Voice America! - Polish American Congress

Two Days That Annually Honor Tadeusz Kościuszko Pg. 3 ■ PAC-VP Debbie Majka’s Speech Pg. 5
The Polish Constitution of 1791 Pg. 6 ■ Polish American Leadership Meetings in D.C. Pg. 8
Long Island Division Hosts Prominent Polish Visitors Pg. 9 ■ The 1,050th Anniversary
of Poland’s Christianization Pg. 10 ■ Humanitarian Awards Event Pg. 11
June 2016
Polish American Congress
Volume 3, Number 3
in
President’s Message
Dear Directors,
Recently, I had the opportunity to represent the Polish American Congress
in Vilnius, Lithuania in celebration of the 225th anniversary of Poland’s
Constitution. During my visit, I had the pleasure of meeting with the
Lithuanian Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr. Jaroslaw Narkiewicz and
other elected officials including the Polish Ambassador to Lithuania, Mr.
Jaroslaw Czubinski in the chambers of the Lithuanian Senate. Later that day,
I was among many dignitaries participating in a five kilometer Constitution
Day Parade leading up to the Chapel of the Gate of Dawn in a crowd of
thousands. I was also able to participate in the official ceremony at the birthplace of Marshall Pilsudski and the laying of flowers at the grave of his mother
in Vilnius, where his heart is buried.
I applaud the patriotism of the Polish people living under the auspices of
Lithuanian rule. Their perseverance and dedication in maintaining the Polish
language and culture in a challenging environment is to be commended.
After my return to Warsaw, I had an opportunity to attend Flag Day, Day of
Polonia and the Poles Abroad ceremony at the Belvedere. The event was hosted
by President Andrzej Duda and the First Lady with numerous ministers present. President Duda gave very inspiring remarks and it was a privilege to attend
the ceremony as well as the warm reception in the gardens that followed.
At the reception at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, awards were presented to
those who contributed to Polish causes abroad. This year, one of our PAC
members, the Vice President of the Illinois Division, Ms. Sophia Boris was
one of the recipients.
The next day, Poland celebrated May 3rd festivities. I was invited to the
official ceremony in front of the Royal Castle, as well as the reception at the
Presidential Palace. The visits in Poland and Lithuania were very intense, but
well worth the effort.
Chicago also hosted the annual May 3rd Parade and for the first time it was
televised live by TV Polonia. I participated in most of the events commemorating May 3rd Constitution Day in Chicago.
Frank J. Spula
President
V
o
Ameriice
ca!
Your
DEADLINES
FOR SUBMISSIONS
Our PAC Newsletter will be sent out five more
times this year.
Deadlinefor submission
Publication date
Friday, August, 5, 2016 ........... Friday, August 12, 2016
Friday, October 7, 2016 .......... Friday, October 14, 2016
Friday, December 2, 2016 ....... Friday, December 9, 2016
“Your Voice in America” newsletter is published
bimonthly by the Polish American Congress. The
purpose of the newsletter is to offer PAC National
Directors and PAC Executive Committee members
the opportunity to share news and information about
their state divisions and offices. The newsletter does not
receive funds from any external source. The editor is
Dr. Mark Pienkos.
Articles should be between 100 and 400 words. Some
editing will be done to match our style guidelines and
spatial constraints, as well as correcting grammatical
errors. We do not send proofs for approval. When
sending photos, please include captions with names,
official titles. All submitted materials become the
property of the Polish American Congress and may be
used to promote the mission of the PAC. Materials will
not be returned unless requested.
Articles are due according to this schedule. Send your
submissions to PAC National VP for Public Relations,
Mark Pienkos at [email protected].
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Your Voice in America ■ Polish American Congress
2016 Council of National Directors Meeting
The Polish American Congress will hold its annual 2016 Council of
National Directors Meeting on September 15 - 17 in Chicago, Illinois. The
purpose of this meeting is to discuss and act on business items related to
the PAC. Also, the election of officers to the executive committee will take
place. Please look for additional information and the agenda from Dr.
Barbara Andersen, Director, PAC National Office.
2016 NATO SUMMIT
Warsaw, Poland
July 8-9, 2016
Poland will be the host nation for the upcoming 2016 NATO Summit. This
meeting is significant as it not only is being held in Poland, but will provide
the opportunity for discussions on upgrading and increasing security measures
in the region.
By organizing the Summit, Poland wishes to demonstrate its commitment to
the organization as well as Poland's credibility as one of the NATO members.
The August edition of the PAC "Your Voice in America" newsletter will provide
a re-cap of this important meeting.
2
Source: Global Times / Published: October, 2015
Your Voice in America ■ Polish American Congress
TWO DAYS
THAT ANNUALLY
HONOR TADEUSZ
‘
KOSCIUSZKO
AT
WEST POINT
Anthony J. Bajdek, PAC Vice President for American Affairs
During April 29 - 30, 2016, the American Association of the
Friends of Kościuszko at West Point held its day-long 13th
Annual Kościuszko Conference in the Eisenhower Room of
the Thayer Hotel located on the grounds of the United States
Military Academy. This day-long program commemorated the
188th Anniversary Year of the Academy’s first Annual Kościuszko
Observance held on the occasion of its dedication of the
Kościuszko Monument on July 4, 1828. This makes that
Monument the second oldest in the world honoring Kościuszko’s
memory; the oldest being the Kościuszko Mound (Kopiec
Kościuszki) which was dedicated in Kraków, Poland in 1825.
The Association’s Founder and President is none other than
Anthony J. Bajdek, current Vice President for American Affairs
of the Polish American Congress and a retired Associate Dean
and Senior Lecturer in History of Northeastern University in
Boston, MA. It was his love of history, especially Poland’s
history, and admiration of Kościuszko’s principled life (which he
had inherited from his maternal grandfather, Józef Taraszkiewicz,
a patriotic Pole from late 19th century Lithuania whose eyes
always welled-up in tears at the very mention of Kościuszko’s
name), that influenced Dean Bajdek throughout his life. This
influence is best-exemplified by his creation and incorporation
of the Association in 2003. In 2006, it was designated a 501(c)3
entity by the IRS.
After welcoming the conferees, Association President Bajdek
asked for a moment of silence for two of the Association’s Vice
Presidents, Michael A. Peszke, M.D., of Wakefield, RI, and
Casimira S. Kostecki of Half Moon Bay, CA, who passed away
during the period between the 12th and 13th Conferences, and
then for prayers for the return to health of Executive Vice
President Frances X. Gates of Brooklyn, NY.
Executive Vice President Stephen N. Olejasz of Fairfax Station, VA
(a retired Lieutenant Colonel who is a West Point graduate and
who once had served as an Assistant Professor of History at West
Point) then introduced Brigadier General Timothy E. Trainor,
Ph.D., who is the Dean of the Academic Board of the United States
Military Academy. He spoke about the importance to the Academy
of the Association’s annual Conference and commended it for the
academic nature and quality of its conferences.
As an introduction of the day’s panelists, Dean Bajdek began with
a quotation of four words in Polish, “Radość pisania, Możność
utrwalania” (The joy of writing, the power of preserving). These
words were written by the 1996 Nobel Prize winner in Literature,
Wisława Szymborska (1923-2012). He then established a corollary
related to Szymborska’s words. “The curiosity to examine and
consider, the compulsion to comprehend and relate,” he said. These
things are the essence of any conference, no matter the subject.
Employing that approach, he connected the five principal components of the Conference. Those included: West Point’s current role,
the importance of dependable intelligence-gathering via espionage,
West Point’s fortifications during and after the Revolutionary War,
the importance of Polish-born women in history, and the history
of the Kościuszko Mound in Kraków.
He then introduced panelist Douglas L. Wheeler, Ph.D., Durham,
NH. Among many other things, he is a contract consultant on
Portuguese and African affairs for the U. S. Department of State
and other government agencies. The title of his Conference
presentation was: “De-Coding Polish Espionage of the
20th Century: The Cases of Jerzy Sosnowski, Witold Pilecki,
and Ryszard Kukliński.“
3
Your Voice in America ■ Polish American Congress
The next panelist was Betsey Blakeslee, Ph.D., West
Point, NY, where she is President, Friends of the American
Revolution at West Point; Project Manager for the Revolutionary
War Supply Trail Preservation at West Point; and Former Chair,
Mass Communications Department, Piedmont College, Demorest
and Athens, GA. The title of her Conference presentation was:
“Saving Kościuszko’s Fortifications at West Point.”
Another panelist was Norman Norman Kelker, Ph.D., New York,
NY, who is a retired research scientist in bacterial genetics at New
York University School of Medicine; biochemistry executive at
Enzo Biochem, Inc.; and lifelong independent historian examining the history of the women’s suffrage movement in the United
States. The title of his Conference presentation was: “Ernestine
Rose: A Polish-born Leader in the American Women’s
Suffrage Movement.“
The final panelist was Mieczysław Rokosz, Ph.D., Kraków, PL;
Professor Emeritus of History, Institute of History, Jagiellonian
University (Uniwersytet Jagielloński); Professor, Department
of Philosophy, Ignatian Academy (the Jesuit University of
Philosophy and Education IGNATIANUM) in Kraków; and
11th Lifetime President of the Kościuszko Mound Committee
(Komitet Kopca Kościuszki), Kraków. The title of his Conference
presentation was: “Kraków’s Kościuszko Mound: What is it and
what is its significance?” Because he isn’t fluent in English,
Professor Rokosz spoke in Polish, all of which was translated
by Marcin Marszałek of Chicopee, MA who is working on two
Masters’ degrees at the same time as a graduate student at
Simmons College in Boston.
The Annual Kościuszko Monument commemoration ceremony
began at 12:30 p.m. As per the requirements of the United States
Military Academy, it never exceeds 45 minutes in length, simply because of the 200 or so attendees, all of whom stand, and
many of whom are elderly, a lengthier ceremony would be highly
inappropriate. Because Kościuszko fought on behalf of Poland
and Lithuania, both the Polish and Lithuanian national anthems
are always sung along with that of the United States. Chaplain
and Colonel Matthew Pawlikowski served as the USMA officer-in-charge. Association President Bajdek served as the master
of ceremonies. Addresses were delivered in English by Deborah
Majka, Honorary Consul of the Repubic of Poland for Southeastern Pennsylvania and Vice President for Cultural Affairs of the
Polish American Congress, and by Consul General of the Republic of Lithuania Julius Pranevičius, and in Polish by Professor
Mieczysław Rokosz which were read in translation by Dean
Bajdek, who after Colonel Pawlikowski’s command to “retire the
colors” of the Academy’s U. S. Army Color Guard, rendered the
closing remarks for the program. Many attendees went on to
participate at 2:00 p.m. in the Annual Kościuszko Luncheon organized and hosted by the Association and held in the Washington
Room of the Thayer Hotel. In preparation for 2017, marking
the 200th anniversary year of Kościuszko’s death, UNESCO has
already designated it to be the “Year of Kościuszko” world-wide,
during which the Association’s program will occur on April 28-29
at West Point. Indeed, as far as the mission of the Association is
concerned, every year is a Kościuszko year.
During the dinner that followed in the MacArthur Room,
Dean Bajdek presented Professor Rokosz with a commemorative Revere Bowl inscribed in Polish that recognized his
long-awaited participation in the Association’s 13th Annual
Kościuszko Conference. In turn, Professor Rokosz distributed
commemorative Kościuszko Mound medals and other related
memorabilia to many of the of conferees in attendance.
Saturday, April 30 began at 9:00 a.m. with a traditional
Kościuszko Memorial Mass that was held in the Academy’s
Old Cadet Chapel that was built in 1839. Father Carl A. Urban
of Schenectady, NY served as Celebrant, and USMA Chaplain
and Colonel Matthew Pawlikowski, a graduate of West Point,
served as Con-Celebrant. Colonel Pawlikowski is also the Pastor
of the Most Holy Trinity Catholic Chapel at West Point which
hadn’t been available that morning because of a wedding. The
Old Cadet Chapel, full of military memorabilia from the
Revolutionary War era, was filled to capacity in an ambience
rendered more glorious by the members of the Polish Singers
Alliance of America, District 7, Brooklyn, NY, of which Izabella
Kobus-Salkin is Director, and Dayle Vader Sande is organist.
The Kosciuszko Monument ceremony's speakers seated on the dais left to
right: Fr. Carl Urban who gave the Invocation, Professor Rokosz, Consul
General RL Pranevicius, Honorary Consul RP Majka, and Anthony J. Bajdek.
Next followed at 11:30 a.m. the always-spectacular Review of the
Corps of Cadets under the warm sun of a glorious spring day in
the Hudson River Valley.
Professor Rokosz addressing the Conference
4
Your Voice in America ■ Polish American Congress
From Debbie Majka’s Speech at West Point - April 30, 2016
More photos can be found at: http://www.polishcultureacpc.org/Consul/WP/Consul_West_Point.html
Debbie Majka, PAC Vice President for Cultural Affairs
Good Afternoon,
It is a rare privilege for me, a long-time supporter - first time in
attendance - to speak at this event dedicated to the memory of
Tadeusz Kościuszko. I am here as a representative of the Polish
Republic, its citizens and Honorary Consul for Southeastern
Pennsylvania. Living in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love
and sisterly affection, I have long been familiar with Tadeusz
Kościuszko and the fact that he spent time in our city during
the American Revolution returning later after his release from a
Russian prison, imprisoned for leading a revolt to regain Poland’s
freedom. The boarding house where he lodged is now a museum
administered by the National Park Service. Having visited there,
one can feel his spirit which still seems to hover about places
he visited. He was intellectual and introspective, insightful and
intense, idealistic and ingenious. By chance or providence, he
brought the best that Poland had to offer to the American shore.
He was committed to the ideals of the American Revolution that
sprang from the 18th century Enlightenment - solidarity, liberty,
equality. The American Revolution succeeded because of these
ideals - yet Thomas Jefferson stated that to maintain its efficacy
the revolution would have to be periodically renewed.
Fortunately, our modern day battles are those of ideas, and are
decided by casting votes at the ballot box rather than pulling a
trigger and sending out a volley of lead. It is a lot quieter, but just
as effective in settling issues.
When in the 1980s the Polish people decided that the system
which had governed to date, a system imposed from without, was
not meeting society’s needs and had to be changed, a revolution
was launched under the banner of solidarity. The people faced
repression, prison, violence - meted out by those in power. Yet
ultimately in 1989 an election - the ballot box - changed the way
Poland was governed.
George Washington, did not lead Kościuszko and scores of other
known and unknown patriots into battle under some nebulous
slogan like “I fight for you.” Rather, he and they fought for principles that were later written into the Constitution. They fought
for a country where each individual would not be burdened by
oppressive laws and taxation. They fought for a system that would
give the individual freedom to attain the potential of his or her
talents and abilities.
All this was clearly stated in a little book by Tom Paine and called
“Common Sense” and common sense is something we need most
in these troubling and confusing times.
Kościuszko joined the fight for an ideal - an attainable ideal.
His home country was dominated by overwhelming forces, so he
came to America and joined a cause that had a chance of success.
By helping the American Revolution, he was preserving the hope
for future freedom in the homeland. Later, this idea would be
enshrined in the words “for your freedom and ours” with which
Poles went to fight in support of other independence movements.
It is fitting that we are here at West Point to pay respect to
Kościuszko, the military engineer who laid foundations for a key
fortification which played an important role in the strategy of the
American Revolutionary War. We pay respect to Kosciuszko - the
commander of Poland’s national uprising of 1795.
But we would be remiss if we did not also honor the graduates
of this Military Academy and the men and women of America’s
armed forces everywhere who are living up to the ideals - Duty,
Honor, Country - which inspired Kościuszko, Washington and
the citizen-soldiers of the American army in battle for individual
liberty. Such persons, to paraphrase Tom Paine, deserve the love
and thanks of a grateful nation. As it was then, may it ever be so,
that men and women of the American armed forces stay true to
the principles inscribed so long ago.
Thank you.
5
Your Voice in America ■ Polish American Congress
THE POLISH CONSTITUTION OF 1791
Keynote Address by Donald Pienkos, PhD.
Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee
(Polish Constitution Day Dinner sponsored by the Polish
American Congress – Wisconsin Division)
Tonight we observe a special anniversary - on this very day two
hundred and twenty five years ago the members of the parliament
of Poland approved a constitution for their country.
This Constitution of the Third of May 1791 was a most extraordinary document. The product of nearly four years of debate, it
came at a perilous time for the country and in turbulent, even
revolutionary international conditions.
By 1791 the once great Polish state was little more than a tsarist Russian satellite. Indeed, twenty years before it had been so
powerless that it had been unable to do anything to prevent its
enemies, Russia, Prussia and Austria from seizing one-third of
its territory.
The 1791 Constitution was the work of the king and a
number of dedicated compatriots. Together they pushed
through a sensible but still high risk program of comprehensive
governmental reform aimed at reversing Poland’s death spiral.
6
Their Constitution came just two years after our own in America
and was very similar to it. Like ours, the Polish Constitution
provided for a checks and balances system of government with
an elected legislature operating by majority vote, a strong chief
executive, the King, who was made commander-in-chief of a large
standing army, and a judiciary responsible for seeing that the laws
were in line with the Constitution. It reaffirmed Poland’s historic
respect for its people’s religious freedom.
And for the first time the Constitution formally recognized that
Poland’s vast peasant population was part of the nation and
deserved the government’s protection. But this far-sighted and
enthusiastically received effort was doomed.
Russia and Prussia soon sent in their armies and overwhelmed
the Polish forces. They then abolished the Constitution and seized
more than half of the country. In 1794, Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a
hero of our American war for independence and a believer in a
Poland of all the people, led a last ditch uprising to save his homeland. But his valiant effort was crushed. In 1795, Russia, Prussia
and Austria gobbled up what little was left of the country. They
then resolved to erase the very memory of Poland from the pages
of history.
The May Third Constitution was in effect for only a year and,
given all that followed, just why should we recall and even
celebrate this document? Three answers come to my mind.
Professor Donald Pienkos
Your Voice in America ■ Polish American Congress
ONE is that the Constitution is a document that did not only reaffirm Poland’s remarkable, centuries old record of religious toleration and lawful, representative government. Its authors improved
on this record to provide Poland with a new legal and legitimate
basis to inspire, unite, govern and thus save the country.
TWO, the principles contained in the Constitution of 1791 were
not forgotten. Later generations of patriots - who believed in, and
fought to restore a free and independent Poland - embraced its
message. After 1918, when Poland regained its independence and
approved a new Constitution, its leaders made May Third a day of
national celebration. In 1989, Poland again won back its freedom
thanks to the efforts of a new generation of patriots in the Solidarity Movement and the inspiration of Pope John Paul II. May Third
was again proclaimed a national holiday and a new Constitution
was eventually adopted in its spirit.
As one recent Polish historian has noted, “The 1791 Constitution’s
great creative ideas are still very dear to us. To us, it is a legacy
handed down from generation to generation. It is also an expression of democracy because from its thought was born a Polish
nation of all its people.”
There is a third reason why this anniversary should inspire.
The 1791 Constitution is a symbol that connects us as individuals
of Polish birth and heritage with both our fellow Americans - and
the people of Poland. The American Constitution of 1789 and the
1791 Polish Constitution are truly sister documents. Moreover,
as a symbol, the May Third 1791 Constitution shares much in
common with our awareness of the heroic services rendered by
Casimir Pulaski and Thaddeus Kosciuszko to the freedom and
independence of our two countries.
I must close on a somewhat more somber and contemporary note.
We cannot help but be aware of the politics in Poland today. There
is a fight going on over issues that pertain directly to Poland’s
current Constitution. It is a bitter fight. Let us hope that calmer
heads will prevail and that the hard won successes Poland has
achieved since 1989 - in building a solid, prospering democracy
and in forging close ties with its friends and allies in Europe and
America - will be preserved. Thank you and Long live Poland
and America.
(An excellent source on this subject is Mark Brzezinski,
The Struggle for Constitutionalism in Poland, 1998).
Nearly 60 people from various Wisconsin Polish organizations enjoy the May 3rd Constitution Day festivities at the Polonez Restaurant in St. Francis. The event
was sponsored by the Polish American Congress - Wisconsin Division.
7
Your Voice in America ■ Polish American Congress
Polish American Leadership
Meetings in Washington, DC.
May 12-13, 2016
An informative two-day program on Polish-American affairs
took place recently in Washington, DC. The program was spearheaded by the American Polish Advisory Council in cooperation
with various Polonia organizations.
The program began on May 12, 2016 with a short meeting at
the office of Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). A networking reception
at the Hart Senate Office Building followed. Senator Mark Kirk
(R-IL), who hosted the reception, briefly spoke to about 150
representatives of Polonia from across the United States. Staff
members of several US Senators and Congress Representatives
from the Congressional Caucus on Poland also took part in
the reception.
The following morning, a meeting took place at the Polish
Embassy in Washington, DC. Ambassador Ryszard Schnepf
greeted the participants and Counselor Dorota Markiewicz
Zemke made a presentation on Poland’s preparations for the
2016 NATO Summit in Warsaw.
Counselor Zemke emphasized the need for NATO unity in face
of the rapidly changing security situation in Europe. She also
discussed the need to quickly adopt to changing circumstances,
including the need for quick reinforcement of NATO eastern
flank. According to her, Poland calls for persistent presence of
NATO forces on its territory in order to assure effective deterrence. Poland is also committed to building its resilience capabilities in order to resist aggression. As one of only a few NATO
members, Poland meets its commitment to contribute 2 percent
of GDP annually to its defense needs. Finally, Counselor Zemke
emphasized that NATO is a defensive alliance.
Next, the program participants took part in Polish American
strategy meetings organized by the DNC and the RNC. In the
afternoon, a Polish American Leadership Briefing took place with
White House representatives at the Eisenhower Executive Office
Building. The meeting was sponsored by the White House Office
of Public Engagement. Asher Mayerson, Staff Assistant, opened
the meeting and introduced John Bisognano who made a short
presentation on the status of the nomination of Judge Merrick
Garland to the US Supreme Court. Next, Felicaia Eschobar, special Assistant to the President for Immigration Policy, discussed
visa waiver for Poland and reiterated that the President is committed to waive visas for Polish citizens. Kyle Lierman, Associate
Director of the Office of Public Engagement, offered assistance
in civic engagement and education. He also called on the Polish
American community to mobilize eligible US permanent residents to apply for US citizenship.
8
The meeting concluded with a very informative presentation on
foreign policy by Anna Makanju, Special Advisor for Europe
and Eurasia in the Office of the US Vice President. Ms. Makanju
also serves as Director for Russia Policy on the National Security
Council. In 2009, when President Obama assumed office, she
joined the Office of the Secretary of Defense where she served
as the Chief of Staff for European and NATO Policy. In her brief
presentation, she stated that she works closely with the government of Poland and encourages cooperation with Ukraine. The
American Administration is grateful for Poland’s contribution in
Afghanistan. She entertained several questions, one of which was
whether the current tensions with Russia amount to such new
qualities that warrant elevating the US policy to a new height that
requires the reinforcement of NATO eastern flank and thus provokes Russia? The answer to this question was a resounding “yes.”
According to Ms. Makanju, the relationship with Russia reached a
stage where a new level of security measures is necessary.
All meetings were very well attended. Representatives of Polonia
actively participated in all programs and made a clear mark on
Capitol Hill, as well as with the DNC and the RNC. The same was
true at the meeting in the Polish Embassy and White House.
Maria Szonert Binienda
Vice President of Polish Affairs
Among the many Polish representatives attending the May 13, 2016 White
House Security Briefing regarding Poland were: Dr. Barbara Andersen (Director, National PAC Office); Debbie Majka (PAC Vice President for Cultural
Affairs); Dr. Suzanne Lotarski (President, Washington Metro Area Division);
Dr. Mark Pienkos (PAC Vice President for Public Relations).
Over 100 people were in attendance from various Polish organizations
representing a cross-section of the U.S.
Your Voice in America ■ Polish American Congress
PAC-LONG ISLAND DIVISIONHOSTS THREE PROMINENT POLISH VISITORS
Prepared by Richard Brzozowski and Zbyszek Koralewski
Dr. Teresa Kaczorowska met with Polonia during her US visit
from March 3 through 19. The visit included 12 meetings and
14 interviews in six states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Illinois, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Dr. Kaczorowska is a
journalist, author, poet, cultural animator and active supporter and founder of many cultural and literary organizations in
Poland. During her visit, she shared her extensive research on fifty
year old communist suppressed history of the torture and murder
of Polish underground fighters. In the summer of 1945, soon after
the end of World War II, elements of the Red Army soldiers,
62nd Division of Internal troops (NKVD) in cooperation with a
Polish UB, MO and 160th Polish Infantry Regiment (a member
of which was Captain Maksymilian Schnepf), arrested and killed
two thousands Polish resistance fighters. This action and massacre
is now known as the “Augustowska Roundup” or small Katyn.
The graves have never been revealed nor found. Attendees at the
presentation were both shocked and saddened by the disclosed
events. Mrs. Halina Koralewski, an active member of the Long
Island Division, prepared the itinerary and tour as well as the
partial raising of funds.
At Piłusudki Institute: member of the Board - Piotr Kamelowski, Zbyszek
Koralewski, President - Dr. Magda Kapuścińska, Dr. Teresa Kaczorowska,
Zygmunt Staszewski, Richard Brzozowski, Halina Koralewski
Grzegorz Braun is a prominent journalist, academic lecturer,
movie director, screen writer, politician and observer of current
events. He is recognized as an intellectual who “thinks outside the
box” and is respected for his analysis and comments on current
political issues affecting Poland. He was invited to the U.S. by
Mr. Edmund Lewandowski, Polonia SF (California). His meeting
with members of the New York Metropolitan Polonia was made
possible through the efforts of Zbyszek Koralewski, Long Island
Division and Witold Rosowski, President of Solidarni 2010. They
were able, on short notice, to organize a successful meeting on
Palm Sunday, March 20 at 4:00 PM, in the Church of Our Lady
of Consolidation in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Over 200 Polonians
attended. Mr. Braun spoke about Russian and US relations with
Poland and the future of these relationships. The attendees
were impressed with Grzegorz Braun’s original analysis and
prognostications and fielded numerous questions and comments.
Grzegorz Braun
Anna Maria Anders, daughter of the legendary General
Władysław Anders and currently a Senator in Poland, was invited
by Grzegorz Worwa, President of the Long Division and assisted
by Richard Brzozowski, Honorary President. On March 31,
Senator Anders visited the Polish American Museum in Port
Washington and at that same day met with Polonia in the Glen
Cove Polish National Home. When she entered, she was greeted
with “Czerwone Maki na Monte Cassino”. In attendance were not
only local Polonia but also visitors from Philadelphia, New Jersey
and Mr. Wojtek Jeśman, President of the PAC Southern California
Division. On the second day of her visit, she met with the Polish
Veterans in Manhattan, followed by a meeting at the Pilsudski Institute in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. She spoke about her life growing
up in a patriotic family, living in England and about her present
responsibilities as an elected official in Poland. Currently, she
is very concerned with the resettlement of Poles deported by the
Soviets to Siberia. These are deportees who could not join her
father’s organized exodus in 1943. In addition, she is addressing
the serious topic of current defamation and distortion of Poland’s
history and image. Everywhere, Senator Anders was greeted with
enthusiasm and admiration.
President of PAC-LI, Grzegorz Worwa presents Honorary Membership to the
Long Island Division to Anna Maria Anders
9
Your Voice in America ■ Polish American Congress
Concert Celebrating the 1,050th
Anniversary of Poland’s
Christianization at St. Patrick’s
Cathedral in Manhattan
Based on the Concert’s Program
Submitted by Zbyszek Koralewski
Jan Matejko – 1889, Royal Castle in Warsaw
I beg you once again to accept the whole of the spiritual legacy
which goes by the name of ‘Poland’, with the faith, hope and charity
that Christ poured into us at our holy Baptism. I beg you – never
lose your trust, do not be defeated, do not be discouraged –do not
on your own cut yourself off from the roots from which we had
our origins.
St. John Paul II
Kraków, 10 June 1979
A member of the Polish American Congress, the Polish Singers
Alliance of America (PSAA), was invited to sing in the concert
organized by the Polish Consulate in New York, Sunday April
24th. The Consul General of the Republic of Poland, Urszula
Gacek in her welcome speech reminded everyone about the
significance of King Mieszko’s decision - how his courage and
vision helped unite a young nation, and that today, Poles should
remember their common heritage and not allow themselves to be
divided. It took a couple of months and 2-3 intense rehearsals a
week to prepare a challenging program and in effect to deliver an
unforgettable performance. Around fifty singers from choruses of
PSAA - District VII reinforced by a local professional Greek choir
“Khorikos” sang the following songs:
Bogurodzica, a masterpiece of polish medieval poetry, is
considered the oldest Polish hymn (13th century). It has played
the role of a national anthem in Poland, becoming a battle song
as well as a symbol of religious and patriotic unity. Gaude Mater
Polonia is an anthem written in honor of St. Stanislaus the Bishop
and Martyr, the main patron saint of Poland. The Latin text and
the 13th century melody are attributed to Vincent of Kielcza, the
canon of Kraków and a member of the Dominican Order. Dusk
is Coming (a prayer for When Children Go to Bed) is one of
the most famous and beautiful songs by Waclaw of Szamotuly.
Wacław was a true Renaissance man and is regarded as the
greatest Polish composer of that era (alongside Mikołaj Gomółka
and Mikołaj Zieleński). Psalm 29 Ascribe unto the Lord of Light
is by eminent Polish composer Mikołaj Gomółka. His extraordinary work “Melodies for the Polish Psalter” published in Kraków
in 1580 was the most comprehensive publication of Polish
religious music of the 16th century with 150 compositions. Ave
Maria is one of the most famous by Bartłomiej Pękiel a composer
of sacred music in both the Renaissance and early Baroque styles.
Pękiel was Kapellmeister at the royal court in Warsaw, the first
non-Italian to occupy the post. Later, he was the chapel master of
the Wawel Cathedral. God save Poland is one of the best known
Polish religious and patriotic songs with the text by Alojzy Feliński, composed in the beginning of 18th century. In 1861 during
Poland’s partition, the Tsarist Government banned the hymn.
During communist rule, this song became a symbol of resistance.
O Polish Land was composed by Juliusz Łuciuk to the words of
Pope John Paul II, spoken at the Warsaw airport on June 8, 1987:
O Polish Land! Difficult and experienced land! My land! Hail
to thee!” The song has won great popularity and has a permanent place in choral concerts. Psalm 136 “Fatherland” op.18 by
Feliks Nowowiejski for mixed choir and orchestra or organ, was
composed in 1902. It was performed by 20,000 singers directed
by the composer at the Athletic Stadium during the Pan Slavic
Singing Congress in Poznań, May 18-22, 1929 in celebration of
ten years of Polish independence. Nowowiejski used Jan Kochanowski translation of verses 5 and 6 of the psalm: “If I forget thee
o Jerusalem, my homeland, let my right hand be forgotten. Let
my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I do not put you
above my greatest joy” (Jerusalem being a metaphor for Poland.)
The Polish Singers Alliance of America is the musical home to
some 20 choruses across the United States and Canada. Founded
in 1889, it is the oldest Polish American cultural organization in
the United States. Over the years they have had over 300 member choruses, and thousands of singers serving the mission of
the organization to promote and preserve Polish culture through
song. They provide access to a large collection of Polish music to
their member organizations. Members of District VII choruses
performed at the Concert under the direction of Izabella
Kobus-Salkin, Janusz Sporek, and Alicja Rusewicz-Zagrobelny.
The President of the PSAA, Mary Lou Wyrobek, invites and encourages you to join a local PSAA chorus. For more information,
please visit their website:
www.polishsingersalliance.org.
10
Your Voice in America ■ Polish American Congress
The Jan Karski Humanitarian Awards Event
Submitted by Richard Brzozowski, PAC-LI
Sponsored by:
Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in NY,
Polish American Congress Long Island Division,
Polish American Congress Charitable Foundation,
Polish–Jewish Dialogue Committee,
Queens Jewish Historical Society.
Also, anonymous donations of support were greatly appreciated
and made possible a buffet table for all attending guests.
On Monday, May 9, 2016 the Consulate General of the republic
of Poland in New York hosted the 2016 Jan Karski Humanitarian
Awards Night, established by the Polish-Jewish Dialogue Committee. The event honors the memory of Jan Karski, patriot and
hero who joined the Polish Underground during World War II,
carried out missions for the Polish Government in exile and reported on the Holocaust. He was a friend of the Jewish people
and a true humanitarian and educator.
Mr. Zygmunt Staszewski, master of ceremonies, introduced
Consul General, Urszula Gacek who greeted the more than two
hundred guests followed by an invocation by Rabbi Moshe A.
Birnbaum of the Jewish Center of Kew Gardens Hills.
Mr. Staszewski of the Polish American Congress Long Island
Division and co-chair of the Dialogue Committee described
its mission and purpose. Also, Mr. Richard Brzozowski, a
participating member, spoke about the importance of history
in understanding Polish Jewish relations.
The awards presentations were the highlight of the
evening’s event. Consul General Urszula Gacek presented the
first award to Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn Witold Mroziewski,
who dedicated his life to instilling the Catholic faith and way
of life to his congregations and fostering greater understanding
between cultures and religions.
Mr. Stan Norwalk, committee member and prominent Queens,
NY community supporter, together with Richard Brzozowski
and Zbyszek Koralewski, presented the Jan Karski Humanitarian Award to Rita Cosby, TV news anchor, radio talk show host,
investigative journalist and bestselling author. She has brought
to the public’s attention various local, national and international
issues that promote understanding between cultures.
Jakub Juszczyk, a student in Stony Brook University and
scholarship award winner sponsored by Polonia of Long Island,
read his essay “Courage and Hope in Times of Despair”:
http://paclidiv.blogspot.com/
Before the presentation of awards the premier documentary
film “Joseph’s World” was shown. The film, produced by Rafal
Wieczynski, paid tribute to the Ulma family who gave up their
lives protecting the Jewish Goldman and Szali families during
the Holocaust in Nazi German occupied Poland.
Photos from the event:
Richard Brzozowski (left) talks with
Sigmunt Rolat
Rita Cosby and Auxiliary
Bishop of Brooklyn Witold
Mroziewski
From left: Zbyszek Koralewski PAC-LI, Richard Brzozowski
PAC-LI, Vice Consul – Mateusz Stąsiek, Bogdan Romanuk Deputy Speaker of Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Halina
Koralewski PAC-LI, Rafal Wieczynski - film producer about
the Ulma family, Urszula Gacek - General Consul, Zygmunt
Staszewski Co-chair of of Polish Jewish Dialog Committee,
Jullita Wieczynska - film co-producer, Prof. Jeff Gotlieb Chair of Dialog Committee
11
Your Voice in America ■ Polish American Congress
(The Jan Karski Humanitarian Awards Event Continued...)
The distinguished Rabbi Moshe A. Birnbaum of the Kew Gardens Hills Jewish Center presented the Humanitarian Award to Sigmund
Rolat, a Holocaust survivor and philanthropist. He is the founder of Polin, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews and the initiator to
build in Warsaw a monument for those who sheltered Jews during WWII. His efforts at bringing together Christians and Jews, and to
advance a better understanding between these two, is praiseworthy and respected internationally.
The awards event was concluded with the presentation of a posthumous award by Zygmunt Staszewski to the Ulma Family and to Mr.
Rafal Wieczynski, producer of the documentary film.
SUMMER GREETINGS!
TO ALL OF OUR PAC NATIONAL DIRECTORS, MEMBERS AND FRIENDS,
FROM YOUR POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE!
PAC NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE
LAYOUT AND DESIGN BY
POLISH FALCONS OF AMERICA:
12
Anita Jedwabski (Massachusetts)
[email protected]
Tim Kuzma (Pennsylvania)
[email protected]
Ania Karwan (California)
[email protected]
Mark Pienkos (Wisconsin)
PAC National VP for Public Relations
[email protected]
Zbigniew Koralewski (New York)
[email protected]
Courtney Caughey-Stambul,
Communications Director
Andy Darragh,
Communications Assistant
Polish American
Congress
Founded in May, 1944, the Polish American Congress is a National Umbrella Organization,
representing at least 10 million Americans of Polish descent and origin. Its membership is
comprised of fraternal, educational, veteran, religious, cultural, social, business, political
organizations and individual membership. The Polish American community prides itself on its
deeply rooted commitment to the values of family, faith, democracy, hard work and fulfillment
of the American dream. We are present in every state and virtually every community in
America, on various social, business and economic levels.
The Polish American Congress, an “umbrella” organization, is a federation of over 3000 Polish
American organizations and clubs, ranging from national fraternal benefit societies, such as
the Polish National Alliance, Polish Women’s Alliance, Polish Roman Catholic Union, Polish
Falcons and others, including veteran, cultural, professional, religious and social associations,
with aggregate membership of over one million. The PAC by-laws also provide for individual
membership, as well as associate membership.
The PAC promotes civic, educational and cultural programs designed to further not only
the knowledge of Polish history, language and culture, but to stimulate Polish American
involvement and accomplishments.
The governing body of the PAC is the Council of National Directors, consisting of directors
elected by their respective State Divisions or National Organizations and up to 10 at-large
directors elected by the Council. Day-to-day operations are conducted by the Executive
Committee elected by the Council of National Directors for a two year term.
Contact Us
National Office
1612 K Street NW, Suite 1200
Washington, DC 20006
Tel.: (202) 296-6955
Fax: (202) 835-1565
Visit: www.pac1944.org
E-mail: [email protected]
Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Polish-American-Congress