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FREE December 2008 Edition 50 krakow POST ISSN 1898-4762 www.krakowpost.com No Country Krakow Stink over new Krakow for Old Trees statue >> page 4 Controversy over tree cull Poland Barack Obama - positive for Anna Krajewska Poland? >> page 5 Amidst all the construction taking Feature place on the Market Square between Szczepańska and św. Anny streets it 2008: The year in may have been easy to miss the fact review that in one day in late November all >> page 10, 11 of the trees on that side of the square disappeared. In fact, many people may Property have missed this event completely as within a few days the 14 old trees had Office space - the next big been replaced by fresh young speci- thing for Krakow? mens from a German arboretum. >> page 13 The Zarząd Infrastruktury Komunal- Sport nej i Transportu w Krakowie (ZIKiT, or the Krakow Board of Communal Kubica on course for Infrastructure and Transport) is the Above: Krakow’s Christmas Market opened for the holiday season on November 28th greatness body responsible for the trees’ re- >> page 14 moval. According to ZIKiT’s website, the current tree removal was simply Culture the continuation of a “tree exchange” on the Market Square begun in 2006. Polish “Londoners” premieres “The replacement of the crop of trees HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS >> page 15 was necessary due to the medical sta- tus of these trees,” states the website. contact in the long term. In the winter The trees’ removal had also been ap- The Krakow Post investigates the fate months this assistance takes the form of proved by the Małopolska Voivod- beds, meals, bathhouses, and informa- inside ship’s Conservator of Monuments. of Krakow’s less fortunate this winter tion.” “In the expert analysis it was unequiv- The resources, however, only get to the ocally stated that the trees are in such Anna Bienkowska neediest through the hard work of a a state, that the best solution will be handful of individuals. For anyone who their removal. The entire project was has lived in America, the term “social planned two years ago,” stated Jan cold reality that will affect Chechelska of the Miejski ośrodek po- worker” is common, and “streetworkers” Janczykowski, the Malopolska Con- 1,200 people during this mocy społecznej (MOPS, or City Social are Krakow’s equivalent. They showed servator of Monuments. The analy- holiday season in Krakow Welfare Centre). up on the scene just three years ago and sis showed that the treetops were is homelessness. The win- since then have been working for the only retaining 30-50 percent of their Ater months are especially trying for the “Many of the homeless and those that benefit of the homeless. branches. Holes and scars were visible homeless owing to the severe weather exist outside of the system know that on the tree trunks. Due to physiologi- conditions. For some, the combination they will receive help with no questions They go out into the street and make cal weakening, a danger of breakage of alcohol consumption and lack of shel- asked. The goal is to get these people off contact, bringing help and most of all had emerged. ter are lethal, and every year there are the streets, to help them and support information. They come >> 2 casualties. them and to establish a form of ongoing equipped with pamphlets But many Cracovians are sceptical > spotlight about whether the trees’ removal was The homeless find shelter where it is actually necessary. The chairman of warm and dry and there is a chance of Curtains up at Krakow the Saving Krakow Citizens’ Com- a meal. First, the basic needs have to be Opera mittee, Mikołaj Kornecki, told Gazeta met before a larger goal can be consid- Wyborcza: “Granted, the wood is ered. The homeless weave in and out of > posted worm-eaten in the middle, it’s crum- the city, namelessly sometimes, holding bling. I saw only one other like this. outstretched hands or empty cups for Events for December The rest, please notice, is healthy.” alms. Yearly, approximately 2,000 home- less people pass through Krakow. The swift extraction of the old trees came as a shock to Cracovians who Many homeless people wind up in Kra- were suddenly confronted by a series kow because the city offers a wide range of stumps. Just a few days before the of services aimed at helping the down- trees were cut down, they had been and-out. “The homeless are offered covered in the first snow of this win- good services and they know it- they ter, lending an extra dash of beauty to come here to seek refuge,” says Marta Krakow streetworkers: Iwona Surmaj, Łukasz Filek, Berenika Migdał / photo courtesy of MOPS 2 Krakow Post DECEMBER 2008 www.krakowpost.com News Krakow that explain who they << Continued from 1 Letters are and what they do, To the editor which also include the addresses of shelters, soup kitchens, bathhouses, places to obtain clothing, and housing. They offer professional help for Re: Tony R.’s letter to the editor, November issue of those with dependents or those that have been the victims of the Krakow Post violence and need medical help. Dear Tony, In Krakow, there are eight locations where one can find a warm In light of the fact that I’ve read every issue of the meal during dinner hours, such as ul. Skawińska 6, whereas on Krakow Post since its very beginning, from cover to Sundays the only place serving meals is on ul. Łokietka. In ad- cover, I must defend the Krakow Post against your accusation of “anti-British sentiment.” I struggle dition, three locations distribute nonperishable foodstuffs, as to remember anything within the Post’s pages that well as new or used clothing. The medical centre for homeless might be construed as anti-British. In fact, most of people can be found on ul. Olszańska 5. the opinion pieces which have stuck in my mind are ones that could be labelled “anti-American” – Streetworkers cooperate with the straż miejska (city guard), criticism of American political issues such as Bush’s missile defence shield plan, etc. and together they conduct trainings with railroad employees, exchanging information and discussing appropriate approaches It seems to me that “newsworthy” issues should Krakow“ to dealing with homeless people at railway stations. Last year, reflect our immediate reality. The problem of British 200 employees of the straż miejska participated in such train- brutes roaming in obnoxious packs in the historic has ings. From November until March they jointly conduct patrols centre of Krakow is something that disrupts my life (nearly on a daily basis in the spring and summer). late into the evening hours, seeking out people not in shelters. Krakow is becoming vulgarised by these groups become of men, who are, without exception, BRITISH. Streetworkers are the first to arrive when someone reports a When people come to visit me here and I take a haven homeless person. In the event that a person does not want help them out to see my beautiful city, these people or does not want to spend the night in a shelter, street workers are an embarrassment. I try to avoid them, but A streetworker helps out / photo courtesy of MOPS it’s becoming hard since they’re here in such great for the pass on information on where they can get help in case they numbers. This is a recent problem, and one that were to change their mind. “When they don’t want help we are give freely but because of the push to avoid giving on the street needs to be reported on in order to be solved. This brutish, not allowed to help,” says Iwona, one of the street workers, “but there has been a big change. On the one hand, “when there is a of course is not to suggest that all British people mostly we have positive reactions.” There have been a total of 45 drive or a project that needs certain things we have never been in Krakow are of this variety; there are plenty of idiotic, such interventions in the past year. disappointed, help always comes,” Chechelska continues. “They British people living here who are respectful and appreciative of the city and its culture. But Krakow help all year, there is a difference around the holidays because has become a haven for the brutish, idiotic, arrogant arrogant There are approximately 800 beds combined for men and wom- there are different things that are needed but they help all year kind as well, and there seems to be a lot of them. en in Krakow, and no one is turned away even in the most dras- rou n d .” kind as tic of situations. In the case that someone shows up looking for Another thing that needs to be addressed in your shelter and is heavily under the influence of alcohol the police is For MOPS, yearlong help takes the form of regular consulta- amusing letter is your complaint about “ridiculous property prices” in Krakow. The sad irony for you well, and informed. In these cases they will not spend the night under the tions with professionals on topics such as addiction or depres- – and for all other Brits who believe they are God’s naked sky, but not in a shelter either. sion, support groups, employment and temporary housing on gift to Poland – is that this has happened solely due there top of addressing basic needs. MOPS offers transition housing to the influx of you and your compatriots! When I Helping the homeless is not only a holiday project that melts with 11 spaces, which have only been open since last year.

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