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?

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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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While sightseeing the town of Krosno you should visit its beautiful churches. Erected in the 14th century, the Gothic parish church was reconstructed and extended in the 17th century. Its interior features several gems, including a main altar from the 16th century, baroque stalls, tombstones and sculptures. Notable for its fine stucco decorations is an early-baroque chapel, built in the years 1647-1648 by an Italian architect. Last but not least, the 15th Franciscan church is also well worth a visit. Yet another of Krosno’s treasures, one that definitely deserves a mention, is the huge bell known as “Urban”. Weighing 5 tonnes, it is one of Poland’s biggest bells.

Besides historic monuments, the town has two interesting museums – the Museum of Craftsmanship and the District Museum. In the latter visitors will enjoy a rich collection of antique paraffin lamps as well as collections related to archaeology, history and the folk culture of both Krosno and its surroundings.

Once you have seen all there is to see in Krosno, you can proceed to some distinctive places in the region of the Low Beskid and Pogórze, such as the spa towns of Rymanów and Iwonicz, the open-air museum devoted to the oil industry in the village of Bóbrka, Odkrzykon Castle and the “Prządki” stone preservation.

Did I miss something?Let us know if you have other suggestions for the must see in Krosno!

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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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As many as 31 people were implicated in a bogus wedding racket that married Nigerian men to Polish women for EUR 5,000. Investigators said they suspected 20 fraudulent marriages had taken place between 2005 and 2007 in Warsaw, Pruszków and Chorzów. One woman is reported to have agreed to marry twice in the scam.

Four Nigerians and five Polish citizens, including three women, were the network’s main organizers. Eager to marry, the men handed over about EUR 5,000.The money was divided between the organisers and the women. The women received half their fee up front and the second half after the men had received their residency papers.

The Nigerians in the gang had, apparently, spread information in Nigeria that they could arrange marriages in Poland that would eventually allow the men to stay in the EU. They also claimed that they had managed to get residency permits from marrying Poles.
One of the Nigerians under investigation also faces accusations of counterfeiting official Nigerian documents used in the bogus marriages.
The Poles involved targeted women who were ready to marry for money, with most of the women seeing the scam as a good way to escape difficult financial circumstances.
The case had come to light after border guards discovered that in two of the marriages the couples did not live together, and, in fact, knew very little about each other.
Prosecutors said that 22 of those involved, including one of the Nigerian ringleaders, have pleaded guilty and submitted themselves for punishment.
News of the scam will increase pressure on authorities to ensure that marriages are not abused by people eager to profit from those desperate to enter Poland by any means possible. Poland’s EU membership and strong economy means that it is becoming an increasingly popular destination for anybody wanting to escape their home countries in the developing world.

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The concept behind the Wrocław Guitar Festival (Wrocławski Festiwal Gitarowy, often referred to simply as the ‘Gitara’) is simple. To give this majestic instrument a platform to shine. Every year the festival invites some of the leading lights of the music world to show off their skills on the six-string, and previous plectrum pluckers in Poland include the likes of Rafael Cortes, Tommy Emmanuel, Giampaolo Bandini and many more. Typically there is one main concert per night for the duration of the festival, which takes place in one of Wrocław’s most prestigious venues such as in the Philharmonic Hall, the Hala Ludowa, or the Great Hall of the Wrocław Town Hall. The festival is also accompanied by master classes, workshops, instrument displays, music publishing presentations, and meetings with the artists themselves.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Have anyone of you attended it?

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There’s a site that offers virtual trips across Poland and there’s plenty to look at.

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.

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 as well.

Site has tons of pictures, movies, galleries. You can visit schools, shopping malls, town halls, restaurants.

You can take a walk through the town and see beautiful buildings, streets, gardens.

It is actually pretty cool and you can really get to know the region you are planning to visit in the future.

Take a look and let us know what are your thoughts.

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