Page 2 News of Polonia Pasadena, California May 2009 The Forgotten Man Vet of famed Polish RUNNERS’ business trips overseas. Going on long runs in unfamiliar surroundings, By: Kaya Mirecka Ploss WWII unit honored on NATION sometimes waving down a taxi when he The Red Poppy Song (part 2) forgot how to get back to the hotel. On his Who among us has not heard or sang the 103rd birthday last marathon, his wife Carol joined him. I well-known song Czerwone Maki Na By: Yuras Karmanau By: Justyna Ball think they are done for now, but they Monte Cassino (Red poppies on AP article sent by: Andy Gołębiowski supported Francis greatly in his fund (Kresy Sybiraki website) http://justyna-polishdelight.blogspot.com/ raising efforts. Monte Cassino)? “Popioł i Diament IVANYETS, Belarus (AP) Tortured by In 1996, Uta Pipping from Germany (Ashes and Diamonds),” one of the most To live in the Boston area and not to beautiful and treasured Polish films made Stalin’s henchmen and attacked by was going for her third title when she Hitler’s forces, Aleksander Szekal almost participate in the marathon, either as a became ill (with ”women issues”) and during Communist rule in Poland, ends runner, cheerleader, spectator or at least with people singing that song. It became became one of World War II’s millions ended up in the hospital for the next two of victims. check out the list of your local runners in days “completely drained from the race almost like a National Anthem. the paper over your morning coffee is a … It is well known that Feliks Konarski, But he survived the Soviet Gulag and a and from loss of fluids.” But she made it famous battle against the Nazis - and was sin. It’s as mandatory as watching a Red to first! Although she was all covered up who used the pseudonym REF-REN, Sox game, but much cheaper. Drive wrote the words to that song. But few honored on his 103rd birthday this week in blankets. as the oldest living veteran of a celebrated around suburbs like Newton or Hopkinton know or remember that the stirring music in the early spring and see how many Dedication? You bet… to the song was composed by Alfred Polish unit that helped defeat Hitler’s Poles are somehow represented. This army in Italy. runners you can count… Schutz. Before the war, Alfred Schutz was Try to skip it, and you’ll regret it. The year, it was a group of 27 runners, but it one of many composers who wrote light Military attaches brought greetings from could be better. In the marathon’s the governments of Britain, Italy and next year, accessorized with a folded tunes, which were easy to remember and chair, you’ll march right onto the course. archives, Polish Olympian, Ryszard pleasant to the ear. Well-known male and Poland, which promoted him from soldier Marczak is named one of the 10 “grand to officer. The ceremony was held The marathon for Boston is what the female singers (among them the Macy’s Day Parade is for NYC, the Rose masters,” as for some, life begins after 40. unforgettable Mieczysław Fogg) were Monday at a Polish community center in Note that, more than half of the entries are western Belarus - from which he was Parade is for Pasadena, or the Rodeo is for performing Schutz’s songs. Even after the Prescott, AZ. 40 years old and up. So, gear up, get over war, the younger generation of singers uprooted early in the war, not to return for here and I’ll wait for you with a Polish 60 years. The date, Patriot’s Day, was picked to like Połomski, Łazuka, Reńa Rolska and commemorate the Battle at Lexington on flag. Just please , don’t put “ Polska” on Maria Koterbska were still singing In between, Szekal endured the the back of your shirt but on the front so I hardships of Soviet Communism and the April 19th, 1775 and Paul Revere's Schutz’s songs, especially Winna Jest midnight ride to alarm the locals that the know that you are coming! Marczak set Wiosna Dziewczyno (It is the fault of fight against fascism. the record twice, first in 1988 when at 42 “Both of these 20th Century ideologies British were coming although the present Summer Young Lady) and Samotnoœæ route of the race does not quite cover the years old he came in at 2:17 (his best ever became hell for me,” said Szekal, who as an Olympian was 2:11) and then in (Youth). Schutz composed many popular walks with a cane but feels healthy and original one. melodies but the one song that will go into In truth, Revere wasn’t alone, there 1996, this time in the over 50 category at remains sprightly. 2:27. This latest record was never even history is the Czerwone Maki ma Monte were several riders, and all went in He lived a quiet life as a lumberjack threatened. Cassino. How sad that very few people different directions so the organizers of until 1939, when Hitler and Stalin divided There was another “Polish” accent, this remember who wrote that melody. eastern Europe with a nonaggression pact the marathon did not know which route to choose. In 1897, the original roads did one visible for everyone. One of the The Bank Clerk and the Soviet Union annexed his sponsors of the race was Poland Spring Alfred Schutz was born in Tarnopol on homeland, which had been part of Poland. not exist anymore and those that did needed to spread out the exact length, as water. You would hear the voice of the July 2, 1910. He studied law at the Jan Szekal, who had served in the Polish commentator (at the very finish) every Kazimierz University in Lwów. After he army, was torn from his new wife, required. So the location of the marathon did get a little adjustment. couple of minutes, announcing: “ There is finished his studies he worked at a bank. imprisoned by Stalin’s secret police in Polish water waiting for you! So keep He wasn’t very happy clerking for a bank. Belarus and tortured until he confessed to On the day of the famous race, the town of Hopkinton clears out its locals, and the moving and congratulations!” The Poland Even as a child, Schutz knew how to play “anti-Soviet activity.” He said his captors water has nothing to do with Poland but the piano and so in his spare time he did stuck needles under his toenails and left out-of-towners move in, around twenty- seven thousand strangers, crazy enough to Maine, still the sound of “Polish water” all kinds of odd jobs at the University him naked in the freezing cold, was amusing... Theater, mostly connected with music. In inadvertently saving his life by tossing run 26.2 miles (42 km) to prove something, or because they lost a bet or (The year 1976 had to be the hottest time he became a conductor, music him into a barn after they thought he was marathon. It was during the heat wave of arranger and sometimes he even dead. wanted to have a little fun. You definitely have to be crazy to run such distance and 100F. The fire department was called and composed a catchy little tune. The words Szekal was then sentenced to eight years sprayed the runners, and it is now to the songs that he composed were in the Soviet Gulag in 1940 and shipped still claim to have fun... When our friend, Ruedi (native of remembered as the “Run of the hoses.”). written by another amateur “helper” at the by freight car to Russia’s Pacific Coast Jacek and his running buddy, Tom train University Theater, Emanuel Schechter. with other Polish soldiers. Many died Switzerland), ran his last marathon, he twisted his ankle right at the beginning of on the New England back roads, unlike Eventually both Schutz and Schechter during the long journey. Wanda Panfil who won the race in 1992, became well known in the “real” theater In prison, he and the other inmates dug the race, but continued without telling anyone. His wife, Madeline, found out, after training in Mexico, at a high world. Together they were coaxed by trenches and struggled to survive in one of elevation. Besides that, leaders are just Wiktor Budźyński, the head of the most the world’s harshest environments. and Ruedi was “banned” from running and only allowed to… exercise his upper like us. I was volunteering at Heifer Kaya Mirecka Ploss to page 15 103 year old Sybirak to page 16 arms and face muscles by playing flute at International for the Global Village when the Old Sturbridge Village, the colonial I started a conversation with a guy who open air museum, local tourist attraction. volunteered for the Kenyan site “next NEWS OF POLONIA Well, his age also had something to do door.” I was surprised to learn that he, A MONTHLY PUBLICATION with it. Although thrilled to wear the just as Jacek was also a runner, ran the Boston marathon in the past (!), and even 2245 E. Colorado Blvd. #104/177 – Pasadena, CA 91107 colonial clothes, it was nothing compared to the excitement of running the more surprised to find out that his best Tel: (626) 577-9797 Fax: (626) 449-3331 time ever was 2:09!!! So then I realized E-MAIL – [email protected] marathon. He tried bicycling, but this year he stood on the route past Heartbreak Hill, that this guy next to me, milking a goat, is Editor in Chief: Betsy Cepielik to cheer on the others.