Tuesday 21 April 2015

Was Holocaust German or Polish?

Was Holocaust German or Polish?


Although it’s a simple question, many people around the world still refer to Holocaust or Nazi concentration camps as being Polish. The below stories presents the horrific view hold by the American leaders.
In his speech in 2012, ‘President Barack Obama has caused an outcry in Poland after referring to a Nazi death camp as "Polish.’ What is the just a ‘mistake’ or the general lack of history? The White House speaker told the Polish nation that Mr Obama ‘misspoke’ and regrets the comment but offers no apology.
Another US ‘fail’ was recorded earlier on this week when the FBI chief James Comey said 'in their minds, the murderers and accomplices of Germany, and Poland, and Hungary, and so many, many other places didn't do something evil.’ Calling Poles murderers of Jew when they actually done the opposite (hiding them in their basements from Nazi Germans), provide them with food and drink, and allow them to organise gatherings in their houses.
Poland's president Bronislaw Komorowski told public television that Comey's comments showed a 'lack of historical knowledge' and were an 'insult to thousands of Poles who helped Jews' (Daily mail, 2015). The President of Poland, and millions of Polish, Hungarian, Jews and even German citizens are demanding a prominent apology from the FBI chief or Barack Obama, stating that an apology received from the US consul for Poland is not enough.
The HolocaustExplained (2015) provides a great explanation of the camps and answers the above question of Holocaust … maybe the US leaders should visit this site to learn some more historical facts before opening their mouths?
Anyway … here is the explanation:
Hitler was appointed Chancellor on 30 January 1933. Immediately, the SA stepped up their campaign of violence and terror against the communists. They did this in order to increase their power and to reduce opposition.
Across Germany the local police and SA and SS rounded up many thousands of communists, socialists, church leaders and anyone else who might criticise the Nazis. 
As prisoners were physically concentrated in one place the Nazis called these first camps concentration camps.
Over the next 12 years, as they invaded and occupied lands all over Europe, the Nazis would build over 20,000 camps of various kinds. These included concentration camps, transit camps, forced labour or work camps and death camps.’


Daily mail (2015) Stephen Mull, US Ambassador, apologies after FBI chief claimed Polish were ‘murderers’ who helped Germany kill Jews during Holocaust [Online] Available: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3045953/Poland-demands-apology-U-S-FBI-head-s-Holocaust-remarks.html [Last accessed: 21/04/2015]

The Holocaust Explained (2015) German Concentration camps history [Online] Available: http://www.theholocaustexplained.org/ks3/the-camps/#.VTYQdk10yM8 [Last accessed: 21/04/2015]


Wednesday 8 April 2015

What is Polska known for?


What is Polska known for?

In this post I will try to explain what the 16 different Polish states are known for.


Starting from the top right corner.

Ship - Zachodniopomorskie voivodeship - known for its shipyards in Szczecin. The Szczecin
shipyard (Stocznia Szczecińska Porta Holding S.A.) used to be a huge employer and one of the biggest shipyards in Europe.  The shipyard specialized in the construction of container shipschemicals transport shipsmulti-purpose ships and Con-Ro ships.




Strajk (Strike) - Pomorskie voivodeship - known for Lech Wałęsa and his Solidarity movement. The Solidarity movement was an opposition to the Polish People's Republic Government during the Soviet era in Poland. Gdańsk is the place where the 'illegal' Solidarity movement was founded.
Many strikes were organised by the Solidarity movement in the Gdańsk and Gdynia shipyards. The strikes were taking place over many weeks causing more and more pressure on the Socialist Government of Poland. As more and more people joined and supported the 'illegal' movement, including the pope John Paul II, the socialist government had to accept the conditions set by the Solidairty movement without negotiations. 



Yachts - Warminsko - Mazurskie voivodeship - know for thousands of lakes and rivers that attracts thousands of tourists a year. Many of Poles are chosing the Warminsko - Mazurskie voivodeship as their holiday destination as the resort can offer many attractions for young and old: surfing, yachting, kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing, fishing are just some examples.


The biggest (Śniadrwy) and deepest (Mamry) lakes in Poland are also located in the Warminsko - Mazurskie voivodeship. 



Christ the King Statute - Lubuskie voivodeship - After Częstochowa, Kraków and Rokitno, Świebodzin is the fourth place that is visited by Polish Catholics. The statute was consutrcuted in 2006 and finished four years later. The figure is 33 metres tall, the crown is 3 metres tall, and along with its mound, it reaches 52.5 metres overall. The overall construction of the statute cost around  $1.5 million and all that came from 21,000 residents of Świebodzin. It is the tallest statue of Jesus in the world.



To Be Continued...





Saturday 4 April 2015

10 Traditional Dishes of Polish Easter




photo: Krzysztof Kuczyk / Forum
Easter table, photo: Krzysztof Kuczyk / Forum

White sausage, rye soup, cakes with poppy seed or cottage cheese: the numerous traditional Easter delicacies in Poland are surprising, sophisticated and inspired by Spring 

Biała kiełbasa (Bya-wah keew-basa)



White sausage (biała kiełbasa), photo: Adam Kulesza / East News
White sausage (biała kiełbasa), photo: Adam Kulesza / East News

Easter is a feast of smoked meats and ham, where biała kiełbasa takes centre stage. Biała kiełbasa -white sausage - is an unsmoked minced pork sausage (with the addition of beef and veal) covered in a thin layer of pork casings and seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic and marjoram. Whether it's in the żurek or amongst the food samples carried in the Easter basket, white sausage is mostly served boiled, sometimes with horseradish, mustard, or ćwikła (horseradish-beetroot relish).

Żurek (Zhoo-rek)



Żurek , photo  Katarzyna Klich /East News
Żurek , photo  Katarzyna Klich /East News

Żurek, or żur is a soup made of home-made or store-bought sourdough from rye flour. It's
garnished with boiled white sausage and boiled egg halves. In remote times, żurek and herring
were the main pre-Easter Lent fasting food staples. By the time of Holy Saturday, sick and tired of these dishes, people would give them a festive burial. A pot with the soup would be either buried in the ground or spilled. When it's not attending a funeral, żurek is consumed all year round.

Eggs



Eggs (Pisanki), photo: ZUBRZYCKI MARIAN/FOTORZEPA / FORUM
Eggs (Pisanki), photo: ZUBRZYCKI MARIAN/FOTORZEPA / FORUM

As long as you like your eggs, you'll be fine. The egg symbolises new life and Christ's
resurrection. Polish egg-related traditions include colouring, blessing them as part of the Easter
basket in church, sharing the blessed eggs while wishing each other all the best for the year ahead and eating them with different seasoning. They're served boiled, stuffed, fried or with mayo - there's no getting away from them. The decorative devilled egg is a hard-boiled egg, halved andfilled with a mixture of the yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, onion and horseradish cream.

Śledź (Shledzh)



photo: Adam Kulesza / East News
Herring, photo: Adam Kulesza / East News
Śledź i.e. herring is as popular in Poland as it is in the Netherlands or Denmark. It is present on
holiday and party tables at Christmas and Easter. The fish is served gutted and filleted, in pieces
that have been marinated in vinegar, oil, with or without vegetables, usually smothered with
chopped, raw onion. While Easter calls for a batch of home-made herring, supermarkets stock jars of marinated herring all year.

Chrzan (Hzhan)



Chrzan, photo: Roman Lipczyński / Forum
Horseradish, photo: Roman Lipczyński / Forum

Grating horseradish roots produces pungent vapours and makes eyes water, but white or red
horseradish relish pairs well with the variety of cold cuts. The fiery relish draws out more of the
meat flavour. The red type is called ćwikła and its colour is due to the addition of beetroot.

Mazurek (Ma-zoo-rek)



Mazurek
Mazurek , photo: Bartosz Krupa / East News

The first of the freshly baked cakes is the mazurek. The recipe is considered to have arrived to
Poland from Turkey and started circulating in the 17th century.  How the mazurek looks depends on who made it. The flat shortbread can be made of different kinds of dough and toppings, for
example marmalade, chocolate glazing, dried fruit or nuts. The sky's the limit.

Sernik (Ser-neek)



Sernik, photo: Piotr Jedzura / Reporter
Sernik, photo: Piotr Jedzura / Reporter

The sernik is a rich creamy baked cheesecake that differs from its American counterpart in cheese. You could try to replace the exclusively Polish cheese called twaróg with country/ cottage/ quark /curd cheese or ricotta but it won't do the trick. Twaróg is more dense, sweet and less wet than
those cheeses and less smooth than ricotta. Sources say that sernik dates back to ancient Greece
and Rome. The Eastern Orthodox Church has a tvorog-based equivalent - the truncated pyramid
shaped Paskha.

Babka (Bab-ka)



Babka, a sweet yeast cake, photo: Piotr Wojnarowski / Forum

Babka, a sweet yeast cake, photo: Piotr Wojnarowski / Forum


The tall airy Easter babka is a no-knead yeast cake baked in a Bundt pan. It can be laced with rum syrup and drizzled with icing but custom dictates that it has no filling. The name derives from the word "grandmother" and probably refers to its shape: a grandmother's wide, pleated skirt. 

Makowiec (Mah-ko-viets)



Makowiec - Christmas Poppyseed Roll , photo: LUBOMIR LIPOV / East News
Makowiec -  Poppyseed roll , photo: LUBOMIR LIPOV / East News

Among the wealth of Easter cakes is the makowiec, a poppy seed roll spun like a strudel. It's main ingredient is poppy seeds and it uses the same type of dough as the Babka. The texture is crunchy and nutty, and it's sometimes covered with sugar icing.

Easter lamb



Easter lamb, photo: Bartosz Krupa / East News

Made entirely of sugar and shaped like a lamb, this is a traditional centrepiece of the Polish Easter table and Easter basket. It often has a miniature red flag with a cross.

Friday 3 April 2015

Easter in Poland - Customs and traditions of Easter

Palms


In Poland, the Holy Week begins on a Palm Sunday. On that day, Polish Catholics are celebrating the day when Jesus entered Jerusalem. They prepare their Palms (Palmy - willow rods, boxwood twigs, raspberries, currants - decorated with flowers, moss, herbs, colorful feathers) to 'welcome' Jesus to their towns and villages. 



Those household members who could not attend the Palm Sunday Mass, are being gently beaten with the Palms by those who were attending the mass. This ritual is bless those who did not go to Mass and to remind them that the Lord's resurrection is near. 


After the mass the Pamls are being stuck behind an image or inserted into vases to protect your home against misfortune and bad neighbors.



Święconka - a basket with food

Holy Saturday is  a day of joyful anticipation. On that day, Polish Catholics are oblidged to prepare a basket with food (that is to be consumed during the Easter Sunday breakfast) and bring it to the church to be blessed. 










Sometimes, especially in small villages where there is a lack of a church, Catholics are gathering at a village Cross/Statute and are waiting patiently for the priest to come and bless their food. 

The foods in the baskets have a symbolic meaning:
  • eggs - symbolise life and Christ's resurrection
  • bread - symbolic of Jesus
  • lamb - represents Christ
  • salt - represents purification
  • horseradish - symbolic of the bitter sacrifice of Christ
  • ham - symbolic of great joy and abundance.



Śmigus-Dyngus (Easter 'Wet' Monday) 

It's fun, we all know it! You can pour water on anyone without exceptions! The first boy/girl to get fully wet is the first one to get married. Some people are using water guns to play with, other are more extreme and prefer the fire hose. The firemen are also involved in this play by wetting everyone who passes by the fire engine. 








Poszukiwania Króliczka - Easter Bunny Treasure Hunt

After the Easter Sunday breakfast, the whole family goes out and tries to find some treasures left by the Easter Bunny (parents). The treasures can be found in the cabbage, in between the flowers, under the stairs, etc.  


Monday 30 March 2015

Poland's road to success

New manager, new players, new future?


The Polish football association's (PZPN) manager Zbigniew Boniek is delighted with the Group D results and Poland draw on a Sunday nigth with Ireland. The full team are happy with the score and are looking forward to the next game against Giblartar. 'The next game should be an easy win, and we will show our people how strong we are as a team' - the manager.


If it wasn't because of Leo Benhaaker Poland would never qualify for a Euro football tournament and this could be a great chance that is given to us, we cannot waste this opportunity.

The group stage looks very promising for Poland.


Qualifying round


Group D

HomeAwayTotal
TeamsPWDLWDLWDLFA+/-Pts
Poland Poland51102103201631311
Germany Germany521010131194510
Scotland Scotland5300011311115610
Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland511011122111478
Georgia Georgia500310110449-53
Gibraltar Gibraltar5002003005127-260
Standings are provisional until all group matches have been played.
Legend:
P: Played   
W: Won   
D: Draw   
L: Lost   
F: For   
A: Against   
+/-: Goal difference   
Pts: Points



 

Poland vs Ireland. 

UEFA European Championship Qualifying Round | Aviva Stadium, Dublin
29 March 2015 - 19:45 (local time)

Republic of Ireland: Given; Coleman, O’Shea, Wilson, Brady; Walters, McCarthy, Whelan (Long, 83), McGeady (McClean, 68); Hoolahan; Keane.
Poland: Fabiański; Olkowski, Szukała, Glik, Wawrzyniak; Peszko (Kucharczyk, 88), Krychowiak, Jodłowiec, Rybus; Lewandowski, Milik (Mila, 84).
Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden).

Sunday 8 March 2015

The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler

The Revolution - Facebook
REMEMBER THIS LADY!!!
Look at this lady - Let us never forget!
The world hasn't just become wicked...it's always been wicked.
The prize doesn't always go to the most deserving.
Irena Sendler
Died 12 May 2008 (aged 98)
Warsaw, Poland
During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw ghetto, as a plumbing/sewer specialist.
She had an 'ulterior motive'.
She KNEW what the Nazi's plans were for the Jews (being German).
Irena smuggled infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried and she carried in the back of her truck a burlap sack, (for larger kids).
She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto.
The soldiers of course wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids/infants noises.
During her time of doing this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants.
She was caught, and the Nazi's broke both her legs, arms and beat her severely.
Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar, buried under a tree in her back yard.
After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived it and reunited the family.
Most had been gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted.
Last year Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize.
She was not selected.
President Obama won one year before becoming President for his work as a community organizer for ACORN
and
In MEMORIAM - 63 YEARS LATER
I'm doing my small part by forwarding this message.
I hope you'll consider doing the same...
It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended.
This e-mail is being sent as a memorial chain, in memory of the six million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests who were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated!
Now, more than ever, with Iran, and others, claiming the HOLOCAUST to be 'a myth'.
It's imperative to make sure the world never forgets, because there are others who would like to do it again.

Saturday 7 March 2015

Logo Competition.

I would like to announce a wee logo competition for the blog and Twitter and Facebook pages: Poland the pride of Europe. Please send your logo entries to private mail. Prize for the winner.

Rozpoczynamy konkurs na logo bloga i strony Poland the pride of Europe. Wszystkie propozycje proszę wysyłać na priv. Nagroda czeka.

Я хотел бы объявить чуть-конкурс на лучший логотип для блога и Twitter и Facebook страниц: Польша гордость Европы. Пожалуйста, присылайте ваш логотип записей в личную почту. Приз для победителя.

Ich möchte ein kleines Logo-Wettbewerb für das Blog und Twitter und Facebook-Seiten bekannt geben: Polen der Stolz Europas. Bitte senden Sie Ihr Logo Einträge in private Post. Preis für den Gewinner.