Seattle does not have a Honorary Consul of Poland and it definitely misses one. The local Polonia is trying to find an appropriate candidate for the position. Please read the information on the subject prepared by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Polish Home Association, Mr. Pawel Krupa.

 

More: Konsul Honorowy dla Seattle

posted Dec 22, 2011

Jan Karski (1914-2010) was a Polish WWII hero, resistance fighter as well as a Polish government envoy and diplomat, famous as a man who tried in vain to convey the truth about Nazi atrocities and the Holocaust to the world leaders. The Kosciuszko Foundation started a campaign for awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This initiative is supported by several US Senators and many Representatives. You too, can help - please see here.

 

More: Jan Karski bio, the Campaign site

posted Dec 22, 2011

Polish organizations of the Pacific Northwest joined forces to contribute to nation-wide letter campaign about a new law related to the visa waiver program based on the overstay rate. Pursuing the proposed law is a new approach to the problem and  we encourage everybody to send a letter or email to Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell as well as to your congressman or congresswoman in support of the new legislation. Please read more about it here - includes letter templates you can use.

 

Thank you for supporting this important campaign to drop Visas for Poland.   

 

More: Description of new legislation and letter templates

posted Oct 27, 2011

Seattle Polish Film Festival is happy to announce that the winner of the 2011 SPFF poster competition is Anais Adamska. Congratulations!

 

Also: Volunteers needed to run the Festival. SPFF runs November 4-13 this year.

 

More: SPFF, SPFF poster competition, SGSCA

posted Oct 20, 2011

The visiting Polish Fulbright Lecturer for 2011/2012 is Dr. Adam Kozuchowski. Dr. Kozuchowski is an assistant professor at the Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw. His research interests are history of 19th-20th century in Central Europe, Russia and Germany; history of historiography; literature and film as historical source. The Polish Fulbright Lecturer position is supported in part by the UW Polish Studies Endowment Committee.

 

More: UW PSEC

posted Sep 22, 2011

Seattle Polish Film Festival is pleased to announce a poster competition for the upcoming 19th Annual Seattle Polish Film Festival. Deadline for entries is September 24, 2011. Winner will receive 2 festival passes and an invitation to the opening reception. Please visit Seattle PFF site for competition rules and poster requirements.

 

Also: Volunteers needed to run the Festival. SPFF runs November 3-13 this year.

 

More: SPFF, SPFF poster competition, SGSCA

posted Sep 7, 2011

Fr. Philip Wallace who served at St. Louise Church in Bellevue for over a decade has died after a long battle with cancer. The gentle and much loved priest was well known to the Polish community as the one who started the rite of Easter basket blessing at St. Louise, the first and for many years the only church on the Eastside observing the rite and the place where a growing number of Polish-American gathered each year. St. Louise Parish also hosted the Polish School in Bellevue for several years.

 

Memorials:  7 pm Mon Aug 29 - the prayer service in honor of Fr.Phil at St. Louise Church

                  7 pm Tue Aug 30 - the Vigil service at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Burien

                  11 am Wed, Aug 31 - the Funeral Mass at St. Louise Church

 

More: Seattle Times article about Rev. Wallace, Fr. Phil's obituary, St. Louise Church  in Bellevue

posted Aug 28, 2011

The Polish Cultural Center restaurant chef, Ms. Barbara (Basia) Patrick was on the cover of the Pacific NW section of the Seattle Times Sunday edition on Aug 14, 2011. The main article featuring Swedish Cultural Center as well as the Polish Home ran several pages and was very warm and positive. You can read it online, but the printed original also had several pictures with Konrad Palubicki, Julia Olejniczak and Paul Griffin among others. Congratulations for the good vibes!

 

Where: In the Aug 14th edition of the Seattle Times

More:  The article on the Seattle Times website - only one picture but there is a video there

posted Aug 15, 2011

Russia's Toughest Prisons is a documentary made for National Geographic by two filmmakers from the local Polish community. Anna Rodzinska, producer & writer, spent two years securing access to the prisons and Michal Pietrzyk, producer & editor, spent a month shooting it and braving temperatures reaching -50 degrees. Featured prisons include the Black Dolphin, Russia's highest security prison.

 

Where: On the National Geographic Channel on Sunday, July 31 at 9 pm

More:  National Geographic site with the movie

posted July 28, 2011

       Mr. Jerzy Friedrich, Polish patriot and longtime active member of the Polish community in Seattle, has died. He was 91.

        Mr. Friedrich was a native of Lwow (Lviv), then part of Poland, where he was born on Jan 18, 1920. In 1940, his whole family was deported by the Soviet authorities; they were lucky to survive the hardships of the exile. After the Germans invaded the Soviet Union, Mr. Friedrich enlisted with Gen. Anders Army and went with it from Kazakhstan to Persia and the Palestine, eventually becoming an artillery officer. With the Corps, he fought in North Africa and in Italy all the way from Bari, through the famous battle of Monte Cassino, to Bologna, where he ended the war. Since his hometown had been annexed to Soviet Ukraine, he had no home to go back to. At Torino University he met his beloved wife Pia. In 1948 they emigrated to Argentina and eventually found their way to Seattle, where they arrived in 1959. In Seattle, Mr. Friedrich worked as an associate architect for Univ. of Washington until his retirement.

        Mr. Friedrich was a co-founder of  the Polish WWII Veterans Lodge (SPK) #50 in Seattle and was its President for 15 years. He was an active member of the Polish Home Assn. where he involved his family as well. He supported the Polish Home for many years. More recently, with other survivors of the Soviet deportations he was featured in the documentary The Trip To Nowhere (2009).

        Mr. Friedrich is survived by his son Alex with daughter-in-law Susie, grandchildren Paul, Mark and Laura, daughter Vivien Savojni, son-in-law Adriano and grandson Alexander Savojni.

 

        Memorial: June 24, 2011 from 6 pm at Mr. Friedrich's house.

              The funeral is private. The memorial is at 6547 NE 61^st, Seattle, off of Sandpoint Way

 

Please leave messages and remembrances on Legacy.com. Donations in Mr. Friedrich's name may be directed to Evergreen Hospital Hospice Center in Kirkland who, along with his wife Pia, took loving care of him in his last days.

                              

More: Mr. Friedrich extensive bio on HistoryLink, PHA profile of Lt. Friedrich (in Polish), YouTube videos with Mr. Friedrich, The Trip To Nowhere website, Siberian Exiles Project 

Posted June 16, 2011

At the Seattle-Gdynia Sister City Association election meeting in April 2011, Mr. Allen Jaworski has been elected for SGSCA President, Mr. Tom Clark for Vice-President, Ms. Barbara Lee for Treasurer and Ms. Martha Golubiec for Secretary. Also, Mr. Zbigniew Pietrzyk became the liaison for the Seattle Polish Film Festival. Congratulations!

 

More:  SGSCA

posted May 12, 2011

At the annual Sister City Reception at the Seattle City Hall co-hosted by Mayor Mike McGinn and City Council President Richard Conlin, Seattle-Gdynia Sister City Assn was honored with the 2011 Best Overall Program Award. SGSCA won the award on the strength of the three big projects it runs annually: The Seattle Polish Film Festival, the student exchange program and Gdynia Business Week (a summer school of business). Gdynia Business Week won the Best Project Award last year. Congratulations to the out-going SGSCA President Debra Markert, Gdynia Business Week coordinator Janice Jaworski, SPFF Directors Greg Plichta & Michal Friedrich and to the SGSCA board and members!

 

More: about Gdynia Business Week, 2010 Best Proejct, SGSCA, Seattle Polish FF

posted May 12, 2011

The Kosciuszko Foundation and its president, Alex Storozynski have started a new campaign, this one about including Polish citizens in the visa waiver program.

 

For too long, the United States has treated our friends and families in Poland as second class citizens requiring them to apply for visas to visit this country, while Europeans from other countries travel here without visas. There is a bill in Congress that would change that. But it will only become law if you and your friends call and write to your Senators and Representatives. Read more ...

 

More:  KF site , an appeal from Mr. Storozynski with a letter to sign, find your representative

posted Apr 24, 2011

UW Polish Studies Endowment Committee announced that the $1500 Student Scholarship for 2011 was awarded to Ms. Anna Grzankowski. Ms. Grzankowski is double-majoring in History and Eastern European Language, Literature and Culture, and among other courses, is currently taking Polish language classes.  She is also planning to spend the upcoming summer at the Jagiellonian University in Cracow studying Polish language and culture. Congratulations!

 

More:  UW Polish Studies Endowment Committee scholarships, UW Polish Student Association

posted Apr 24, 2011

       Captain Michael Bialowski Benett, Polish patriot and longtime active member of the Polish community in Seattle, has died. He was 92.

        When WWII started young Mr. Michal Bialowski happened to be in Casablanka as a cadet on a Polish tall ship. As many other Polish volunteers he found his way to Great Britain and continued his navy service. He served both in the Polish Navy (on ORP Conrad and ORP Dragon) and, as Michael Benett, in the Royal Navy (on HMS Exeter, HMS Walney & HMS Veteran) ending the was as a captain. After the war, he joined US merchant fleet and in 1961 settled in Seattle where he worked for Royal Mail Lines. From 1966 till his retirement he was the Director of Port of Seattle Marine Terminals.

        Mr. Benett was a member of the Seaman's Club, Propeller Club and College Club as well as of the Polish WWII Veterans Lodge SPK and Polish Home Association in Seattle. He was also a founding member and longtime active member of the Seattle-Gdynia Sister City Association. He exemplified the best traditions of both navies he served, and will be remembered as a true officer and gentleman.

        Mr. Benett is survived by his wife Janina, daughter Renata and son Robert, all of Seattle.

 

        Memorials: The memorial and the funeral was private

                         The family is very grateful to Swedish Medical Center for their passionate care.

                         In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Swedish Medical Center

                         Foundation, 800 Broadway Ste 1000, Seattle, WA 98122, or Swedish Foundation online

                              

More: the Seattle Times obituary, PHA profile of Mr. Benett (in Polish)  

Posted April 21, 2011

Volunteers are needed for the following events at the Polish Cultural Center:

 

1) Polish Bazaar needs volunteers to set up tables on Friday April 15 from 8 pm and on Saturday morning and to tear it down in the evening;  please contact Piotr & Marija Horoszowski.

2) Polish Library needs volunteers to run a book sale at the bazaar on April 16 - please contact Monika Oczkowska-McNeal
3) Polish Home Foundation needs volunteers for greeters and PH fundraising table downstairs on April 16, please contact Krzysztof Poraj-Kuczewski

4) Pierogi Fest needs volunteers for many functions on May 7, 2011, please contact Ryszard Kott

posted April 7, 2011

       Mr. Tom Podl, a great friend of Poland, renowned Polish art collector and longtime active member of the Polish community in Seattle, has died.

       Born in Chicago in 1938 as Thomas Matthew Podlasinski, he graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1963. He settled in Seattle in 1974 and established Intralife, a very successful medical device company, which gave him means to pursue his passion as a Polish art collector. Over a span of two decades he amassed one of the most important collections of Polish art in America (paintings and sculptures) focusing on artists from the Paris School of painting but including paintings from the early 18th c to modern times. His collection was exhibited in Chicago and Seattle and in 2001-2003 his Colors of Identity collection of over 150 paintings toured the most important museums of Poland, including the National Museum in Cracow and the Zacheta Museum in Warsaw.

       Mr. Podl served as the President of the Polish Museum of America in Chicago from 1991 to 1993 and the President of the Society for Arts in Chicago from 1993 to 1997; he was also a co-founder of the Society in 1981. In Seattle, he was very active as a member of the Polish community for more than 30 years. He served as the Treasurer of the Polish Home Assn. in Seattle and was a member of Seattle-Gdynia Sister City Assn. Among his initiatives were the quarterly PHA publication Nasz Dom and the Seattle Polish Film Festival; he was also a co-founder of the UW Polish Studies Endowment Fund. Mr. Podl was a very generous supporter of Polish causes and events, including the Solidarity movement and the Polish Home in Seattle.

        Mr. Podl's unwavering support for Poland and Polish culture was honored with the Gloria Artis Gold Medal, the highest Polish medal awarded for accomplishments in Polish arts and culture, the Cavalier Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (awarded by the President of Poland) and other awards.

        Mr. Podl is survived by his wife Cathy of Port Orchard, WA, brother Bill and his family in Illinois, sister Monica Janicki and her family, daughter Carrie Habernern and her family in Colorado, son Tod Podl and his family in Ohio, stepchildren Mark Rex, Brandy Hogan-Hohmann and Lisa Hoak and their families in Washington, and eight grandchildren.

 

        Memorials: Private memorial and funeral for the family and friends only on Tue, March 29, 2011.

                                 The family asks for privacy in their mourning of Mr. Podl.

                           Public memorial is planned at the Polish Cultural Center in Seattle at a later date.

 

More: Tom Podl Biography in Nowy Dziennik, the Seattle Times obituary  

Posted March 24, 2011

The Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Los Angeles kindly informs that the consular visit to Seattle to process passport applications and to handle other issues that require Polish citizens to talk to a Polish Consul in person will happen on March 21 & 22, 2011. The visit is coordinated by Mr. Marian Strutynski. Reservations are required to talk to the Consul. Please see the detailed information about the visit in Polish.

Update: as of March 3, there are no places left on the reservation list. The next chance to file an application near Seattle will be in Portland, OR in late spring - likely not earlier than in June..

    

Where: At the Polish Cultural Center / Polish Home in Seattle; reservations required - to make a reservation, please follow detailed information about the visit.

More: New Passport Regulations (PL), FAQ info on Polish passports; contact to Mr. Strutynski, or tel. 425-746-3037.

posted Feb 17, 2011

Pawel Krupa

The Way Back, a movie directed by an Oscar nominated director Peter Weir, tells a story of an audacious WWII escape from a Soviet Gulag camp to India. The film has been inspired by the famous novel The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom by Slavomir Rawicz and by other accounts of lucky escapees, some of them Polish. Starring Ed Harris and Colin Farrell.

 

Where: Playing in some Metro Cinemas in Seattle, please check the listings

More: The official movie website, Seattle Metro Cinemas, Seattle Times review, Telluride review

posted Feb 3, 2011

In a mid-December ceremony, a metal plaque in honor of Mr. Piotr Pawluskiewicz was unveiled in front of the Polish Cultural Center building in Seattle. The ceremony was attended by the Trustees and Officers of the Polish Home Assn. as well as friends and the family of late Mr. Pawluskiewicz who died in 2009. Mr. Pawluskiewicz was one of the pillars of the Polish community in Seattle, having served as President of the Polish Home Assn., Chairman of the PHA Board of Trustees and at the Board of Directors of the Polish Home Foundation.

 

More: Obituary & Bio

posted Jan 19, 2010