The accident (wypadek), which is the worst train disaster (katastrofa) in Poland in more than 20 years, happened late last night on the Warsaw-Kraków mainline in the small town of Szczękociny.

As the severity (drastyczność) of the crash  became known army helicopters (helikoptery) were deployed to the scene to race the most seriously injured (ciężko ranni) to hospital while a fleet of 450 emergency vehicles, 100 policemen and dozens of volunteer firemen clawed at the wreckage (wrak).

Officials have said it is too early to say what had caused the crash and Polish prosecutors have opened an investigation into how the head-on collision happened.

The two mangled (zniekształcone) trains, comprising 10 carriages in total, were carrying an estimated 350 passengers at the time of the crash.

Several of the passengers were foreigners, including people from Ukraine, Spain and France, but none of them appeared to be among the dead or badly injured. 

‘The rescue is difficult and complicated,’ firefighter Jarosław Wojtasik told Polish television.

‘The damage to the wagons is huge. We have contact with victims. We are approaching very cautiously.’

Three coaches are reported to be especially damaged, and the rescue operation focused on finding passengers there.

Rescue workers ended their search for the wounded and prosecutors opened their investigation early Sunday.

One passenger estimated that his train was travelling about 120km/h (75 mph), when it started braking very sharply.

‘Then we felt a powerful impact, and we were thrown about the compartment,’ the passenger told TVN24.

Andrzej Pawłowski, a member of the board of the state railway company PKP, said in an interview that one of the trains, which was traveling south from Warsaw to Kraków, should not have been on the track.

The other train, headed from the eastern city of Przemyśl to Warsaw, was on the correct track, Mr Pawlowski said.

It wasn’t immediately clear how the southbound train ended up on the wrong track.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the accident the most tragic train catastrophe in Poland in recent years after visiting the site in the early hours of today.

‘Even more dramatic than the pictures are the facts,’ Mr Tusk said. ‘This is our most tragic train disaster in many, many years.’

He arrived at the scene early on Sunday morning, with three other cabinet ministers.

Maintenance work was being carried out on one of the tracks where the collision occurred.

Polish President Bronisław Komorowski was also planning to visit the site on Sunday, his office said.

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)

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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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Wirtualny Kraj allows you to browse various locations across Poland and go for a (virtual) walk across many cities – both major and those less known.

You can visit museums, various tourist attractions, churches, universities and even go inside Sejm, the Polish parliament (see below).

There are also some weird choices – like shopping malls – but judging by the number of visitors to those, they seem to be as popular in the virtual world as they are in the real world.

The site is a great way of exploring new destinations and potentially planning your next trip. So, if you find some time over the festive period, why not give it a try? The site has an English version too, although it didn’t always work for me.

Here’s my top 10 destinations on the site:

1. Sejm – the Polish Parliament

2. Kraków

3. Hel 

4. Malbork Castle

5. Silesian Observatory

6. Książ Castle

7. Tatra Mountains (Kasprowy Wierch Mountain)

8. Kalwaria Zebrzydowska (a UNESCO site)

9. AGH, Kraków

10. Sanok folk/etno museum

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Polish cemeteries (polskie cmentarze) are unique (wyjątkowe). I did not see such a rich variety of graves’ styles anywhere else in the world. This is partly due to the fact that Poles are Roman Catholic. For Roman Catholics the death is important part of human existence (ludzkiego istnienia). The death (śmierć) does not end human life since we all have eternal spirit. For a long time Catholic Church was very skeptical towards burning bodies, crematoria are still rare in Poland. Therefore the graves (groby) are large, since each person need to be buried in a coffin (trumna) which is of the size of a human body.

People are buried in a single graves, in marriage graves or in the family graves or crypts. The cemeteries are divided into the community cemeteries, which include people of different beliefs and non-believers and in the parish cemeteries. The religious cemeteries are not all Roman Catholic, Lutheran churches have their own Lutheran cemeteries, Orthodox churches have Orthodox cemeteries. There are several Jewish cemeteries, in Kraków at least three. There are also military cemeteries (cmentarze wojskowe).

There are regional differences (regionale różnice) in the outlook of the cemeteries. Polish highlanders (górale) are very skilled in wood carving, you can see it on the old Zakopane cemetery – to the right, the complex sculptures are done from wood.

There are several old and historical cemeteries in Poland. These cemeteries have a unique atmosphere since there are filled with old trees or bushes. They contain historical graves from different ages built in different styles.

Two most famous old cemeteries are Powązki cemetery in Warsaw and Rakowice cemetery in Kraków. But there are much more.

Rakowice cemetery is a main necropolis in Kraków. It is situated almost in the center of the town. It was open in 1803 and it replaced several church cemeteries of the downtown. Its size was increase several times in XIX and XX century to the current area of 52 hectares. It also encompasses a military cemetery.

Salwator cemetery is situated in a beautiful part of Kraków, on the hill. The road to the Salwator is a beautiful old alley uphill surrounded by old trees, leads from the monastery of St. Norbert nuns, through the old St. Salwador chapel near the St. Bronisława hill with a beautiful panorama to Kraków downtown and to the nearby Salwator district, one of the nicest districts of the town.

Another old cemetery situated above the banks of Wisła river is a Tyniec cemetery, next to the old Tyniec Benedictines monastery from XI century.

The most famous cemetery of Warsaw is Powązki necropolis (picture on the left). Powązki necropolis consists of a whole complex of cemeteries. It has an old part with tombs of many famous and important people for Polish culture and so called “Avenue of the Meritorious” – Aleja Zasłużonych. It also contains a military cemetery with large number of those involved in the Warsaw Uprising against the Nazis during World War II, the Battle of Warsaw, and the September Campaign.

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)

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One day in the 13th century, an old watchman, keeping watch over the city saw in the distance a cloud of dust which grew bigger with every passing moment. He realized, in horror, that it was a large army of Tatars galloping towards the city walls. These invaders from the East had more than once advanced to Kraków and even farther, and they had pillaged and burned, looted and murdered and carried off the people to be slaves. The trumpeter was horror stricken. How could he warn the city, how could he convey to the people the approach of danger and give them time to prepare their defense? There was only one thing he could do. To go down into the town and spread the alarm would be foolish, for it would waste precious minutes. He must play the Hejnał, over and over. That would surely arouse the citizens, they would certainly be aware of approaching danger. So he played, again and again.

At first the people of Kraków were puzzled. Why was the trumpeter playing over and over? and with such loud urgency? But they quickly realized that it was a warning and that from his lofty tower ha had seen danger approach. The soldiers sprang to arms and took up their stations on the walls of the city. The burgesses ran to secure their houses and place their wives and children behind locked doors. The apprentices seized their arrows and their cross-bows, the artisans seizes what tools they could lay their hands on, and they all marched to the defense of their city.

The archers took up their positions along the battlements as the tartars galloped towards the city. But by now the Polish arrows were flying. They rained down on the tartar invaders, wave after wave. Eventually the Tartars were forced to retreat, and Kraków was saved from the Mongols! Suddenly, the sound of the Hejnał ceased abruptly. The notes had reached the ears of the Tatars as they approached, and their keen eyes had espied the figure of the trumpeter. As soon as they came within bow-shot, their leader, the surest marksman of them all, loosed his bow, and the deadly projectile logged in the trumpeter’s throat.

When the joy over the victory died down they realized that the trumpeter who had warned them was nowhere to be seen. So one of his friends went to look for him. However, when he reached the tower he found that disaster had struck. A single Tartar arrow had pierced the old watchman’ s throat and he had died. The trumpet was still clasped in his hands ready to blast out a final note.

The Krakowians would never forget the act of the old trumpeter watchman, and it was decreed that a bugle call should be played each day in memory of the hero.

And so for hundreds of years the ‘hejnał’ has rung out over Kraków’s rooftops for the noble watchman who saved the city.

Till next time…!Do następnego razu…!

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When you’ve been through Transparent lessons, and you think you know your declensions, conjugations, numerals and spelling – you might want to take your Polish to the next level. Why not test it on living, breathing organisms such as Poles in their natural habitat? There are many, many “Polish for foreigners” classes in Poland. Which should you chose and why?

I highly recommend summer courses organized by leading Polish universities – there’s a high likelihood of getting a good language base, together with an entertaining and informative cultural program. Here is a list of options for you. One thing to know is that Polish universities LOVE bureaucracy and papers. If you prefer a more customer-friendly approach, I’ve found a cool school at the seaside.

My biggest worry is that you might be given an outdated and “folklore” picture of what Poland and Polish people are. I think that in order to get a balanced view – it would be a good idea to choose one of major Polish cities: Warszawa, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Kraków, Poznań, or a bit smaller but thriving Toruń. These cities are filled with beautiful sights, offer pleasant atmosphere during the summer, and quite a lot to do after classes.

Warsaw is obviously the capital of Poland, and Poland’s largest city. Its architecture is not to everyone’s liking, as it is a sort of mix between a European city with historical parts, and American city with ugly inner city streets, huge adverts everywhere and cars as far as the eye can see. It’s also not the cleanest place, however it’s changing and improving very fast, and the changes there are more visible than elsewhere in the country. There’s plenty going on both in the mainstream culture, as well as in alternative circles. It is also the place where Poland’s Eastern and Western (or A and B) elements mix, and it’s visible.

Where to learn Polish in Warsaw?
Warsaw University runs its Centre of Polish Language and Culture for Foreigners.
The centre offers a summer course with language classes, workshops and “audiovisual shows”: in English for beginners. Intermediate learners can attend lectures on culture and history of Poland held in the Polish language, text-analysis workshops, and audiovisual workshops focusing on crucial events and phenomena of current popular culture of Poland.
More advanced learners attend culture and literature workshops and academic lectures.
1 month costs 2000zł (excl. accommodation, however university dorms are available at low prices – but with low standard.)

Kraków is considered one of the most beautiful Polish cities. It was Poland’s capital through the middle ages and renaissance, and its architecture reflects that. There are stunning sights to see – including the Wawel Castle (seat of Polish kings, among them a woman – Jadwiga – crowned “the king of Poland”), the city center, former Jewish quarter of Kazimierz and a social realist neighborhood of Nowa Huta. Also nearby there are other popular places to visit – the amazing Wieliczka salt mine, and the sad monument of how low human beings can reach: the Auschwitz concentration camp. Kraków also offers a very vibrant club scene and multitudes of events.
Jagiellonian University offers summer Polish courses at its School of Polish Language.
1 month costs 5855zł (incl. accommodation and boarding)
There’s also a summer language camp for kids (14-17 years old).

Wrocław is the capital of Lower Silesia, a region that has a very rich history. It’s been part of several nations: Polish, Czech and German. Before WW2 it used to belong to Germany and was mostly populated by German people who fled the city when it was to become part of Poland. It was then populated by Poles from Lwów, a city that after the war was to become part of the Soviet Union (today Ukraine). Professors of the University of Lwów have also moved here to continue the University of Wrocław, which now also organizes summer classes in Polish.

Wrocław, as most Polish cities, apart from Warsaw, has a very pleasant medieval city center, which in the summer is filled with open-air cafes and pubs.

Toruń is one of the two capitals of the Kujawy-Pomorze region. It is a medium size city, in which university and student life play a prominent role. Despite its size, there is quite a lot going on, and Toruń has one of the most beautiful Old Towns in Poland. It is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list for its medieval charm and architecture. Toruń was thankfully spared from the war damage. Constant renovations in this area assure that it will be even more stunning when you visit. Apart from its medieval history, the city is famous as the birthplace of astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (his house is open for viewing) and for gingerbread cookies which have been produced here according to secret recipes for centuries. There are many things to do: there’s a planetarium, an ethnographic museum in the center where a 19th century Polish village was recreated, there’s also a vibrant art and club scene.
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń offers summer Polish courses.

2 or 3 week courses range from 250 to 790 euro depending on options.

Gdańsk, together with neighboring Sopot and Gdynia form one metropolitan organism called Trójmiasto, with an easy transport network thanks to Fast Urban Rail (SKM). An important center for trade – sending goods shipped by the Wisła river further to the world. Positioned at the seaside, the city has been disputed between the Poles and the Germans ever since the Polish prince Konrad I of Masovia and Kraków in the year 1226 invited the German Teutonic Order to settle in Prussia to protect his principality from Lithuanian and Prussian pagans. Gdańsk is also the place where WW2 began, and where communism fell. It’s a delight for anyone interested in history. But it’s also a heaven for those who prefer sandy beaches as the resort of Sopot has for many decades served as the summer capital of Poland. It’s also a place where attitudes have always been more relaxed and open. Gdynia, developed during the interwar period as a port city alternative to Gdańsk (then under the League of Nations protectorate), has many wonderful examples of modernist architecture. Less crowded beaches, and clearer sea, may be found beyond the Hel peninsula (Władysławowo, Jastrzębia Góra), around 1 hour by train.

Akademia Języka Polskiego, a private company, offers classes in the Wrzeszcz district of Gdańsk (between the historical center and Sopot) and will tailor its offer to suit customers‘ needs.

Anna’s comment: if you know of any other courses, or can recommend a particular school or program, please tell us in the comments section.

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