At this time of year I'm often helping the harcerki (girl scouts) learn about Polish history. To illustrate my talks I sometimes use the works of the 19th century painter...
May 16, 2019
The battle of Monte Cassino is known as one of the decisive battles of WWII and for us Poles, as the sacrifice of so many, to break the German defence...
April 12, 2019
The massacre of 22,000 men in the Katyń atrocity is difficult to comprehend without relating it to the personal. The story of Bogusław Piesiewicz, who suffered a double tragedy in April 1940 as a...
January 26, 2019
Many people say that it would be impossible to establish an independent Polish state in 1918 without the sacrifice made during the Powstanie Styczniowe (January Uprising)of 1863. Józef Piłsudski, brought up...
November 9, 2018
Still young On 11 November it will be exactly 100 years since Poland regained its Independence from three partitioning countries. In Poland it will only be the 32nd time National Independence...
November 7, 2018
On Saturday 3 November I travelled to Edinburgh for a weekend of 100 year celebrations since Poland regained its independence, yet Saturday itself was all about this forgotten war hero. The...
October 26, 2018
The story of Wojtek the bear conjures up fond childhood memories of reading Lasocki's book about him at Polish Saturday School. It is a unique and remarkable tale, one I...
October 23, 2018
Separated by 6000 km, what do Poles and Indians most have in common? Pierogi and samosas perhaps? More than anything, it’s definitely an overwhelming sense of hospitality. The Polish saying ‘Gość...
October 12, 2018
Pope John Paul II was chosen as the first Polish Pope on 16 October 1978. It was for Poles I suspect, the greatest surprise of our whole lives. I barely remember...
September 21, 2018
The internet and genetic testing have truly revolutionised family history and it is astounding what you can find. Books that have rarely seen the light of day are published page...
