People wrongly believe that as of 11 am on 11 November 1918 the ceasefire was called and peace restored. This was not the case in Central and Eastern Europe where one must instead speak of ongoing hostilities and violence, says Bartosz Dziewanowski-Stefańczyk from the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity. Why the years 1918-1923 were times…
During the Second World War, Poland and Britain cooperated closely and shared some joint victories in the air battle for England, Narvik and Monte Cassino. But that’s not all. The contacts among the secret services of both countries were also of significant importance. Lesser known pages from the history of Polish-British cooperation in this period…
“Fight just like a Polish soldier has always done throughout history. Fight tenaciously, and yet chivalrously!” Thus, General Stanisław Maczek, the model of an indomitable soldier, encouraged his soldiers to fight. Jacques Wiacek, author of “Histoire de la 1re division blindée polonaise (1939-1945): L’odyssée du phénix”, first French-language monograph on the 1st Division of General…
An estimated 3 million Poles left their country between 1850 and 1914. The most common direction of their emigration was Chicago in the United States. As a result, the second biggest population of Polish people still lives in this city today, outside Poland! How did it happen that people from Polish lands started to migrate…
He survived the Second World War, the communist period and the first years of the formation of the post-1989 Third Polish Republic, while remaining faithful to his values and beliefs. Although consistently defending his principles, he went down in history as a man constantly seeking dialogue and compromise. What shaped Wiesław Chrzanowski and what does…
Two trusted companions, a gun and a determination to revive the nation after the hardships of war and partition were all that Mieczysław Jałowiecki had when he embarked on a seemingly impossible diplomatic mission to Gdańsk. His courageous efforts would help Poland bolster its new found identity in Gdansk and through his vision and drive…
