrowicz, Ms. Sarah Okon, Mr. Grzegorz Okon
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Mrs. Elzbieta Chrzanowska, Senator Anna Maria Anders, Mr. Zbigniew Chrzanowski
Dr. Markus Thiel, Mrs. Beata Paszyc, Dr. Mark Rosenberg, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Dr. John Stack, Mr. Jacek Kolasinski
Mrs. Monika Jablonska Chodakiewicz, Ms. Krystyna Aldridge-Holc, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Dr. Marek Chodakiewicz
Mr. Daniel Coriat, Ms. Helena Bendjouia, Mrs. Agnieszka Wasilewska, Mr. Adam Wasilewski
Mr. Douglas Evans, Mayor Tomas Regalado
Dr. Januarisz Styperek, Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Dr. Janina Styperek, Ambassador Piotr Wilczek
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Mr. Xavier Iglesias, Ms. Galina Tachiera, Mrs. Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Mr. Andres Duany
Mrs. Elzbieta Wnuk, Prof. Stanislaw Wnuk
Ms. Katarzyna Nowak Mr. Bronislaw Bajcar
Mr. Arkadiusz Siwko, Marshall Adam Bielan, Mrs.ElĹźbieta Gosek, Mr. Zbigniew Chrzanowski, Mrs. Elzbieta Chrzanowski, Mr. Andrzej Gosek
Ms. Lynne Schaefer, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Mrs. Beata Paszyc
Mr. Luis Sanchez, Mrs. Christina Caly-Sanchez
Ms. Ola Gintrowska, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Mrs. Katarzyna Gintrowska, Mr. Michal Lisiecki
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Mrs. Donna Mieyal, Prof. John Mieyal, Dr. Alexander Tworak, Dr. Magdalena Malgowska, Dr. Grazyna Palczewska, Prof. Alexander Moise, Dr. Michal Palczewski, Ms. Marsha Nix, Prof. Krzysztof Palczewski
Ms. Joanna Antonik, Mrs. Margaret Antonik, Ms. Gabrielle Maxine Antonik, Ms. Victoria Lisiecki
Mr. Rick Bruns, Ms. Helena Kolenda, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Dr. Pat Riley, Count Jason Psaltides
Seated (l-r) Mr. Jerzy Siemiginowski, Dr. Irena Siemiginowski, Mrs. Barbara Mosurek, Mr. Tomasz Galek / Standing (l-r) Ms. Danuta Bronchard, Ms. Barbara Lemecha, Mr. Andrew Kaminski, Mrs. Bozena Kaminski, Dr. Jerzy Skoczylas, Mrs. Ewa Skoczylas, Ms. Henrietta Nowkowski
Mrs. Dorota Zawadzka, Mr. Krzysztof Zawadzki, Mrs. Monika Giza, Mr. Pawel Giza, Mrs. Beata Kulisa, Mr. Wojciech Kulisa, Ms. Dorota Sutor, Mr. Waldemar Soltysik, Mr. Andrzej Socha, Mrs. Renata Socha
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Seated (l-r) Mrs. Amalia Diaz de Torre, Ms. Kasia Jarosz, Dr. Jillianne Grayson, Ms. Susan Knight, Mrs. Raquel Jarosz, Mrs. Francoise Ibars Standing (l-r) Mr. Martha Enriquez, Mr. Len Enriquez, Mr. Zbigniew Jarosz, Dr. George Ibars
Count Joseph Mikolaj Rej, Consul John Petkus, Mr. Jakub Medrala, Mr. Grzegorz Fryc
Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Mrs. Darlene Cauffiel, Ms. Isabella Cauffiel, Mr. John Cauffiel
Seated (l-r) Dr. Renata Cymer, Dr. Wojciech Cymer, Mr. Anselemo Di Virgilio Hernandez, Ms. Marta Pawlak / Standing (l-r) Mr. Jacek Misztal, Mrs. Malgorzata Misztal, Guest, Mr. Peter Nowak, Mrs. Marzena Nowak, Ms. Magdalena Rutkowska, Mrs. Malgorzata Piotrowicz, Ms. Agnieszka Konsorka
Seated (l-r) Mrs. Olga Melin, Mr. Michael Murray, Mrs. Nina Mlodzinska de Rovira, Mr. Marvin Leibowitz, Mrs. Isa Leibowitz Standing (l-r) Mr. Paul Landrum, Mrs. Nancy Landrum, Mr. David Melin, Mr. Raimundo Diaz, Mrs. Julia Gessner
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Mr. Janusz Kozlowski, Mrs. Ana Cristina Regalado, Mayor Tomas Regalado, Dr. Maria Sarach-Kozlowski, Mrs. Beata Paszyc, Mr. Pawel Trochimiuk, Mrs. Paulina Trochimiuk, Mr. John Frank Velez
Seated (l-r) Mrs. Halina Koralewski, Mrs. Beata James, Ms. Katarzyna Maciej Standing (l-r) Mr. Tomasz Migurski, Mr. Leszek James, Mr. Zbigniew Waczynski, Mr. Zbigniew Koralewski, Mr. Zbigniew Slabicki
Seated (l-r) Mrs. Eva Korzeb, Mrs. Natalie Staszewski, Mr. Zygmunt Staszewski, Ms. Sheila Gibbs / Standing (l-r) Mr. Charles Korzeb, Baron Andrew von Gelt, Mr. Wojciech Putz, Mr. Jerzy Bogdziewicz
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Seated (l-r) Mr. Pico Alexander, Mr. Mikolaj Platter-Zyberk, Ms. Danielle McNeill Standing (l-r) Ms. Katarzyna Mazur, Captain Gregory Stanclik, Count Joseph Mikolaj Rej, Ms. Alice Rodzoch, Mr. Maciej Koper, Mr. Piotr Wysocki
During an excellent dinner, entertainment was provided by the Polish Folk Dance Company from New York, which has performed traditional and folkloric dances, including Chopin’s Mazurek, for 75 years. Another dance troupe, the New Century Dance Company from Miami founded by 2014 Gold Medal recipient Maria Teresa Carrizo Sliva, performed a very contemporary piece using computer technology to commemorate the theme of the Ball and highlight the 45th Anniversary of the Institute. The International Polonaise Ball is a wonderful opportunity for guests to meet, exchange ideas, express opinions, and have lively discussions. But it is the elegance, festivity and beauty that brings these successful people from all over the world back to the Ball year after year.
Ms. Jeannette Orlandini, Mrs. Olga Melin, Mrs. Ruby Barcardi, Mrs. Isa Leibowitz, Ms. Maggie Retchkiman
Ms. Justyna Szymczak, Mr. Steven Karski
Mrs. Barbara Paradowski, Mr. Chester Paradowski, Mr. Stefan Malczewski, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Mrs. Kubicka
Ms. Eliza Broekere, Mr. T. Brian Pollard
Ms. Agnieszka Price, Mr. Pawel Terlikowski, Ms. Monika DeMari
Seated: Mrs. Gabriela Grab, Mr. Witold Grab Standing (l-r): Mrs. Katarzyna Gintowska, Ms. Joanna Augsburg, Dr. Marek Pienkowski, Mrs. Irena McLean-Laks, Mrs. Anna Chodakiewicz Wellisz, Mr. Chris Wellisz, Mrs. Monika Jablonska Chodakiewicz, Dr. Marek Chodakiewicz, Mrs. Isabella Karaszewski, Mr. Jan Karaszewski
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Mrs. Jadwiga Gewert, Mr. Douglas Evans, Dr. Krzysztof Palczewski, Mr. Grazyna Palczewska, Mr. Mikolaj Bauer
Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Mr. Alex Storozynski
Polish American Folk Dance Company dancers
Ms. Ola Gintrowska
Mrs. Inga Luksza Senis, Mr. Francesco Senis, Mrs. Agnieszka Gray, Mr. Keith Gray, Mrs. Roza Toroj, Mr. Grzegorz Okon
Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Mr. Andrzej Bytnar, Ms. Irena Sziler, Mrs. Arleta Sziler
New Century Dance Company finale
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A VERY SPECIAL BRUNCH SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2017
Dr. Thaddeus Radzilowski, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel
The day after the Ball is another perfect time to see friends and make new ones in the grandeur of the Pompeii Ballroom, yet in a much more casual atmosphere. The Eden Roc presented several food stations with all sorts of delicious goodies, and the Polish American Folk Dance Company in traditional costumes mingled and posed for photos with the guests. The Brunch was emceed by Mr. Jaroslaw Rottermund, a member of the Institute’s Board of Directors and long time Master of Ceremonies. He introduced Lady Blanka, Ambassador Piotr Wilczek and Polish Senator and Secretary of State the Plenipotentiary for International Dialogue Anna Maria Anders to the guests. Next, he invited the recipients of the annual awards to come forward. Then Dr. Thaddeus Radzilowski surprised Lady Blanka with the Piast Institute’s first ever Polish Women’s Hall of Fame Award. And finally, Lady Blanka thanked guests for their generosity in supporting AIPC. It was another lovely finale to a glamorous and exciting weekend!
Mr. Jan Karaszewski, Mrs. Isabella Karaszewska, Mrs. Gabriela Grab, Mr. Witold Grab
Mrs. Monika Jablonska Chodakiewicz with Marysia Chodakiewicz, Mrs. Beata Paszyc with Nel Velez-Paszyc
Ms. Ola Gintrowska, Ms. Victoria Sophie Lisiecka, Mrs. Katarzyna Gintrowska
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Dr. Krzystof Palczewski, Senator Anna Maria Anders, Amb. Piotr Wilczek, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Mr. Wojciech Putz, Dr. Thaddeus Radzilowski
Seated (l-r): Mrs. Eva Kordos, Mrs. Teresa Szczepanik, Ms. Ursula Zolnierski Standing: Polish American Folk dancers, Mr. Ariel Garcia
Mrs. Krystyna Wilson with family
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Mr. Arkadiusz Siwko, Ms. Josefina Maria Siwko, Mr. Zbigniew Chrzanowski, Mrs. Elzbeita Chrzanowska
Countess Barbara Pagowska-Cooper, Mr. Rafael Leonor
Ms. Iga Henderson, Mr. Leonard Nock, Mrs. Joanna Wiela, Mrs. Jadwiga Gewert with Polish American Folk dancers
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RECOGNIZING OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS Every year AIPC awards a handful of people who make a difference, had a significant impact or have gone beyond the norm to ensure that our world is a better place. We are honored to be able to showcase their accomplishments during our annual International Polonaise Ball and to celebrate with them all the wonderful contributions made by Poles and Americans with Polish heritage. The Ambassador of the Republic of Poland confers the Amicus Polonaie upon someone who has done a tremendous amount of good for and within Polonia and is considered a friend of Poland. On February 4, 2017, we recognized four outstanding people, and we are proud they are part of the Institute ‘family.’ AIPC’s Gold Medals from Lady Blanka went to Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk and Dr. Krzysztof Palczewski, Zbigniew Jarosz received a Special Recognition from Lady Blanka, and Ruby Bacardi accepted the Amicus Polonaie from Ambassador Wilczek.
Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk is a visionary who has helped transform how cities and towns around the world view the haphazard urban and suburban sprawls in their landscapes. As a co-founder with her business partner and husband, Andres Duany, she created the concept of New Urbanism, whose principals promote the creation of complete pedestrian-oriented communities that flow seamlessly within the existing architecture and culture of an area. The movement encourages the use of green materials where ever possible, allows the terrain to dictate the layout of the infrastructure and sites for building, uses historical elements in planning and design to tie in with the area’s past, and constructs a self-sustaining residential and business neighborhood that has every modern convenience yet appears to have been there forever. Duany Plater Zyberk & Company (DPZ) was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Miami. The firm received international recognition in the 1980s as the designer of the first master planned village, Seaside, Florida, and they have completed designs for over three hundred new towns, regional plans, and community revitalization projects. Ms. Plater-Zyberk, a descendant of a noble Polish family, earned her undergraduate degree in architecture and urban planning from Princeton and her master’s degree in architecture from the Yale School of Architecture. She served as the Dean at the University of Miami School of Architecture from 1995 - 2013, and is now the school’s Malcolm Matheson Distinguished Professor of Architecture where she directs the Master in Urban Design Pro-
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gram. She is the co-author of Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream and The New Civic Art: Elements of Town Planning. She is also working on a book about Lean Urbanism that addresses common-sense techniques that reduce the time, resources, and hurdles required for regulatory compliance in these ever-changing economic times. Ms. Plater-Zyberk lectures frequently, has been a Visiting Professor at a number of universities in the U.S., and has received numerous prestigious awards.
Krzysztof Palczewski, PhD,
a world renowned expert on the biochemistry of eyesight, is the John H. Hord Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Distinguished Professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Born in Poland in 1957 and a naturalized U.S. citizen, he earned his PhD in biochemistry from Wroclaw (Poland) University of Science and Technology. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Florida at Gainesville under the preceptorship of Paul A. Hargrave, PhD, a leading researcher in the biochemistry of the visual process. Before moving to Case Western Reserve in 2005, Dr. Palczewski spent 13 years at the University of Washington in Seattle. His research focuses on the molecular pathways underlying vision. This includes key discoveries of the biochemistry of phototransduction - the process by which light is converted into electrical signals in the rods of the retina and transmitted to the brain for interpretation; the identification of several genetic mutations involved in blindness; and the development of a number of therapies for retinal diseases. He is widely recognized for determining the three-dimensional structure of rhodopsin, the visual pigment molecule found in the rods. Rhodopsin, which is highly sensitive to light, enables vision in poorly lit conditions and understanding its structure is crucial for treating many eyesight disorders. Dr. Palczewski has received many accolades, including the Humboldt Research Award for internationally renowned scholars and the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, presented by the president of Poland. Dr. Palczewski has published over 500 peer-reviewed articles, has received 16 patents, and has trained over 100 young scientists at the Palczewski Laboratory. He also serves on numerous national scientific advisory committees and the editorial boards of several major scientific journals.
Zbigniew “Zeb” Jarosz
is a Polish-born architect and builder who almost dedicated his life to the sea. His family has a long history in the Merchant Marines, and the lure of traveling the world’s oceans while captaining boats was a strong one. But his family was also in the building industry, and with the insistence of a father who wanted his young son to learn architecture, Zeb switched gears to study architecture at Krakow University of Technology. And another passion was lit. After graduating, he spent years in restoration and preservation of old buildings in Poland and throughout Europe before relocating to Miami. This work is very evident in Mr. Jarosz’s designs today. His structures stand out for their clean, proportional and graceful lines that seamlessly combine historical influences with modernistic elements. They are elegant, airy and grand yet accessible with a sophisticated blend of beauty and utility. Mr. Jarosz is a member of American Institute of Architects (AIA), Polish Institute of Architects (SARP), and Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). But his youthful dream was never forgotten - he is also a U.S. Coast Guard licensed Captain.
Ruby
Bacardi has spent a lifetime giving back to various national and international communities and organizations. Her quiet philanthropic work for charitable causes and non-profit organizations in her home city, Miami, has earned her the utmost respect and gratitude from the countless programs and, ultimately, people she has helped. Ms. Bacardi has been a generous supporter of The American Institute of Polish Culture for over 30 years. She attends the International Polonaise Ball every year, has had numerous exhibits of well-known Polish artists in her gallery, has co-sponsored educational series, and has graciously participated in several other events. Ms. Bacardi is a member of one of the most successful business families in the world. The Bacardi name is synonymous with top shelf liquors such as Bacardi rum, Grey Goose vodka, Dewar’s Blended Scotch whisky, Bombay Sapphire gin and many other beverages enjoyed throughout the world. ADVERTISEMENT
Z.W. JAROSZ ARCHITECT, P.A. ARCHITECTURE | INTERIOR DESIGN | GENERAL CONTRACTING +1-305-446-0888 | info@jaroszarch.com www.jaroszarch.com
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CR AFT, SIMPLICITY AND GOOD TASTE by Lynne Schaefer It was in Paris that Maria changed her name to Tamara de Lempicka; it seemed much more aristocratic, colorful and suited the person she felt she was destined to become. She also pursued her love of art by throwing herself into learning painting techniques and mediums. She was fortunate to have the guidance of painters, André Lhote (cubist) and Maurice Denis (avant garde). Their encouragement and inspiration helped de Lempicka develop a distinctive style of figural painting that would make her the toast of high society throughout the world. She became the darling of art patrons and the intellectual crowd, painting portraits and nudes of the notorious, rich, and beautiful. Her paintings of Kizette during this time earned her the first prize at the Exposition Internationale des Beaux Arts in Bordeaux in 1927 and a bronze medal in Poznan in 1929. She was divorced in 1928 and soon thereafter became the mistress of Baron Raoul Kuffner whose family supplied the Austro-Hungarian royal courts with beef and beer. The next year, she was commissioned to do a portrait of oilman, Rufus T. Bush, in the US and some of her work was included in a show at the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh. Hollywood celebrities and wealthy Americans began to sit for her and her star rose rapidly in the US. Tamara de Lempicka paintings were considered as important as artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe and Willem de Kooning.
In the Studio (1925)
Her art defined the aesthetic of the Art Deco period - cool and clean with sinuous lines and sleek details. The figures are sensual, languid, aloof, almost statue-like as they lounge against backdrops composed of contrasting light and dark forms. The vibrant but simple palettes and sure handed application of paint create very compelling images, while the somber, expressionless faces bear a regal beauty that makes them almost otherworldly. This atmospheric work remains unique, iconic and instantly recognizable to anyone who admires this dramatically stylized era. Maria Gorska was born into an affluent family in Warsaw 1898. She was a spirited child and curious about the world. At the age of 13, during a tour of Italy, she was captivated by all the gorgeous art everywhere she went, and it had a lasting impact on her. By the time she was 17, she had fallen in love with bon vivant attorney, Tadeusz Lempicki, while visiting her aunt in Saint Petersburg and married him the following year. Unfortunately, the young groom was arrested by the secret police as the Russian Revolution began to ramp up, but Maria was able to parlay her charms into securing his release. The newlyweds immediately left Russia and eventually made their way to France to join her family. She also gave birth to a daughter, Kizette. 60
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Portrait of Young Girl in Green Dress
Tamara de Lempicka’s artwork regained popularity in the latter part of the twentieth century because it symbolizes the essence of hip and cool, and it is visually pleasing. Her strong characters, mostly women, resonate with a new generation of art lovers and collectors. Today collectors are eager to show their de Lempickas to the world. Madonna is a huge fan and has lent several paintings from her collection to events and museums. She featured de Lempicka’s work in her music videos for “Open Your Heart,” “Express Yourself,” “Vogue” and “Drowned World/Substitute for Love.” She also used them on the set of her film, Who’s That Girl and during her 1990 “Blond Ambition” tour. Songstress, Barbra Streisand, and actor, Jack Nicholson are among other well-known collectors of her work. She was proud of her body of work and what she accomplished, and said it best to Kizette, “I was the first woman to make clear paintings and that was the origin of my success. Among a hundred canvases, mine were always recognizable. I worked quickly with a delicate brush. I was in search of technique, craft, simplicity and good taste. My goal: never copy. Create a new style, with luminous and brilliant colors, rediscover the elegance of my models.”
Ritratto della Signora Ira P.
When the Baron’s wife died in 1933, he and Tamara married and moved to Switzerland because she was frightened by the rise of the Nazis and their rhetoric. When WWII began, they relocated to Beverly Hills, California, settled into a manor house and led very sociable lives. By 1943, they were living in New York City where de Lempicka’s work was still being shown and sold in galleries around town. However, her style, so indicative of Art Deco and Cubism, was beginning to go out of fashion and commissions began to drastically recede. Tamara altered her style a bit but was not able to regain the kind of interest and accolades she enjoyed for so many years. After her husband died in 1961, she moved to Houston to live with her daughter and family, and then in 1974, she relocated to Cuernevaca, Mexico where she died in 1980.
Marquis d’Afflito
Portrait of Madame Bouchard
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TR AIL OF HOPE: THE ANDERS ARMY, AN ODYSSEY ACROSS THREE CONTINENTS BY IRENE TOM ASZEWSKI
When I was very young, a classics course I took included Xenophon’s account of the March of the Ten Thousand, the story of a Greek army escaping from Persia. I no longer remember the details of the Greek-Persian conflict but I do remember that all of us, including our teacher, cheered for the freedom-loving Greeks against Persia and its tyrant. I alone in my class knew that Xenophon’s tale was but a short story compared to the saga of the Polish army that escaped from another tyranny, led to freedom by General Władysław Anders. The General’s name and image were known to me from my earliest childhood as a kind of collective godfather to all the children he had rescued. This was a military leader who knew precisely what motivated his men – my father was one of those men — and leaving the children behind would undermine their spirit. Possibly the only man who was never intimidated by Joseph Stalin, Anders insisted that they be evacuated with the army and didn’t give up until the tyrant agreed. But who would be our Xenophon? Who could do justice to this epic tale with its cast of over a hundred thousand men, women and children and their encounters with so many cultures spread over all the earth’s continents; the hardships and the battles; the beauty of the lands and the friendship offered along the way; the excitement of seeing new worlds… and finally coming to terms with loss? This challenge was met by Norman Davies, who felt a comprehensive study of Anders was long overdue. Failing to interest a publisher in an academic work, he chose a popular style that in many ways does more justice to the texture, the color and the drama of this incredible journey. He visited many of the sites along the 62
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Trail accompanied by the photographer Janusz Rosikon. Masterfully combining personal stories with historical records, in Trail of Hope Davies weaves a tapestry that gives equal prominence to politicians and statesmen – the knaves and the rogues, the valiant and the stoic, the pompous and the duplicitous, the liars and the dupes – and to ordinary people – mothers and children, youth and the elderly, soldiers and teachers, the strong and the dying. The Trail begins in Poland with the forced removal of Polish citizens from their homes to be sent into exile in the vast Soviet empire. Davies follows the trains to the camps and prisons throughout Russia and its subject republics - north to the region around Archangel; east to Central Asia, the steppes and deserts of Kazakhstan; farther east still to the camps of Magadan and north east to the gold mines of Kolyma where the survival rate was 10 percent. There is scarcely an area of the Soviet empire that doesn’t have mass graves, the remains of watchtowers, and barbed wire. As the Polish writer Ryszard Kapuściński noted, this country that failed to provide basic comforts for its citizens managed to surpass all others in the production of barbed wire. Unprepared for the 1941 attack by his then ally, Hitler, Stalin needed the Western allies who in turn needed him. Included in their agreement was a demand for the release of his Polish prisoners. An “amnesty” was declared. Thousands of Poles could leave their camps, but they had to fend for themselves. They set off, marking out new trails, by boat, makeshift rafts, trains, carts and their ill-shod feet all in search of that “Trail of Hope” and the Polish army that promised life and liberty. One pictures this great migration across that immense country with its ever-changing topography, ancient cities – Samarkand, Ashhabad – as well as
collective farms, environmental degradation, and primitive settlements of mud huts and the tents of nomads. In time, the disparate routes came together in Uzbekistan, to the Caspian Sea and a flotilla of filthy crowded barges that would take them to Persia (Iran). Hundreds of thousands did not make it, some were never released from their prisons, some were buried in unmarked graves, others working “for bread” until, by some whim, the Soviet authorities allowed them to return to Poland. For many that did not happen until after the death of Stalin. Trail of Hope is not history “from above.” This is the story of a people, and few historians have such respect for the men, women, and children who endured, resisted, overcame or succumbed to the deadly force unleashed by war as Norman Davies. They are not an undifferentiated mass, they are not labeled or placed in some arbitrary categories. They are people with all the diversity and dignity the word demands. The context is nothing less than World War II, but you don’t get the standard war of tanks and bombs as seen on the History Channel. Instead you get much more of the geopolitical currents of the time and an unembellished picture of familiar figures - the dictator responsible to no one; the Prime Minister struggling for victory even as his country’s empire is coming to an end; and the ailing leader of a young and strong country indulging a delusional fondness for the dictator. Iran, the first stop in freedom, was a den of intrigue, the “Powers” competing for influence in a region awash in oil. The Shah was deposed, his son installed in his place even though the Iranians were not consulted. The Middle East, then as now, had its own political issues and these were added to the complex Polish relations with Britain and with Russia. Stalin, intending to keep the Polish territory he annexed in 1939, recognized only “ethnic Poles” as Polish citizens, not Jews and Ukrainians. Still, some 6-7 thousand Jews did join despite NKVD obstructions. Anders was adamant that Jewish volunteers be accepted, and though some of his men were not welcoming, the General demanded unity and he prevailed. Ukrainians who were Polish citizens often enlisted by concealing their identity (conveniently losing their documents). Once out of Russia, they resumed their identity and the Uniate clergy joined the ranks of Roman Catholic, Jewish and Protestants chaplains. For their part, the British were wary of an influx of Jewish soldiers into their troubled Mandate Palestine, and indeed, about half deserted once they got there. Despite British pressure, Anders refused to pursue them as deserters. The most famous defector, Menachem Begin, was spared that label when Anders accepted his resignation, and the future Israeli Prime Minister returned his uniform. The Jewish civilians (the Children of Tehran) evacuated from Russia with Anders were also settled in Palestine. The Trail continued, but now with a new energy and sense of purpose. The civilians found refuge in the splendid city of Isfahan, in Beirut and Palestine, in India courtesy of two Maharajas,
in what was then British East Africa, in New Zealand and in faraway Mexico. All of them were waiting for the war to end so they could go home and rebuild their devastated country. In the Middle East, while Anders strengthened his army, education was provided for the young recruits and cadets who had missed several years of schooling. Among their stellar teachers were Jerzy Giedroyc, Wiktor Weintraub and Melchior Wańkowicz. Egalitarianism ruled, so distinctions between the well-born and the poorest were ignored. The Anders Army distinguished itself in the Middle East, in North Africa and finally in Italy. It was there that Anders told his soldiers, “You will walk the trail well-known in Polish history, from Italy to Poland” —z ziemi włoskiej do Polski— as sung in the Polish national anthem. Unfortunately, it was not to be. Chapter 18 in the book is poignantly titled, ”From Italy to Nowhere.” The interests of the “Great Powers” prevailed and the Trail once again broke up into a great many disparate routes. The Communist regime revoked Anders’s citizenship, fearing his return would inspire resistance. In the final chapters, Davies visits survivors or their descendants wherever fate took them. He surveys the literature on the subject, some of it by outstanding writers. He also lists archives that have been barely touched, all awaiting a curious, passionate, and ambitious young scholar. Trail of Hope is a wonderful book, richly illustrated with many rescued photos from private collections, a significant resource in itself. While telling the story of an odyssey without equal in modern times, it is also a social history, a story of human relations. Davies calls Anders “a great man,” and so he is. A loyal ally, an inspiration to his soldiers, and a father figure to thousands of children, they don’t make them like that every day. This is a war story like none other; a war story equally about civilians and soldiers. It is about soldiers who shared a part of their own meager pay to support the orphaned children scattered across India and Africa. For those of us who were children at the time, we remain forever in awe of the courage, strength and resilience of our soldiers, parents and guardians. If your family was part of the Trail of Hope, get a copy for every one of your grandchildren. As for the rest of our readers, I can only add that this journey makes the adventures of Paul Theroux read like a package tour to a Club Med.
Irene Tomaszewski is a writer and founding president of the Montreal-based Canadian Foundation for Polish Studies and program director of “Poland in the Rockies.” She is the author of Inside a Gestapo Prison 1942-44: The Letters of Krystyna Wituska. She co-authored Żegota: The Council for Aid to Jews in Occupied Poland 1942-45 and wrote the screenplay for a documentary by the same title produced by Sy Rotter for Documentaries International (Washington DC). She is also the Chief Editor of the online writer’s forum, cosmopolitanreview.com, a transatlantic review of things Polish in English. Ms. Tomaszewski was awarded the Lech Walesa Media Award in 2011 by President Walesa at AIPC’s International Polonaise Ball for her lifelong contributions in promoting Polish history and culture. Several of her articles have appeared in the Good News over the years.
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Mrs. Gabriella Ferr Board member of Shelton Academy School, Ms. Beata Paszyc, Mr. Christian Orta Social Studies Teacher Upper Academy, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel (Boys and girls) Isabella Ferr 6th grade, Daniela Zaragoza 8th grade, Allison Hidalgo 8th grade, Sebastian Diaz-Herrera 8th grade, Laura Gutierrez 8th grade, Natalia Correa 8th grade, Sebastian Fourbet 7th grade, Rodrigo Herrero 6th grade, Ricardo Herrero 8th grade, Felipe Angel 7th grade.
POLAND - MODEL UNITED NATIONS Students from the Shelton Academy in Doral, FL who participated in the Model United Nations program as representatives of Poland, visited the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Miami. They met with Honorary Consul Lady Blanka Rosenstiel and the Honorary Vice Consul Beata Paszyc and discussed their experience learning about the present challenges facing the Republic of Poland. The students (grades 6-8) and their social science teacher, Mr. Christian Orta, selected Poland because as he said, “we did not know much about Poland so we took it upon ourselves to learn more about the country.” Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is an extra-curricular activity in which students typically role play as delegates to the United Nations and simulate UN committees. Thousands of middle school, high school, and college students across the country and around the world participate in MUN, which involves research, public speaking, debating, and writ64
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ing skills, as well as critical thinking, teamwork and leadership abilities. They debate and discuss variety of issues from human trafficking, environmental changes, military power to ensure security in Poland, give speeches on the country’s position on these topics and offer possible solutions. During the meeting at the Honorary Consulate, the students asked many questions and learned more about the rich heritage of Poland, its history, famous people and facts about World War II. As a gift for their hard work, they were given books about Joseph Conrad, Madame Curie, and Polish contributions to Latin American culture, all published by AIPC, as well as colorful brochures, maps and more books on the history of Poland for their library at Sheldon Academy. It was a very refreshing and stimulating meeting with ten bright students and their teachers.
ll www.sheltonacademyschools.com
AN EXAMPLE FOR FUTURE AGES: TADEUSZ KOŚCIUSZKO’S QUEST TO FREE THOMAS JEFFERSON’S SLAVES By Monik a Gr abowsk a
Introduction At four in the morning on May 5, 1798, a covered coach stopped abruptly before a small house on the corner of Pine and Third Street in Philadelphia. Inside it sat Thomas Jefferson, then the Vice President of the United States. A servant carried an apparently disabled man from the house to join Jefferson inside the coach. This man was Tadeusz Kościuszko, a Polish General distinguished in the Revolutionary War, the leader of a failed Polish insurrection, and a close friend of Jefferson’s. The General was supposedly going to visit the mineral springs in Virginia, but in fact he was going on a secret mission to France, traveling with a false passport provided by Jefferson. To confuse any potential witnesses, the coach initially went in the opposite direction to the port of Philadelphia and continued for forty miles to meet a ship waiting in the port of New Castle in Delaware. It was during that day, before embarking on an uncertain and potentially dangerous trip to Europe, that Kościuszko signed his last Will and left it with Jefferson. This Will stipulated that all of Kościuszko’s American property was to be used by Jefferson to purchase slaves “from among his own, or any others and giving them Liberty.” The freed slaves were to be educated to become citizens, “defenders of their Liberty and Country.” Going further than the Declaration of Independence which spoke of rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” Kościuszko sought to provide a concrete means for slaves to realize these rights and be “happy and useful.” It was a radical concept at a time when slavery was especially prevalent in the U.S, with nearly one million enslaved blacks in 1800. For Kościuszko, it also meant a personal sacrifice. For the rest of his life he lived very modestly, not touching the bulk of his funds which he intended to be used for the emancipation of slaves. The Will was an expression of Kościuszko’s belief in liberty as an inalienable human right, but the private correspondence between Kościuszko and Jefferson also reveals personal motives behind Kościuszko’s altruistic act. Kościuszko viewed Jefferson as “the hope of humanity” and wanted to provide his friend with an “im-
mortal” legacy that would make him an “example for future ages.” Ultimately, Jefferson did not fulfill Kościuszko’s testament, instead leaving behind a legacy of controversies that continues today.
Kościuszko and Jefferson
The lives of Thomas Jefferson and Tadeusz Kościuszko show many parallels. The two statesmen were born around the same time - Jefferson in 1743 and Kościuszko in 1746. Both came from relatively prosperous, land-owning families whose well-being depended largely on coerced labor – black slaves in Virginia and serfs in Poland. The plight of the slaves and the serfs was a recurring theme in the subsequent political careers of the two men. Both men were well-educated and rose to national prominence, becoming leaders in the struggles for independence in their respective countries, and both participated in the American Revolution. Jefferson was the main author of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Governor of Virginia during the Revolutionary War. Kościuszko served for seven years in the Continental Army, becoming its chief engineer. When he returned to Poland in 1784, Kościuszko found the country increasingly threatened by the neighboring powers – Russia, Prussia, and Austria. He led a national insurrection against Russia and Prussia in 1794; when it failed against overwhelming military force, Poland was partitioned among the three powers and lost its independence for over a century. Still recovering from his battle wounds, Kościuszko returned to America in 1797. It was in Philadelphia, then the U.S. capital, that Kościuszko and Jefferson became close friends during the first months of 1798. They had met a few times before, once during the Revolutionary War and once in Paris, but, when Jefferson served as the U.S. Vice President, the two met frequently. At the time, the growing hostility between the French and American governments threatened war between the two counGood News
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Appendix 1. Kościuszko’s Will in the Albemarle County Circuit Court Will Book No. 1. The annotation at the bottom states that on the 12th day of May 1819 Jefferson “refused to take upon himself the burden of execution of said Will.” [Photocopy from microfilm in the Library of Virginia.]
tries. Jefferson wanted Kościuszko to undertake a secret mission to France to help convince the French that the Americans did not want war. Kościuszko hoped that by returning to Europe he could restart the struggle for an independent Poland.
Kościuszko drafts his Will
In great secrecy, Kościuszko made preparations for his trip to Europe, putting his financial affairs in order. He received his back pay from Congress for services rendered during the Revolutionary War, amounting to $12,281 plus interest. He decided to leave most of his money in America to be invested by Jefferson as he saw fit, and he lived on the interest the funds collected. On April 30, 1798, Kościuszko granted Jefferson his power of attorney and wrote down his wishes as what to do with his American fortune after his death. Despite the imperfect language, his intentions come across clearly: I beg Mr. Jefferson that in case I should die without Will or testament he should bye out of my money So many Negroes and free them. that the restante Sums should be Sufficient to give them aducation and provide for thier maintenance. that is to say each should know
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before, the duty of a Cytyzen in the free Government, that he must defend his Country against foreign as well as internal Enemies who would wish to change the Constitution for the worst, to inslave them by degree afterwards, to have good and human heart Sensible for the Sufferings of others, each must be married and have 100. Ackres of Land, wyth instruments, Cattle for tillage and know how to manage and Gouvern it as well to know behave to neybourghs, always wyth Kindnesn. and ready to help them to them’selves frugal, to ther Children give good aducation i mean as to the heart, and the duty to ther Country, in gratitude to me to make thems’elves hapy as possible. Kościuszko must have shown Jefferson this Will and asked him to be the executor. Jefferson, acting as a lawyer, edited the text and made necessary changes. Kościuszko wrote the final version of the Will in his own hand (still letting a few language errors slip in), and signed it on May 5, 1798: I Thaddeus Kosciuszko being just in my departure from America do hereby declare and direct that should I make no other testamentory disposition of my property in the United States I hereby authorise my friend Thomas Jefferson to employ the whole thereof in purchasing Negroes from among his own or any others and giving them Liberty in my name, in giving them en education in trades or othervise and
in having them instructed for their new condition in the duties of morality which may make them good neigh bours good fathers or moders, husbands or vives and in their duties as citisens teeching them to be defenders of their Liberty and Country and of the good order of Society and in whatsoever may Make them happy and useful, and I make the said Thomas Jefferson my executor of this. Both the draft and the edited version contained provisions for educating the emancipated slaves to “make them happy and useful” citizens, echoing the right of “the pursuit of happiness” in the Declaration of Independence. However, the new version of the Will also specifically enabled Jefferson to use Kościuszko’s funds to free his own slaves. By agreeing to be the executor of the Will, Jefferson effectively promised that he would give liberty in Kościuszko’s name to at least some slaves. The testament was the last document that Kościuszko signed in America. In the words of the 19th century Polish historian, Tadeusz Korzon, the testament was “proof of enthusiasm for making people happy and of complete indifference for material wealth.” It was a generous act. The account Kościuszko left with Jefferson amounted to about $12,000, equivalent to nearly $250,000 in purchasing power today. Nonetheless, Kościuszko’s testament was more of a symbolic measure than a re-
alistic way of ending slavery. Even if all of Kościuszko’s funds were used for purchasing slaves (thus neglecting the costs of education for the emancipated slaves), at most between 40 and 60 slaves could be freed, less than half of the 120 slaves that Jefferson owned at Monticello at the time. For Kościuszko, forsaking the use of his considerable American capital meant a personal sacrifice. For the remainder of his life, his main source of income was the interest collected from this capital, amounting to roughly $1,000 per year. With limited means, Kościuszko lived a “simple and modest” life. In France, he stayed in the house of a Swiss minister, essentially occupying a single room, and in the last three years of his life he lodged with the Zeltner family in Switzerland. Checks with interest were sometimes delayed for a year or more, creating hardships for Kościuszko and prompting him to write to Jefferson, “I have nothing to live on.”
Liberty “which extends to all”
Although Kościuszko never explained specifically what motivated him to designate his funds for purchasing freedom for slaves, his act can be seen as an expression of his strong convictions in the liberty and equality of all people, greatly influenced by the philosophy of the Enlightenment. In his
Appendix 2. Envelope of a letter from Jefferson to Kościuszko, dated June 28, 1814. [Photo from a microfilm in the University of Virginia Library special collections.]
words, “In nature, we are all equal. Wealth and knowledge make the only difference.” In the words of Jefferson, Kościuszko was professing “the purest form of liberty, which extends to all, not only to the rich.” His views that serfs and slaves should become citizens made Kościuszko a pioneer. He applied these views in his political actions throughout his life. In the Revolutionary War, Kościuszko retained a black aide de camp, Agrippa Hull and his black valet, Jean Lapierre, accompanied him during the 1794 insurrection in Poland and in prison in Russia. Kościuszko’s Proclamation of Połaniec granted freedom to serfs who joined the Polish insurrection and he freed the serfs on his family properties. During the insurrection, he reached out to Jews; in America he was sympathetic to the plight of the Indians. The idea that “all men are created equal” was recognized as “self-evident” in the Declaration of Independence. But in practice, the exact meaning of “all men,” in particular, if the concept included black slaves, remained vague. Jefferson, Washington, and other American leaders kept slaves while simultaneously proclaiming the ideas of universal equality. To Kościuszko, this must have seemed a contradiction.
“You Will be immortal”
Kościuszko and Jefferson corresponded with each other for almost two decades, exchanging one or two letters per year. Jefferson addressed his letters simply to “General Kosciuzko, at Paris” (sic) and sent them through the U.S. Ambassador in France (Appendix 2). Initially, Kościuszko replied in English, but later he wrote in French (Appendix 3). The two leaders often discussed contemporary events occurring on the American continent and in Europe. Kościuszko was very disappointed in how the French Revolution led to the rise of the monarchist rule of Napoleon. He was also disappointed in the Polish leaders in exile. In contrast, Kościuszko admired American democracy which he felt was “closer to the nature of men.” It is interesting that in their correspondence Kościuszko and Jefferson did not discuss slavery at all. In a letter to Kościuszko, Jefferson described in detail his life at Monticello, including his textile “household manufactures,” but avoided disclosing that Good News
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Legacy of controversies and polemics
Appendix 3. Letter from Kościuszko to Jefferson, dated March 14, 1815. [Photo from a microfilm in the University of Virginia Library special collections.]
they were operated by slaves. Kościuszko never mentioned slavery while discussing problems faced by the U.S. Nevertheless, Kościuszko’s letters to Jefferson provide an insight into his motives in writing the Will. Kościuszko had a very high opinion of Jefferson. He wrote, “Let heavens protect you, for the benefit of humanity, justice, an example and happiness for your friends.” In Kościuszko’s mind, Jefferson was more than a leader of the U.S, he was a symbol of liberty. He wrote to Jefferson when the latter became the U.S. President in 1800, advising him to always act according to the highest standards and expectations of his friends, to act without ambition for the benefit of the Republic, and to be a great man, “in one word, be Jefferson.” Kościuszko wanted Jefferson to be remembered as a great leader. “You are the only hope for the whole humanity and I would like you to be an example for future ages.” Calling on Jefferson to uphold republican principles while serving as President, Kościuszko wrote “then you will be immortal.” In light of these statements, Kościuszko’s decision to direct his funds to free Jefferson’s slaves can be seen as an effort to help Jefferson achieve an “immortal” legacy. Kościuszko believed that slavery contradicted the image of Jefferson as a symbol of freedom, and wanted to help his friend overcome its negative impact on his legacy. 68
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Remarkably, Kościuszko did not tell anyone about the Will, not even his secretary, Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz, nor did Jefferson. There is no record that anyone apart from the two was aware of the provisions of the Will until Kościuszko’s died in 1817. Ultimately, Kosciuszko’s last Will was not fulfilled. After Kościuszko’s death, Jefferson refused to act as the executor of the Will, passing the responsibility to John Cocke in 1819. Other claims to Kościuszko’s estate surfaced, resulting in litigation until 1852, and in the end none of the money was used according to Kościuszko’s original intent. To his contemporaries, Jefferson explained his refusal to act on the Will was because of his advanced age, and due to competing claims, executing the Will would have been a lengthy legal challenge. In addition, one of the main provisions of the Will – educating free blacks – was considered “unlawful assembly” under the 1819 Virginia law. Jefferson also knew that the law of 1806 required freed slaves to leave Virginia within one year. He believed that this would create a hardship for them. In his own Will, Jefferson gave freedom to several of his slaves and asked the State Assembly to let them remain where their “families and connections are.” In recent years, historians have questioned Jefferson’s motives. Some have characterized his refusal to accept Kościuszko’s legacy as “a tragic betrayal of freedom” and a manifestation of Jefferson’s racist beliefs, while others have defended him. No matter how one interprets Jefferson’s actions, they have contributed to a legacy of controversies that persist as evidenced by recent polemical books and articles. Which side of Jefferson should be remembered today – the defender of liberty or the hypocritical slave owner? In Jefferson’s writings and life one can find arguments for both views. Had Jefferson accepted Kościuszko’s testament, his legacy as a great leader in the struggle for the liberty of men would likely be less controversial today.
Conclusions
The correspondence between Kościuszko and Jefferson highlights the true motives of Kościuszko. By freeing Jefferson’s slaves, Kościuszko wanted to free Jefferson from the legacy of slavery and give him an “immortal” legacy of freedom, an example of a great leader for future ages. Instead, refused by Jefferson, the testament of Kościuszko became a part of a larger legacy of controversies surrounding Jefferson to this day. Monika Grabowska is a third year Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Virginia planning to pursue a career in medical sciences. Growing up as a second-generation PolishAmerican in Charlottesville, Virginia, a few miles from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, she became interested in the relationship between two national heroes of Poland and America Tadeusz Kościuszko and Thomas Jefferson. Her paper examining Kościuszko’s quest to free Jefferson’s slaves in light of their multi-year correspondence was a finalist of the 2015 National History Day competition.
Join Lady Blanka Rosenstiel in
SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF
POLISH LEADERS
LIVE & LEARN IN
PRAGUE This scholarship fund, created by Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, provides funding for college students from Poland to attend the American Institute on Political and Economic Systems (AIPES) in Prague, Czech Republic each summer. The premier leadership program, sponsored by The Fund for American Studies, is designed to explore the political, economic and cultural issues of the world as it grows under democratic principles. AIPES embodies diversity and culture as its cornerstone to educating future leaders. Make a contribution today, and provide a student from Poland with an unparalleled educational experience. Contact Ed Turner at 202-986-0384 or eturner@TFAS.org to contribute to the Lady Blanka Rosenstiel Scholarship Fund today!
Visit www.TFAS.org to learn about all of the programs sponsored by The Fund for American Studies.
CONNECT: @TFASorg
POLISH STUDENTS SPONSORED AT AIPES by Matthew Kwasiborski
Weronika Walawender, Anna Pieczyrak-Pisulinska, Lukasz Bartosik
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Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, President of the American Institute of Polish Culture, has been sponsoring Polish students attending the American Institute on Political and Economic Systems (AIPES) since 1999. Twenty-five percent of the Polish students (45 of 129) who have benefited from this great academic and cultural experience have received scholarship support from Lady Blanka. AIPES was launched by The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) in partnership with Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic in 1993. The program takes place each summer, and it was the first international program organized by TFAS, which now hosts other programs around the world for students in the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. This summer AIPES 2017 welcomed 113 students from 41 countries to Prague for the 25th annual Institute, which ran from July 8 to July 28. We were pleased to have three outstanding Polish students joining us this summer - Lukasz Bartosik, Anna Pieczyrak-Pisulinska, and Weronika Walawender. They and the others studied conflict management, the political economy of liberty, and political philosophy. We also had four outstanding faculty members - two from Georgetown University and one each from California State University/San Marcos and Texas Tech University. All participants take four exams in every subject and if they pass, each student receives nine ECTS credits from Charles University. In addition to our core curriculum, Mr. Ivan Miklos, former Deputy Prime Minister of Slovakia and the country’s former Minister of Finance spoke about his experience reforming the Slovak economy in the late 1990s and his role advising the government of Ukraine on implementing successful reforms. AIPES then introduced Mr. Pavol Demes, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and a key player during the Velvet Revolution (also referred to as the Velvet Divorce) when Slovakia gently separated from Czechoslovakia. He talked about his role shaping civil society while forming an effective foreign policy in Slovakia in the aftermath of the Velvet Divorce. Mr. Demes then invited Dr. Leila Aliyeva, a political dissident from Azerbaijan and current fellow at the Prague Center for Civil Society, and Dr. Cyril Svoboda, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, to join him for his two sessions at AIPES. The three Polish participants also had a terrific opportunity to share their country’s history and culture with the rest of the group during AIPES annual cultural presentations evening. As new graduates of AIPES, the Polish students now join the ranks of nearly 17,000 alumni of The Fund for American Studies, representing more than 100 nations around the world! On July 28th, the AIPES 2017 students attended a formal graduation ceremony at the beautiful 14th century Carolinum, a great symbol of Charles University. We were honored to host H.E. Ambassador Ines Troha from the Croatian Embassy, who spoke on behalf of Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic. President Grabar-Kitarovic was the recipient of our AIPES Freedom Award. The Fund for American Studies wishes to thank The American Institute of Polish Culture, and especially Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, for the continued support of Polish students attending AIPES. We are proud of all of our Polish alumni and we hope that the future leaders of Poland will continue to attend our program.
by Thomas Bertorelli Textbooks are often taken for granted in education. While they are usually seen as a space where the facts of history are recorded, less attention is paid to the sometimes difficult and contentious process of assembling a shared historical narrative. The work of the West German-Polish Textbook Commission was one such undertaking. Striving to come to terms with the actions of the past, this cooperative project sought to produce a shared history of traumatic conflicts and helped pave the way for national reconciliation. The history of German aggression against Poland, including World War II and the partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 18th century, was a huge obstacle for developing German-Polish relations during the Post War years. This obstacle, in addition to Europe’s division into the Eastern and Western Blocs, hindered the development of international relations and also led to contradictory national memories. As a result, schoolchildren were taught opposing histories about German atrocities in Poland, whether the German-Polish border was actually marked by the Oder and Neisse Rivers, and the forced relocation of Germans and Poles. To remedy this issue, the Joint Polish-German Commission of Historians and Geographers for the Revision of School Textbooks was established in 1972. Founded on the initiative of the German and Polish Commissions for the United Na-
tions Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Commission reopened scholarly dialogue after decades marked by non-communication. At the forefront were cross-national discussions that sought to reach a consensus on historical relations between the two countries. Such work focused on the revision of geography and history textbooks, which reflected old concepts, distortions, and bitterness that had been passed through the generations. In April 1976, the Commission published their “Recommendations on History and Geography Textbooks in the Federal Republic of Germany and the People’s Republic of Poland,” which outlined uniform results for both German and Polish textbook authors. Notably, this included information about Germany’s past wrongs and oppressive policies toward Poland as well as a demand for “active consideration of the Polish culture’s independent development and achievements.” Implemented textbook changes
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HARRIET IRSAY SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT ESSAY
TEXTBOOKS AND DIPLOMACY
resulted in a decrease in negative Polish stereotypes among West Germans as well as a growing national consciousness that Germany was not just a victim but also a perpetrator during World War II. The Recommendations report, however, was complicated by the political climate of the 1970s. The fact that the work of the Commission began in the Cold War era meant that the Commission was constantly influenced by the political conditions of the time. Topics such as the secret Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and the Katyn Massacre were excluded from the original Recommendations because pressures exerted by the Soviet Union constrained and censored Polish members from speaking freely. In spite of this, the Commission was remarkable for being the only sustained forum during the Cold War where scholars and teachers met, exchanged views, and formed personal bonds. Even in the face of Soviet influence, the Commission allowed researchers to build networks that crossed political borders and created an atmosphere of scholarly openness. This forthright attitude towards a shared history had the additional benefit of supporting mutual trust and understanding in German-Polish relations. The Polish-German Textbook Commission, which met as recently as 2008, set an international example for how opening lines of communication can pave the way for trust-building and reconciliation between countries. As a matter of fact, the Polish-German Commission is a successful model upon which other efforts have been based, including those between Japan and South Korea. Such cooperation is a testament to the importance of sustained dialogue in enacting change and achieving reconciliation.
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HARRIET IRSAY SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT ESSAY 72
WORLD CLASS MINDS By Marysia Mosk al
During my search for colleges in the fall, I attended a Computer Science day at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. A couple of professors gave lectures to the group about areas of Computer Science that they were researching, including the history of Computer Science. In this lecture, I first heard the name Stefan Banach, a mathematician who contributed many of his mathematical discoveries to Computer Science. After the half-hour presentation, my Dad told me that the mathematician was Polish. This sparked my interest since it connected me to my heritage, so I decided to read and learn about this individual. Through my research, I learned that Stefan Banach was a professor at Lwów Polytechnic and formed the Lwów School of Mathematics. The Lwów School of Mathematics was a group of Polish mathematicians who worked be-
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tween the two World Wars and published in a journal Studia Mathematica. Banach was the first mathematician to conceive the idea of functional analysis in his major work Theory of Linear Operations, as well as the idea of Banach algebra and Banach space. He began to study and develop these ideas early on because even before completing his B.S. degree at Lwów Polytechnic, he was offered a position as an Assistant Professor at the school by Professor Hugo Steinhaus. He went on to study for a PhD in mathematics and was encouraged to write his PhD thesis on functional analysis. In the mathematician group that Banach formed, they did not conduct their work in a traditional setting like a lab or office, but rather they met at the now famous Scottish Café where they created and wrote problems that they put into a book they called, The Scottish Book. Those who solved a problem were given a prize for their accomplishment. The Scottish Book was published worldwide but ironically not in Poland. In 1972, a Swedish mathematician, Per Enflö, solved problem #153 in the book and was awarded a living goose. However, some of the problems in this book are still not solved till this day. Before WWII, some of the mathematicians stayed at the Lwów Polytechnic while many others departed to avoid the war. The most famous to leave was Stanislaw Ulam, who immigrated to the United States and became a Harvard professor. During the war, he worked on the Manhattan Project and later created the Teller-Ulam design of the thermonuclear bomb. Another famous Polish mathematician who left Poland during this time was Mark Kac, who eventually became a professor at Cornell University. He studied the theory of probability and started the research of spectral theory with his question about whether, “Can one hear the shape of a drum.” During WWII, many Polish scientists and mathematicians were killed by Germans who wanted to annihilate all Polish intelligensia. One of the largest massacres was at the beginning of July 1941, at Wzgórza
Wuleckie, where five mathematicians were murdered along with approximately forty other Polish scientists. Others like Banach survived the German invasion by changing their occupations and getting false IDs. Banach began to work at the Institute for Study of Typhus and Virology where he became a feeder of lice. Although he was at risk of getting infected with Typhus there, this job saved him from being sent to a German concentration camp. Władysław Hugo Steinhaus, later a professor at Wrocław University, survived by assuming a different name and hiding in small villages. However, some like Stanislaw Mazur, escaped the war by running away with the Russians from Poland and collaborating with the Soviets. This allowed him to survive and he ended up working at the University of Warsaw. Even though this group of mathematicians impacted the science of math throughout the whole world, they have been virtually unknown in Poland for over five decades. This is because they studied at Lwów which was taken by the Soviet Union after WWII, and the culture and science of Lwów were not to be mentioned by the people in Poland due to communist authorities’ censorship.
YULETIDE CHEER The American Institute of Polish Culture and the Chopin Foundation of the United States ended another busy and successful year with their annual Christmas party on December 20, 2016. Over 80 people attended - members, contributors, volunteers, supporters and other long time friends. There were also a few new faces who we hope will become members and make our celebration part of their yearly yuletide cheer. Ms. Maria Blacha prepared a feast for the party, with delicate Polish style sandwiches, a variety of cheeses, and platters of fruits and sweets, all accompanied by delicious red, white and rose wines. After Lady Blanka Rosenstiel thanked everyone for
coming, and Beata Paszyc and Jadwiga Gewert talked a bit about the Institute and Foundation, a gifted young pianist, Alejandra Sarmiento, played three fantastic piano pieces. At only 11 years old, there is no doubt that she has quite a future ahead of her as a musician of exceptional talent. Then it was on to the raffle - books, piano CD’s, a Rafal Olbinski poster and a few bottles of Chopin vodka inspired guests to participate which helped us to raise funds for our organizations. The party ended with several guests happily singing Polish carols and encouraging Lady Blanka to do a solo. What a wonderful time!
Singing Christmas carols
Mr. Irving Fourchard, Mrs. Beata Paszyc
Mr. Ariel Garcia, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Ms. Eldris de la Torre, Ms. Ursula Zolnierski, Mrs. Teresa Szczpanek
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Mrs. Kazimiera Bulski, Mr. Stanley Bulski
Alejandra Sarmiento, Mrs. Jadwiga Gewert
Mr. Bronislaw Bajcar, Ms. Katarzyna Nowak, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel
Mrs. Olga Melin, Mr. Rafael Leonor, Ms. Iga Henderson
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Mr. Marek Wojcik, Ms. Alicja Schoonover
Mrs. Aneta Kulesa Mestrinelli, Iain Mestrinelli, Mrs. Kulesa
Margot McGuire, Megan McGuire, Sophia Hurwitz, Nel Velez-Paszyc, Alejandra Sarmiento
Beata Ksiazkiewicz and Fouette Ballet
DANCE IN THEIR HEARTS Having the opportunity to see young dancers in an array of costumes, skillfully performing several charming and lively arrangements to musical scores that ran the gamut from Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major to African drum beats, was a perfect way to celebrate International Dance Day on Saturday, April 29, 2017. The Aventura Arts & Cultural Center in Aventura, Florida presented the XII International Young Dancers Festival under the auspices Vladimir Issaev, Artistic Director of the Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida. Each country sent a dance company -- Denmark, Germany, Indonesia (Jakarta and Surabaya), Peru, Poland, and South Africa - and members of Mr. Issaev’s Dance Company represented the US. The Festival’s primary mission is to celebrate the love of dance and its universal appeal in every culture worldwide, since the beginning of time. The Festival rejoices in the elegance, beauty, passion, and symbolism of regional dances on stages all over the world. From the start, the idea has been to present entire shows in a different represented country every year, which has given hundreds of dance students the unique opportunity to perform in many of the world’s most sophisticated cities during the past twelve years. It is an ideal platform for those who have dance in their hearts and plan to make it their career, to experience firsthand life as a “touring” professional dancer. The Polish dancers shone with two lively and fun routines choreographed by esteemed ballet professor, Beata Ksiazkiewicz,
from the School of Dance and Ballet Fouette, Poznan. Both pieces told a short story without sacrificing agility and technique so important in accomplished ballet/dance. In Capriccio, each of the seven dancers wore a costume from seven important ballets such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Carmen, and it was performed with a light and playful attitude. On the Promenade in the XIX Century Polish Park was a humorous take of a handsome Uhlan (Polish light cavalry man) dancing the Mazur (Polish noble dance) with six lovely ladies vying for his attention. Two other companies showcased the talents of Polish directors. The Ballet School Pirouette in Rehlingen, Germany was founded and is led by Halina Kowlaska Kiefer who was born in Warsaw. Ms. Bogusia Gauden is the Ballet Teacher and Choreographer of Odense, Denmark’s Danseakademi City Ballet. The companies presented delightful pieces that had a contemporary edge. In addition, the Surabaya, Indonesia Company danced to a Frederic Chopin piece. The XIII International Young Dancers Festival in 2018 will be held in Poznan, Poland. AIPC promoted the event and the Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida invited Lady Blanka Rosenstiel who attended with her guests, Mrs. Malgorzata Markowska and Mr. Jan Drozdz. Ms. Lynne Schaefer and Mrs. Beata Paszyc of the Institute were also there. The School of Dance and Ballet Fouette presented beautiful glass plaques to Lady Blanka and Mrs. Paszyc. Good News
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Fouette Ballet and Ms. Lynne Schaefer, Ms. Beata Ksiazkiewicz, Mrs. Beata Paszyc, Sophia, Madison, Adriana, Nel, Ms. Ann Bussel ADVERTISEMENT
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Gold Seahorse
Mr. Pawel Trochimiuk and Mrs. Paulina Trochimiuk, owners of the Gold Seahorse
POLISH CATAMAR AN IN FT. LAUDERDALE Sunreef Yachts brought one of its remarkable Sunreef Supreme 68 power catamarans to the 2017 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS). Newly launched, the Gold Seahorse is the shipyard’s first Supreme 68 Power delivery to the United States. She made her American debut at FLIBS on November 2nd with a cocktail reception and she attracted a lot of attention! Captivating visitors with 3,200 sq. ft. of custom-designed living space, the vast superyacht-style saloon and impressive dinghy garage, Gold Seahorse is a prime example of Sunreef Supreme 68 Power model’s ingenuity. This revolutionary power catamaran offers the surface of a superyacht
on a unit below 70 feet, boasting an enormous main room featuring full-height glazing that opens onto the cockpit and allows direct access to the deck through sliding doors on both port and starboard sides. Gold Seahorse impresses with the onboard comfort she offers. Her innovative 4-cabin layout includes a generous master suite and a galley seamlessly integrated with the saloon, and the décor combines beige and white tones with occasional subtle touches of chrome. As with all Sunreef Supreme 68s, she is equipped with an aft garage - a truly revolutionary feature in her length range. This voluminous space allows convenient storage of a 16.4 ft. tender, up to two jet-
skis, diving gear and numerous water toys. The garage door, when lowered, creates a large aft platform that is perfect for water sports. Sunreef Yachts is strongly convinced that the ample and versatile Sunreef Supreme 68 Power perfectly suits the American market needs. This is why the shipyard chose FLIBS to premiere the new catamaran and make sure she enters the market during one of the world’s biggest marine events. To receive more information about Sunreef Yachts offerings please contact at: info@sunreef-yachts.com, www.sunreef-yachts.com
ABOUT SUNREEF YACHTS Established in Gdansk - Poland in 2002 by French businessman Francis Lapp, the Sunreef Yachts shipyard is the world leader in designing and manufacturing luxury, custom made catamarans and catamaran - superyachts that are over 60 ft in length. The company has the knowledge, experience and technical background necessary to build unique multihulls of the highest quality composite using the most advanced technology practiced in the yachting industry today. Each Sunreef made-to-order catamaran is designed in great detail by Sunreef in-house interior, naval architects and engineers for the most demanding customers, and Sunreef delivers the best in comfort, living, and safety. Every yacht boasts high-performance sailing, luxury tailor-designed accommodations, extensive living space, long (Atlantic) range and innovative design features. Thanks to the substantial distance between the two hulls and proper weight distribution, Sunreef catamarans are much more stable than monohulls. These vessels are regarded by their users as true floating villas; their significant width doubles the living space of a monohull. With exceptional space and great stability, all Sunreef Yachts make spending time aboard nothing but a pleasure. The features of Sunreef units together with world-class designs that are fully customizable and prepared upon individual request, confirms Sunreef Yachts position as the undisputed pioneer in luxury catamarans. The shipyard has launched over 100 custom sailing and power units upon individual request since it began. Sunreef Yachts offers unmatched quality to all of its satisfied customers and the numerous nominations and awards they have received from the world’s most prestigious industry contests is proof of their excellence - Asia Boating Awards 2017, Sunreef Supreme 68 sailing (Best Sailing Multihull), World Yachts Trophies 2016, Sunreef Supreme 68 (Best Layout, Yachts between 50’ and 80’) and many more.
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AFTERIMAGE “Andrzej Wajda’s Afterimage is a late masterpiece in a career already marked by many illustrious films. The 90-yearold director’s work has lost none of its force of outrage over the years, but this film carries extra resonance in light of the contemporary situation in Poland, even though the film is set in the dark days of Soviet communist rule. Based on the life of the avant-garde artist Wladyslaw Strzeminski, it blazes with energy, passion, and controlled fury as it follows the life of a man who refuses to bend to official ideology, even when it threatens his very existence.” Piers Handling The Miami Film Festival (MFF) has brought dozens of light and heavy, uplifting and intense, fanciful and realistic, joyful and gritty, and happy and soul-searing movies to Miami for over three decades. These are films that may not always be mainstream features nor garner a huge audience, but each film does present a beautifully crafted, thoughtful story with intellectually stimulating points of view that stay with the viewer long after the final credits. MFF is committed to bringing these wonderful contributions from around the world. On March 6, 2017, the American Institute of Polish Culture partnered with MFF for a reception following the film, Afterimage, shown at the trendy Lincoln Center’s Regal Theater in Miami. Written and directed by the renowned Polish director, Andrzej Wajda, it is a perfect example of quality filmmaking that has been produced in Poland for decades. Afterimage was Wajda’s last project before he died in 2016. When the Second World War ended; and as a result of the 1945 Yalta Agreement between Great Britain represented by Churchill, the U.S. by Roosevelt and Russia by Stalin, a Communist government was installed in Poland. Many Poles felt betrayed by their wartime allies and dozens of Polish soldiers refused to return to Poland because of Soviet repression. The movie captures this 78
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post-WWII period when the Russian-imposed totalitarian regime in Poland began to crush any creativity not sanctioned by communists, and how it destroyed those who were unwilling to compromise their vision for the oppressors. Countless Poles suffered horribly at the hands of the suppressors, but none more than citizens who were well-to-do, cultured or educated as they could, and did whenever possible, expose the true tyranny of the new order. In the 1950’s, internationally known avant-garde artist and theoretician, Wladyslaw Strzeminski, who was also a founder of the Higher School of Plastic Arts in Lodz, became a target of relentless suppression because of his refusal to denounce his artistic beliefs and expressions. What happened to him and to so many others in the arts who opposed the regime’s mandates makes for a powerful, disturbing and ultimately very sad story, and one Andrzej Wajda lived through. He too was forced to endure extreme censorship and possible professional and personal ruin, but he managed to secretly put together films that won worldwide acclaim and praise. AIPC plans to continue our ongoing collaboration with MFF in supporting cutting edge films that represent a cross-section of life in Poland - past and present.
Mr. Zbigniew Waczynski with Friends
Mrs. Elzbieta Piotrovsky, Ms. Iga Henderson, Mrs. Jadwiga Gewert, Ms. Jadwiga Garbacik
Mrs. Klaudia Juniewicz, Ms. Lynne Schaefer, Dr. Michel Pawlowski, Mrs. Jolanta Knight
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Tour participants
Ms. Beata Paszyc with “Pepper” Mastercard Robot
STUDY TOUR IN MIAMI By Annette Alvarez Three days, that was all the time that ten visitors from Poland were going to spend in Miami. So where to start? If it was only for fun, that would be easy, head to South Beach and enjoy the people watching on Ocean Drive and the waves of the Atlantic. Next visit Wynwood, to marvel at the vibrant and provocative murals. Finally, on the last day take a noisy airboat ride in the River of Grass, and see alligators and wildlife in the Everglades before heading back for a cafecito on Calle Ocho, take that final dip in the ocean, and do last minute shopping. However, this was no ordinary vacation. This was a study tour for eight MBA students/professionals and two administrators from Wyższe Szkoły Bankowe (WSB) Universities from Chorzów, Gdańsk, Poznań, and Toruń. This group needed professional appointments along with the requisite cultural sites and sounds. They got both with the help of Global Ties Miami and The International Student Company. Meetings and visits to MasterCard and Barfield, Inc. brought MBA studies into focus and discussions on growth strategies, competitive advantage, embracing and preparing for disruption, and recognizing opportunity were the conversations of the day. They were expecting that, but they were not expecting to find Poland in Miami! Imagine their surprise and delight when introduced to Beata Paszyc, Honorary Vice Consul of the Republic of Poland and Executive Director of The American Institute of Polish Culture. She provided context and perspective to what they were seeing and bridged the distance between our two nations. The three days spent in Miami were the start of 10 days in the US., traveling on to Washington, D.C. then to Columbus, Ohio and finally back home. Our friends from Poland took with them memories that will last a lifetime, but they left something too - an impression on the people whom they met. Aside from geography, traditions and language, we have a lot more in common than at first glance. That is a valuable lesson best learned outside the classroom. 80
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Annette Green Alvarez, Executive Director of Global Ties Miami since 2005, has welcomed almost three thousand international visitors to Miami. They were participants of U.S. Department of State professional exchange programs from the International Visitor Leadership Program, Open World Leadership Program, the Fulbright Program, Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and most recently the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI). Her efforts in promoting global, social, diplomatic, and cultural ties were recognized by proclamations from the City of Miami, and the Mayor and Commissioners of Miami-Dade County. She earned a B.A. in Modern Languages from Texas A&M University. She is a former member of the Global Ties U.S. Board of Directors. For more than fifty years, the Miami Council for International Visitors, now known as Global Ties Miami, has arranged serious, substantive meetings across South Florida for individuals on US Department of State international exchange programs. They ask their members to host visitors for dinner in their homes, and what starts as an evening of polite and interesting conversation becomes a unique and memorable “dinner diplomacy.” Strangers become friends, perhaps never to see one another again, but secure in the knowledge that for one evening all was right in the world. For more information, visit the website, www.GlobalTiesMiami.org or telephone 305-421-6344
by W. Paul Hogge Contrary to some years ago, there is a belief that Poland now has exceptional academics. Recently, the home of Copernicus has reformed some of its education policies and these improvements are changing the world. One teacher writes “The children of the students I taught are now the Polish generation that is outpacing much of the world in academic achievement.” It’s not surprising that families in Poland care strongly about education and education reform, and that these developments will be a true catalyst for positive change. Another teacher states that, “Poles take great pride in knowledge; acquiring it and showing it off. I was always amazed… by how much more Poles knew about American and English literature, the history of mathematics, and how to use math and science.” After the fall of communism, Polish schools lagged far behind the rest of the world and unfortunately still relied on course materials from the Stalinist 1950s. Students were trained to go into careers in heavy industry that were largely meaningless because the industries were long outdated. Times had changed and leaders saw the need to also refresh the education system in order to find prosperity. In the 1990’s, Poland began to “create new and more rigorous national academic standards, allowing the creation of private schools, crafting better systems to identify struggling students and get them needed help, and providing for teachers and building new schools.” At the time, Poland’s Education Minister said “We have to move the entire system – push it out of its equilibrium.” The World Bank states that the Polish reform started with an increase in basic education for children, meaning anywhere from 11 to 13 years of schooling. Gone were the days of heading to vocational school at age 14. Additionally, one of the key goals of the new configuration
was to raise the quality and relevance of the secondary education, a system that made it more suitable for the new competencies needed for a knowledge-based economy. Schools made structural changes in the curriculum as well, creating a core curriculum that focused on “acquiring knowledge, developing skills, and shaping attitudes.” This philosophy was a total reset. Following these changes, the results were remarkable. By 2012, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development revealed that Poland was one of the best teaching countries on earth. Similarly, Programme for International Student Assessment reading scores were tracked over time and eventually went from average to above average to ranking 9th globally. The World Bank notes that the two major contributors of this increase from the aforementioned policy changes were (1) students receiving more than four hours of language class, and (2) better access to the internet. What might be most astounding is that the change wasn’t due to a significant inflow of money or funding. Poland spends about $5,000 per student per year, but still outperforms the U.S., which spends about three times this amount. That said, some teachers are upset with the low pay and high demands of a teaching position in Poland. Pay is approximately two-thirds of the average worker compensation. Although the reforms that are close to twenty years old are considered successful, there are still calls for new reform. A USA Today article records one teacher saying “we’ve asked many times for the reform of teacher training because they are not good enough for these times. We need new attitudes, programs and better preparations for future challenges.” In response to the calls for change, Poland’s current Education Minister, Anna Zalewska, recently announced school reforms to extend primary education and vocational schools. Now, you might ask yourself, “Why is this important?” Poland has one of the youngest populations in Europe, and this influx of Polish talent will be entering the workforce and affecting the Polish economy. Although there was significant turmoil during and after Russian occupation, Poland has now become a beacon of hope for education reform. There are still adjustments that can and will be made, but countries like the U.S. can take a few lessons from Poland. Education is worth the time and effort. This investment will pay dividends for a long time moving forward.
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HARRIET IRSAY SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT ESSAY
POLISH EDUCATION REFORM
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CHOPIN FOUNDATION OF THE UNITED STATES With renewed excitement and enthusiasm, the Chopin Foundation is pleased to present another season of Chopin’s music to an audience that has been growing since the organization was incorporated in 1977 - 40 years ago!
The Chopin for All free concert seJadwiga “Viga” Gewert ries is unique to South Florida and provides public concert opportuniExecutive Director ties for young outstanding pianists. By showcasing these rising stars, we help them achieve wider recognition and performance experience. The Chopin Salon Concerts present masters of the piano in the elegant setting of the La Gorce Country Club, and collaborations with other local organizations brings even more classical music to the community. Please see the following 2017-18 concert listing. Our Scholarship Program for Young American Pianists has been helping piano students perfect their interpretations of Chopin’s music, thereby preparing them for the next Chopin Competitions in Miami and in Warsaw.
Chopin Salon Concert Series Yves Henry
November 19, 2017
Internationally acclaimed French pianist. Underwritten by Barnes International Realty Miami
Mei-Ting Sun
January 21, 2018
Winner of the 2005 National Chopin Piano Competition Underwritten by Ligia Wiegand
Andrew Armstrong and Frank Almond April 15, 2018
Silver Medalist of the 1995 National Chopin Piano Competition & concertmaster of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Underwritten by David and Olga Melin
The young Americans we support have been winning awards in Warsaw, and at other important piano Competitions. Our three regional Chopin Councils carry out our mission in their respective areas with music festivals and Young Pianists Competitions. For details, please visit their websites. • San Francisco (www.chopinSF.org) • Seattle (www.chopinnw.org) and • Virginia (http://www.chopininbarboursville.org) When in Florida, San Francisco, Seattle or Virginia, please join us to enjoy the music of Frédéric Chopin live in concert. For all these years we have been fortunate to continue presenting our programs and assisting a growing number of talented young musicians achieve success nationally and internationally. All of this has been possible thanks to the generosity of those who share our passion. We are immensely grateful for their contributions. Please visit www.chopin.org to find out more on our programs.
4 pm • La Gorce Country Club 5685 Alton Road • Miami Beach, Florida
Salon Concerts and wine reception are FREE for Chopin Members Non-Members are also welcome: $50 (concert + reception) Elegant buffet dinner optional: $60 (wine & tip included) Cocktail Attire Requested
Reservations Required: 305-868-0624 • info@chopin.org
www.chopin.org
Chopin for All
FREE Concert Series
Underwritten by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits
Concerts are presented in two locations Saturdays at 3 pm
Broward County Main Library • 100 S. Andrews Avenue • Fort Lauderdale
Sundays at 3 pm
Granada Presbyterian Church • 950 University Drive • Coral Gables
November 4 & 5, 2017 Elzbieta Bilicka
March 3 & 4, 2018 Kate Liu
December 2 & 3, 2017 Tim Jones
April 21 & 22, 2018
Winner of the 2017 Music Teachers National Association’s Piano Performance Competition
Young Pianists Concerts Selected local piano students in an all-Chopin program
January 13 & 14, 2018 Alex Beyer
May 19 & 20, 2018 Drew Petersen
Laureate of the 2016 International Paderewski Competition
Prize winner of the 2015 National Chopin and 2016 International Queen Elisabeth Piano Competitions
February 10 & 11, 2018 Athena Tsianos
An outstanding young American pianist
Partnership Concerts (305) 868-0624
www.chopin.org Pianos for all programs generously provided by
Bronze Medalist of the 2015 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw
Winner of the 2017 American Pianists Award
ADMISSION FREE!
No Tickets Required for Chopin for All Concerts. Seating on a first-come-first-served basis. Plan to arrive early!
Ewa Danilewska February 25, 2018 • 5 PM
Outstanding young Polish pianist In partnership with the Village of Key Biscayne ADMISSION FREE Key Biscayne Community Center 10 Village Green Way, Key Biscayne
Rafal Blechacz April 17, 2018 • 8 PM
Winner of the 2005 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw. In partnership with Miami Friends of Chamber Music Tickets: www.miamichambermusic.org Coral Gables Congregational Church
The Last Goodbye FAMILY, FAITH, FORTITUDE Anthony Edward “Ed” Kruszewski was a first generation Polish-American born in 1924 in New York City. He excelled in school during his youth and throughout his university years, and developed a great love of aviation. He attended several technical schools for aircraft, including the Curtis Aeronautical Institute for Aviation Engineering. He began his military service with the Army Air Corps in February 1942 during WWII and left on March 2, 1946. Afterward he spent a few years in Hawaii to help re-establish the aircraft maintenance and inspection department at Hickman Field and Wheeler US Air Force bases. He also took courses at the University of Hawaii for Federal Aviation Agency Licensed Aircraft and Power Plant Engineering. Ed continued building a career in aviation by holding various positions in the field, and in 1963 he started his own business in Miami, Florida--U.S. Airmotive Inc.--which he led with great success for 40 years. The highly regarded company has satellite corporations in Singapore, Washington DC, New York and California and representatives in many countries. It is a leading supply source for foreign and domestic airlines with services that include manufacturing and overseeing franchise dealers, aircraft brokers and distributors, as well as repairs. Ed was also involved as a consultant and member of diverse organizations. He was part of the American government’s trade missions to Russia, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, and he worked with President Eisenhower’s non-profit People to People initiative. It was created to foster cultural exchange programs among all countries by offering international student ambassador travel, domestic leadership ambassador summits and forums, international collegiate ambassador travel, and international citizen ambassador travel for industry professionals. Ed was also active in several South Florida universities’ educational programs with an emphasis on Aviation and Poland. In 1949, Ed met Rose Kuzma in New York and she became his bride two years later. Both Rose and Ed were very proud of their Polish heritage, and during their 66 years of marriage, they were involved in numerous Polish and Polish-American organizations, including The American Institute of Polish Culture. Both served on the Board of the Directors from its early years, and both have been an integral part of the Institute’s growth and accomplishments during the past four decades. Ed personally received an Order of Merit from President Lech Walesa on behalf of the Polish government for his enduring dedication to Polonia. Both have also spent a lifetime being guided by a strong love for the Catholic faith. 84
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Ed died on May 8, 2017 at the age of 94. He is survived by Rose, their four children, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He was a man of far reaching vision and fortitude who will be remembered for his achievements in the world of aviation, and for his kindnesses, love of life, dedication to following his dreams, and the vast knowledge he gave so often to so many. He was interred at his and Rose’s beloved National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. One of Ed’s favorite statements was, “I feel like a kid inside,” and his seemingly boundless energy and enthusiasm proved it over and over again. Our deepest sympathy goes to Rose and her family. Ed will live on in our fond memories.
Ms. Beata Paszyc, Mrs. Anna Pietraszek, Lady Blanka Rosenstiel, Prof. Andrzej Hendrich and Polish Delegation
OUR VISITORS The American Institute of Polish Culture’s doors are always open for visitors. Each year several people come to see the offices and, most especially, to meet Lady Blanka. In 2016-2017 we had a few international and domestic guests: David Ensor, veteran television and radio journalist and former Director of Voice of America, came by with colleagues, Ms. Mr. David Ensor, Ms. Beata Paszyc, Ms. Beata Stylianos, Ms. Katarzyna Kaczmarczyk, Ms. Lynne Schaefer Beata Stylianos, a prominent Polish-American businesswoman, and Ms. Kasia Kaczmarczyk, a Chicago prosecutor. Mr. Ensor has recently taken on leadership of the Defense Writers Group, a part of the new Project for Media and National Security at George Washington University (GW) in Washington DC. He is also the first Walter R. Roberts fellow in GW’s Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication. World renowned pianist, Marek Drewnowski, stopped in to say hi after a successful recital for the Chopin Foundation in Miami Beach the night before. In October a group of professors and fac- Mr. Marek Drewnowski signing guest book ulty from Polish universities in Warsaw, Wroclaw, Poznan and Krakow also visited. They participated in a study tour to help recruit students from the US to study programs abroad at their universities. Conrad and Ivona Lowell, introduced to AIPC by Vice President Barbara Cooper, also dropped in for a visit. They are the proprietors of Lowell Foods, the largest distributor of Polish foods in America. Since their visit, they have been truly generous in donating pounds of Polish delicacies for our parties, the Polonaise Ball goodie bags and other events. Ms. Lynne Schaefer, Ms. Beata Paszyc, Mrs. Maria Blacha, Mr. Marek Drewnowski, Ms. Jadwiga Gewert
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VOLUNTEERS Volunteers are the backbone of many non-profit organizations and events, and their dedication, skills and generous donation of their time are beyond measure and essential to the success of AIPC. We hope you will consider becoming a volunteer for us. Typical duties include proofreading our publications, preparations for the Annual International Polonaise Ball, promoting Institute activities and events, recruiting new members and students for the scholarship program, and archiving documents and other materials. Volunteers are welcome to use the Institute’s library and other educational resources.
Maria Blacha Douglas Evans Jadwiga Gewert Andrew Low Patrick Misiewicz Sebastian Misiewicz Barbara Muze
Sarah Okon Grzegorz Okon Maggie Sadowski Alicja Schoonover Zbigniew Slabicki Natalie Swatowski Zbigniew Waczynski
Please call if you would like to donate some of your time. We would love to see you! Contact: (305) 864-2349 or director@ampolinstitute.org
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THE CIRCLE OF GIVING “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” Author unknown A personal favorite of Lady Blanka, this quote is a simple yet eloquent sentiment for a life of giving back. It is a truth that Lady Blanka strives to live by and it clearly defines what she envisioned for The American Institute of Polish Culture when it was founded in 1972. The numerous educational and cultural programs presenting new ideas and scholarship that the Institute has offered for over four decades, stand as a testament to a lifelong commitment in giving that lifts others up and brings untold benefits to thousands of people. But the Institute’s mission could not have been achieved without the truly generous support of friends and members who opened their hearts and never thought twice about giving. Their contributions have ensured that AIPC can continue with current programs and events, and continue to develop new ones that enrich so many lives. Programs such as the Blanka Rosenstiel Lecture Series on Poland at FIU and
the and the fund created for Polish Studies at the University of Virginia, the Kosciuszko Chair at IWP, the publications and special projects, and the Harriet Irsay Scholarship Fund continue to flourish. All of these worthy programs are made possible by our largest fundraiser, the annual International Polonaise Ball, membership dues, and donations we receive from around the world. Another way to contribute is through an individual’s estate planning. Once a family’s needs have been taken care of in a will, a thoughtful bequest to the Institute would be deeply appreciated. Bequests are critically important to AIPC; they provide a source of support that is not subject to fluctuations in the economy and are essential to the future of our work. Bequests come from individuals whose belief in what we do has always been integral to our success. By creating an endless circle of giving, we all leave a legacy of hope, passion and love for future generations.
THANKS TO OUR DONORS....
...for opening your hearts and never thinking twice about giving. Your generosity makes it possible for us to continue with our current programs and to develop new ones that enrich lives, such as the International Polonaise Ball, 50th Anniversary Chronicle, Blanka Rosenstiel Lecture Series on Poland at FIU, publications and special projects, and the Harriet Irsay Scholarship Fund. We are truly grateful. Thank you!
Donors in 2017 - 2018 Mr. Juan Carlos Avila Mrs. Ruby Bacardi Mr. Bronislaw Bajcar Mr. & Mrs. Ellsworth Benson, III Mr. Boleslaw “Bill” Biega Mr. & Mrs. Amedeo Guazzini Mrs. Rose Kruszewski Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Kupiszewski, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Howard Laks Mrs. Henrietta Partyka Drs. Pospieszalski Baron Jason Psaltides Mr. & Mrs. Mark Reich Ms. Alicja Schoonover Ms. Emily Silver Dr. & Mrs. Andrew Ukleja Mr. Richard Wiermanski Fr. John W. Yanta
Other Donors Clientele Lowell Foods Notorious Pink Rosé Rosenstiel Foundation Source Corp. Southern Audio Visual Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits StationAmerica Toroso Investments Good News
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The American Institute of Polish Culture Membership and Contributions Title (Please check one): Mr.
Mrs. Miss Ms. Dr. Other:
First Name
Last Name
Address City
State_______________ Zip ______________
Home Phone ______________ Work Phone ____________ Cell Phone ______________ Fax ______________________ Email
Membership
Tax Exempt Donations Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law
Annual Membership Fees (non-tax deductible) Please check one:
Student
free
Individual
$50
Family
$75
Membership includes a free copy of the Good News publication, a discount on books published by AIPC, member-only open-houses and announcements for all cultural events organized by the Institute.
(in the following categories) Please check one:
Sponsor Supporter Patron Benefactor Angel Other Amount
$250 $500 $1,000 $2,500 $5,000 $ _______________
Please designate the amount and the programs which you would like your donation to fund:
Blanka Rosenstiel Lecture Series on Poland at FIU
$ _________
Harriet Irsay Scholarship
$ _________
International Polonaise Ball
$ _________
Publications
$ _________
Special Projects
$ _________
Visiting Professors
$ _________
Many of our supporters have remembered AIPC in their will while also providing for their family. A bequest will provide the continuing
Signature ________________________________________ Date____________________________ Please make checks payable to: The American Institute of Polish Culture, Inc. 1440 79th Street Causeway, Suite 117, Miami, FL 33141, Tel: 305.864.2349, info@ampolinstitute.org www. ampolinstitute.org
DUES, DONATIONS and ALL OTHER PAYMENTS CAN NOW BE MADE ON OUR WEBSITE 88
Good News
FOR YOUR READING PLEASURE For Your Reading Pleasure
AIPC has published several books about Polish culture, history, science and ties with other nations. We are proud of this accomplishment and several of them gracehistory, shelvesscience in libraries, homes, AIPC has published several books about Polish culture, and ties with other nations. We are proud of this accomplishment and several them grace shelves in are libraries, homes, schools and organizations across America. schools and organizations across America. All of of the titles listed below available in hardcover All version of the titles listedAmazon. below are availablewill in hardcover or in Kindle version from us or in Kindle through Members receive a from 40% us discount on the pricesthrough Amazon. Members will receivefrom a 40% discount on the when purchasing from us by using this form or via our website, listed when purchasing us by using this formprices or vialisted our website, ampolinstitute.org. ampolinstitute.org. Each of these books reflect a love of Poland, her people and the contributions that they have made the world over. You can learn about the great 19th century writer, Joseph Conrad, who was Each ofand these booksnovels reflectand a love of Poland, people and the contributions that they have made the world over. a beloved son of Poland whose short storiesher remain international classics today. th You can learn about the great 19 century writer, Joseph Conrad, who was a beloved son of Poland and whose novels Who has not heard of Marie Skłodowska Curie? Her research into radioactivity and her discovand short stories remain international classics today. Who has not heard of Marie Skłodowska Curie? Her research eries of the important elements of polonium and radium changed the world. For over 600 years, into radioactivity and her discoveries of the important elements of polonium and radium changed the world. For over the Black Madonna600 of Częstochowa imbuedofher believers with a sense her of protection andathere years, the Blackhas Madonna Częstochowa has imbued believers with sense of protection and there have have been many stories about this iconic image throughout the ages. And a great Polish statesbeen many stories about this iconic image throughout the ages. And a great Polish statesman's sage advice is man’s sage advice beautifully is beautifully presented in a handsome volume of theof words of wisdom presented in a handsome volume worthyworthy of the words wisdom that are said to have inspired President that are said to have inspired President Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson. Add to your own book collection, help young students broaden their horizons, or donate to a local library. Your purchases will go toward the Institute’s commitment to provide variety of wonderful and or cultural universities Add ongoing to your own book collection, help ayoung students broadeneducational their horizons, donateprograms to a localatlibrary. Your and in purchases will go toward Institute's commitment to provide a beauty, variety of wonderful educational and cities across America. We are dedicated to the investing in a ongoing future filled with knowledge and and we believe you are too! cultural programs at universities and in cities across America. We are dedicated to investing in a future filled with knowledge and beauty, and we believe you are too! “The reading of all good books is like a conversation
with the finest of past "The reading of all good books is like aminds conversation with thecenturies.” finest minds of past centuries." Rene Descartes (1596-1650) Rene Descartes (1596-1650)
I am interested in learning more of Poland's history and culture. Please send the following book(s) to me at the address below. Thank you! The Saga of A Nation, 5 volume set, by Pawel Jasienica: The Piast Poland - out of print; Kindle version available only through Amazon.com Jagiellonian Poland I. The Silver Age II. Calamity of the Realm III. The Tale of Agony Boxed set of The Saga of A Nation - very limited - only a few left Conrad and His Contemporaries, by J.J. Retinger Madame Curie-Daughter of Poland, by Robert Woznicki Meetings with the Madonna, by Jan Dobraczynski Polish Contributions to Latin American Culture, by E.S. Urbanski The Accomplished Senator, by Wawrzyniec Goslicki - gilded volume The Accomplished Senator, by Wawrzyniec Goslicki - no gilding The Polish Presence in America by Julian Zebrowski; Kindle version not available at this time True Heroes of Jamestown, by Arthur Leonard Waldo - out of print; Kindle version available only through Amazon.com Sub-Total Discount TOTAL PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE SHIPPING AND HANDLING, so please call us for information before you place your order
NAME ADDRESS CITY
STATE
N/A $ 25.00 $ 25.00 $ 25.00 $ 25.00 $125.00 $ 12.00 $ 20.00 $ 12.00 $ 22.00 $ 45.00 $ 35.00 $ 35.00 N/A (
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EMAIL ZIP
ALL OUR BOOKS CAN ALSO BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR WEBSITE AT www.ampolinstitute.org Mail your order to The American Institute of Polish Culture 1440 79th Street Causeway, Suite 117, Miami, FL 33141 Or fax it to 305-864-5150 or email to info@ampolinstitute.org If you have any questions, please call 305-864-2349
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THANK YOU MEMBERS! November 2016 - November 2017
A big welcome to our new members! This year we rolled out a new promotion that included membership with the purchase of each ticket to our International Polonaise Ball and Brunch. We now have over 225 active members and we could not be happier! Your support and generosity allows us to bridge generations and nations by promoting Polish heritage and helping to build a strong Polish presence in America. And welcome back to those who have renewed their membership! We are thrilled you are part of the Institute again. By renewing year after year, you are helping us grow into a respected resource for Polish history and culture in the US and abroad. Our members are truly the backbone of our organization! We thank you all for being part of our past and part of our future. In 2017, the Institute celebrated 45 years of promoting and supporting the rich heritage of Poland in the US and honoring the many contributions made by Poles. Our programs focus on cultural and education, which are presented in the yearly Good News magazine. Our Annual International Polonaise Ball is our primary fundraiser, but we also rely on the generosity of our friends across the globe. Please help us stay current and build the best non-profit we can! We want to Update our database, so please send or email us your current address, phone # and email. Please also Renew your membership or Join as a new member. Only $50 per individual and $75 per family. Invite your family and friends! Be part of our thriving, well-established and prestigious organization. We want to Keep in Touch!. Membership is available online at www.ampolinstitute.org or you can send a check. Donations are tax-deductible.
1440 79th Street Causeway Suite 117 Miami FL 33141 90
Good News
Tel. 3058642349 info@ampolinstitute.org www.ampolinstitute.org
The American Institute of Polish Culture 1440 79th Street Causeway, Suite 117 Miami, Florida 33141, USA $15.00