YOU CAN HELP GIRLS’ SOFTBALL POLISHIN POLAND AMERICAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 2015 www.polamjournal.com 1 PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID AT BOSTON, NEW YORK NEW BOSTON, AT PAID PERIODICAL POSTAGE POLISH AMERICAN OFFICES AND ADDITIONAL ENTRY DEDICATED TO THE PROMOTION AND CONTINUANCE OF POLISH AMERICAN CULTURE JOURNAL JEDRZEJCZYK — “A FIGHTER’S FIGHTER” ESTABLISHED 1911 AUGUST 2015 • VOL. 104, NO. 8 | $2.00 www.polamjournal.com PAGE 10 NOW IS THE TIME TO SIGN UP FOR THE PRIMARIES • LANCERS CHARGE AGAIN • THE ART OF POLISH CONVERSATION AMBASSADOR HONORED BY SPAIN • MEMORIES FROM DEPORTATION TO KAZAKHSTAN — OUR NEW KAZAKHS HOME “PIEROGIES” AND “GOLUMPKEYS” LIKE BABCIA USED TO MAKE • BLUEBERRY GOLD • AN OPEN LETTER TO POLONIA U.S. Delegation Portrait of Prowess Jewish Newsmark Calm Fears, PHOTO: GRZEGORZ FRYC / NOWY DZIENNIK Officials Slam AMBASSADOR PROMISES DEFENSE. At celebrations Lends Support Offensive Art marking his country’s Independence Day, outgoing U.S. WARSAW — House of WARSAW — Jewish offi - Ambassador Stephen Mull pledged that America will stand by Poland in the event of military threat. Representatives Speaker cials are furious over a video Mull spoke at a gathering at the American Embassy in John Boehner led a Congres- installation at a Polish muse- Warsaw attended by Poland’s defense minister Tomasz sional delegation to Poland, um that shows naked men and Siemoniak, two days before the offi cial Fourth of July an- part of a broader U.S. attempt women playing a game of tag niversary. to strengthen economic ties in a gas chamber. “I guarantee that we will be, in fact we already are, here and reassure an ally nervous Efraim Zuroff, director of with our soldiers and equipment to defend you against any about Russian aggression in the Simon Wiesenthal Center threats, just as you defended us,” Mull said, with ongoing the region. in Jerusalem, called the ex- NATO military exercises taking place across Poland. Boehner met with Po- hibit at the Museum of Con- The recent wave of joint exercises came in the wake of land’s president and foreign temporary Art in Krakow “so anxiety over the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. minister in Warsaw. He brief- offensive and so disgusting Siemoniak thanked the outgoing ambassador for his ef- ly told reporters that his visit that we found it necessary to forts to strengthen the NATO alliance during his tenure, was focused on security co- protest.” operation and strengthening “Game of Tag,” made in noting that Mull was always ready to help. The Greenpoint mural is the fi rst and the only U.S. memo- economic ties. rial commemorating the heroes and victims of the Warsaw 1999 by Polish artist Artur EQUIPMENT AT-THE-READY. The United States will He said, “I think both the Uprising of 1944. Zmijewski, has for years been place 250 Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and Polish people and the Ameri- accused of violating the dig- artillery in Eastern and Central Europe to ease tension in can people recognize the need BROOKLYN, N.Y. — again on Aug. 2 to mark the nity of Holocaust victims. those countries after Russian president Putin announced to deal with Russian aggres- The mural which adorns one 71st anniversary of the upris- In response to protests, the his plan to add forty new intercontinental ballistic missiles sion. ... We are here to show of the walls of the Polish Na- ing. The ceremony is planned museum put it behind an en- to Russia’s nuclear arsenal. The equipment supplied by the our support to the Polish tional Home in Greenpoint to start at 2:00 p.m. closure with a warning. But United States is for Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Ro- people and to talk about how was fi rst unveiled in August “The mural has come Zuroff and other Jewish offi - mania, and Bulgaria. U.S. equipment is also positioned in we can make our relationship last year to commemorate the along the same way Warsaw cials say it isn’t enough. Germany. even stronger.” 70th anniversary of the War- did. It was destroyed, and just The museum’s director, NATO is building six new bases in Eastern Europe Joining Boehner on the saw Uprising. Then, three like Poland’s capital, has just Maria Anna Potocka, said which will house rapid-response forces to react to threats trip were Rep. Susan Brooks months later, it was vandal- been rebuilt,” says Grzegorz her museum means no disre- and aggression. (R-IN), Rep. Mike Kelly ized and defaced with sense- Fryc, one of the initiators of spect to the memory of the (R-PA), Rep. Dan Lipinski less graffi ti. the Warsaw Uprising memo- Holocaust. “We have tried 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF BATTLE OF BRITAIN (D-IL), Rep. John Shimkus Now the mural, which rial. “We are glad that right to awaken (the) young gen- MARKED. (Radio Poland) Tributes were held marking the (R-IL), Rep. Mike Simpson pays tribute to the victims and from the beginning, the mural eration’s empathy with the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, (R-ID), Rep. Ann Wagner (R- the heroes of the 1944 War- has been an important place tragedy of the Holocaust by the 11-week airborne clash with Nazi Ger- MO), and Rep. Greg Walden saw Uprising, has been re- for Polish Americans and all stirring their imagination,” many’s Luftwaffe in which Polish pilots (R-OR). painted and will be unveiled See “Mural ...” page 4 she said. played a key role. Britain’s royal family, headed by Queen Elizabeth II, watched a fl ypast over Buck- Celebrating the Polish Harvest ingham Palace, July 10. by Dave Motak most luxurious resorts Meanwhile, Po- Since I was a child, in Poland. land’s lower house of I had always wanted The celebration of parliament’s Defense Committee ap- to attend an authentic the harvest or dożynki proved a draft resolution that honored dożynki — Polish har- in Poland dates back Polish participants in the battle. vest festival. When I to ancient pre-Chris- “The airborne Battle of Britain was was living in Poland tian times when Slavic one of the decisive battles of World during my younger tribes celebrated the War II in which Poles made a signifi cant contribution to years I never was able. fertility and abundance the victory,” the draft resolution reads. So, last year, I decided of the earth with spe- “The 75th anniversary of the battle is the perfect occa- to organize a cultural cial harvest festivities. sion to recall not only two squadrons taking part in it — tour to Poland to coin- Throughout Polish his- 302 and 303 fi ghter squadrons — but also to recall other cide with the National tory, dożynki has been aviators who fought on all fronts in World War II.” Harvest Festival hosted the time to express The predominantly Polish 302 and 303 squadrons of by Polish President gratitude for the abun- Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) proved highly effective Bronisław Komorows- dance of the harvest during the battle. ki in the resort town of and appreciation for 303 Squadron managed to destroy more enemy aircraft Spała, west of Warsaw. the labor and toil that than any other RAF formation. Having produced nu- brought it from the fer- By the close of the war, almost 20,000 Polish airmen merous cultural tours to The celebration of the harvest or dożynki in Poland dates back to ancient tile earth. Traditionally, and airwomen were serving in Britain. Poland, I was surprised pre-Christian times when Slavic tribes celebrated the fertility and abun- the lord of the manor Many chose not to return to Poland, after a Soviet- to fi nd that no one has dance of the earth with special harvest festivities. Travel guide Dave Motak would welcome his vil- backed communist regime was installed in their homeland. ever offered a tour that organized a cultural tour to Poland to coincide with the National Harvest lagers to his home for a featured this colorful Festival hosted by Polish President Bronisław Komorowski in the resort harvest celebration that A LOVING GRANDMA. “Julus, kocham cie bardzo,” said national folk event, so town of Spała, west of Warsaw. would include Mass, Poland’s Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz during a television I did my research and, feasting and merriment. Ukraine. There were 25 people in our interview. The TVN interviewer was stunned when inter- working with Chopin Tours from To- It was customary for the local farmers group, including several members of the viewing the Prime Minister on the station’s Fact on Fact ronto, Jack Samuels and I produced the to present their lord with a large loaf of Polish Cultural Council. For the “grande program. Polish Harvest Tour last September. bread which he would reverently kiss. fi nale” of our cultural excursion, we Just prior to signing off at the close of the interview, Our itinerary focused on eastern and The farmers would also create a large made arrangements for our group to stay Kopacz turned to the camera to tell her grandson that she southern Poland with stops in Warsaw, ornate wieniec or crown incorporating at the beautifully restored Odrowązów loved him very much. Lublin, Zamość, Sanok, Zakopane and a variety of grains, fl owers, nuts, fruits, Palace and Resort Spa in Chlewiska, Later the channel’s website said that the Prime Minister Kraków, a stay at the magnifi cent Re- and adorned with colored paper or rib- in central Poland. Odrowązów was re- “enjoys taking care of her three-year-old grandchild in her naissance palace of the Kraciski family bon. Still made today, these structures stored as an initiative of the Mazowsze free time and quoted the PM as saying “I get plenty of ex- in Krasiczyn, as well as a day trip to the are immense, often 10 feet or more in Provincial government and is one of the ercise with him!” picturesque city of Lwów in western See “Dożynki,” page 4 2 www.polamjournal.com POLISH AMERICAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 2015 Movie About Wojtek the ALMANAC VIEWPOINT Soldier Bear in the Works Follow us on EDINBURGH, Scotland — Edin- Facebook or visit us Now is the Time to Sign up for the Primaries burgh Zoo’s most famous former resident on the internet at: is set to star in his own big budget movie.