Newsletter of the Polish Cultural Council • Vol. 12 • Summer/Fall 2014 Remembering My 93 year old aunt passed away two English, in a Polish neighborhood in sto lat, net zero zero sum, , , zero sum, months ago. She was the last of my Creighton as well as Canonsburg, you zero sum, net zero zero sum, net zero father’s siblings. Therefore, the last direct would think she should be fluent in sum! connection to my Polish ancestors who Polish, right? My sister luckily recorded this for pos- came to America is gone. terity; however, the lesson for all of us Aunt Irene was in a nurs- is that in time, memories fade. ing home in Brackenridge Message from the President And when we are gone, they during the last few years. She always are gone forever. In Aunt Irene’s case had her wits even though her legs failed Irene had been away from speaking she had a foggy recollection of her first her. When Marysia and I visited her in the Polish for well over 30 years since her language, but it simply faded away over summer, she insisted on us bringing ice mother’s passing. She forgot her first lan- the years. And with her passing, so did cream sundaes. In the winter months, guage. She still had knowledge of the food her memories. pierogi, kielbasa and krysiki were on the names, like pierogi, kielbasa and chrusci- PCC board member Mary Lou Ellena menu. ki, but her Polish language just left her. is working on “Polish Hill Revisited”, the On Aunt Irene’s 92nd birthday, my sis- Marysia would speak to her in Polish, but second in a series of first-hand, personal ters were at the assisted living home she just didn’t get it. But she remembered reminiscences which tell the stories of the preparing her party, when I got the phone Sto Lat on her birthday. When we sang “greatest generation”. Her first book, call that Aunt Irene wanted to have a Sto Lat, she joined in, but she created a “Polish Hill Remembered”, which sold over strawberry daiquiri for her birthday. Not new verse to the song that went like this: 3,000 copies, was a series of interviews being a mixologist, I was at a loss about “Sto lat, sto lat, net zero zero sum, sto lat, with Polish Americans who grew up in the ingredients of a daiquiri. Polish Hill during the mid- As it turns out, they are 1900s, and their reminiscences daiquiri mix and rum. A quick about the place. Look for Mary trip to the state store yielded Lou’s most recent article in this both. We arrived with the issue of The Polish Journey, prized drink and the party outlining her concept for her began. new book, another book of Next year, as we cele- personal remembrances. For brated Aunt Irene’s 93rd those of you who are part of birthday, she forgot to order that generation, or those who the daiquiris, but we all sang have relatives who lived during Sto Lot, and she joined in. those times, now is the time to Although she was raised in a record your story. Mary Lou is Polish speaking household, waiting to hear from you. Sto with aunts and uncles next Lat! Net zero zero sum! door who didn’t speak — Rick Pierchalski Liberation of Poland and Eastern Europe all started with a word that the spark for so much of this revolu- tionary change, this blossoming of hope, was lit by you, the people of Poland.” Until a few months ago, the 25th anniversary was mostly to commemorate a historical milestone, with possible reflec- tions on the future of Poland. Then, just a few days before the event, General Wojciech Jaruzelski died. He was infamous for implementing martial law in 1981 and jailing Solidarity activists. Later, as a result of the round-table agreement, he became the first president of the post-communist Polish state. The coincidence of these events revived the many controversies about not only com- munist rule and the martial law of 1981, but also the political and ideological com- promises needed to make the transition to a full democracy without open conflict, blame and punishment. Some old wounds “It all started with a word,” said Polish Berlin Wall months later, those elections – were re-opened, only to be sidelined by the president Bronislaw Komorowski at the the first free elections in the Soviet bloc – contemporary significance of the 1989 opening of a memorial to freedom of sealed its fate. elections. speech, “and the word was ‘freedom’“. The elections were, arguably, only A legendary figure of Polish anti-commu- The event completed three days of com- “semi-free”. The result of negotiations nist opposition, Adam Michnik, said: “The memorations in Warsaw of the 25th finalized on April 5, 1989, reserved 65% of presence in Warsaw of the US President … anniversary of the end of communist rule in lower house seats for politicians represent- reminds us of the meaning of our Ukrainian Poland. Coincidentally, the elections that ing the old order and left only 35% open for neighbors fight for identity and freedom, came to symbolize freedom for both Poland newly legalized political parties and inde- for sovereignty and rule of law.” and the whole former Soviet bloc took place pendent candidates. Once the election Michnik was editor-in-chief of Poland’s on the same day as the Tiananmen mas- results were announced, Polish society’s first free and largest newspaper, Gazeta sacre: June 4, 1989. desire to change the system was clear: the Wyborcza (Electoral Gazette), which was While the end of communism in Europe opposition won all the available lower founded to provide a voice to the opposition is commonly associated with the fall of the house seats, and 99 of 100 seats in the during the electoral campaign of 1989. newly created senate. The free press and freedom of expression Poland became the first Soviet bloc were central to commemorations of the nation in which opponents of the commu- anniversary. Among the many symbols, Polish Journey is a publication of the Polish nist system gained political power in a Cultural Council, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organiza- comparisons and reflections on this tion. Please address your correspondence to: legal and democratic way. Within Poland, anniversary, the notion of freedom was Polish Cultural Council, P.O. Box 81054, the elections accelerated the transforma- paramount. Pittsburgh, PA 15217-0554, tel: 412.871.3347 tion to full democracy. More broadly, the Rick Pierchalski, President; vote paved the way for similar events —Aleksandra Hadzelek Maria Staszkiewicz, Executive Director, across the Soviet bloc, including the iconic [email protected]; fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, Reprinted in part from The Conversation, Eva Tumiel-Kozak, Editor-in-Chief; and ultimately the dissolution of the Soviet June 12, 2014 issue, with permission of Veronica Wojnarowski, the author. Aleksandra Hadzelek, native Maria Staszkiewicz, Editors; Union on December 26, 1991. Kasia Goszcz-Bruniany, Graphic Artist; In Poland last week this was empha- of Poland, who lived and studied in Mary Seamans, Graphic Design; sized by both Komorowski – “we broke the Pittsburgh, is now a Lecturer in visit us @ www.PolishCulturalCouncil.org Iron Curtain” – and US president Barack International Studies at University of Obama, who said: “We must never forget Technology, Sydney, Australia. 2 Polish Journey • Summer/Fall 2014 Share Stories of Your Polish Heritage Each day, hundreds of World War II in Europe, as well as stories of chal- lived them. We all know of individuals veterans leave us, taking with them lenges faced in the United States. Do who have taken a recipe for a favorite countless stories of courage, honor, and you have an interesting tale to share, signature dish or dessert to the grave sacrifice. We know that many Polish or know someone who does? If so, with them—quite literally! We cannot immigrants and Americans of Polish please email Mary Lou Ellena at allow those events that have shaped us decent from the Pittsburgh area have [email protected] or contact as individuals to die with us like a lived rich lives, portions of which Maria Staszkiewicz at the PCC recipe for pączki or zurek. Pittsburgh would qualify for a made-for TV [email protected] (412-871-3347) Polonia has many faces. Please allow movie. PCC Board member and to set up an interview time. yours to be commemorated in this new author of Polish Hill Remembered, As members of Pittsburgh Polonia, book, slated for publication in late Mary Lou Ellena is seeking to capture we have an obligation to share our sto- 2015. Set up your interview opportu- those unique stories for a new book. ries in order to provide a cultural link nity now. We will also consider third Endorsed by the Polish Cultural to the past with successor generations. party accounts about parents or grand- Council, the book will feature legacy Unless those experiences are told, they, parents, pending verification of facts. stories of hardship, survival and victory too, will be buried with those who had POLISH FILMS IN NOVEMBER Come and check out Polish “JACK STRONG” The most “LIFE FEELS GOOD” Based Films during the 33rd Three spectacular Polish spy story of on a true story, it is an Rivers Film Festival: the Cold War era, the film unbelievable testament to the November 7th to November about Colonel Ryszard endurance of the human spirit. 22nd (Regent Square Theater, Kuklinski - a man who wages a The film was awarded Grand Melwood Screening Room, battle against the Soviets from Prix at the 2013 Montreal Harris Theater, Waterworks his position deep inside.