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ACROSS THE GLOBE
URBAN STAMP A STEP CLOSER.
Postmaster General John E. Potter has asked the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee to review the proposal to create a stamp for Lt. Col. Matt Urban.
Urban (1919-1995) was an Army officer who served with distinction in World War II. He was belatedly awarded the Medal of Honor, in 1980 for
repeated acts of heroism in combat in France and Belgium in 1944. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, he is the most decorated American serviceman.
Previous attempts to create a stamp for Urban were turned down by the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, the group which evaluates all stamp
proposals.
Approximately 25 new subjects for commemorative stamps are recommended each year.
“Should the Committee decide to place the proposal under consideration, it will be added to the pool of candidates for upcoming years,”
said Potter.
A stamp for Urban, born Matty Louis Urbanowicz, in Buffalo, N.Y. has been repeatedly overlooked.
POLES CALL FOR EXTRADITION. Polish prosecutors say they have identified the Swedish mastermind of the theft from Auschwitz of the Arbeit
Macht Frei sign and will seek his arrest and extradition to Poland.
Prosecutor Artur Wrona said that Swedish prosecutors have confirmed the identity of the suspect as Anders H.
Polish prosecutors withheld the suspect’s last name, as required by Polish law.
Wrona said the man must be brought to Poland before charges can be filed and said prosecutors will issue a European arrest warrant.
Five Poles are under arrest after confessing to taking part in the theft December 18 of the sign, which says “Work Sets You Free” in
German. The sign was found on December 20, cut into three pieces. The thieves planned to sell the sign to a group of neo-Nazis. Funds from the sale were to be used by a terrorist group in Sweden.
LUBINSKI NAMED FIRST OPENLY GAY U.S. MARSHAL. Former Minneapolis assistant police chief and Green Bay, Wisc. native Sharon Lubinski has
become the first openly gay U.S. Marshal. The U.S. Senate confirmed her to be U.S. Marshal for the Minnesota District. Lubinski has served a number of roles with the Minneapolis Police Department. She
was also a sheriff’s deputy in Wisconsin’s Dane County for eight years.
U.S. Marshals oversee federal courthouse security, witness protection and the apprehension of federal fugitives.
— SOURCE: WUWM, Milwaukee, Wisc.
KOSCIUSZKO RETURNS TO WARSAW. A monument to Tadeusz Kosciuszko will be unveiled in Warsaw, May 2. It will be located next to the Lubomirski
Palace, near the Saski gardens. The monument is a replica of the one designed by Polish sculptor Antoni Popiel which stands in Washington, D.C.’s Lafayette Square, across the street from the White
House. That statue was dedicated in 1910 and was a gift to the United States from the Polish American community.
Historian Marian Drozdowski, chairperson of the Committee for the construction of the monument, stated that since Kosciuszko is the most popular
Polish national hero and almost four hundred schools in Poland are named after him, it is long past time that a monument be erected to him in the Polish capital city.
POLES RESCUE SWEDISH FISHING BOAT. Poles came to the rescue of five Swedes as their boat began taking on water in the Baltic Sea, about
twenty nautical miles off the cape of Rozewie. Polish Sea Rescue responded to a distress signal, and were dispatched immediately. They rescued the crew members and towed the boat to Wladyslawowo.
AMERICAN POLONIA AT A GLANCE
CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES — The Constitutional Rights Foundation in Los
Angeles sponsors a statewide program to encourage students in grades 4-12 to learn more about the state’s history. Students can participate in any of the following categories: historical paper;
exhibit performance; documentary; historical web site; or 4th-5th grade poster.
The entry fee is $40 per student; money orders only. Teachers, parents, and sponsors should make checks payable to the Los Angeles County Office of
Education.
The deadline for teacher forms and material is February 11, 2010 .
Grace Malolepszy and Irena Szewiola, California Project Coordinators, urge Polish American students to take advantage of this program. They also
encourage Polish American businesses, organizations to name and design their own certificates for presentation to students, teachers and schools or donate to a monetary fund to be used to design a
Project California Polonia History Day in Los Angeles, or History Day California certificates. Monetary funds are welcome additions.
The Constitutional Rights Foundation (www.crf-usa.org) is a non-profit. non-partisan nationally recognized educational organization dedicated to
helping our nation’s young people become well-informed engaged and active citizens and to understand their rights and responsibilities as members of our democracy
For additional information, send fax to (818) 892-5531 or write to Irena Szewiola. P.O. Box 14446. Van Nuys, CA 91409-4446
ILLINOIS
ST. CHARLES — The DuPage County Genealogical Society will be
hosting its 35th Annual Conference on Saturday, February 27, 2010 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 4070 East Main Street, St. Charles, Illinois.
Registration and browsing begin at 8:00 a.m, with a full program from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information, email Dorothy Hansen at
DCGSRegistrar@aol.com or visit their web site at www.dcgs.org.
MICHIGAN
HAMTRAMCK, Mich. — Piast Institute, a National Institute for
Polish and Polish-American Affairs, is pleased to announce its presence on the popular social networking sites Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. In accordance with its mission of “Building a New
Polonia for the 21st Century” Piast constantly seeks new ways to connect and involve Polonia of all ages in hopes of bringing Polonia from different backgrounds together. A non-stop presence in the
virtual world of Facebook and Twitter will help the Institute gain exposure and promote Polish and Polish American culture and issues among younger members of the Polish American community.
To follow Piast on Facebook, simply log on to facebook.com and search for the Piast Institute and for the Friends of Piast. To keep up with our
tweets, connect with us at twitter.com/piastinstitute. To get the visual behind the work of the Institute, look for Piast Institute on Flickr.
If you would like to be added to the Piast Institute email list, simply email info@piastinstitute.org and request to be added to the list.
NEW YORK
NEW YORK —Mika Brzezinski, co-host of “Morning Joe”
with Joe Scarborough on MSNBC, debuted her memoir, “All Things at Once,” in January 2010, explaining the unusual circumstances of her childhood as well as the struggle to build a career in
television media while raising a family. The book is published by Weinstein Books, who describes it as “a candid and inspiring motivational book that will help women of all ages confront the unique
professional and personal challenges they face in the key moments of their lives.”
Brzezinski’s father is Zbigniew Brzezinski, the foreign policy expert and former National Security Advisor to former President Jimmy Carter
in the late 1970s.
OHIO
YOUNGSTOWN — Ostatki: A Polish Carnival Celebration will be held
Sat., Feb. 6 at 7:00 p.m. at The Youngstown Club, 201 East Commerce St. Enjoy the popular imported vodka and unusual beer tasting, heavy appetizers, games, door prizes, live music, dancing, and, of
course, paczki! Tickets are $30 advance/$40 at the door. Call (330) 719-0415 for reservations or visit www.polishyoungstown.com.
YOUNGSTOWN — The Krakowiaki Polish Folk Circle meets every Thursday from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at St. Joseph the Provider Church, 633 Porter Ave. in
Campbell Polish language, culture, crafts, dance and song classes for children ages 3-18. Opportunities for adults with the Village Folk Singers and Band. New members welcome. For more information go to
www.Polishyoungstown.com or call (330) 646-4082.
YOUNGSTOWN — The Polish Arts Club of Youngstown Annual Concert and Scholarship Tea will be held Sun., Feb. 21, 2010 from 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Admission is free. Butler Institute of American Art, Butler North. To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Chopin’s birthday, attendees will enjoy a piano concert by Edward Bak. For more information,
call Aundrea Cika at (330) 646-4082.
PENNSYLVANIA
OIL CITY — Lenten Services in Polish will be held at the
Assumption Church, 7 Pulaski Street. The Gorzkie Zale will be on Sunday afternoons at 2:00 p.m. and the Droga Krzyzowa will be on Friday evenings at 7:00 p.m. For information call (814) 677-4090 or
e-mail: php@polishheritageproject.com.
JOHNSTOWN — A new projection system at the Johnstown Flood Museum is bringing the Academy Award-winning documentary on the 1898 tragedy into
the digital age.
Bob Rutkowski, owner of the production company The Magic Lantern, and Don Bell of Bell Engineering & Design, installed a new digital projection
system capable of displaying the recently re-mastered film in perfect quality.
The film, which won the 1989 Academy Award for Best Documentary – Short Subject for acclaimed director Charles Guggenheim, was remastered
into digital format in New York City. It provides a clearer image that reveals more detail than the 35 mm print.
UTAH
SALT LAKE CITY — The Polish Genealogical Society of Michigan is
hosting the United Polish Genealogical Societies conference in Salt Lake City from April 28 -May 1, 2010. A Polish buffet will be held on April 28, 2010 and will feature speaker Loretta “Lou”
Szucs. Other speakers on Polish topics will be Daniel Schlyter, Sonja Hoeke-Nishimoto, Stephen J. Danko, Tomasz Nitsch, Paul Lipinksi and Ceil Wendt Jensen. More information is available at their website www.pgsm.org.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
The Spring
Semester of Polish classes at the National Polish Center will start on Monday, February 8 and end on Thursday, May 20. As always, there will be fifteen (15) classes during the Spring Session.
Besides language instruction, all classes include discussions about aspects of Polish history, culture, customs and traditions. Students will have
a chance to share their own knowledge, insights and experiences with Polish culture. Supplement materials will be distributed in class. The following classes will be offered in Spring 2010:
Beginners Polish I – designed for absolute beginners with no previous knowledge of Polish; provides basic understanding, speaking and reading
skills that will help the students communicate in fundamental everyday situations. Wednesdays, 6.30 p.m.-8.10 p.m.
Beginners Polish I Second Semester – for students who completed one semester of Polish or equivalent. The class will focus on building
vocabulary and every day communication skills as well as on developing reading skills. Mondays, 6.30 p.m.-8.10 p.m.
Beginners Polish II continuation – (prerequisite Beginners Polish I or equivalent) – designed for students who completed two semesters
of Polish. The class will focus on building vocabulary in order to develop better comprehension and conversation skills. Class meets on Thursdays, 6.30 p.m.-8.10 p.m.
Intermediate II/III – designed for students who already have basic knowledge of Polish, understand fundamental grammatical concepts and wish
to concentrate on more complex conversational skills. Tuesdays, 6.30 p.m.-8.10 p.m.
For more write to basiabernhardt@yahoo.com or visit www.learnpolishdc.com.
The National Polish Center is located at 2025 O Street, NW, between 20 and 21 Street, very close to Dupont Circle Metro Station.
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