Poland - "Endlessly" (Footnotes)

[mase992]

Footnotes:

Okay, I go all over the place in Polish history so let’s start at the beginning. Please be kind enough to note any mistakes.

This may prove useful: http://www.scaruffi.com/politics/polish.html

-Beginnings of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The marriage between King Jadwiga of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Jogaila (rechristened as Władysław II Jagiełło) made official the union of both Nations. Said marriage took place on March 1385.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jadwiga_of_Poland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jogaila

-Magyar = Hungary; Teuton = Prussia = East. Yes more Middle Ages please, and mentions of the unification of the Kingdom of Poland in the line: “(…)a boy with hair the colour of wheat, living in a recently unified kingdom(…)”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_of_Poland

-During the Mongol invasion of Poland, the Mongols reached Krakow and burned it on March 24, 1241. One of the most relevant battles against the Mongols was the Battle of Legnica where the Polish forces were crushed. Their leader, Henry II the Pious, was beheaded and his head was shown around in a lance. Charming.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_legnica

-The following section takes place during the Partitions of the Commonwealth. The three eagles represent Austria, Prussia, and Russia, naturally.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partitions_of_poland

-The next section takes place after WWI, when the Polish nation-state was reestablished.

·          The red poppy is Poland’s national flower and a symbol of the Great War. I was partly inspired by the patriotic Polish song “Czerwone Maki na Monte Cassino”, even if it’s from WWII. http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~antora/WIERSZE/CASSINO/CASSINO.HTM

·          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Mary's_Church,_Warsaw

·          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftstreitkr%C3%A4fte

·          The white eagle is the symbol of Poland. A folktale explaining its origin and symbolic meaning can be found in “The Legend of Lech and Gniezno”. http://www.courses.unt.edu/efiga/STORYTELLING/Fall2002/5440pdf/Barbara_Thompson.pdf

-Next comes WWII.

·          Lapanka. 1942-1944. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapanka

·          “Every building must be razed to its foundation.” 1944. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_destruction_of_Warsaw

·          “Za wolnosc Wasza I Nasza!” ("For your freedom and ours!") This was the motto of the Home Army or Armia Krajowa.

·          Maciej Aleksy Dawidowski “Alek”, Jan Bytnar “Rudy”, Tadeusz Zawadzki “Zośka”, Józef Szczepański “Ziutek”, Anna Zakrzewska. Members of the Polish Underground State. The first three died in 1943. Ziutek was a commander who died in the 1944 Warsaw Uprising and was the author of the anti-Soviet poem “Red Plague”. Anna Zakrzewska “Hanka Biała” was a heroic medical attendant assigned to III Platoon, interestingly codenamed “Felix”, 2 Company “Rudy”. She was killed in 1944 during the Warsaw Uprising.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maciej_Aleksy_Dawidowski

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Bytnar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadeusz_Zawadzki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B3zef_Szczepa%C5%84ski

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Zakrzewska

·          http://www.warsawuprising.com/

·          “Poland wondered and conceded that he was probably still sore about the whole Vilnius issue(…)” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish%E2%80%93Lithuanian_War

·          It is said that Hungarian soldiers sent to Warsaw to clear the rebellions and support the Germans refused to attack Poles and often gave them smuggled provisions and weapons.

-The following section takes place, obviously, during the Cold War:

·          Mentions of the “Polish October” and the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_october , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungary_1956 .

·          “When everyone joined hands in silent protests, singing protests, violent protests(…)” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_way

·          “Tear down this wall!” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tear_down_this_wall

-Polish-Hungarian brotherhood forever!

-“Mazurek Dąbrowskiego” is Poland’s official National Anthem. The verse “Jeszcze Polska nie zginęła,” is translated as “Poland has not perished yet”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazurek_D%C4%85browskiego

-In 1794, after the Partitions, Tadeusz Kosciuszko organized a national uprising in order to reclaim Polish autonomy and liberty. His rebellion was brought to an end by the intervention of Prussia and Russia. He is considered a national hero now. What can I say? He was badass.

-“Oh my queen; you know you've hit rock-bottom when even drag is a drag.” From Angels in America by Tony Kushner.