History

In the former Polish village of Puźniki in the Ternopil region of Ukraine, exhumation work began on April 24 of the victims of UPA crimes. The first exhumations of Poles murdered by Ukrainian nationalists since 2017 are the result of many years of work by the Freedom and Democracy Foundation (WiD) based in Warsaw.

On June 4, 1917, the Polish Army in France was established. In 1960, also on June 4, its commander, General Józef Haller, died. The history of this formation shows how important for Poland is the connection with the Polish diaspora and Poles living in exile. Without them, regaining independence after World War I and defending it in the years 1919-1921 would have been impossible.

There was freedom in him. Freedom of thought, speech, views and lifestyle. He demonstrated it boldly and brilliantly in Poland, America, wherever he found himself. One hundred and five years ago, on May 16, Leopold Tyrmand, a writer, publicist, critic of communism, was born in Warsaw.

In the basement of the Vilnius Cathedral, a secret hiding place was discovered with the burial insignia of the rulers of Lithuania and Poland: the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander Jagiellon, the first wife of Sigismund Augustus Elizabeth of Habsburg, and his second wife Barbara Radziwiłł. The treasures were wrapped in pre-war Polish newspapers.

The heliocentric theory, articulated in Nicolaus Copernicus's ‘On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres’ (1543), was dedicated to Pope Paul III. However, it took nearly two centuries for the scientific community to fully recognize his revolutionary ideas.

85 years ago, the Soviets massacred Polish officers. Later, they did everything in their power to murder the truth about this crime as well.

Although many old traditions have been forgotten or simplified, Easter remains a time of spiritual reflection, family gatherings, and joyful celebration. For some, it is primarily a religious event, for others — a cultural ritual of community, but for all — a time of hope, rebirth, and an encounter with the deepest values.

A thousand years ago, in April 1025, Bolesław the Brave took the royal crown. From that moment on, the monarchy of the first Piasts became a full-fledged and independent entity in international politics. It was in the times of Brave that it was given the name that has survived to this day – Poland. With Bolesław's coronation, Polish independence was also born.

Religious practices related to Holy Week, as well as commonly accepted behaviors and traditions, show people paths leading to inner rebirth. The phenomenon of experiencing these special days in Poland is that we often combine seriousness and concentration with joyful and dynamic anticipation of Easter.

Exactly five centuries ago, on April 10, 1525, in the very heart of Krakow, an act took place that was not only symbolic, but also strategic. A scene took place there, which in the eyes of those at the time could be considered a symbolic end to the long armed conflict waged by the Kingdom of Poland with the Teutonic Order.

Thinking with John Paul II is the key to understanding the challenges of the modern world and the role that Poland and Poles have to play not only in constructing their own world, but also the broader one.