Page 4 News of Polonia Pasadena, California February 2010 Frederic Chopin Chopin in outer space Dare we forget`? The Execution of 200th Birthday Celebration By: Robert Strybel, By: Stanley Elman Eddie Slovik Polish/Polonian Affairs Writer It has been over six decades since the The Paderewski Music Society An article by: Laurence M. Vance For the first time ever, the music of end of World War II and so few of the and Modjeska Art and Culture Fryderyk (Frédéric) Chopin has combatants from it are alive that some Jeffrey Tucker has written about all Club will present an Evening of established its presence in outer space – a suggestions imply that we forget and modern armies being essentially Music and Poetry on February 27 fitting tribute to Poland’s great composer move on. After all, there is the War on totalitarian enterprises. “Once you sign up for them, or are drafted, you are a slave. at 7:00 PM. The event will take during International Chopin Year marking Terror; there are Iraq, Afghanistan, and the 200th anniversary of his birth. A copy The penalty for becoming a fugitive is place at Zipper Hall – Colburn now looming on the horizon Yemen; there of Chopin’s original manuscript of his was Desert Storm, and, of course, there death. Even now, the enforcements School, Conservatory of Music, Prelude in A Major Opus 28 No. 7 and are the endless conflicts in and near Israel. against mutiny, desertion, going AWOL, 200 South Grand Avenue, Los An- well as a recording of the composer’s We should concentrate on them. or what have you, are never questioned.” geles. works were taken into space aboard the Well, let us introduce you to two One notable example of a man who paid Space Shuttle Endeavor by the mission’s the ultimate price for wanting to change Award winning actress Jane individuals who will not forget -- one. captain, George Zamka. his job, a job that he never asked for in the Kaczmarek will be the hostess and from very far away, does not want to, and Chopin’s notes that had been in outer the other, from nearby, who cannot. first place, was Edward Donald “Eddie” poetry reader. Featured pianists are space are due to be presented to the Polish Waldemar Ociepski is a member of Slovik (1920–1945). Slovik was a private John Perry and Wojciech Kocyan Minister Culture and National Heritage the “Black Hammcr” group in the in the U.S. Army during World War II. (Laureate of the Paderewski, Vi- when the astronauts visit Poland in May. small town of Kedzierzyn-Koźlc, January 31 marks the 60th anniversary of “When listening to those compositions, one about 30 miles or an hour’s drive his execution by firing squad for otti, and Busoni International Pi- can truly perceive the romantic beauty and south from Opole in southern Poland. desertion. There were 21,049 soldiers ano Competitions.) Alexander majesty of outer space,” commented Black Hammcr is what American and sentenced for desertion during WWII, Suleiman, winner of the Interna- Colonel George David Zamka who has with 49 of them receiving death Polish roots. British pilots often called the tional Brahms Cello Competitions Blechhammcr Rcgion (polish: sentences. However, only Slovik’s death The latest mission, carried out by six sentence was carried out. He was the first will be another featured performer. astronauts – five males and one female – Blachownia) in what was then Germany. The area was an important U.S. soldier to be executed for desertion The program will include Cho- has involved delivering a third module to since the Civil War. He was also the last. pin’s Introduction and Polonaise the international space station as well as a industrial rcgion - a target of many Amcrican and British bombing sorties Born in Detroit, Michigan, Slovik was a Brillante in C Major) Op. 3 (for seven-window copula to be used as a small-time thief and ex-convict who was robotics control room. The space station, that tried to knock out the IG Farben piano and cello), Nocturne in D- [Interessen Gemeinschaft originally classified (4F) as unfit for which had been assembled during earlier military service. But shortly after his first flat Major Op. 27 No. 2, Waltz in missions, is about 90 percent completed. Farbenindustrie] was a German chemical industry conglomerate and wedding anniversary, in November of A-flat Major Op. 34 No. 2, Waltz Zamka’s great-grandfather had come 1943, he was reclassified (1A) and drafted in c-sharp minor Op. 64 No. 2, So- from what was then Prussian-occupied holder of the patent for the pesticide ZYKLON B used in the gas chambers anyway. After training for a few months nata in b-flat minor, Op. 35, and Pomorze (Pomerania) in 1885 and settled at Camp Wolters in Texas, he was sent to in Milwaukee where he operated a during the Holocaust. Sonata in b-minor Op. 58. Ocicpski and his colleagues (most of France in August of 1944. Slovik faced furniture store. The astronaut’s mother is impending death in The Battle of Hürtgen Cost of admission is $25. Tickets them model airplanes enthusiasts) of Colombian ancestry, so Hispanic Forest, where the American army suffered can be purchased at the door (if Americans are also proud of “one of their have built and equipped a mini museum of data on airmen and POW’s 24,000 casualties during the battle and an available), by mailing check to the own”. additional 9,000 casualties due to fatigue, Another American astronaut of Polish (prisoners of war) that contains in its Paderewski Music Society (8504 two rooms many WWII aircraft illness, or friendly fire. After Slovik’s Independence Avenue, Canoga descent is Scott E. Parażyński who took request to be reassigned from the front part in NASA’s 2007 mission aboard the artifacts, including parts, bmbs, spent Park 91304), or by PayPal from ammunition and fragments (gathered lines to the rear was refused, he deserted, space shuttle Discovery. A medical voluntarily surrendered, and wrote that he their website – doctor and veteran spacewalker, he is the from the area), photos, decorations, American, British and Polish military would run away again if sent into combat. www.jpaderewski.org. All pur- only astronaut ever known to have Confined in the division stockade and climbed Mount Everest. During that documents pertaining to flying over or chased tickets will be available at bombing the locale, uniforms aircraft facing a court-martial, Slovik refused to the Box Office before the event. mission he took with him into outer space return to his unit. On November 11 a Polish-American aviation symbol par equipment, anti-aircraft memorabilia, eye (Info, 818-456-7742. -witness reports and interviews, and (Armistice Day), 1944, he was tried and excellence: a patch of the Tadeusz pleaded not guilty, but was convicted of Kościuszko 7th Fighter Squadron in history of the area. When they locate a fragment of downed airplane, they try to desertion. He wrote a letter to General which American pilots fought for Poland Eisenhower on December 9 pleading for Chopin and Jenny Lind against the Ukrainians and Soviets in identify it and the names of its crew and whether any survived and what happened clemency, but on December 23, during the From Icons of Europe 1919-1920. Battle of the Bulge, Eisenhower New research on Chopin and Jenny Lind Astronaut James Anthony Pawelczyk, to any survivors. Such research often takes many months in various documents confirmed the death sentence. Irrefutable proof shows that Frederick who prefers to be called just Jim, took a and databases. A successful conclusion Captain Benedict Kimmelman, a Chopin and Jenny Lind (1820 – 1887), the Polish flag on board the space shuttle to a search gives much satisfaction to all member of the court martial board, wrote Swedish Nightingale, developed a close Columbia in 1998. A year later, on the and leads to new contacts. in 1987 that “Slovik, guilty as many and lasting relationship in 1838 – 1849. Third of May, Polish Constitution Day, he The two-room mini museum is located others were, was made an example, the The depth of the relationship is presented the flag to then Polish President in the Dom Kultury “Lech” located on sole example, it turned out.” He astounding. She was his musical and Aleksander Kwaśniewski when he visited 7B Wyzwolenia Street in Kedzierzyn- considered the execution a “”historic financial benefactor and planned to marry Poland. Since the 1998 mission had taken Kozle, telephone (077) 483-66-70. In injustice.” Colonel Guy Williams, another him in 1849 with the knowledge of Queen place during the Easter season, Pawelczyk addition to the museum the Dom officer on the panel, said that he didn’t Victoria. In addition, she sang at his death was reported to have prepared Polish- contains two meeting halls and a small think “a single member of that court bed and arranged his lavish funeral at La style white Easter barszcz and kiełbasa for theatre seating 125 people. As far as we actually believed that Slovik would ever Madeleine with special permission of fellow-astronauts. know, the museum is open only on be shot. I know I didn't believe it.” Louis Napoleon, President of France. NASA’s earliest known astronaut of Thursdays from 5PM to 8PM. The park According to Bernard Całka, the man For the rest of her life Jenny Lind Polish background was New Yorker Karol around the Dom Kultury was recently responsible for bringing Slovik’s remains contributed to the enrichment of Chopin’s Joseph Bobko who took part in three renamed the 151h United States Air Force home in 1987 from an army cemetery in legacy.