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history and traditions of poland
history and traditions of poland
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Poland’s first recognition as its own independent state began during the middle of the 10th century, by the 16th century it started to become even more powerful by gaining vast amounts of land in the central and eastern parts of Europe. During the 18th century there were various disputes on what to do with Poland among powerful monarchies. In 1772 and 1795 there were treaties created between Russia, Prussia, and Austria that split Poland into three sections. These treaties were done in an effort to create peace between these power hungry nations, but it inevitably failed. Finally in 1918 Poland had finally gained its independence as a nation. However its celebration was short lived when Germany and the Soviet Union (USSR) would take over Poland in World War II. It would be in January 1939, when Poland’s future would soon take a dark turn and enter an era full of communism. In 1990, almost 41 years later after Poland was invaded, Poland finally got rid of communism with solidarity that was one in free elections. Also In 1999 Poland joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and then the European Union in 2004. Currently Poland is still and active member of the Euro-Atlantic Organizations, and is one of the world’s most successful countries today.
Poland’s government is Republican and its capital is Warsaw. Poland’s chief of state is President Bronislaw Komorowski and has been since August 6, 2010. Its Head of Government is Prime Minister Donald Tusk since November 16, 2007; Janusz Piechocinski has been Deputy Prime Minister since December 6, 2012 and Elzbieta Bienkowska has been Deputy Prime Minister since November 27, 2013. Council of Ministers respond to the prime minister and the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the...
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... the bottom stripe being red with the dimensions of 5 feet by 8 feet. These colors were based off of the colors of Poland’s national coat of arms. The coat of arms consists of a white eagle (with a gold crown on top of his head) on a red shield. The white section of the flag symbolizes peace and honesty, and the red section symbolizes the bloodshed in Poland’s fight for independence. It represents the bravery, strength, and valor of the all Polish soldiers who sacrificed their lives for their country. This flag was adopted as Poland’s national flag on Feb 9, 1990, and the national colors have stayed white and red since Poland proclaimed independence from Russia in 1831. Another interesting fact is that on May 2nd is Poland’s Flag Day, and even though it is not a public holiday it is a day to honor and respect the flag that was inspired by the sacrifices of others.
After World War II, Europe emerged as a continent torn between two very different political ideologies, Communism and Democracy. As the two major superpowers, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States, struggled to defend their respective governmental policies, the European Continent was caught in an intrinsic struggle to preserve the autonomy which had taken so long to achieve. During the Cold War, Eastern European nations struggled to achieve autonomy with the help of the West's dedication to break the Soviet sphere of influence. After the disintegration of the USSR, the struggle for autonomy among nations shifted from an intense, inward, nationalistic struggle to break away from a superpower to a commitment of international unity and cooperation as nations began to take moral and political responsibility for their actions.
Most narratives out of the Holocaust from the Nazis point of view are stories of soldiers or citizens who were forced to partake in the mass killings of the Jewish citizens. Theses people claim to have had no choice and potentially feared for their own lives if they did not follow orders. Neighbors, The Destruction of the Jewish Community in Jedwabne, Poland, by Jan T. Gross, shows a different account of people through their free will and motivations to kill their fellow Jewish Neighbors. Through Gross’s research, he discovers a complex account of a mass murder of roughly 1,600 Jews living in the town of Jedwabne Poland in 1941. What is captivating about this particular event was these Jews were murdered by friends, coworkers, and neighbors who lived in the same town of Jedwabne. Gross attempts to explain what motivated these neighbors to murder their fellow citizens of Jedwabne and how it was possible for them to move on with their lives like it had never happened.
In conclusion, Solidarity was a movement that helped change the course of two continents. It was a movement by the people and for the people. The iron grip of communism was destroyed, and democracy was born throughout Eastern Europe. Solidarity will always be remembered as the revolution that succeeded where so many others had failed. Today in Polish politics Solidarity's role is somewhat limited, and it has reverted back more toward the role of a more traditional trade union than a political party. The summer of 2005 marked the 25th anniversary of the Solidarity movement, and was a time to remember the hardships of its humble beginnings and to celebrate the changes those hardships inspired across the continent” (Local Life 1). Many of those changes are still being felt today across Eastern Europe.
Poland never gave up for their homeland. Throughout the war they had never given up and stayed true to Poland and their allies.
satisfied and in doing so, they created a new and improved Poland. Previous to the formation of
The colors of the Flag may be thus explained: The red is for valor, zeal and fervency; the white for hope purity, cleanliness of life, and rectitude of conduct; the blue, the color of heaven, for reverence to God, loyalty, sincerity, justice and truth.
While Pierogi are a traditional Polish side dish, over the years they have grown in popularity within eastern European countries, as well as here in the United States. Pierogi are typically prepared as dumplings, stuffed with various ingredients from potatoes to sauerkraut. The outer-shell of the Pierogi is made from an unleavened dough, meaning lightly foamed and softened. In preparation for the cooking of the Pierogi , Idaho potatoes, eggs, 2% milk, flour, sour cream, onions and a three cheese mix, were all purchased from a local D&W grocery store.
On September 30, 1938, France and Great Britain agreed to let Nazi Germany have a piece of Czechoslovakia. Hitler told the British and French that it would be his last demand for territory in Europe. Hitler ended up breaking this pact when he took over Prague. During that same year, Germany attacked Poland and defeated them in one month. Poland was then split into two parts with Hitler's Nazi Germany taking part and Stalin's Communist USSR taking the other part. The invasion was what started World War II.
The Polish heritage has been an important part of my life. It has taught me to be respectful and caring towards my family, friends, and others. My father’s side of our family is Polish. My great-grandfather came from Poland to escape the perils of World War II. He was a farmer, who traveled to the United States for the promise of a new life. He taught himself how to become a wood-worker and a handy man, but he worked as a miner in the United States. My great-grandfather was extremely determined to provide for his family, and wife in the United States. After a many years, I was born. From my birth, I was introduced to our Polish heritage. My great-grandfather would read to me in Slavic. He was extremely family oriented. After he left his fourteen siblings in Poland, he still made an immense effort to remain in contact with them. Even at my young age, when he was alive, I remember seeing his relatives visiting, even though I could not communicate with them. After he passed, our Polish culture still remained dominate.
The American flag, which has been a symbol of the United States for over two hundred years has an amazing history. In 1775, the colonist flag was flown on the ship named Alfred and the flag became known as the “Alfred Flag”. The flag eventually inspired the Pledge of Allegiance. Betsy Ross assembled a new flag in May of 1777. This flag had 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue background in the upper left hand corner. Red stands for hardiness, the white represents purity and innocence, the blue color symbolizes vigilance, perseverance, and justice. William Driver nick named this flag “Old Glory”. When a new state was added to the union another star was added as well. The flag has been flown in various locations that included, Robert Perry taking the flag and flying it at the North Pole, Barry Bishop placing it on Mt Everest, and Neil Armstrong setting it on the Moon. Daily, the flag is flown from sunrise to sunset. June 14 is celebrated as Flag Day. The History of the American Flag is fascinating.
The First Silesian War The First Silesian War inaugurated, and is generally seen in the context of, the wider ranging War of the Austrian Succession. It owed its origins to the Pragmatic Sanction of 19 April 1713 whereby the Habsburg emperor Charles VI decreed the imperial succession arrangements as set out in his will, according precedence to his own daughters over the daughters of his (by now deceased) elder brother Joseph I. This proved prescient: in May 1717 the emperor’s own eldest daughter was born and on his death in 1740, she duly succeeded as Archduchess of Austria as well as to the thrones of the Bohemian and Hungarian lands within the Habsburg Monarchy as Queen Maria Theresa.
The Cold War did not directly involve Europe, but Europe and its various states were key players and key sources of tension between the two great powers, the USSR and the United States of America. The dates of the beginning and end of the Cold War are debated but 1947-1991 is generally agreed upon. In this paper, I will attempt to outline the events of the Cold War which were relevant to Europe and how this affected European integration and relations. ‘Integration’ here refers to the process of transferring powers of decision-making and implantation from national to supranational level. Europe was weakened after World War Two, especially in contrast with the USSR and the USA. Traditional European hegemony was at an end and Europe had to find a new dynamic without becoming involved in conflict with the two new superpowers.
It is beyond uncertainty that the Warsaw Uprising which took place 70 years ago in 1944 is one of the most significant, heroic and tragic events in the 20th century of Polish history. During 63 days of patriotic uprising many thousands of predominantly young Poles were killed in an imbalanced battle with the German occupiers. This investigation will focus on the areal support for the Home Army (AK) during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. The essay will discuss the causes and consequences of the action taken by the authority of Great Britain, United States of America and Soviet Union as well as the Polish government in exile regarding the Warsaw Uprising.
Influences Polish MEPs' Perceptions of Poland's place in Europe’, Perspectives on European Politics and Society, vol.11, no.4, pp.358-375.
We just arrived in the Czech Republic; once part of the Holy Roman Empire and then the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, Czechoslovakia (as it was then known) became an independent nation at the end of World War I.