POLISH MOVIES on DVD

If you have been looking for a source other than the Toledo - Lucas County Public Library For Polish Motion Pictures on DVD, there is a company out of Canada that has a fairly wide representation of modern Polish cinema. Be careful to order NTSC format versions that are compatible with American television equipment rather than PAL which is the technical standard used in most of Europe. Click the link below.





http://www.polishfilm.ca/

Mel Gibson as Jan Sobieski?

Reports have emerged that Mel 'Madmax' Gibson has been approached to play King Jan Sobieski in an epic movie about the 1683 Siege of Vienna when the Islamic Ottoman Empire tried to overrun Europe.

'All the signs show that he is interested in this project and its theme', Polish film producer Mariusz Bielak was quoted as saying in Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza. "It's his cup of tea.'

The film, which has a working title of Victoria (The Victory), is being billed as the most lavish Polish film of all time, with predicted costs running to 120 million zl. That's six times more costly than 'Quo Vadis', which currently holds the national record.

The script has already been completed by celebrated screenwriter Cezary Harasimowicz. The writer became transfixed by the material, and he promises heady sub-plots involving spies, intrigue and of course, the oft-chronicled romance between Sobieski and his French Queen.

Jan III Sobieski was a charismatic figure. He was a great strategist, a phenomenal knight, and to cap it all, head over heels in love with his wife. This is the kind of figure that Mel Gibson played in 'Braveheart'. But this is a less tragic role - Sobieski triumphed.

The Siege of Vienna is regarded by historians as a turning point in European History. The Catholic Alliance - led by the future Polish King - killed the Turkish threat to Europe.

See also: 17th Century Winged Hussars

November 11

Happy Independence Day !

[Free Again November 11, 1918]

NATO inspects Powidz

Nine NATO inspectors Monday began inspecting an airbase in Powidz in western Poland, which is seen as a possible site for NATO's AGS (Alliance Ground Surveillance) defense system, the new agency PAP reported.

The AGS system is one of the biggest projects in NATO's history.

Based on a fleet of manned and unmanned aircraft, it is to enable ground monitoring in all weather conditions. An initial AGS operational capability is expected by 2010.

Quixoticosity of the Old Rails

Steam keeps chugging in Poland

Wolsztyn is the center of steam in Poland. It is home to a wonderful open-air museum consisting of a steam locomotive shed / depot; turntable; and a wide collection of working, rare, mainline Polish steam locomotives. This is literally the last steam-hauled mainline train service in Europe and among the last in the world.


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1956 Remembered

Wroclaw pays tribute to Hungarian heroes of 1956
Polskie Radio 11/4/06

A monument to the heroes of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 has been unveiled in Wroclaw, south-western Poland. City Mayor Rafal Dutkiewicz recalled during the ceremony the various forms of assistance which Poles offered to the Budapest insurgents in 1956. He said that Soviet troops invaded Hungary to crush the Hungarian people's dreams of freedom and democracy. The Hungarian ambassador to Poland Mihaly Gyor recalled that a workers' revolt in the Polish city of Poznan in June 1956 was an inspiration for his countrymen fufty years ago.

Sweden Come Get Your Soldiers

17,000 Swedes found in Polish mass grave
The Local - Sweden's News in English
4 November 2006

Polish archaeologists have succeeded in locating mass graves
containing the remains of 17,000 Swedish soldiers, Aftonbladet
reports.

The soldiers perished at the Battle of Kalisz in western Poland on
October 29, 1706, six years into the Great Northern War. The battle
was part of King Karl XII's unexpected campaign against neutral
Poland-Lithuania, which began after Swedish forces split the Russian
army in two at the Battle of Narva in 1700.

The war finally ended in defeat for Sweden at the Treaty of Nystad in
1721.

Archaeologist Leszek Ziabka claims that Sweden has displayed a
complete lack of interest in the fate of its fallen troops.

"Swedish authorities have a list of all the names but don't care
about them," Ziabka told Aftonbladet.

General Arvid Axel Mardefelt's troops were severely routed at the
Battle of Kalisz, which lasted just two and a half hours. Those
Swedish soldiers not slain in the heat of battle were quickly pursued
and killed by a contingent of Ukrainian Cossacks.

"We have so far dug up eight complete skeletons. The remains of at
least 1,000 Swedes are located here," said Ziabka.

A second mass grave at nearby Koscielna Wies contains the remains of
a further 16,000 Swedish soldiers, according to Polish news agency
PAP. The agency further reports that farmers in the region have begun
digging up skeletons, as well as weapons belonging to the Swedish
soldiers.

The Polish archaeologist explained that his team lacks the resources
to analyse the finds. But should his Swedish counterparts show an
interest they will be given full access to the three centuries old
remains of their countrymen.

"Despite the fact that Sweden is no longer interested in its fallen
soldiers we in Poland intend to erect a monument to them," said
Ziabka.

News agency PAP reported that the Swedish soldiers will not be
forgotten on All Saints' Day – Polish farmers plan to light candles
on the mass graves as a mark of respect.

Regimental Histories of the Northern War

Great Northern War Timeline

Polish Video Clips @ polishtoledo.com

If you haven't been to the Polish Video page of polishtoledo.com yet you might find some of the videos posted there interesting. Since tastes vary - I tried posting a variety of genre.

The "Polish Fly" (animation) is a cute, but poignant treatise on 15 minutes of fame even though the clip only last a couple minutes. The Polish S8ter clip illustrates the amazing skills of Polish urban teenage daredevils on wheels. “Everybody Loves the Sunshine” a music video clip by the Queens is a display of the Polish Riviera near Sopot (once you get out of the car wash). Tour the Wieliczka Mine – if you want to see a city and Cathedral carved out of salt 20 thousand leagues under the surface.

Ewa Sonnet’s modern fairytale music video drives more traffic to polishtoledo.com from all over the world than any other offering.

There is a clip of GROM the modern day Polish Special Lightning Force and another clip of an old bobcia reciting a poem about Jan Sobieski and the Polish victors at Vienna the day after nine-eleven in the 17th century.



On the second page of videos you’ll see a short tour of the Warsaw School of Economics



and a popular live performance of Doda Elektroda. Dramatic scenes from the Cathedral carved in salt can be seen in “Night Way to Mandalay” where even the massive chandeliers are carved from salt.


Polish Video Clips at polishtoledo.com

Pierogi Capital

Mrs T's, the nation's largest manufacturer of "pocket foods" has named Buffalo, NY the 2007 Pierogi Capital of America. During a Tuesday ceremony at Buffalo City Hall, Mayor Byron Brown accepted a check for $10,000 as a prize for winning this pestigious award.

Congratulations to Buffalo.

Per Capita what town really eats the most pierogi? It's easy to count the packages sold at supermarkets, no so with the homemade pierogi in the kitchens of our babcias.