The Next Meetings Are:

May 1     June 5 (Elections)

Meetings are held at Leonardos II Restaurant
2021 Brunswick Pike (Business Rt. 1 South) @ 6:30 PM

There are no regular monthly meetings in July and August


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Newest pages released: Blessed Father Jerzy Popiełuszko

Gil Lugossy thankful for memories of wife Lee and public service




Jamil (Jim) Faridy Passes Away

It is with profound sadness to announce the passing of Polish Arts Club member Jamil (Jim) Faridy on October 5, 2022.  Jim was a well known architect and talented pianist. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Lynn, Jeff and the entire Faridy family. Jim will be missed by all who knew him.  Read Jim's obituary and enjoy some pictures of him HERE



Rest in peace our friend.





2022 Honoree & Scholarship Luncheon Pictures

Scholarship Recipients

2022 Scholarship Recipients

If you would like any full resolution picture from the luncheon, just ask by clicking the button below.



HINT: you can click on most pictures for a larger view and pictures in galleries to cycle through a larger view.




Polish Arts Club 75 Year History
by Donna Chmara, Polish Arts Club President

Debbie Majka

2022 Honoree Deborah Majka
Read all about our Honoree!



2021 Wigilia Pictures
Pictures by Lorraine & Debra
Great Pictures! Thanks Ladies!



2021 Scholarship & Honoree Luncheon Pictures



2021 Competition on the History of Poland
The Polonia Institute Grand Prize Winner!
A Brush with History
by Peter J. Obst

The Essay
by Peter Obst

        In 1981 my sister, Ursula Obst, was a reporter at the Philadelphia Daily News.  When Martial Law was declared in Poand on Dec. 13 her editor decided that she would go to Poland and ifnd out what was going on ther, as no news was getting out. During her stay there she heard about the miners a the Wujek Mine in Sllesia who were shot when they staged a strike at the mine.  This was the story, and photographs, she brought back and was the first reporter outside of Poland to write about it.  The story of the tragedy at the Wujek Mine was made into two films.  The BBC aired Two Weeks in Winter a year after the event.  In 1994 the Poles made thier own version of this story entitled Śmierć jak kromka chleba.
        Last year the Polonia Institute of Torrence, California announced an essay contest.  The theme was to write the untold stories of events that happened during Martial Law in Poland.  It was now forty years after the fact.  After digging up old memories and consulting documents, including my sister's articles that appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News from February 8 through 10, 1982, I produced an essay entitled A Brush with History.  Read the award winning essay here.



Click To Enlarge Picture

Read The Essay


Surviving Genocide
by Donna Chmara

The author describes the loss of her home in Eastern Europe during World War II, her family's deportation to a Nazi labor camp, and their eventual arrival in the United States. Relying on historic sources, interviews with twenty survivors and personal experience, the author focuses on the danger of identifying solely with a group or ideology rather than with the fact of our shared humanity.
Exiled from her home in Eastern Poland as a baby, the author chronicles the aggression against Polish citizens, Jewish and Christian, by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union during World War II. For many it will be the first time hearing about the deportation of thousands to the Soviet Union for forced labor, a topic they have not met in school or in the media. Nor do they know about plans to replace Christianity and all religion with deification of Hitler and the Nazi party. The author weaves this type of information into true accounts of survival from 20 eyewitnesses whom she interviewed over the course of 10 years.




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About the Author


Donna Chmara is currently the President of the Polish Arts Club of Trenton.  As an educator and author, Donna Chmara has turned her childhood experience of war into a lifetime quest for peace and respect for all human beings. As a refugee, she found the public education system to be pivotal in helping her make the transition from war-torn Europe to her new country of America. While attending the College of New Jersey, she was a one-year exchange student at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. After college, she taught English for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Turkey where she maintains many dear friendships. In the United States, she has taught English and composition at the high school and college levels. She has also taught English for shorter periods in places as varied as Poland and the country of Myanmar (Burma.)

In addition to teaching, she has worked as a public school administrator, director of communications for a professional association of school administrators, and director of the State Board of Education Office. She holds a Master of Arts degree in English with a major in medieval literature from Temple University in Philadelphia. On a personal note, she participates in inter-religious and multi-cultural projects and loves to garden, dance, swim, and learn from other peoples' wisdom. Read More about the Donna and her fantastic book!






Frank Krupp
Our First President
Pictured in January 1949


Gil Lugossy thankful for memories
of wife Lee and public service

(L.A. Parker Column 11/22/2022)

READ THE COLUMN
Save The Date!


April 2024
78th Annual Scholarship
& Honoree Awards Luncheon



Polish History and WWII Buffs, who is Lt. Jozef Kosacki?  Do you know his claim to fame?
Hint: His invention saved many allied lives.  That's it, no more hints.
Watch this short video for the answer.


Visit our "Great People of Polish Descent" page!

Just Added! Leopold Stokowski, Conductor and Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra


Check out the new menu item "Polonia" currently available only on the home page above!.

Interview on Polish President Andrzej Duda by Tucker Carlson: Family is the foundation of every nation.
Watch the interview on You Tube.

Presidential Proclamation on General Pulaski Memorial Day
Read Donald J. Trump's Proclamation here!




Marilyn Fontes Jose Passes Away

Marilyn Jose

Marilyn Fontes Jose, 81, of Hamilton, passed away November 16, 2020. The entire Polish Arts Club of Trenton's membership wishes to express our most sincere condolences to David and the entire Jose family.  Marilyn was the 2019 Polish Arts Club's Honoree for her contributions to Polonia.  Read more about Marilyn and see some pictures with her wonderful smile.  RIP

Christ the King
Pomnik Chrystusa Króla

Christ is King Statue

Christ the King (Polish: Pomnik Chrystusa Króla, lit. "Monument of Christ the King") is a statue of Jesus Christ in Świebodzin, western Poland. Completed on 6 November 2010 The project was conceived and led by Sylwester Zawadzki, a local retired Polish priest. It is the second tallest statue of Jesus in the world.   Read More

Andrzej Pityński Passes Away

Andrzej Pityński

Maestro Andrzej Piotr Pityński passed away on September 18, 2020.  He was an Artist/Sculptor, a proud Polish-American Patriot, and a recipient of Poland's Order of the White Eagle.  Andrzej was the 2019 Polish Arts Club's Honoree for his contributions to Polonia.  Read about Andrzej Pityński's life and works on our 2015 Honoree Page.  There are also many pictures of his life works, videos and some pictures of his early life.  You will also find his obituary there as well.  RIP



The Treblinka Train Stationd
The Treblinka Train Station

Treblinka - The 1943 Uprising

The Jews of Warsaw were shipped to the extermination camp Treblinka II. But a plucky band of Polish army officers, doctors and Jewish slave labourers decided to launch an uprising in 1943 and escape from certain death at the hands of the SS.


Watch On You Tube

Episode 1 (28 min)

Episode 2 (15 min)

Episode 3 (19 min)


This series is by military historian and author Dr. Mark Felton.


Jan Karski,

Jan Karski (Kozielewski)
WWII Polish Freedom Fighter
"The man who tried to stop the holocaust"

READ HIS AWESOME STORY!

WWII, Liberators and Liberated

WWII, Part I, Liberators and Liberated

Presented by the Pilecki Institute of Warsaw
& National WWII Museum in New Orleans
More info on right.
This is a Facebook link.

WWII, Part I, Liberators and Liberated is a new series of international webinars organized by the Pilecki Institute of Warsaw, Poland and and the National World War II Museum of New Orleans, USA.  Part I is 3 short first hand witness videos about WWII and the Holocaust followed by a round table discussion. This link is to their Facebook page and currently active.  Hopefully they will host the video on another platform for all to view.  Click on the picture or title at left to their Facebook page.  You may have to scroll down to find the video as time passes the January 28, 2021 showing.  This is really a great video worthy of your time.



Polish Underground Fighters,

5 Cent Flag of Poland Stamp
Overrun Countries Series

Have you ever seen this stamp?

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STAMP

Seven Paintings on Polish History

Seven Paintings on Polish History

The seven paintings on Polish history by The Brotherhood of St. Luke were commissioned for the Polish Pavilion of the New York World's Fair in Flushing Meadow Queens, 1939-40. Their display together with the Szymanski tapestries and other prized cultural and historical items constituted the Polish Pavilion's Hall of Honor, the centerpiece of Poland's iconic towered pavilion designed by Jan Cybulski and Jan Galinowski.

Written by Peter J. Obst.
Read More & See the Paintings



The Wieliczka Salt Mine
The Wieliczka Salt Mine


The Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of the most valuable monuments of material and spiritual culture in Poland.
"The Last Bottle"

A bottle of Baczewski Vodka stolen in 1945 Why would this man steal vodka?
Find out why!


First Poles in America


Read About The First
Polish Settlers in America
October 1, 1608




Front pages of 'The Wedding' by Stanislaw Wyspianski, 1901
Discover 8 Classics from Poland's Required Reading Curriculum


Culture.pl has hand-picked eight classic Polish texts from this list in order to see what they're about, and what they say about Poland.

Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki has won acclaim for his extraordinary interpretive maturity, distinctive sound, and poetic sensibility.

READ MORE


"Slaying The Soviet Beast"


Author Zbigniew Wojcik conveys the incredible true story of how he discovered and delivered information that overcame the Soviet Bloc. He warns about the rising threat of socialism in the US today.



Polish Arts Club Photo Album


Your mouse will stop the pages from turning, A click on the pic will open the full size picture.
Then use the browser's "BACK" button to return here

See the annual Picture Albums for the full size pictures




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Please patronize our gracious advertisers including:

Hamilton Continuing Care...Leonardo's Restaurant...Winowicz Funeral Service...Hair by Sharon...Poulson & Van Hise, Funeral Directors...Michael Pratico, Richardson Commercial...Soloutions Group Printing Sevices...Pennington Quality Market...Paul Honorkiewicz, RE/MAX Properties, Ltd...Raymond Filipponi, DPM...Donald Manger, DPM...David M. Roskos, Esq....Daniel R. Benson, Assemblyman 14th District...Fox Advertising...

100% of the advertising contributions directly support the scholarship fund.

We sincerely thank each and every advertiser for their support.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL OF OUR ADVERTISERS



Marion Winters

A Great WWII Vet of Polish Descent

Retired US Air Force Major
Marion Winters (Wasowicz)


Submitted by Peter Obst.
Col. Francis Stanley Gabreski

Col. Francis Stanley "Gabby" Gabreski

Polish American Fighter Pilot
WWII and Korean War Ace



Dr. Pawel Tabakow

A medical team led by Polish surgeon, Dr. Pawel Tabakow, regrow cells of patient's severed spine in a breakthrough that offers hope to millions with disability





Dr. Walter Golaski

Polish American Mechanical
Bio-Medical Engineer

Best known for developing Dense Knit Dacron Vascular Prostheses

Read more about Dr. Walter Golaski

Historical Marker Dedication
Pictures by Peter Obst


Pulaski Birthday Commemoration
in Savannah, Georgia
March 5, 2016

This year's annual birthday ceremonies honoring Revolutionary War General Pulaski, the Polish cavalryman known as "The Father of the American Cavalry" took place on the afternoon of March 5, 2016 on Monterey Square in Savannah, Georgia.

Read and See More


National Polish American
Sports Hall of Fame


NPASHF You Tube Videos

The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 1973 to honor those who have achieved greatness in their sport and community. The NPASHF strives to be a national platform of Polish-American pride through the recognition of the athletic achievements of its members.

Submitted by Fred Brodzinski.  Thanks Fred!!





Henryk Sienkiewicz - Three Stories

Translator/writer Peter Obst has breathed new life into these lively tales rendering them into a form accessible and understandable to english Speaking readers. Those who care to sample the wit and humor of Poland's most famous writer will be delighted by these stories. Available from Amazon.Com.

Read more about the book and Peter Obst


Finding Your Polish Roots
Problems, Challenges, Solutions
A Presentation by Peter Obst

     Mr. Peter J. Obst presented "Finding Your Polish Roots" to the Polish Arts Club membership at a recent monthly meeting. Mr. Obst presented some of the problems, challenges and soulutions to tracing your Polish ancestry.
     See Mr. Obst's presentation is provided here with his permission in both MS Power Point and Adobe PDF formats and some handy links.

Click for all the information


Polish Children's Heartline

"SAVE A CHILD'S HEART"

Established in 1985, The Polish Children's Heartline is a 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit volunteer organization which raises money to purchase medical equipment for children's heart surgery in pediatric units throughout Poland. They are currently working in the regions of Katowice, Lodz, Zabrze, Bialystok, Suwalki and Grajewo. Every year over 2,000 procedures are performed in Poland on children with heart problems. In almost 30 years, The Polish Children's Heartline has donated over $20 million dollars' worth of medical equipment, saving thousands of Polish children's lives.

VISIT the Polish Children's Heartline website.






In June 1952, a woman was murdered by an obsessed colleague in a hotel in the South Kensington district of London. Her name was Christine Granville. That she died young was perhaps unsurprising; that she had survived the Second World War was remarkable.

Read More About The Book




Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin is a book written by Timothy D. Snyder, first published by Basic Books on October 28, 2010. The book is about the mass killing of an estimated 14 million non-combatants by the regimes of Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union and Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany between the years 1933 and 1945.

Read More About The Book


"WWII In Photos

A Retrospective in 20 Parts
by Alan Taylor

World War II is the story of the 20th Century. The war officially lasted from 1939 until 1945, but the causes of the conflict and its horrible aftermath echoed for decades in both directions.

Click Here for the entire series






Kinga Augustyn is a Polish-born and New York City based versatile classical concert violinist and recording artist gaining worldwide recognition through her performances as a concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. Pictured above is her upcoming release on Centaur Records in 2017. Listen to the 2 short sound clips below.

Read More About Ms. Augustyn
Kinga Agustyn Discography
M. Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1
F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Violin Concerto




Barbara Alex Aleksandrowicz is elated to announce the 10th Anniversary of the Polish American Poets Academy. She is the President of the Academy and is proud to say that the Academy has achieved its reputation, quite deservedly, as a Polish American treasure.

Read More About The Academy
Pope John Paul II

Great Men and Women
of Polish Descent



Read about more great men and women of Polish descent






Polish Arts Club
Katyn Forest Massacre Page

Including some by our 2015 Polonaise Ball Honoree, Andrzej Pitynski.

Katyn Forest Massacre Information

Memorials Around the World



What really happened in the 1946 Kielce pogrom

Editorial submitted by one of our club members.   Please take a few minutes to READ this well written letter by Marilyn Fontes Jose. Also see:

The Museum of Family History

Wikipedia
Behind Closed Doors

World War II Behind Closed Doors Stalin, the Nazis and the West

A fact sheet written by William Muszynski






Polish News and Links

Various Polish News and other links for your reading pleasure.

TAKE ME THERE!



World War II Invaders Turned Poland Into Hell

Editorial submitted by Donna Chmara pointing out some vital information that was missing from Sharon Schlegel's column. READ this well written letter by Donna.

The Peasant Prince, A Two-Country Freedom Fighter Book Review

A Two-Country Freedom Fighter Book Review

"The Peasant Prince," by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Alex Storozynski. A NY Times book review submitted by Donna Chmara.



Behind Closed Doors Film Event and
Polish Arts Club Reception Dinner with Dr. Marek Konarzewski
The Polish Arts Club of Trenton was honored to have Dr. Professor Marek Konarzewski from the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington DC as their guest speaker. Dr. Konarzewski provided further insight to the Laurence Rees film "Behind Closed Doors" held on October 24, 2010.  The event was attended by 250 people at the Mercer County Conference Center.  Selected portions of the film were shown along with superb commentary from Dr. Konarzewski.  Opening remarks were offered by Dr. Patricia C. Donohue, President of Mercer County Community College  Dr. Konarzewski also answered questions from the audience.  Light refreshments were served afterward along with a wonderful display table guarded by a Polish Soldier, Krzystof J. Czuj.  The Polish Arts Club applauds the audience for their interest and suport.  The Polish Arts Club is very grateful to the American Council for Polish Culture (ACPC) for a grant which made this in part possible. We also thank the following donors for their support: Leonardo's II Restaurant, Pulaski Meats at the Trenton Farmers Market and Paul Bosse.  There have been nothing but great comments about the event.  The committee was chaired by Donna Chmara and William Muszynski.  Sto Lat to the the entire committee for all of their hard work planning and executing a great event!
VIEW THE PHOTOS OF THE BEHIND CLOSED DOOR EVENT


Philadelphia and its surrounding towns including Trenton. With excellent footage of downtown scenes, neighborhoods, the Mummers Parade, Levittown, factories in Camden, New Jersey.
View The Pictures

Submitted by Fred Brodzinski

And Did You Know Who Is Józef Poniatowski?

How about Private Wojtek and the Bear?


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Site last updated April 23, 2023

Katyn Massacre Monument in Katowice, Poland

Katyn Forest Massacre Monument in Katowice, Poland