Polonia

Poland’s rebirth as an independent nation in 1918 is one of the most remarkable events of modern history. One of the forgotten elements of Polish independence is the role played by Polish Americans in Poland’s restoration. Polonia’s contribution was overlooked due to the passage of time, interwar political divisions, and the impact of World War II and the subsequent communist takeover.

The event that I want to inform you about took place on November 13 and 14, 2021 in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. These were two days saturated with love and attachment to Poland and a sense of solidarity with the country of origin of the participants of this "Great Festival", which was organized by the "Poles in Essen" Group.

At the moment, a danger is approaching the Polish borders and our families there on the Vistula River. So it is time for joint, coordinated action on this issue.

In today's interview Kuryer Polski hosts prof. Donald Pienkos. Donald Edward Pienkos is Emeritus Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. He is a Polish American historian specializing in political science and the history of the Polish American community. He was a witness and the creator of history, especially involved in the cause of Poland's accession to NATO.

In the 1930s, the Warner Brothers film studio produced films in the spirit of social realism, covering less appealing themes in modern America, such as crime, poverty, and a clumsy legal system. In these films, Poles were presented as criminals and negative characters. In one of those films, The Life of Jimmy Dolan, the evil character was called Pulaski. In another film, How Many More Knights, a gangster and murderer was a man named Kościuszko.

In August 2021, a new Polish Studies Program was launched at the St. John Paul II Institute at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. The St. John Paul II Institute was founded in 2019 in order to facilitate the understanding of the life and work of St. John Paul II in the context of Polish history and culture.

January 14, 2022 is one-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of the birth of the outstanding patriot priest, Fr. dr Bolesław Domański. It will soon (on March 6) coincide with the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Union of Poles in Germany. Few people know who Father Patron (as he was called) was and how important a role he played in the economic life and in maintaining Polish identity among Poles in Germany. His work and attitude can also serve as an example for contemporary Poles. This article is dedicated to be a reminder of this extraordinary figure.

The idea of ​​reactivating Kuryer Polski arose in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which has always been an important center of Polish life. The so-called "old" Polish community still remembers the image of Kuryer as a newspaper standing up for concrete Polish causes in America.

The Polish-language media in Germany are already, as Germans call them — indicating their age of 131 years — "old". They were organized by political, military and economic emigrants, as well as the people who had chosen to settle outside Poland. They (the media) were an element and expression of identity and culture-creating activities of various Polish communities and emigrants. Their content were and are the phenomena that existed on the border of two cultures: Polish and German.

Kuryer Polski would like to give you a Christmas present in the form of a debate on the state of the American Polish diaspora as the eighth largest ethnic group living in the United States. Important representatives of the Polish diaspora in the United States took part in a debate on the state of the diaspora.

It is no secret that the sizeable Polish diaspora abroad does not play as strong a political role in the countries of its settlement as it could play, like other minorities, such as the Jewish, Italian, or German. It would be of benefit to it, first of all, because it would allow it to pursue its interests more effectively – but it could also turn out to be beneficial for Poland, because – as I had ample opportunity to find out – the Polish community is very patriotic.