Newsletter ofof thethe Polish Polish Cultural Cultural Council Council • Vol. • Vol.5 • Spring 13 • Summer/Fall2007 2015 I am very proud of the Polish winds have landed on the shores of successful years in office, the center Cultural Council’s organizational the US. (Civic Platform Party), led by president mission. Because we are a Polish Here is a brief overview of Polish Komorowski, lost to the Kaczynski’s cultural organization, and not a political politics. In Poland, the right, or right wing Law and Justice Party. one, we do not delve into the current conservative, parties are typically very The Law and Justice Party was led politics of Poland at our meetings. much aligned with the Catholic Church, by a relatively unknown candidate for Although we have many native- having on their platform restrictions on president, Andrzej Duda. This was a born Poles on our board and in our abortion, in-vitro fertilization, gay rights, stunning defeat for the party whose membership, we avoid the pitfalls of etc. They are also highly nationalistic objective was full integration with the some other Polish organizations which advance one political agenda after another while members “take sides”. Message from the President Our debates are not about the roles of the church and the state in Poland. and against any further integration European Union. So, the left replaces Rather, they are about topics such as with the European Union. They are the right and at some time in the future, which particular Polish musician would vehemently anti-Russian, calling for the opposite will occur. Such is the draw a crowd in Pittsburgh. increases in military spending. They nature of politics: nothing lasts forever. I am also involved in an organization blame Putin for downing the plane So why am I writing about Polish whose mission is to support Poland carrying President Kaczynski and his politics when they are not part of the as a loyal ally and a proven friend of entourage to Smolensk, Russia. Their PCC? My observation is that Polish the United States. I also have friends strength comes from the rural areas of political discussion in the US within involved in Polish “social” organizations Poland, especially the southeast, close our cultural and social organizations is around the country. An increasing to the Ukraine. the kiss of death for them. I have seen number of members are Polish-born. The left, in the case of Poland, is the battle lines drawn, and for what They therefore have a keen interest comprised of former communists. The purpose? No one wins, except some in internal Polish politics. The Polish party is virtually irrelevant. However, egos. Let the Poles sort their politics Americans within these organizations the center party is pitted against out themselves and leave it on their are more concerned that Poland has the Polish right. The center is highly shores. Let those of us who truly care a democratically elected government supportive of EU integration. (Where about Poland lobby our government free from outside influence. Internal do you think all of the money for to help insure that it remains a free Polish politics are not their concern. Poland’s new highways came from?) country, democratically elected and Increasingly, in Polish political and They firmly believe in the separation a strong member of NATO with good social organizations, the members are of church and state. They have their trade agreements. Who the next determined to get their political agenda greatest followings in the urbanized president of Poland is, is for the Poles met, which often means nothing gets areas of Warsaw, Krakow, Wraclaw in Poland to decide. Who will be the done as participants’ tempers rise and and Poznan. next Polish musician to bring focus turns to who is There was a national election in to Pittsburgh, is ours. right. The anger is Poland in May. Like most elections, this based on Poland’s was a struggle between two Rick Pierchalski political winds. Now, political parties with two President PCC via these organi- very different ideologies. zations, those After five fairly Glamour in the Shadow By Magda Rybka, (Warsaw, Poland) If you intend to recapture your heritage or wish to find the less traveled path for your next vacation anytime of the year, the article below from our Warsaw correspondent will pique your interest. Ed. Busko Most of us have heard about Busko and its underground treasures. Many have been lucky enough to “enjoy” the virtues of its foul-smelling, salty and sulphury water and benefited from its miraculous qualities. The minerals it contains are supposed to be good for everything that’s inside and outside us, starting with heart and finishing with our hair and nails. Not many, however, Pińczów have had the opportunity to go to the resort in November and stroll around his property to the nuns in 1241. In 1251, Wiślica the spa park in the misty fall afternoon the nuns received a revenue privilege from when all the sculptures, statues and King Bolesław the Chaste (Bolesław Wsty- It takes just a quarter of an hour to dead fountains take on misterious and dliwy) allowing the convent to use the salt get from Busko to Wiślica. The town was monstruous shapes that bring to mind water. This is the first record of the use of founded more than 1000 years ago, close the books of Zafon. In this hazy weather Busko’s mineral waters. In 1287, Busko to the important trade routes. At that the old Marconi sanatorium looks like an was granted civic rights by Prince Leszek time it was probably the capital of the enchanted castle. Its few residents and the Black. We may see the statue of the famous tribe of Vistulans.The land of scarce visitors, hiding under umbrel- famous prince and warrior in the main Vistulans, after coming under temporary las and behind high collars of their avenue leading from the spa park to the rule of Great Moravia and Bohemia, was coats, seem unreal and kind of ghostly. town market place. A small and shapely incorporated into Poland by Mieszko the Beautiful Art Nuoveau villas, partly figure of the heroic black knight welcomes First in 990. The first fortified settlement submerged in shadows, deepen the sense tourists and passers-by. Yes, the history of was probably founded at the end of the of timelessness. Only a cup of heated Busko and the surrounding region started 9th century. and aromatic wine ordered in Deresław’s long ago and left imprints all around. It’s Before entering the town, we can see castle can bring you back to normal. De- an unquestionable challenge and plea- the proud tower of the Collegiate Basilica reslav was a medieval knight who owned sure to follow the long forgotten path of of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, which the Busko territory. Knight Dersław left historic traces. was completed by King Kazimir the Great Polish Journey is a publication of the Polish 2015 Board of Directors Cultural Council, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) orga- nization. Please address your correspondence to: Polish Cultural Council, P.O. Box 81054, OFFICERS: MEMbERS: barbara Zawadzki, M.D. Pittsburgh, PA 15217-0554, tel: 412.871.3347 Rick Pierchalski John Adamczyk, Esq. Marysia Zioncheck “The opinions expressed by authors do not PRESIDENT Lorene Drake Vinski always reflect the views of the PCC.” Joseph Kaminski Mary Louise Ellena Hon. Edward borkowski Rick Pierchalski, President; VICE PRESIDENT Patrycja Jaworska-Garrett Irene Jakubowski Evanne Addams Timothy Kuzma HON. BOARD MEMBERS Maria Staszkiewicz, Executive Director, [email protected]; TREASURER David J. Motak James Clark Eva Tumiel-Kozak Maria Staszkiewicz Eva Tumiel-Kozak, Editor-in-Chief; SECRETARY Andrzej Wojcieszynski EXECUTIVE DIRECtor Veronica Wojnarowski, Maria Staszkiewicz, Editors; Kasia Goszcz-Bruniany, Graphic Artist; We are very grateful to Terri Barger for her three-year term on our Board as a Secretary. Mary Seamans, Graphic Design; Her commitment, her expertise and her invaluable input will be hard to follow! visit us @ www.PolishCulturalCouncil.org Our best wishes for her next endeavors. 2 Polish Journey • Summer/Fall 2015 in 1350. It’s the most ancient and big- located in Pińczów’s market square. Cur- gest two-aisled church in Poland. Inside, rently, a regional museum is located here. we shall see the original wall paintings We may visit a Franciscan monastery dating back to the reign of King Jagiello from 1587 in the district of Mirów, as well who founded them in 1400. Today, the as a house which once hosted a Calvin- Collegiate is the Sanctuary of the Smil- ist printing shop which published for ing Madonna, half-sculpture, said to be example, the works of Frycz Modrzewski. given to Wiślica by king Ladislaus the Shame that there is no visible informa- Elbow-High, (Krol Wladyslaw Lokietek), tive placque on a house of such impor- but whose origins are not really known. tance. Indeed, Pińczów in the period of There is a legend that when Wiślica was Reformation was the center of intellec- sieged by Bohemians, the Virgin Mary tual development. The famous Pinczow supported Ladislaus in his quest for power Academy called the Sarmatian Athenes and helped him to defeat his enemies could boast with the best teachers and and gain the throne of Poland. Ladislaus, wonderful achievements like the first Pol- in order to express his gratitude to the ish translation of the Bible. It was also the Virgin Mary initiated the construction of center of famous theological debates. It the Gothic Collegiate, which we can still all came to an end after 1592 with the vic- admire today.