Towards the end of the 18th century, Poland was divided up between Russia, Austria and Prussia. The part annexed by Austria was known as Galicia and it included Kraków. The Kazimierz Galicia Museum (www.galiciajewishmuseum.org), which takes its name from that region, was opened officially on June 27, 2004 and since then, has attracted great international attention. Few years ago Dick Cheney held a reception at the museum for U.S. Holocaust survivors. Elie Wiesel, a veteran campaigner on Holocaust issues, also attended.

The museum’s initial purpose was to exhibit photographs taken by the late Chris Schwarz over a ten-year period. At the time he was a professional and award-winning photographer, then he was the founder, owner and director of the museum. Having discovered a suitable building, it seemed natural to add a café and a bookshop. Then, Chris also decided to put on cultural events, a practice that has continued under the Museum’s new directorship since his death on July 29, 2007 of cancer: every month, there are concerts, lectures, dance workshops and lessons in Hebrew and Yiddish. The museum is at ul. Dajwór 18, and you can get there by walking towards the Old Synagogue on ul. Szeroka, then turning left down a short road and then turning right into ul. Dajwór. The museum is about 80 metres down the street on the left.

The main exhibit is the Traces of Memory permanent exhibition, which shows some of the photographs Chris took. It is divided into five sections: the ruins, the original culture, the horror of destruction, efforts to preserve traces of memory and the people involved. Some of the images are positive. One shows a small clump of trees in the middle of an area of cultivated land. The local people know that beneath the trees lies a Jewish cemetery; they respect the sanctity of the area. Another picture provokes both sadness and anger: it shows Jewish tombstones used to pave the entrance to a private dwelling.

For Chris the museum’s activities gave rise to a troubling, even tormenting, question: How can there be Jewish culture without Jews? If young Poles play Jewish music or learn Hebrew or Yiddish from a Polish teacher, is that Jewish culture? The harsh truth is that such things can never be more than a pale shadow of what existed before, but the alternative is to let the elements of culture preserved at the museum die and become forgotten in Kazimierz. The Jewish community is ageing and within ten to fifteen years there may be no genuine Jewish presence in Kraków. It can be argued that a pale shadow is better than total erasure. After all, as Henryk Halkowski – a surviving Kraków Jew – said, “(The) Jews are gone. One can only try to preserve, maintain and fix the memory of them – not only of their struggle and death (as in Warsaw and Auschwitz), but of their life, of the values that guided their yearnings, of the international life and their unique culture. (Kraków) was one of the places where that life was most rich, most beautiful, most varied, and the most evidence of it has survived here.”

Really great place to visit if you are interested in Jewish history. Anyone has been there recently?

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)

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The Augustów Canal (Kanał Augustowski) was already flowing through dense primeval forest and meadows, while its younger sisters the Suez and Panama were still just a blueprint. The canal is a living relic to Europe’s turbulent history that has seen empires rise and fall. It was built in the early nineteenth century and its raison d’etre was to bypass taxes at a time when the Polish kingdom was squeezed between two of Europe’s most powerful empires; Prussia and Imperial Russia.

Augustów Canal is maturing into one of the most attractive canals in Europe. Flowing through the Puszcza Augustowska, Poland’s largest forest complex, you can easily canoe down this route during spring and autumn, and are more likely to come into contact with wildlife rather than other humans, as you paddle along the waterways. The canal does not form a continuously straight route with regular banks – it is unique in that it flows through a variety of lakes, some large, some small, and that it continues its way through the royal town of Augustów and eventually onto the Biebrza National Park, forming part of the famous papal canoe route.

The canal adjoins several nature reserves which form part of Natura 2000, a network of ecologically protected areas, which means that there is no disturbance from barges or mechanical water traffic. The lock keepers’ cottages, probably some of the most attractive in Europe, are listed buildings and are located deep in the forest.

The canal is now settling down into old age with grace and beauty; it has been through war and destruction and now is the time to enjoy and explore it. There is however one final hurdle, or some may say ‘opportunity,’ to overcome as with most things in life: the canal is approximately 100 kilometres long and has 18 locks along its entire length; however three locks and about 2 kilometres of the canal are located in Belarus, and form the only border crossing in Europe which has been specially created for canoeists. This border is presently tightly controlled and a visa is required to travel further along the canal, however this may change at some point in the future. Belarus may eventually join the EU, which would mean that one could paddle all the way from Augustów to the Baltic via Belarus and Lithuania, and the canal will once again receive the international recognition that it deserves, and may even become listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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Kłodzko is one of the oldest towns in Poland’s Silesia region: it’s estimated to be about 1,000 years old. In that long time, it – like most towns and cities in this most south-western part of the country – has seen much. It changed ownership every 100 years or so, getting grabbed by Bohemia, Austria and Prussia; it was largely due to Kłodzko’s strategic geographical position that its neighbours were constantly tustling amongst themselves for control of it. Additionally, its river location made it an ideal town for trade, commerce and the importation of wealth via water. The town’s fortuned waxed and waned and finally, ownership of it came down firmly on the Polish side of the border, after the Second World War.

The majestic Kłodzko Fortress is not beautiful, but it is impressive: it sits at the top of a hill, overlooking the entire town. Squat, solid, and witness to a siege by Napoleon in 1807, it is the dominant feature of this lovely town, and its most recognisable landmark. Well worth a visit, it is open daily in the summer months between 9:00 and 18:00. Set aside an entire morning if you decide to go: the fortress is truly massive. How massive is it? Well, the Austrian rulers started to build it in 1662 – and the Prussians finally completed it 200 years later. It is sprawled over 17 hectares, the lower walls are 11 meters thick, the ‘thin’ upper walls are a mere four meters. In one of its courtyards, you can take abseiling lessons. It is, in fact, the largest fortress of its kind in the entire country – and in a country that had to fortify and protect itself against invaders every few deacdes, this is really saying something.
As impressive as the fortress itself is, what most visitors come for are the defensive tunnels, an extensive network deep below the fortress itself. Dating back to the Prussian era –which started in the early 18th century – the tunnels were excavated by prisoners of war. Today, there are guided 40-minute tours of the labyrinthine depths which take visitors on a 1 kilometer circuit. Claustrophobics take note: there are some places so low that you need to bend double or even crawl; note also that although there are torches and lights, much of the tour is conducted in semi-darkness. Despite the slight discomfort, the tunnel tours are a big hit with kids – and with most everyone else, really.

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Like many historic castles, palaces and stately homes in Poland, Kurozwęki Castle has had several owners over the centuries. Originally built in the 16th century for the Kurozwęcki family, which gave the castle its name, it was then owned by the Lanckoroński family. It was transformed into a Baroque and Neo-classical style residence by Maciej Sołtyk towards the end of the 18th century. Today, Kurozwęki Castle is owned by Marcin Popiel and his family; direct descendants of the Kurozwęki family, making it one of very few historic properties to come full circle return to the heirs of the original owners.

The Popiel family has invested, and indeed continues to invest, in the reconstruction of Kurozwęki Castle, employing local craftsmen who take great pride in applying traditional methods and techniques to the process. While this may mean that progress may be slow, the Popiels are confident that patience will pay off, and that the end results will be worthwhile in the long run. One of the most impressive examples of the restoration work currently being undertaken is an ancient yet well-preserved mural in the Kurozwęki chapel.

Kurozwęki Castle’s two annexes contain comfortable apartments, each with classically styled interiors. There is also a conservatory, a lounge and a banqueting hall. It is a great place for families to spend a short break – especially those with small children. There are sight-seeing trails that have been created with younger guests in mind, and there is even a small zoo, where pony and camel rides are on offer. A further attraction is a labyrinth carved in a field of maize. With a total of 4km of alleys, it is the largest of its kind in Poland, if not in Europe.

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Wolf's Lair partially destroyed bunker

The ruins of Hitler’s fortress complex deep in the woodlands of northeastern Poland  is famed as the site of an assassination attempt on Hitler by Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg and popularized by a 2008 film starring Tom Cruise.

The Wolf’s Lair served as one of Hitler’s military headquarters during World War Two and was destroyed by the Nazi forces as they retreated in early 1945.

The site, whose name refers to Hitler’s nickname, “Mr. Wolf”,  consisted of 80 buildings at its peak and is owned by the local forestry authority.

Hitler's Bunker at Wolf's Lair

“We are waiting for offers, but so far we have none,” local forestry official Zenon Piotrowicz said.

“The requirements are quite high because we want a new leaseholder to invest a lot, particularly in a museum with an exhibition that could be open all year long.”

The remaining ruins are open to the public, but do not attract many visitors because they are hidden deep in a forest and accessible only by treacherous dirt roads.

The fortress near the Russian border was built in 1940 and 1941 to protect Hitler and other top Nazi officials from air bombardment during Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. It had its own power plant and a railway station.

The complex was heavily camouflaged deep inside a forest and surrounded by a minefield, which took 10 years to clear after the war.

Here is a great article written by Norbert, who visited Wolf’s Lair:

http://www.globotreks.com/destinations/wolfs-lair-hitlers-bunker-poland/

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Mikołaj Przybył during the conference

At the start of the conference at his office in Poznań, Colonel Mikołaj Przybył said: ‘During my entire service as a civilian and later military prosecutor, I have never brought shame to the Republic of Poland and I will protect the honour of an officer of the Polish armed forces and prosecution.

‘Thank you, please give me a five-minute break, I need to rest,’ Przybył said, as the reporters then leave the room.

Mr. Przybył had been defending his office’s probe seeking to reveal the sources of leaks to the media from a continuing criminal inquiry into the April 2010 plane crash in western Russia that killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski and 95 others (New president of Poland).

The prosecutor’s unit didn’t get a court order before seeking phone records from journalists, Polish media reports said.

At the briefing, Mr. Przybył, a lawyer whose military rank corresponds to that of a colonel, took about a quarter of an hour to read a statement dismissing allegations that his office acted in violation of the law while trying to identify the source of leaks from the crash inquiry. He said he had wanted the leaks to stop because they had irked Russian prosecutors, who had shared information with Poland from the Russian inquiry into the crash.

Military and civilian prosecutors appeared divided over the statement Mr. Przybył had made in his defense. Poland’s Prosecutor Generał Andrzej Seremet said Monday that some of the actions the military prosecutors took had lacked legal grounds.

Krzysztof Parulski, Poland’s chief military prosecutor, said civilian prosecutors shouldn’t comment publicly on the work of their military counterparts.

Nearly two years after the crash of the Polish government plane in which Mr. Kaczyński died, criminal investigations in both Poland and Russia continue. A Moscow-based committee of investigators has pointed to an error by the Polish pilots. A commission led by the Polish interior minister agreed that numerous mistakes had been made by the Polish side before and during the flight, but insisted last year that Russian air-traffic controllers had made blunders that contributed to the crash (Poland releases report into 2010 plane crash).

Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski said in a statement he was ‘concerned’ about the suicide attempt and asked the head of the national security bureau to monitor the situation.

Some lawmakers are calling for a special parliamentary probe into the case.

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Reports in Fakt state that the museum bought the set from a private art collector in Norway for EUR 55,000 and plans on making it one of its main exhibits later in the year.

The set features a number of objects associated with death camps such as watchtowers, electric fencing and even a mock ‘shower block’ – which the Nazis famously used to disguise their gas chambers.

Adding to the controversy is the inclusion of the LEGO logo on the boxes which feature the statement “This work of Zbigniew Libera has been sponsored by LEGO SYSTEM”.

However the toy manufacturer has denied all links with the set, despite reportedly sending the pieces to the artist for free.

“I understand that Lego must defend its good name, but this is not a product being offered in a store,” said Libera at the time, regarding the manufacturer position. “This is censorship all over again, I created this work to inspire discussion, not to suppress it.”

But despite the delicate nature of the piece, the Museum of Modern Art claims that the set is “one of the most important works of contemporary Polish art” and in 2002, it was also featured as part of New York’s Jewish Museum’s exhibition entitled Mirroring Evil: Nazi Imagery/Recent Art.

Born in Pabiance in 1959, Libera is no stranger to criticism. Pieces such as his 1984 ‘Mystical Rituals’ film – in which he documented his ill and bed-ridden 90 year-old grandmother – have made him a talking point in the past.

I personally have nothing against this in the museum, but definitely would not buy anything like that for my kids…

What is your opinion?

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)

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Wojtek, who was adopted as a cub by Polish soldiers stationed in Iran during 1941, liked to share beers and a cigarette with his fellow comrades, was taught to salute when greeted, and provided a welcome distraction to the horrors of war.

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Western Christians commemorate principally (but not solely) the visitation of the Biblical Magi to the Baby Jesus, and thus Jesus’ physical manifestation to the Gentiles. Eastern Christians commemorate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River, seen as his manifestation to the world as the Son of God.

Eastern Churches following the Julian Calendar observe the Theophany feast on January 19 because of the 13-day difference today between that calendar and the generally used Gregorian calendar. For Roman Catholics in many countries, the feast is celebrated on the Sunday that falls between January 2 and January 8. In Poland it is celebrated on January 6.

In Poland, Epiphany, or Trzech Króli (Three Kings) is celebrated in grand fashion, with huge parades held welcoming the Wise Men, often riding on camels or other animals from the zoo, in Warsaw and other cities. The Wise Men pass out sweets, children process in Renaissance wear, carols are sung, and living nativity scenes are enacted, all similar to celebrations in Italy or Spain, pointing to the country’s Catholic heritage. Children may also dress in colors signifying Europe, Asia, and Africa (the supposed homes of the Wise Men) and at the end of the parade route, church leaders often preach on the spiritual significance of the Epiphany.

In 2011, by an act of Parliament, Epiphany was restored as an official non-working national public holiday in Poland for the first time since it was cancelled under communism fifty years before.

Star singing and house blessing are popular in Poland, as in the rest of Central Europe.

Poles though take small boxes containing chalk, a gold ring, incense and a piece of amber, in memory of the gifts of the Magi, to church to be blessed. Once at home, they inscribe “K+M+B+” and the year with the blessed chalk above every door in the house, according to tradition, to provide protection against illness and misfortune for those within. The letters, with a cross after each one, are said to stand either for the traditionally applied names of the Three Kings in Polish – Kacper, Melchior and Baltazar – or for a Latin inscription meaning “Christ bless this house.” They remain above the doors all year until they are inadvertently dusted off or replaced by new markings the next year.

On January 6, as in much of Europe, a Polish style Three Kings cake is served with a coin or almond baked inside. The one who gets it is king or queen for the day, signified by wearing the paper crown that decorates the cake. According to Polish tradition this person will be lucky in the coming year. Recipes vary by region. Some serve a French-type puff pastry cake with almond paste filling, others favor a sponge cake with almond cream filling, and yet others enjoy a light fruitcake.

Epiphany in Poland also signals the beginning of “zapusty” or carnival time, when “Pączki” (doughnuts) are served.

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)

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