Notable People

July 21, 2024
Sue Ryder inspired by bravery of the Polish S.O.E in World War II

"No British person loved Poland more than Sue Ryder. She saw your pain as her pain, your resistance as her resistance" Sir Nick Young recently recounted during his talk about...

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January 26, 2023
Lions of their time – the forgotten first Polish women in power

 Few people today can name any one of the first eight women in 1919 who were elected to the first Polish Sejm of the II Republic following women receiving the vote.  The female Poselki...

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October 21, 2022
The Pole behind your smartphone

I'm no scientist but mobile phones, laptops, computers and a host of other electronic devices wouldn't exist without semiconductors and the level of miniaturisation required, relies on a method developed...

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July 30, 2022
Polish protest and flower power

  Many years ago in a small town in the south of England, I bought a ‘Polish Spirit’ clematis for my father-in-law. At the time I had no idea that...

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June 30, 2022
150 years of Moniuszko, the Father of Polish Opera

Stanisław Moniuszko’s songs and music are very closely entwined with Polish folk music and history and have accompanied me throughout my life. "You can reach the high notes", I was told as a...

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April 20, 2021
Was Prince Phillip’s great grandmother Polish?

It was moving to witness such an intimate family funeral of Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Much has been said about his Danish and German ancestry, yet even less about...

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October 12, 2018
6 things you never knew about John Paul II

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...

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May 18, 2018
18 May: The day I ignored Prince Harry

As Royal Wedding fervour reaches fever pitch, the young couple will be spending their last night apart. Prince Harry may for a moment, reflect on some of his previous relationships,...

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May 11, 2018
Girl Power: the Florence Nightingales of Poland

International Nurses Day is celebrated annually on 12 May, Florence Nightingale's date of birth. My great-grandmother's sister was a nurse during WWI and there are medics in my wider family,...

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November 25, 2017
Farewell to three outstanding ladies

We are all the poorer for the passing of three amazing women this year: Basia Zdanowicz, Luna Golińska and Krystyna Szwagrzak. Each had incredible stories of hardship and terror during...

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