In March 1000, an extraordinary event took place. The Holy Roman Emperor Otton III visited Gniezno, the then capital of the Polish state. The official aim of the visit to the state ruled by Bolesław Chrobry, was a pilgrimage to the grave of Saint Adalbert. by Piotr Bejrowski In the mid 10th century, under…
Bronisław Geremek was a man of many passions: history and politics were the most important among them. His political achievements are much more noticeable because of their social impact and significance for the Polish state. Geremek embodied the successes of the foreign policy of post-1989 Poland: the country’s accession to NATO and the European Union….
On December 1, 1970, Kazimierz Górski became the national football team coach. Górski, born on March 2, 1921, in Lwów, led the Polish team to its greatest successes; they won two Olympic medals (1972, 1976) and achieved third place at the world championships (1974). Before his coaching career, he was a striker for several Lwów…
The 19th century Polish insurgent and immigrant Antoni Patek was a pioneer in the industrial production of watches. Patek, the company he founded and which has been in the hands of another family for years, has been producing some of the best and most expensive watches in the world for almost two centuries. by Piotr…
Ewa Zientara: Why was the Bar Confederation formed? Dorota Dukwicz: This question is only seemingly easy. In 1767 the Radom Confederates hoped that Russia would help them depose the hated King Stanisław II Augustus and move away the spectre of the demands made by the non-Catholic nobility, that is, dissenters, or dissidents, as they were…
Polish biochemist Kazimierz Funk was the first to discover and name vitamins. He proved that – apart from carbohydrates, proteins, fats and mineral salts – they are chemical compounds necessary for the proper functioning of the living organism. by Piotr Bejrowski Born on 23 February 1884 in Warsaw, Kazimierz Funk was a son of…
