Treasures of Poland
June 23 - July 7, 2001
Sponsored by the
Association of the Sons of Poland
On Saturday, June 23, family and friends gathered in Leonia to wish a "Bon Voyage" to Dorothy and long-time friend from High School days, John Kotarski. Dorothy (in the middle) joined her sister, Stephanie, and John for a photo. Everyone gathered in the dining room for brunch.
 
Now it was time to say our goodbyes and to leave to Newark Airport for the flight to Krakow. LOT flight #022 would leave at 6:55 PM on June 23rd to arrive in Krakow at about 10:00 AM, Sunday, June 24th.
At the airport, we attached our PAT Tours lapel pins to seek out the others participans. We found Kellie Koziara and her grandmother, Helen as well as Stefania Kozakiewicz. Once we landed, we met the others from the same flight, namely Beverly Ference and the Gafney's, Harry and Patricia.
We drove through the outskirts of KRAKOW past beautiful new homes and into the city straight to our hotel "Cracovia". Since the rest of the group (from Chicago) and our guide, Marek, had not yet arrived we decided to explore a bit of Krakow on our own. We then walked around the town square, filled with pigeons and interesting characters from the folk-lore of Krakow, including the Lajkonik. I never remember this many pigeons near the Sukiennica but then they didn't have vendors selling the bird seed for someone like Kellie to buy. She enjoyed the experience of being surrounded by hundreds of birds.
 
We made our way back to the hotel to greet the rest of our group, Annette Marcinkoski, her brother, Frank with wife Martha and their children Jason, Anna and Adam. The group now consisted of fourteen persons, ages 18 to 75!
After refreshing in our hotel rooms, we were all off for our first dinner together. Waiting for us was our fabulous hot-pink bus and our driver, Maciek. Poles waved at this pink bus filled with "Sons of Poland" and daughters, too.
The Jagielonian University in Krakow. In the courtyard just at 11:00 the clock heralds students and professors (and visitors) with Gaudeamus Igitur and the clock opens with a parade of medevial figures that include the Rector of the University, Queen Jadwiga and King Jagiello the founders.
The old town boasts a cloth hall that dates back to medieval times. Today as in decades past, there are many little shops filled with folk-art, costumes and amber.
We met near the Church of St. Mary to listen to the trumpeter play the traditional "Hejnal", after which we visited the church for a view of the elaborate triptych altarpiece carved by Wit Stworz.
 
On Tuesday, June 26 we left for a day in ZAKOPANE and the Tatra Mountains. We arrived in Zakopane at the recently built church dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima. The entrance gate to the church announced TOTUS TUUS or "Always With You". As we looked towards the street through the gate, you could see Mount Giewont (the sleeping giant of Zakopane). Legend tells that the mountain is really a Polish Knight waiting for Poland to be in dire need and he will arise to defend her. The interior of the church was filled with wood work that showed the rich folk-art of the mountaineers. The walls, the pews, everywhere you looked was the relief sculpture for which they are famous.
 
 
 
Going from the modern beauty of the church of Our Lady of Fatima to the rich architecture of the mountaineers, we climbed the stairs to view a church built two centuries ago with an unprecedented collection of paintings on glass. In small village near Zakopane we visited a mountaineer family that makes smoked cheese. Our awe of their homestead passed from the smoking hut and collection of tools and utensils to their home. Every log, every window, every door - everywhere you looked you saw carved designs indigenous to the mountain region.
 
Wednesday, June 27 we were back in Krakow and now would spend the entire morning at the Wawel Cathedral and Castle. The Coronation Cathedral is the final resting place of kings, queens and famous Poles, among them being Jozef Pilsudski. In the castle we saw the priceless collection of Flemish tapestries and medieval treasures of centuries past.
 
Most appropriately before going to Oswiecim, we stopped at WADOWICE, the birthplace of Pope John Paul II. He has spent his years as leader of the Catholic community being a man of peace and freedom and the inspiration for all to follow his lead. Through his intersession communism was toppled from its throne. Peace and understanding between men of this earth is his theme; in part this is also the theme at Oswiecim.
The plaque on the side of the building announces that this is the birthplace of Karol Wojtyla – Pope John Paul II. You enter the courtyard and go up the stairs to the left and exit through the door on the left of the balcony. Going around to the upper right corner of the balcony is a small doorway leading to the three rooms occupied by the Wojtyla family when Karol was born. Within the rooms, which now open up to the rest of the floor, is a photo museum of the life of Pope John Paul II.
 
One of the most poignant and moving experiences was the visit to OSWIECIM, the former Nazi death camp of AUSCHWITZ, which has been converted to a Martyrdom Museum. In previous visits to Poland I was given the opportunity to visit this place but I never felt that I could tolerate what I would be shown. This time, since I personally know Michael Preissler and Feliks Bruks, both of whom were prisoners at Auschwitz, I decided it was time to go.
I took no photos.
As we went from building to building, I noticed that everything depicted was described and labeled in Polish, English and Hebrew. Each building had a different purpose. The most hideous was the one where inmates were tortured for any reason. Without a doubt the ovens and the system used to exterminate people was beyond inhuman.
As we toured each part of the camp, we followed a group of German tourists who ranged in age from teens to perhaps my generation, meaning too young to remember much but having had parents involved. I watched them whenever I could, not wanting to miss anything our guide had to tell. She was a charming young woman who imparted her knowledge in a very clinical manner. Close to the end of our tour I asked her what her impressions were of the reactions of German tourists to this place. She told me “They are the same as yours”.
If that is true, then this Martyrdom Museum in Oswiecim, created in memory of all the Jewish and Christian Poles who lost their lives during the Holocaust is playing its appropriate role and never again will mankind stay silent to such inhuman acts.
 
Thursday, June 28 we left Krakow and went to CZESTOCHOWA and Jasna Gora with the shrine of the Black Madonna.
 
 
The original bell called “Jesus Mary” was forged in 1544 and gave its last tone in 1990. This replica was funded by the postal workers of Poland and forged at the foundry of Jan Felczynski in Przemysl. My great-grandmother’s maiden name was Felczynski and it was her family that had owned the bell foundry for generations.
 
Our final destination on that day was the city of WROCLAW. After WWII, most Polish citizens lived in Lwow were transferred to Wroclaw since the change in borders would no longer permit them to remain as Polish citizens. Even though the city was once a part of medieval Poland, its borders changed and in the 18th century was under German rule.
Friday morning we toured the city of Wroclaw, some of which dates back to the 10th century. Despite extensive destruction during WWII, it has preserved much of its historical architecture.
 
The statue of Jadwiga near the entrance to the cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
The final to Wroclaw was a visit to the Panorama of Raclawice, a circular painting that depicts the victorious battle of Polish insurgents as led by Tadeusz Kosciuszko over the Russian Imperial army and which took place on April 4, 1794.
The Basilica of St. Hedwig of Slask in the city of TRZEBNICA which was filled with statues and paintings of the saint. The basilica is named for Saint Jadwiga (Hedwig) who is not the same person as Queen Jadwiga who ruled Poland.
 
POZNAN – the capital city of Poland from 968 to 1039. Below: the cathedral with the tombs of the first Polish kings of the Piast Dynasty and the famous Renaissance Town Hall which has been designated a UNESCO site.
 
 
View of the town square.
Dinner in a beautiful restaurant decorated with costumes and artifacts from several hundred years ago. (Martha and Frank Marcinkoski & Patricia and Harry Gafney)
 
Sunday, July 1 – GNIEZNO, called the cradle of the Polish nation with the 10th century cathedral built by the first ruler of Poland, Mieszko I, who accepted Christianity in 966.
A statue of this first leader of Poland, prince Mieszko I, stands near the entrance. His son, Boleslaw Chrobry, became the first king of Poland in 1024.
 
 
In the evening we arrived at the Baltic Coast. The medieval port of GDANSK was once an international city and this is reflected in its architecture. The quaint shops and cafes also provide a sense of the maritime. Of course, the most elegant pieces of amber and silver jewelry with amber can be found here.
 
With Gdynia and the Gdansk shipyards being the seats of revolts against communism and the birthplace of Solidarity, it was expected to see many memorials to the cause and its victims. Among the first riots were those in 1970 when workers protested a sudden increase in coast of food.
Another sight was the cathedral in Oliwa with its gardens and decorative organ whose parts move while the organ is played.
A sense of medieval history is seen by silver moving figures and young knights who were stationed near the Town Hall in Gdansk. They seemed to represent statues of ancient guards of the city.
 
 
That evening we made our way out to Kaszuby country with a stop by the lake filled with swans in the town of Chmielno.
 
Then we visited the Necel pottery shop where we were shown how the regional pottery is made.
Kaszuby is an unusual folk-group within Poland with its own dialect and special musical instruments. Here a barrel and horse tail make a special sound.
Another instrument in the band (Kapela) is combination string and percussion.
 
Tuesday, July 3 – MALBORK, the castle of the Teutonic Knights. This incredible medieval structure was the powerful stronghold of the Teutonic Knights from the 13th to the 15th centuries, built with the most modern defensive methods of the time. It was the castle of the Grand Master but one on 120 castles built by the Teutonic Knights in the captured lands from 1226 until their defeat in 1410.
 
 
Thursday, July 5 – our final destination - WARSAW, the capital city of Poland. We began with a tour of Wilanow, its magnificent facades, elegant gardens and interiors filled with paintings that told the stories of the inhabitants of this Baroque Palace. This palace was the summer residence built by King Jan Sobieski III for his beloved Marysienka. The stately gardens reflect both English and French influence while the ornately decorated palace rooms are filled with baroque treasures.
 
We also stopped at Lazienki Park where we had occasion to take a group photo. Seated from the left are Stefania Kozakiewicz, Anna Marcinkoski, Dorothy Wieczerzak, Martha Marcinkoski, Helen Koziara, Beverly Ference, Kellie Koziara and Annette Marcinkoski. Standing from the left are our guide, Marek Gajewski, Harry Gafney, John Kotarski, Patricia Gafney, Adam, Frank and Jason Marcinkoski.
 
The old town area and the tower of Zygmunt the First.
 
During our farewell dinner on the evening of July 6th, a group of singers, dancers and musicians from the Mazowsze Song and Dance Company performed. Members of our group also had a chance to join in on the fun.
 
With Marek showing off his special American necktie, we all join together for a last group photo. The final moments of the most wonderful two week tour anyone could ever imagine; a tour that I will plan again and again, and which I recommend highly for anyone who would like to see as much Poland and learn as much as one can in two weeks.
 
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