NEWSLETTER No 19

EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF IN NEW ZEALAND

July 2017 WELCOME In this issue:

Following the 14 November Kaikoura earthquake, the City Chambers building has become PL & PACIFIC ISLANDS RELATIONS 2 temporarily inaccessible. PL NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS 3 MONTE CASSINO BATTLE 3 The Polish Embassy has moved into a new interim office at LEVEL 4, SOLNET HOUSE, 70 AUCKLAND 3 MAY CELEBRATION 4 THE TERRACE, Wellington 6011 COMING SOON 4 PL-HUNGARIAN CULTURAL EVENTS 5 ELDEST NZ -ER OF POLISH ROOTS 6 POLAND ELECTED A MEMBER OF THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL BETWEEN THE WATERS 6 PAHIATUA MUSEUM REOPENED 6 On Friday, June 2, 2017, Poland was elected as a agenda will also be the situation in Ukraine and WOMAD 2016 7 non-permanent member of the UN Security renewed participation in UN peacekeeping opera- TRADE PERFORMANCE 7 Council. tions. Among the most important priorities of RADIO POLAND 7 The Council plays a leading role in global securi- Poland's membership of the UNSC will be POLISH SCIENCE TRIUMPHS 7 ty discussions, seeking solutions to conflicts ei- strengthening of the Security Council effective- STUDY VISIT IN POLAND ther by peaceful means or through the use of ness and increasing the role and authority of the 8 force. organization. 2017 YEAR OF THE INFLUENTIALS 9 Solidarity-Responsibility-Commitment The force of the law The Security Council consists of fifteen states, Poland is returning to the Security Council after five of which (China, France, Russia, the United more than twenty years (it will be the sixth time States and the that Poland will United King- be a member of dom) are per- the UNSC). manent mem- Since then, bers. The re- Poland's inter- maining ten national posi- states are elect- tion has ed by the Gen- changed and eral Assembly our country has for a two-year become a mandate, with member of five non- NATO and the permanent European Un- members elect- ion. However, ed every year. the dynamically changing international situation, Poland officially announced its candidacy for a also in the immediate vicinity of Poland and the seat on the UN Security Council during the 2018- remains uneasy. Poland, adher- 2019 term in March 2009 under the slogan ing to the primacy of international law in interna- "Solidarity-Responsibility-Commitment", but an tional relations, will as a member intensive campaign to acquire membership was of the Security Council strive to launched in September last year. build a world based on "the force Priorities of law, not the law of force." In the UNSC, Poland will be the voice of the re- Poland will begin its two-year gion it represents – Central and Eastern Europe mandate on January 1, 2018. Ku- (EEG, consisting of 23 members). Poland wants wait, Equatorial Guinea, Peru and to use its membership in the Security Council to Côte d'Ivoire have been elected draw international attention to global issues such together with Poland for the 2018- as terrorism, crimes against humanity and non- 2019 UN Security Council. The observance of the fundamental principles of inter- Netherlands will hold the mandate national law. A significant issue on the Polish of a UNSC member in 2018. NEWSLETTER No 19

NEW CHAPTER OF POLAND’S DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH PACIFIC ISLANDS

On his official visit to TUVA- On March 27th Am- LU on 31 January to 2 Febru- bassador Z. Gniat- ary, Ambassador Zbigniew kowski presented the Gniatkowski presented the Letters of Credence Letters of Credence to the to the President of the Governor General of Tuvalu Republic of KIRIBA- Sir Iakoba Taeia Italeli, start- TI Taneti Maamau. ing the first-ever mission as Diplomatic relations the Ambassador of the Re- between Poland and public of Poland to Tuvalu. Kiribati were estab- Diplomatic relations with lished on 2 March Tuvalu were established on 4 2015. May 2015. In his speech Ambas- Ambassador met with repre- sador reminded that sentatives of Tuvalu Govern- Poland was contest- ment including Prime Minis- ing to become a non- ter E. Sosene Sopoaga, Dep- permanent member of uty Prime Minister, Minister the UN Security of Finance & Economic De- Council and as a velopment M. Toafa and member of the EU, Minister of Home Affairs & Poland is active in the Rural Development N. S. Pacific region Neemia as well as the heads through EDF devel- of government agencies. Am- opment assistance bassador visited a local provided to island school and the Tuvalu Phila- countries. Poland will telic Bureau. This govern- host the COP24 Cli- ment body is world-known mate Conference in for issuing beautiful stamps. 2018. One of the limited collections Referring to bilateral issued in 2014 was dedicated relations, Ambassa- to Pope John Paul II. Ambas- dor referred to the sador also visited the sites of history of the village the infrastructural invest- called Poland, as well ments financed by the Euro- as the experience of pean Development Fund, to young Kiribati pil- which Poland is a contribu- grims, who took part tor. in the World Youth Accompanying Ambassador, Day in Krakow 2016. on a technical mission was a The visit’s program Polish PhD engineer Piotr included meetings Grzybowski of the with Kiribati Govern- University of Technology, ment representatives who at the time was a visitor and visits to the cur- at the Knowledge Engineer- rent EU projects sites. ing & Discovery Research The Polish Ambassa- Institute at the Auckland dor met with the University of Technology. Bishop of Kiribati Mr Grzybowski made assess- and young people ments of the current situation who visited Poland and further needs in waste for WYD (a group of management, sanitation and 26 pilgrims led by a water management in Tuva- Polish-born seminari- lu. an Przemyslaw) and paid a visit to an ele- mentary school in Tarawa. 2 NEWSLETTER No 19

3 MAY CONSTITUTION ANNIVERSARY IN NEW ZEALAND

Celebrations of 226th anniversary of demolished Cassino Monastery. Poland's first modern Constitution were "It is my absolute honour to welcome Mr held at the Wellington Club on 3 May. Perry here tonight and to personally say Ambassador Z. Gniatkowski opened the “thank you” for sharing this such a sig- ceremony with his speech, where he nificant memory with us ." - said Ambas- mentioned a historic context of May 3rd sador acknowledging Mr Perry's pres- Constitution, a very good state of Poland ence at the ceremony as an honorary - New Zealand bilateral relations, two- guest. way political and cultural cooperation, Following on, a speech was delivered by great performance of mutual trade and Hon Chris Finlayson, Attorney-General, Poland's future aspirations. New Zealand Minister responsible for "Poland and New Zealand have for dec- GCSB, Minister in charge of NZ Securi- ades enjoyed excellent relations. We ty Intelligence Service, Minister of Wai- have always been sharing common val- tangi Treaty Negotiations. ues and beliefs. New Zealanders proved Amongst 120 gathered guests were Hon their attachment to them in battlefields David Bennett, Minister for Veterans, of Europe during the WWI and WWII. Ms Mary Thurston, upcoming New Zea- We remember this ." - said Ambassador land Ambassador to Poland, Polish Hon- introducing a symbolic letter he received orary Consuls Winsome Dormer and a few days prior to the ceremony. The Bogusław Nowak, members of Diplo- letter was signed by Mr Trevor Perry matic Corps, senior representatives from Picton, a tank driver from the 19th of Victoria University of Wellington, NZ Armoured Regiment, who fought in National Centre for Research on Europe, the cruel battle of Monte Cassino in May SCOUTS New Zealand, business, 1944. Mr Perry also sent a photograph of NGOs, Polish Community leaders and a Polish flag flying upon the ruins of the Pahiatua Children. Photos by Jekielek K. Photos

BATTLE OF MONTE CASSINO

The Battle of Monte Cassino marked one of the lon- gest and bloodiest engagements of the Italian campa- ign during WW2. Allied forces launched four major attacks in 1944 to remove Nazi forces from a strategi- cally-important rocky outcrop, home to the 1,400 year- old Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino. The New Zealand soldiers’ biggest involvement came, in the 3rd battle, a major assault which started on 15 March. The town of Cassino was almost totally de- stroyed by a massive bombing raid, following which the 2nd New Zealand Division forces advanced under cover of an artillery barrage. Finally, on May 18, 1944, the troops of the Polish II Corps commanded by Gene- Photograph sent by Mr Trevor Perry with a Polish flag flying ral Władysław Anders reached the monastery ruins. above the ruins of the Cassino Monastery just after being captured by Polish troops, 18 May 1944. 3 NEWSLETTER No 19

NATIONAL DAY IN AUCKLAND & SPECIAL HONOUR

A great crowd gathered at the Polish House members. Wisia received the Officer’s in Auckland on Sunday, 7 May to celebrate Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic the Polish Constitution Day, which is a Na- of Poland, awarded to her by Andrzej Duda, tional Day in Poland. President of Poland. Special guest in attendance was Ambassa- Wisia is known for her hard work in the dor Zbigniew Gniatkowski, who arrived field of preserving Polish history and tradi- from Wellington. He spoke about the signif- tions in New Zealand. She arrived in NZ in icance of the 3rd of May 1971 Constitution, 1944 with hundreds of Polish WWII or- both for Poland and for Europe as a whole. phans, known as the Pahiatua Children. In The Constitution known commonly as the New Zealand she got a degree in history at May 3rd Constitution was adopted in 1791 the University of Auckland. She is married by The Polish Great Sejm. The well-known to a New Zealander. Despite her age she is British historian Norman Davies described still a member of the Polish Association in the document as "the first constitution of its Auckland and also the Polish Combatants type in Europe". Others have called it the Association. world's second oldest codified national con- Wisia dedicated her life to preserving the stitution after the 1789 United States Con- memory of the thousands of Polish officers stitution. Although the Polish Constitution killed by the Soviet secret police in Katyn was abolished after only 19 months, it be- and other places in the Soviet Union during came the inspiration for political and demo- WWII. Thanks to her efforts, a commemo- cratic reforms in many European countries, rative plaque was unveiled in 1990 at Auck- including modern Poland. land’s St Patrick’s Cathedral. She gathered The official speeches were supplemented by hundreds of valuable documents related to a lovely performance by the youngest gen- Poland and Polish community history. She eration of the Polish community in Auck- is also a poet, who recently published a land. Poems were read; songs and national book “Głos serca na drogach życia“ (Voice anthems of Poland and New Zealand were from the heart on the roads of life). sang. Wisia has never lost her love for Poland, the During the event, the Polish community country she was forced to leave as a child. also paid tribute to Mrs Malwina (Wisia) Bogusław Nowak, Honorary Consul Schwieters, one of its’ most renowned

COMING UP SOON

SUNDAY 13 AUGUST, 5pm, Saint Mary's of the Angels Church, Wellington - Poland’s Armed Forces Day (obs. on 15 August) - celebratory Mass with blessing of the Katyń memorial plaque

* WEDNESDAY, 6 SEPTEMBER, 12.15pm, St Andrew’s on the Terrace, Wellington - ‘Music from Poland’ free post-44th Internaonal Viola Congress concert by Marcin Murawski (viola) from Poznan, Poland and Gabriela Glapska (piano), PhD, New Zealand School of Music * Polish arst Jolanta Kossakowska performances in Wellington & Christchurch

FRIDAY 6 & SATURDAY 7 OCTOBER - ‘Between the Waters’ 145 years of Canterbury’s First Polish Selers’ Arrival - programme of commemoraons in Canterbury connued in Wellington on SATURA- DY 14 OCTOBER (more info page 6)

* from WEDNESDAY 1 NOVEMBER - programme of events commemorang 73rd anniversary of Polish Pahiatua Children’s arrival in New Zealand with, among others, unveiling of a memorial plaque in Pahiatua centre and exhibion „Anders Army - Trails of Hope” in Wellington * FRIDAY 3 - SUNDAY 12 NOVEMBER - Wellington Polish Film Fesval 4 NEWSLETTER No 19

“ALL IN THE SAME WAKA ” EXHIBITION

In March Polish Ambassador Zbig- values is a Maori boat called niew Gniatkowski together with "waka", which is an indispensable the Ambassador of Hungary element of the artistic duet's most László Szabó jointly opened an recent work. exhibition of paintings by Polish The Ambassador in his speech artist Anna Proc and her husband referred to a long and rich history of Hungarian descent Gabriel connecting and Hungarians. Heimler "All In The Same Waka" Great Poles have emerged at the Hungarian Embassy in Wel- throughout Hungarian history. lington. One of such figures was Józef The paintings focused on combin- Bem, a Polish general and engi- ing Maori culture with the cultures neer, commander of active artil- represented by immigrants from all lery of the Polish Army during the over the world. The symbol of November Uprising and a hero of acceptance and assimilation of new the Hungarian Revolution of 1848.

1956 IN POLAND & HUNGARY

On May 26th, Ambassador of Polish and Hungarian Ambassa- Poland and Ambassador of Hun- dors, Alexander Maxwell, Senior gary in New Zealand jointly Lecturer of History at the Victo- opened the photo exhibition ria University presented a semi- “1956: Poland - Hungary. Histo- nar on events of 1956, their caus- ry and Remembrance”. The exhi- es and effects. bition was prepared by the Polish The aim of this exhibition was to Institute of National Remem- recount the events of 1956 in brance, the Hungarian National Poland and Hungary and to show Remembrance Committee and the universal desire for freedom the Hungarian Cultural Institute of the people living in the Com- in Warsaw. munist system. It was also an Students, academics, representa- opportunity to show the fate of tives of cultural institutions, dip- the two nations, that, despite lomatic corps, representatives of different history during the Se- local Polish and Hungarian com- cond World War, found themse- munities participated in the lves on the same side of the Iron opening of the exhibition at the Curtain, and the fate of people Victoria University of Welling- who, despite the difficult situa- ton. tion, fought for freedom and Following the speeches by the offered support to each other”. 5 NEWSLETTER No 19

ELDEST NEW ZEALANDER OF POLISH DESCENT

On 4 May 2017, New Zealander Madeli- Joseph Orlowski (born 1840 in Gda ńsk, ne Anderson turned 110. That makes her Poland) and Francisca Paulina Annis New Zealand’s eldest citizen. She is half (born 1849 in Tczew, Pomerania). They Polish, the granddaughter of some of the had married in 1869 in Godziszewo, Po- earliest Polish settlers in New Zealand. merania, and migrated as many other The Polish Ambassador Zbigniew Gniat- Polish early settlers to Dunedin through kowski and Polish Consul Agnieszka Hamburg in 1872. In 1899 Augustus Or- Kacperska met with Mrs Madeline An- lowski built a church, now located at derson and congratulated her on the very Broad Bay, which has been used by the special occasion. Polish Community of Dunedin. Mrs Anderson was born Madeline The Polish presence on New Zealand soil McKenzie Orlowski in the city of Dune- reach far back in history. In October this din 1907, the eldest of four daughters year the Polish Communities and the Po- born to John Andrew Orlowski and his lish Embassy in New Zealand will cele- Scottish wife Jane Robinson. brate the 145th anniversary of the arrival John Orlowski was born in 1880 in the of Polish early settlers, who came to Ota- small settlement of Waihola (near Dune- go and Taranaki and helped build New din), the son of Polish migrants Augustus Zealand’s infrastructure.

The Federaon of Polish Organisaons in NZ (FPONZ) proudly nofies of the upcoming celebraons, commemorang 145 years of Polish Selement in New Zealand. The Event Organising Commiee launched the preparaons of the programme, which will include, among others, street naming ceremony in Christchurch, Polish cultural concerts (Christchurch & Wellington) and Polish Selers’ exhibion in Can- terbury Museum (Christchurch). The main events are planned for Friday & Saturday 6 th & 7 th October 2017 in Canterbury , followed by cultural events in Wellington on Saturday 14 th October 2017 .

More informaon on FB: hps://www.facebook.com/145-years-of-Polish-Selement-in-NZ-1865974916749680/

Contact via email: [email protected]

‘A.D.1872. Vessel “Friedeburg” brings to port of Lyttelton 241 immigrants from mainly Prussian region of Baltic Sea (Poland’s territory). Farmers & labourers, young & old, families & singles – all anxious of the new, unknown future at a distant land of New Zealand, far away from their Polish homeland. They settle in Marshland and Banks Peninsula (Canterbury). Their life journey has just begun….’

RE-OPENING OF THE PAH ĪATUA MUSEUM

The Pahiatua Museum, in partnership have been interviewing local and Polish with TV series Heritage Rescue held a community members and to gather sto- grand re-opening of the museum on the ries. 3rd of March. Amongst the invited guests At the re-opening ceremony Ambassador were the Polish community members, recalled the history of Polish orphans who known as Pahiatua Children and their came to New Zealand through Siberia and families, local residents as well as Am- Iran in 1944. bassador of Poland Zbigniew Gniatkow- Thanking for the project aimed at preser- ski. vation of this milestone event in the long The museum had been closed for five history of relations between Poland and days while the Heritage Rescue team, New Zealand, Ambassador acknowledged museum volunteers and dedicated locals Brigid Gallagher and the Heritage Rescue have been working to revitalise and ex- team as well as Gilda and Andrew pand the Polish history displays in the McKnight of the museum on this success- 6 museum. The Heritage Rescue film crew ful and valuable initiative. NEWSLETTER No 19

POLISH VOICE AT WOMAD FESTIVAL

The 13th edition of the international event. WOMAD festival was held on 17-19 Next to the Polish artists, on the March in New Plymouth. One of this WOMAD stage were bands and vo- year's performing artists was a Polish calists from the UK, Brazil, Vietnam band The Warsaw Village Band and New Orleans, to name a few. (Kapela ze Wsi Warszawa). WOMAD - World of Music, Arts and The Polish Ambassador Zbigniew Dance is the internationally estab- Gniatkowski was among the guests, lished festival, which brings together as the Embassy of the Republic of artists from all over the globe. The Poland in New Zealand was one of central aim of the WOMAD festival this year’s partners of the Festival, is to celebrate the world's many forms having supported the participation of of music, arts and dance. the Warsaw Village Band at the

BILATERAL TRADE PERFORMANCE

POLAND - NEW ZEALAND TRADE (mln USD)

I-IV 2016 I-IV 2017 Photo: Warsaw Village Band’s Facebook page

97,2 Export of goods from Poland to New Zea- 69 land in January - April 2017 increased compared to the same period last year. 46,6 50 50,6 Polish companies continue exporting en- gines’ parts, machinery, medicines and 19 chemicals. Among the top imported goods from New Zealand were fish and seafood, meat, protein substances and modified starch and natural honey. EXPORT IMPORT TURNOVER

RADIO POLAND IN ENGLISH POLISH SCIENCE TRIUMPHS "Achievements of Polish Science 2016" Radio Poland is German, Rus- published by the Ministry of Science and the official in- sian, Ukrainian ternational and Belarusian. Higher Education aims to promote the broadcasting Polish Radio achievements of Polish scientists and to station of Po- brings: news enable interested companies and entre- land. It is a part bulletins, news preneurs to contact scientists and authors of Poland’s analysis, press of the described achievements. It features public radio network – Polish reviews, correspondent’s dis- the results of more than 30 studies con- Radio. Its aim is to broadcast patches, interviews and dis- programs on developments in cussions and features. ducted by Polish scientists in various fields from medicine, Poland, Poland’s foreign poli- English service broadcast archeology, physics, computer science, chemistry, biology to cy, the economy, business more various programming, astronomy. Poles can be proud of inventions such as the and foreign investments. It including quizzes, chart method of obtaining monocrystals, which are the basis of shows Polish society, its daily shows and historical program- microprocessors production, color photography, automotive life as well as scientific and ming. wipers or distance communication system: walkie-talkie. cultural achievements. Listen to Radio Poland in Available at http://www.nauka.gov.pl Radio Poland broadcast in six English: languages: Polish, English, http://www.thenews.pl/ 7 NEWSLETTER No 19

PROFESSOR ROB RABEL ON A STUDY VISIT TO POLAND

As the son of a Warsaw Uprising veteran, I know how heavily histo- opments. I hope the connections, made during my visit will translate ry lies on Poland. History turned my father’s life upside down and into ongoing links between Polish universities and think tanks and deposited him in Wellington in 1950 to live out his life on the other the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs and Victoria Uni- side of the versity’s Centre of Strategic Stud- world, as was ies. I also met with the outgoing the case for the and incoming New Zealand Am- Polish Children bassadors, both of whom stressed who have been the potential to build on growing at the heart of New Zealand-Polish links. Fortui- New Zealand’s tously, the personal and the profes- Polish communi- sional often intertwined during the ty since 1944. visit. It was a thrill to meet two History has men of my generation whose fa- shifted and thers had also fought in Warsaw’s shaped Poland’s sewers in 1944 and another pro- very borders; and history’s echoes are visibly littered across Polish fessor whose Master’s student was urban and rural landscapes. Although Poles are one of Europe’s old- doing research at my own univer- est national groups, in 2018 they will celebrate only their first hun- sity, with whom I have subse- dred years of independence as a modern republic - with half of that quently enjoyed lively discussions century blighted by the dark days of war and then communist repres- back in Wellington. sion from 1939 to 1989. History accounts for that too. History has definitely I am most grateful to the Polish Embassy in New Zealand been kinder to Poland in the last quarter century since the demise of for giving me the chance to see how history is treating Poland today communism - inspired in part by the Polish Pope, John Paul II. Po- by arranging a study tour to Warsaw and Krakow in June 2017. land continues to have one of the European Union’s highest growth As on earlier trips, this one reinforced for me both the up- rates, unemployment has declined and, as we learned on our visit, the lifting and tragic aspects of Polish history. From our second day high-tech and innovative sectors are expanding apace. Like other when we enjoyed an open-air Chopin concert in the beautiful Łazien- European countries, Poland faces numerous challenges and uncer- ki (Royal Bath) Park, my wife and I knew it was going to be a special tainties, such as those triggered by Brexit in the economic sphere and visit. Amongst many other cultural highlights in Warsaw, we visited by the Ukrainian conflict in the realm of security. While not trivial, the Wilanów Palace, the National Museum, the quirky Neon Muse- these challenges are not as profound as those the country has faced at um, the one remaining (and haunting) fragment of the wall of the other times in its history - and overcome. wartime Jewish Ghetto and the rebuilt Old Town. We also delighted Above all, the trip underlined for me that Poland needs to in the beauties of Krakow, where highlights included the magnificent be more appreciated internationally. It is a fantastic tourism destina- Wawel Castle, the moving Schindler Museum and the nearby tion - with compelling history, sights and experiences aplenty, not to Wieliczka salt mine that reaches a depth of over 300 metres, with its mention majestic underground chambers developed since the 13th century by affordable generations of miners and artisans. Our cultural programme was hotels and enhanced immeasurably by our two knowledgeable and personable restaurants, guides. a thriving This was my fifth trip to Poland and, of all of them, it left cultural me with the impression of a vibrant, confident society that is wearing scene and its history more some of the lightly. It was world’s wonderful to see finest vod- boisterous crowds ka. Our one of tourists and regret is not young wreath- having had time to visit the impressive new Polin Museum of the adorned Poles history of Polish Jews in Warsaw. But that gives us yet another rea- celebrating Wian- son to return and we are already thinking about our next visit. I have ki in Krakow, to my fingers crossed that an opening for a visiting professor will come sample contem- up soon. porary Polish cuisine and wine, Emeritus Professor Roberto Rabel, Professorial Fellow, Centre of and to dodge the Strategic Studies, Victoria University of Wellington and National cyclists of all ages plying their way along cycle-ways that seem to Vice-President, New Zealand Institute of International Affairs have multiplied exponentially since previous visits. The visit was also professionally enriching. I was able to Photos: top-left Prof. R. Rabel, B. Stoczy ńska, f. Polish Ambassador to engage with a number of universities and think tanks whose top- NZ at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; bottom -left K. Rabel, W. Hinton, notch analysts shared insights on international security, political and NZ Ambassador to Poland, Prof. R. Rabel, A. Cowthorne DHoM at NZ economic issues. I was struck not only by the depth of their expertise Embassy in Warsaw; top -right Prof. R. Rabel and K. Rabel in front of relating to the challenges and opportunities facing Poland and its Wieliczka Salt Mines entrance; bottom -right Prof. R. Rabel with round European neighbours but by the great interest in Asia-Pacific devel- table participants at the Pulaski Foundation in Kraków

8 2017 - A YEAR COMMEMORATING MANY INSPIRING FIGURES

LUDWIK L. ZAMENHOF - DR ESPERANTO JOSEPH CONRAD (born JÓZEF TEODOR KONRAD (15.12.1859 Białystok - 14 .04.1917 Warsaw) KORZENIOWSKI 3.12.1857 Berdyczów – 3.08.1924 Zamenhof was born in Białystok. At the time the Bishopsbourne) town was inhabited by Poles, Germans, Jews, Polish author who wrote in English after settling in Russians, Belarussians, Lithuanians, Ukrainians England. He was granted British nationality in 1886, and Tatars - a diverse blend which sometimes but always considered himself a Pole. Conrad is resulted in tension between the groups. regarded as one of the greatest novelists in Eng- Zamenhof believed that one of the main reasons lish, though he did not speak the language fluently behind the tension was the linguistic barrier and until he was in his 20s (and always with a marked that a common language would make all the people live together accent). He wrote stories and novels, often with a nautical setting, that more harmoniously. depict trials of the human spirit in the midst of an indifferent universe. As a child Zamenhof already showed linguistic talent, having maste- He was a master prose stylist who brought a distinctly non- red Polish, Russian, German, French, English, Latin, and Greek. English sensibility into English literature. While some of his works Although he was a practicing physician, he devoted almost all of his have a strain of Romanticism, his works are viewed as modernist liter- life to the idea of the international language which, he hoped, would ature. His narrative style and anti-heroic characters have influenced reconcile conflicted nations. In 1887, under the alias of Dr Esperan- many authors, including D. H. Lawrence, T.S. Eliot, F. Scott Fitzger- to, he issued a course-book for the artificial language he had develo- ald, Ernest Hemingway, George Orwell, Joseph Heller, Gabriel García ped, Esperanto, along with the dictionary entitled “Lingvo Interna- Márquez, Chinua Achebe, Philip Roth, Hunter S. Thompson and Sal- cia” (“An International Language”). The foundation for the language man Rushdie. was first and foremost Romance and Germanic languages, with vo- Films have been adapted from, or inspired by, Conrad’s Almayer’s cabulary amounting to about 100,000 words. The language was to be Folly , An Outcast of the Islands , Heart of Darkness , Lord Jim , Nostro- neutral and easy to command for people of different nationalities. mo , The Secret Agent , The Shadow Line , and The Rover . Esperanto quickly won support among people all over the world. In Writing in the heyday of the British Empire, Conrad drew on his na- 1889 in Nuremberg the “La Esperantisto” magazine started to be tive Poland‘s national experiences and on his personal experiences in published. In 1905 in Boulogne-sur-Mer, a French town, the First the French and British merchant navies, to create short stories and World Esperanto Congress took place (convened every year until novels that reflect aspects of a European-dominated world, while this day), and Paris welcomed Zamenhof with the Eiffel Tower lit up plumbing the depths of the human soul. Appreciated early on by liter- in his honour and decorated him with the Legion of Honour Medal. ary cognoscenti , his fiction and nonfiction have gained an almost pro- In 1908 the World Association of Esperanto was founded. (poland.pl) phetic cachet in the light of subsequent national and international dis- asters of the 20th and 21st centuries. ( interLitQ) TADEUSZ KO ŚCIUSZKO (4.02.1746 Mereczowszczyzna, Polish-Lithuanian SAINT ALBERT CHMIELOWSKI Commonwealth - 15.10.1871 Solothurn, Switzer- (20.08.1845 Igołomia - 25.12.1916 Kraków) land) Born to wealthy parents he studied agriculture with Ko ściuszko fought for both American and Polish plans of taking over his family's estate near Krakow. independence, winning admirers amongst both his In 1863 he took part in an uprising against Czar political allies and foes. He was a skilled engineer Alexander IIII and the Russian army and lost a leg in with a military education by the time he arrived in the fighting when he was just 17. Because of his ac- the American colonies from Poland in 1776. tions against Russia, he had to leave Poland. Young Offering his services to the revolutionary cause, he masterminded a Adam went to Belgium, where he discovered he had some artistic key British defeat at Saratoga and oversaw the building of military ability. He also studied painting in Paris and . Chmielowski fortifications at West Point. Returning from America, he led a natio- returned to Poland when he was nearly 30 and he worked in homeless nal uprising in Poland in 1794, after Russia initiated a second parti- shelters and eventually realized that it was this work, rather than poli- tion of the country, in league with Austria and Prussia. Ko ściuszko tics or art, that called to him. In 1887 he joined religious life as managed to persuade both nobles and peasants to fight. After initial Brother Albert of the Third Order of St. Francis. He lived in the ho- successes, the insurgents were overwhelmed by Russian forces. Ko- meless shelters with those he served. Within a year, B. Albert had ściuszko was imprisoned in St Petersburg by Tsarina Catherine the founded his own branch of the Franciscans, the Servants of the Poor, Great, and the remaining Polish lands were absorbed by the conque- who are sometimes called the Albertine Brothers. A few years later he rors. He was freed in 1796 by Tsar Paul, Catherine's heir. Kosciuszko helped found a women's congregation with the same intent of helping returned to the United States, where he was welcomed as a hero and Poland's poor. B. Albert believed that the biggest problem of the counted Thomas Jefferson among his close friends. With Poland still world was that people did not open their eyes to the suffering of under foreign control throughout the rest of his life, Kosciuszko never others and offer help. He died in a shelter he had opened in Krakow. returned to his native land, and died in exile in Switzerland. Pope John Paul II canonized him a saint in 1989. (saintsresource)

EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND IN NEW ZEALAND

Level 9, City Chambers 142-144 Featherston St tel: (04) 499 7844 New interim address: Level 4, Solnet [email protected] House, 70 The Terrace www.wellington.msz.gov.pl Wellington Feedback & comments: PO Box 10211, Wellington 6143 [email protected]

Polish Embassy in Wellington, PLinNewZealand New Zealand