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02/05/2025

02/04/2025

A 300-year-old common beech tree from Dalkowo in Lower Silesia, Poland, affectionately known as the "Heart of the Dalkowo Hills," is set to compete for the title of European Tree of the Year after winning the national vote.

The tree, located in the heart of a range of hills stretching over 120 kilometers, now joins 15 other finalists in the European Tree of the Year competition. Polish candidates have previously won the award four times, including the “Józef Oak” from Wiśniowa in the Subcarpathian region, the “Dunin Oak” from Białowieża Forest, the “Fabrykant Oak” from Łódź, and the “Heart of the Garden” beech from the Wojsławice Arboretum. Voting for this year’s competition remains open until February 24.

More at https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7791/Artykul/3478709,beech-represents-poland-in-european-tree-of-the-year-contest

02/04/2025

The newly opened Museum of Modern Art (MSN) in Warsaw, Poland has been ranked the top new or renovated museum to visit in 2025, according to a list compiled by Lonely Planet, a global travel website.

Lonely Planet writes: "One of Poland’s youngest and most vibrant institutions has a permanent home at last. Founded only in 2005, MSN Warsaw focuses on works by Polish artists produced in the 20th and 21st centuries, and especially since the end of the Cold War – and in its two decades of nomadic exhibitions has been unafraid to plunge into the heated political debates of the day.”

The museum currently showcases large-scale sculptures and installation pieces by prominent female artists, including Magdalena Abakanowicz, Alina Szapocznikow, Sandra Mujinga, and Cecilia Vicuña. Its permanent collection is set to open on February 21st. On Lonely Planet’s list of must-visit museums in 2025, Warsaw’s Museum of Modern Art is followed by the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, Connecticut, and the Frick Collection in New York.

More at https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7791/Artykul/3478984,warsaw%E2%80%99s-museum-of-modern-art%C2%A0named-world%E2%80%99s-no-1-new-museum

02/04/2025

Poland lost 2-6 to Austria in their opening game at the Indoor Hockey World Cup in Poreč, Croatia yesterday.

The Polish team will now take on hosts Croatia in their second group-stage match at the global tournament on Tuesday. Their group also includes South Africa, making it the most competitive group in the tournament, according to Poland’s head coach Dariusz Rachwalski.

Indoor hockey, a fast-paced variation of traditional field hockey, requires quick thinking, precise ex*****on and rapid decision-making, according to the International Hockey Federation (FIH). Polish indoor hockey has enjoyed notable success in previous decades, with the national team finishing runner-up at the world championships three times and winning multiple medals at European championships. Last year, Poland secured silver at the continental tournament. The 2025 Indoor Hockey World Cup, held by the FIH, runs in Croatia until Sunday.

More at https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7790/Artykul/3479003,indoor-hockey-poland-lose-26-to-austria-in-world-cup-opener

02/04/2025

Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz has made it through to the second round of the Rotterdam Open tennis tournament in the Netherlands yesterday.

The 28-year-old Pole, ranked world No. 21 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), defeated Flavio Cobolli of Italy 6-3, 6-2 in the first round on Monday. He will face the winner of the match between Czech Jiri Lehecka and Australian Alexei Popyrin in the next round. Hurkacz is playing for his ninth career singles title in Rotterdam. The 2025 Rotterdam Open indoor hard-court tournament runs until Sunday.

More at https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7790/Artykul/3479004,tennis-poland%E2%80%99s-hurkacz-through-to-2nd-round-of-rotterdam-open

02/04/2025

Today, 4 February, in Polish history - born in 1746 - Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko (English: Andrew Thaddeus Bonaventure Kosciuszko) (died, 15 October 1817), a Polish military engineer, statesman, and military leader who then became a national hero in Poland, the United States, Lithuania, and Belarus.

He fought in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth's struggles against Russia and Prussia, and on the U.S. side in the American Revolutionary War. As Supreme Commander of the Polish National Armed Forces, he led the 1794 Kościuszko Uprising.

An accomplished military architect, he designed and oversaw the construction of state-of-the-art fortifications, including those at West Point, New York. In 1783, in recognition of his services, the Continental Congress promoted him to brigadier general.

More at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadeusz_Ko%C5%9Bciuszko

02/04/2025

Today, 4 February, the Polish Recipe of the Day is for a Beet Salad (Buraczki) - a Polish side dish that pairs perfectly with main courses and is easy-to-make. It’s like a burst of home in every bite, where the sweetness of the beets meets a tangy zip from the vinegar — it’s simple food that’s simply good.

See the recipe at https://polishfeast.com/polish-beet-salad-buraczki/

02/03/2025

Over 100 Viking reenactors from across Europe have flocked to Szczecin, northwestern Poland, for an international training session ahead of a major historical reenactment later this year.

The participants are preparing for the annual Slav and Viking Festival, held every August on the Polish island of Wolin, where they will reenact one of history’s largest Viking battles. Reenactors from Poland, Germany, Britain, Sweden and Denmark are taking part in the International Jomsborg Army Training event in Szczecin.

The August reenactment in Wolin is expected to attract participants from 32 countries, with an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 warriors taking part. The next training session for the warriors will be held on May Day on Wolin Island, as preparations continue for what promises to be one of Europe's largest historical reenactments this year.

More at https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7791/Artykul/3478463,viking-reenactors-flock-to-poland-for-international-training-event

02/03/2025

Extreme runner Tomasz Sobania, dubbed the “Polish Forrest Gump,” completed his cross-country run across the United States last night, Sunday.

Sobania set off on September 15 from New York City’s Central Park, passing through Washington, Chicago, and the entirety of historic Route 66 before finishing his run in San Diego. His previous feats include a 3,600 km (2230-mile) run from Chorzów to the Greek Marathon and back in June 2023 and a 60-day football stadium dash from the Piast Gliwice to Camp Nou in November 2022. He also ran 125 marathons covering more than 5,250 km (3260 miles) in 139 days.

More at https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7790/Artykul/3478643,polish-%E2%80%98forrest-gump%E2%80%99-completes-5250-km-run-across-the-usa

02/03/2025

Today, 3 February, in history in Poland: born in 1735 - Ignacy Błażej Franciszek Krasicki (died, 14 March 1801), from 1766 Prince-Bishop of Warmia, and from 1795 Archbishop of Gniezno, Poland's leading Enlightenment poet ("the Prince of Poets"), a critic of the clergy, Poland's La Fontaine, author of the first Polish novel, playwright, journalist, encyclopedist, and translator from French and Greek.

Krasicki became secretary to the Primate of Poland and developed a friendship with future King Stanisław August Poniatowski. When Poniatowski was elected king (1764), Krasicki became his chaplain. Ignacy Krasicki was the leading literary representative of the Polish Enlightenment—a prose writer and poet highly esteemed by his contemporaries, who admired his works for their wit, imagination, and fluid style.

More at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignacy_Krasicki

02/03/2025

Today, 3 February, the Polish Saints of the Day are two of The Three Martyrs of Chimbote, a group of two Polish Franciscan priests and one Italian missionary priest murdered in Peru in 1991 by the Shining Path communist guerillas. Pope Francis gave approval on 3 February 2015 to their beatification after affirming their martyrdom.

Both Polish Franciscans dedicated their work to the faithful of Peru in charitable and merciful acts that appealed to their Franciscan charism, taking as their models for their work both Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Maximilian Kolbe. In response to a drought in 1989, the two friars brought with them food from Caritas to cater to the immediate needs of the people. Yet the two also catechized the faithful and preached on various saints, in the process, revitalizing the faith of the Peruvian people.

More at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Martyrs_of_Chimbote

02/03/2025

Today, 3 February, the Polish Recipe of the Day is for Murzynek – Polish Chocolate Cake - moist, rich, and perfect for family gatherings. Whether you're new to Polish desserts or just looking for an easy-to-make chocolate cake, this Murzynek recipe will bring a touch of Polish tradition to your kitchen.

See the Recipe at https://polishfeast.com/murzynek-polish-chocolate-cake/

02/02/2025

Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski will take Poland’s national flag and traditional pierogi on his upcoming mission to the International Space Station (ISS), he announced at a pre-flight press conference for the Axiom-4 mission.

The crew who will travel to the ISS in the spring includes also Peggy Whitson, the commander of Axiom-4 and a veteran American astronaut; mission pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India; and mission specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary. The Axiom-4 crew has been training together since August last year, familiarizing themselves with the ISS systems and the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft that will take them to orbit.

According to Polish Space Agency spokeswoman Agnieszka Gapys, the Axiom-4 crew will visit Warsaw on February 5th.

More at https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7784/Artykul/3477921,polish-astronaut-to-take-national-flag-and-pierogi-to-space

02/02/2025

Poland’s decision to shut down the John Paul II Museum in Toruń has caused international backlash, with Italian media condemning the move as an attack on religious heritage and historical memory. The Polish government, led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, initiated the closure of the “Memory and Identity” Museum in Toruń, a project dedicated to preserving the legacy of Pope John Paul II.

The museum, inspired by John Paul II’s book Memory and Identity, was established through a 2018 agreement between Poland’s Ministry of Culture, then headed by Piotr Gliński, and the Lux Veritatis Foundation, led by Father Tadeusz Rydzyk. The Polish government contributed 180 million złoty ($44 million USD), while the foundation provided 90 million złoty to construct the modern facility. However, following a shift in power, the new Minister of Culture, Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz, halted further funding and moved to terminate the agreement. Critics argue that this decision is not just about financial priorities but a broader attempt to diminish religious influence in Poland. The move has sparked protests beyond conservative circles, with growing concerns over the waste of significant public funds and the potential erasure of Poland’s cultural and religious heritage.

See more at https://polanddaily24.com/polish-government-moves-to-shut-down-john-paul-ii-museum-italian-media-outraged/global-politics/51294

02/02/2025

Today, on 2 February, rural celebrations of the Candlemas Day in Poland show remnants of old-Slavic protective rituals conducted with use of a gromnica (the so-called ‘thunder candle’).

The Candlemas Day is celebrated on February 2nd and marks the end of a carnival (’zapusty’ in Polish). That day is also officially the last day of a ‘Christmas season’ in Poland and the last occasion to sing the traditional carols together – also the day when all the remaining Christmas decorations should be removed (yes, in Poland the Christmas trees are very often kept in houses even until February).

That day has a distinctive name in Poland, connected to ancient Slavic beliefs and rituals: Święto Matki Boskiej Gromnicznej, what could be translated to English as a ‘Festivity of the Holy Mother of the Thunder Candle.’

The important symbolic accessories connected to this holiday is the so-called gromnica (plural form: gromnice), sacred candles believed to ensure a general protection. Name of these candles is derived from the word grom (thunder). These candles are long and relatively thick, often decorated with religious inscriptions and images. In many Polish folk beliefs gromnica is compared to a human, and its wick to a soul. It’s believed that gromnica symbolizes the light of life, and the triumph of soul and mind over body and flesh.

More at https://lamusdworski.wordpress.com/2016/01/29/gromnice/

02/02/2025

Today, 2 February, the Polish Saint of the /day is Blessed Sadok/Zadok and 48 Dominican martyrs from Sandomierz, Poland were Roman Catholic, Dominican martyrs killed by Mongols on 2 February 1260 (Golden Horde) during the Second Mongol invasion of Poland in 1260. As homage to the deaths of these martyrs, Polish Dominican friars were given special dispensation allowing the usage of red belts in their habits.

More at https://www.brewiarz.katolik.pl/czytelnia/swieci/06-02b.php3

02/02/2025

Today, 2 February, the Polish Recipe of the Day is for Fafernuchy - traditional, crunchy cookies from the Kurpie & Mazury regions of Poland. They have a distinctive spicy flavor thanks to the addition of pepper and honey.

See the recipe at https://cookinpolish.com/fafernuchy/

01/31/2025

Two Poles, mother and daughter, were among the victims of yesterday's US air crash. 42-year-old Justyna Magdalena Beyer and her 12-year-old daughter Brielle, a figure skater, were on board a plane traveling from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington when it collided with a military helicopter. No one survived the crash.

Brielle lived in Aldie, near Washington, and trained at the Northern Virginia Figure Skating Club. Despite her young age, she had already won numerous medals and awards. Just two weeks ago, she was selected for the National Development Team. She took her first steps on the ice at just 18 months old.

The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed condolences to the victims of the disaster.

More at https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7789/Artykul/3477642,two-poles-mother-and-daughter-among-victims-of-us-air-crash