Thursday 11 December 2008

Landscape


The commune OPATÓWEK is situated in a picturesque landscape of the Opatówek-Malanów Hills. The hills dominate the valleys of rivers Pokrzywnica, Cienia and Swędrnia. The neighbouring biggest town is called Kalisz.
The architecture of Opatówek is dominated by the neogothic and classicistic style of the 19th century the most successful time of the town during the booming years of industrialism. The region of Opatówek is mostly notable for its fruitful, agricultural landscape and several rivers and lakes.

Friday 6 June 2008

We can not forget our history


AUSCHWITZ - The Holocaust CONCENTRATION CAMP

After the occupation of Poland by the Third Reich, the name of the city of Oswiecim was changed to Auschwitz by the Germans, and became the name of the camp as well.

Auschwitz functioned throughout its existence as a concentration camp, and over time became the largest such Nazi camp.

In the first period of the existence of the camp, it was primarily Poles who were sent here by the German occupation authorities. These were people regarded as particularly dangerous: the elite of the Polish people, their political, civic, and spiritual leaders, members of the intelligentsia, cultural and scientific figures, and also members of the resistance movement, officers, and so on.

Over time, the Nazis also began to send groups of prisoners from other occupied countries to Auschwitz.

Beginning in 1942, Jews whom the SS physicians classified as fit for labor were also registered in the camp. From among all the people deported to Auschwitz, approximately 400,000 people were registered and placed in the camp and its sub-camps (200,000 Jews, more than 140,000 Poles, about 20,000 Gypsies from various countries, more than 10,000 Soviet prisoners of war, and more than 10,000 prisoners of other nationalities).

Over 50% of the registered prisoners died as a result of starvation, labor that exceeded their physical capacity, the terror that raged in the camp, executions, the inhuman living conditions, disease and epidemics, punishment, torture, and criminal medical experiments.

Auschwitz has become a symbol of terror, genocide, and the Holocaust. It was established by the Nazis in 1940, in the suburbs of the city of Oswiecim which, like other parts of Poland, was occupied by the Germans during the Second World War.

Over the years, the camp was expanded and consisted of three main parts: Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II-Birkenau, and Auschwitz III-Monowitz. It also had over 40 sub-camps. At first, Poles were imprisoned and died in the camp. Afterwards, Soviet prisoners of war, Gypsies, and people of other nationalities were also incarcerated there.

Beginning in 1942, the camp became the site of the greatest mass murder in the history of humanity, which was committed against the European Jews as part of Hitler's plan for the complete destruction of that people.

The majority of the Jewish men, women and children deported to Auschwitz were sent to their deaths in the Birkenau gas chambers immediately after arrival. At the end of the war, in an effort to remove the traces of the crimes they had committed, the SS began dismantling and razing the gas chambers, crematoria, and other buildings, as well as burning documents.

Prisoners capable of marching were evacuated into the depths of the Reich. Those who remained behind in the camp were liberated by Red Army soldiers on January 27, 1945.

A July 2, 1947 act of the Polish parliament established the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum on the grounds of the two extant parts of the camp, Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau.

Wednesday 7 May 2008

Polish places connected with Napoleon

In Poland you can find a lot of places connected with Napoleon Bonaparte.
Here are the names of villages ang towns:
Bolechowo
Brodnica
Bytyń
Chojno
Cichowo
Czarnków
Gaj Wielki
Glinno
Gniezno
Górczyn
Iłowiec Wielki
Jarocin
Kalisz
Kępno
Konarzewo
Konin
Kościan
Kórnik
Łaziska
Międzyrzecz
Mosina
Niegolewo
Opatówek
Owińska
Pławisko
Pniewy
Posadowo
Poznań
Swarzędz
Rawicz
Sędzimirowice
Sieraków
Skwierzyna
Słupca
Swarzędz
Węgierki
Winna Góra

Józef Zajączek - a famous general in Opatówek


Opatówek ( county of Kalisz) –
in 1807 granted by Napoleon to General Józef Zajączek, later governor of the Kingdom of Poland. Józef Zajączek took part in the Kościuszko Insurrection and the Napoleonic wars.
In 1809-1826 he resided in the (today non-extant)palace, on whose frontage he placed the inscription Magni Napoleonis donum (Gift of the great Napoleon).
The general was buried in a chapel of the Neo-Gothic church of the Holy Heart of the Lord Jesus.
His wife,who at the age of eighty still stirred fervent affection among young
admirers, also became a historical figure of sorts; the secret of her beauty
supposedly lay in the lumps of ice always kept under her bed.
The historical town has preserved a unique Classical complex: tollgates, a
school, grange buildings, and a park (14, 9 hectares). Another object
worth visiting is the Industry Historical Museum (in the picture)in a Classical building of the former cloth works belonging to General Zajączek.

Tuesday 18 March 2008

POLISH LEGIONS


Polish Legions, during the Napoleonic Period, were collectively several Polish units serving in the French army from the 1790s to 1810s. After the third partition of Poland in 1795 many Poles believed that revolutionary France and its allies would help Poland, as France's enemies included the partitioners of Poland (Prussia, Austria and Imperial Russia). Therefore many Polish soldiers, officers and volunteers emigrated from Poland , especially to Italy and France, where they joined local military forces. The number of Polish recruits soon reached many thousands, and so with support from Napoleon Bonaparte special Polish military units, commanded by Polish officers and with Polish military ranks were created. They became known as the Polish Legions and were considered to be a Polish army 'in exile' under command of France. Those units were commanded, among others, by Jan Henryk Dąbrowski, Karol Kniaziewicz and Józef Wybicki . Polish Legions serving alongside the French army during the Napoleonic Wars saw combat in most of Napoleon's campaigns, from the West Indies, through Italy and Egypt, to Russia.

Friday 15 February 2008

Napoleon in Poland

The fourth coalition was assembled in and Napoleon defeated Prussia at the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt (14 October 1806).
He marched on against advancing Russian armies through Poland, and was involved at the bloody stalemate of the Battle of Eylau on 6 February 1807.
After a decisive victory at Friedland, he signed a treaty at Tilsit in East Prussia with Tsar Alexander I of Russia, dividing Europe between the two powers.
He placed puppet rulers on the thrones of German states, including his brother Jerome as king of the new state of Westphalia.
In the French-controlled part of Poland, he established the Duchy of Warsaw, with King Frederick Augustus I of Saxony as ruler. Between 1809 and 1813, Napoleon also served as Regent of the Grand Duchy of Berg for his brother Louis Bonaparte.