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 Poles, as the sacrifice of so many to break the German defence with...
May 1, 2019
The month of May is bursting at the seams with important days for Poles, but some of the celebrations in Poland are very different to those we celebrate. I would...
March 4, 2019
Valentine’s Day has long gone and the shops are no longer awash with red and pink paraphernalia. But did you know that originally, it was the ‘Kaziuki’ tradition which popularised...
December 4, 2018
When the cold wind bites and the rain patters on the window, listen carefully for a gentle knock on the door. If you open it even just a crack, the bajka...
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...
