Monday, April 4, 2022

Easter Party with two Lectures on Polish Art - Adam Lubas on Militaria and Dr Zuralski-Yeager on Getty collections, April 23, 2022 at 5:30pm



The Helena Modjeska Art and Culture Club is pleased to invite the members of the Club to an evening lecture and reception in the hospitable residence of Elżbieta and Jan Iwańczyk on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. We will hold our Easter party (a week after Easter) and two lectures on art presented by Adam Lubas, collector of military memorabilia and historical Polish weapons, as well as our newest member, Dr. Izabella Żuralska-Yeager, an eminent art historian, fluent in four languages, and a long-time employee of the Getty Research Institute. Dr. Żuralska-Yeager will tell us about the most interesting collections of the Getty Institute that she worked on, and about the Polonics in this museum.  Mr. Lubas will discuss his collection, show photos of the most unique items in his possession, and bring some examples of Polish militaria.



Dr. Isabella Zuralski-Yeager is from Warsaw, Poland.  In 1984, she graduated in Art History, Film Studies, and Slavic Philology at the University of Cologne in West Germany. She wrote her doctoral dissertation about the work of the Polish painter of the Symbolism period, Jacek Malczewski. After receiving her diploma, fate led her to Los Angeles, where in 1989 she began working at the Getty Research Institute on inventories of old prints and art history related archives.  She wrote inventories of materials demanding a range of knowledge and expertise, from old European engravings and woodcuts to notes of the Russian artist and Bauhaus teacher Wassily Kandinsky, or documents evidencing art looting for Hitler during the Nazi occupation of Holland. 

Dr. Zuralski-Yeager often presented most interesting objects from a given collection to curatorial and research staff from the Getty Research Institute and invited guests. Her numerous articles, inspired by Getty collections, are published online in the Getty Center’s magazine The Iris and the prestigious Getty Research Journal. After more than thirty years of work as an archivist, Isabella Zuralski-Yeager retired but she continues to explore the Getty collections working on her own art history projects and contributing entries to the Art Market Dictionary, an encyclopedia of the British publishing house Bloomsbury. The grandfather of Dr. Zuralski, Tadeusz Żuralski  (1894-1940) was a physician and an officer in the Polish Army, murdered in Katyn. The whole family was forced to emigrate in the early 1970s.

Polish kings' coronatioan sword, "Szczerbiec."

Adam Lubas is a psychologist and psychotherapist licensed in California as well as a member of the Society of Admirers of Ancient Weapons and Colors in Krakow (Stowarzyszenia  Miłośników Dawnej Broni i Barwy),   L’ASSOCIATION  FRANCAISE DES COLLECTIONNEURS DE BAÏONNETTES A. F. C. B. , the club "Hetman" of collectors of Polish military memorabilia named after Andrzej Zaremba in New York.  He is a noted collector of Polish military artefacts, specializing in firearms and blades (swords, sabres, and similar weapons). 

Polish sabre from 1917.


PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT




















Thursday, March 17, 2022

Women's Month - Morning Conversation with Katarzyna Smiechowicz, March 19, 2022 at 10:30am via Zoom


Helena Modjeska Art and Culture Club celebrates Women's Month with a Morning Coversation with the eminent actress Katarzyna Smiechowicz,  The event will take place via Zoom on Saturday 19 March 2022 at 10:30 am.   Links will be emailed to members. 

KATARZYNA A. SMIECHOWICZ sometimes acting as Kasia A. Leconte is a Polish actress who has been working in Poland and the USA. Katarzyna started her artistic career as a teenager studying acting with many excellent teachers. Initially, she was involved in ballet and theater; over time film and television have become the closest to her heart. Her passion for ballet and poetry turned to acting when a respected Polish actor, Wirgiliusz Gryn, discovered her acting talent and convinced her to pursue acting as a profession. 

Residing in Los Angeles since 2000, she studied acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse and at the Margie Haber Studio. Throughout her career, she has appeared in over 30 feature films and television series having worked with such directors as Steven Spielberg, Krzysztof Krauze, Jacek Bromski, Tomasz Konecki, Andrzej Saramonowicz, and Olaf Lubaszenko.  

Selected film roles include: 
• 2020 -“BEZ SKRUPULOW”, dir. Jacek Bromski, TV series (Wanda)
• 2019- “SOLID GOLD”, dir. Jacek Bromski, Film (Wanda Szulc)
• 2018- “DR. SUGAR”, dir. Paul Saleba - Film (k.m.) (Boo Boo)
• 2015 - “ANATOMIA ZŁA”, dir. Jacek Bromski, Film 
• 2015 - “BILET NA KSIĘŻYC”, dir. Jacek Bromski, Film (Donata KRUGER)
• 2012 - “PARADOKS”, dir. Borys Lankosz, TV series
• 2011 - “WYGRANY”, dir. Wieslaw Saniewski, Film
• 2009 - “U PANA BOGA ZA MIEDZĄ” dir. Jacek Bromski, Film (Ludmiła Niedbałko)
• 2009 - “U PANA BOGA W OGRODKU", dir. Jacek Bromski, Serial TV (Ludmiła Niedbałko
• 2007 - “TESTOSTERON” dir. Tomasz Konecki & Andrzej Saramonowicz Film (Barbie)
• 2003 - “SZPITAL NA PERYPETIACH”, dir. Krzysztof Jaroszynski Serial TV (Monika)
• 2001 - “WIELKIE RZECZY”, dir. Krzysztof Krauze - GRA (odc.2), Serial TV 
• 2000 -“ CHŁOPAKI NIE PŁACZĄ”, dir. Olaf Lubaszenko, Film 
• 2000 -“ BARDZO OSTRY DYŻUR”, dir. Wojciech Mann & Krzysztof Materna, Sitcom TV 
• 1989 - “MDM”, dir. Wojciech Mann & Krzysztof Materna Program TV 
• 1998 - “TALK SHOW JERZEGO K”, dir. Jerzy Kryszak., Program TV
• 1997 - “CIEMNA STRONA WENUS”, dir. Radoslaw Piwowarski, Film 
• 1996 -“ EKSTRADYCJA 2”, dir. Wojciech Wojcik, Serial TV 
• 1996 - “GRY ULICZNE”, dir. Krzysztof Krauze, Film 
• 1996 - “PRZECIĄG” dir. Maciej Zak & Jacek Kecik, Program TV 
• 1995 - “DZIEJE MISTRZA TWARDOWSKIEGO”, dir. Krzysztof Gradowski, Film 

Beyond film and television, she has portrayed many great parts on stage, including Katharina in Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew", and Roza in Juliusz Slowacki's "Lilla Weneda." Kasia's U.S. theater debut was in the leading role of Carrie in "Cafe Hollywood."


In addition to acting in many critically acclaimed roles, Smiechowicz has written scripts and worked as a voice-over actor. She is the President of the Film and Television Studio Kasia Films, through which she aims to create international productions. She is also known for her charity work for the sick and those in need. Katarzyna constantly supports and promotes Polish culture in the USA. With a home on both continents, but a husband in the U.S., she spends most of the time in Los Angeles, but works both in Europe and the States. Her husband Dominik J. Leconte is an executive at Sony Pictures. On July 3rd 2010 Kasia and Dominik welcomed their identical twin boys, Antoni and Fabian at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The multi-talented 10-year-old sons are gaining recognition as child actors and models.

LINKS TO SELECTED FILMS 


 

"Papcio Chmiel" Film Screening with his Daughter, Monika Chmielewski Lehman, 27 February 2022


Henryk Jerzy Chmielewski, Wikimedia Commons

 Helena Modjeska Art and Culture Club presented the screening of the documentary film entitled "Papcio Chmiel",  directed by Petro Aleksowski, at the home of Monika and David Lehman, in Pasadena, CA. The meeting was  held at 5:30 pm on Saturday, 27 February 2022.


               
Henryk Jerzy Chmielewski, Wikimedia Commons

"Papcio Chmiel" is a documentary about the Polish artist Henryk Chmielewski - the author of the famous comic book "Tytus, Romek and A'Tomek". When appearing in  the film "Papcio Chmiel" he was 97 years old and his art is seen through the prism of the perception and passion of a 12-year-old boy, and as seen by scholars, students, family and friends.  These multiple perspectives enriched the film. 

The artist, born in 1923, died in 2021, after a turbulent life, incl. participation in the Warsaw Uprising in 1944, in the 7th Infantry Regiment of the Home Army "Garłuch". In 1950–1956 he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw at the Faculty of Graphics. He worked as an illustrator in the popular press, and from 1957 he published a series of comics about two boys and their long-tailed friend. He published 31 volumes of this comic book by 2009, and then created a series of unnumbered books about his young heroes taking part in historical events - the Warsaw Uprising, the Battle of Warsaw in 1920, the Battle of Grunwald, the Vienna Relief of King Jan Sobieski, etc

Ulica Papcio Chmiela, Wikimedia Commons

After the buffet dinner at 6pm and the film screening of the film at 7 pm (buffet dinner prior to screening), there will be an interview with the daughter of the artist, Monika Chmielewska Lehman. The  buffet dinner will include two special organic and health dishes created by Eliza Boughous, Ms. Lehman's friend and personal chef - Nutty Red Rice with Herbs and Mushroom Medley. In addition we will serve Armenian Chicken and Japanese Sushi rolls. For dessert homemade cakes: "Bergerowka" by Marek Berger with red oranges, sponge cake with nectarines by Ewa Malachowska and two-color cake by Mary Kubal,



MONIKA CHMIELEWSKA LEHMAN - who organized the event in her home created a tapestry with the likeliness of her father (above) and was working on a tapestry of Our Lady of the Bright Mount for the Catholic Cathedral in California (former site of the Crystal Cathedral). For her generosity she received white tulips and a diploma from the Club. 

https://modjeskaclub.blogspot.com/2018/12/january-12-2019-monique-lehman-and.html

Monika Lehman z najnowszym gobelinem w trakcie pracy

Monika Chmielewski Lehman, Artur Chmielewski z dyplomem od Klubu.





Maja Trochimczyk, Beata Czajkowska, Basia Nowicka, Elzbieta Kanski





Friday, December 31, 2021

Forgotten Ancient and Medieval History of Poland by Janusz Bieszk on Zoom, January 15, 2022 at 12 pm PST

Tadeusz Wolanski's discovery of ancient Polish medals, 1842
YouTube Video from the Lecture: https://youtu.be/5oXLLizDAtQ

Helena Modjeska Art and Culture Club is pleased to invite you to a lecture on Saturday, January 15, 2022 at 12 noon in California. Please send requests for a Zoom link and detailed information to prezes@modjeska.org.

Janusz Bieszk: The Kingdom of Lehia and the Kingdom of the Weneds in the ancient and medieval periods

Lecture by zoom January 15, 2022, noon in California, Gdynia - Los Angeles. The entire presentation will be in Polish.

 


I. Author's biography:

Janusz Bieszk, born in 1948 is a history enthusiast and researcher, and  a bibliophile. He holds a master’s degree in the field of foreign trade and foreign service. For many years, he worked in managerial positions in Poland and abroad. With a passion for forgotten history he pursued his interests for decates and included the results of his independent historical research in a series of popular books describing the following historical periods:


1. Prehistory - Space Civilizations on Earth,

2. Antiquities - Slavic Kings of Lehia in Ancient Poland,

    The Kings of Lehia and Lehites in History,

    Ancient Kingdom of Lehia

    More Evidence, Forgotten Ancient Kingdom of Lehia II

    Evidence and Historical Atlas of Lehia, Sarmatia, Scythia,

3. The Middle Ages - Castles of the Teutonic State in Poland and

    Christian Kings of Lehia in Medieval Poland.

Mr. Bieszk also edited the introduction and footnotes to the new edition of Prokosz's Slavic-Sarmatian Chronicle from the 10th century, Polish edition.

He documented his books with citations from an extensive Polish and foreign bibliography.

To order books: https://www.swiatksiazki.pl/catalogsearch/result/?q=Bieszk+Janusz

 


Mr. Bieszk cordially invites you to experience together and discuss the documented stories about our great and outstanding ancestors of the Aria-Praslavians, the kings of Lehia, the knights of the coat of arms Leh and the steadfast sailors of Weneds.

II. Title:

The Kingdom of Lehia and the Kingdom of the Weneds in the ancient and medieval periods.

As the introduction to the lecture, Maja Trochimczyk will show a photo with all published books by the author, and a 3-min YouTube video under the title "The Lehia Empire and its Capitals  through the ages. Mr. Bieszk will provide comments to this introduction.

III. Sections of the lecture:

1. Definitions: "Slavs" in Polish are Slawianie, not Slowianie. Lehia, Leh, Lehici with "h" not Lechia, Lech, Lechici with “ch”

2. The meaning of the words "Leh" and "Lehía", and also Leh = Wit or Wist.

3. Slavs or Slawianie as an agricultural, peaceful, free and religious people

4. Religion and beliefs of the Pra-slavians

5. The oldest historical sources (yearbooks, chronicles)  with information

    - domestic

    - foreign

6. The oldest artifacts and facts

    - construction of the Praslavians

    - Praslavian battles

    - the oldest image of a freight car

    - inscription on the tombstone from the 1st century AD

7. A short and full set of Sarmatian-Lehitic kings

8. The kings of the Weneds

9. Emperors of Lehia Empire

10. Historical Atlas of Lehia, Sarmatia and Scythia

11. Catalog of coins minted by the rulers of Lehia

The presentation will conclude with presenting Mr. Bieszk’s three Open Appeals to the national authorities followed by participants' questions and discussion.

19th Century edition of the Prokosz Chronicle with inserted portrait

LEHIA ON THE MAP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaN1B7vkFOk&t=6s 

Ancient medal discovered by Wolanski, 1842

Janusz Bieszk’s interview for Nowy Dziennik Polish Weekly (September 14, 2016). Th. 4.

- Do you think that knowledge about the ancient history of Poland is hidden? What is the reason for this?

Everything points to the fact that we still have a post-church history and a pro-church history, where many topics, events, facts and even historical figures like kings are taboo.

For example knowledge of the following facts has not been described in the historical literature and information about these facts has not been disseminated in the society:

1. The above-mentioned tombstone with a dedication from Emperor Tiberius Claudius, translated from Latin and published in 1843 by Polish researcher, archaeologist and numismatist Tadeusz Wolański, who studied our ancient history.  Wolanski considered Prokosz Chronicles of the 10th century to be true history of ancient Poland.  In 1853 the Roman-Catholic Church declared his books forbidden and burned them at the stake. His conviction was prevented by the intervention of Tsar Nicholas I, who also assigned a detachment of the Russian Army to protect him during his research travels and expeditions.

It is long overdue that a faithful copy of the ancient Roman tombstone of a Lehia prince should be exhibited for the public at the Royal Castle or the National Museum, as the oldest artifact concerning Kings of Lehia dating back to the 1st century

2. Lehia and Sarmatian warriors were engaged in many battles with the Roman legions, and plentiful evidence exists in historical sources;  however, it is not disseminated.

3. The reign of the Lehite king Wrocisław in the years 892-896 is not known or publicized while it pre-dates the Piast dynasty by 70 years. The evidence in the chronicle of Prokosz and the Aventinus annals is ignored.

4. The existence of the empire of Lehia in the years 1000-1038 is also ignored, despite the evidence contained in Polish and foreign chronicles and annals.

5. The reign of Bolesław II the Forgotten in the years 1034-1038 is not known to today’s historians and readers.  He was removed from the Roman Catholic Church and thus doomed to oblivion.  His “deletion” from Polish history remains to this day, so the Church’s anathema has been quite effective. His name is not mentioned in two historical albums published in Poland in 2014 and 2015 with lists of kings.

Ancient medal with the king Mieczyslaw, and religious symbols, Christian and pagan
Tadeusz Wolanski's discovery, from 1842 book

Q: When do you think Poland was baptized?

A: According to Polish and foreign historical sources, the baptism of the people of Lehia was not a single act that took place in 966 AD, but a multi-stage act, involving both  the Roman-Catholic and Eastern Orthodox, Slavic (Cyril-Methodian) rites. Its chronology was as follows:

1. During the reign of King Koszyszko (842-862) on January 1, 845, fourteen Lehs - Lehite princes and magnates, with their courts, army and people living in the south, on the border with Moravia and Bohemia were solemnly baptized in the Roman Catholic rite. Baptism was performed by priests with Archbishop Adalram from Olomouc in Great Moravia, who was subordinate to the Archbishopric in Passau, Bavaria. The above act had a practical and tactical goal, namely to avoid the future military invasions of Christianization by the aggressive East Frankish state.

2. In the middle of the 9th century, especially during the reign of King Ziemowit the Reformer (862-892) and with his consent, the Christian religion in the Eastern Orthodox, Slavic rite began to penetrate the population of Lesser Poland. It was taught by the priests of Wisnog and Oslaw, students of Archbishop Methodius, who was in Velehrad in Great Moravia. The bishop of Lehites at that time was Sawa, a student of Cyril. Religion in the Slavic rite later spread to Lesser Poland, Silesia and Greater Poland, covering a large area of ​​Lehia. Many Orthodox churches were built in such localities as Wiślica, Kraków, Przemyśl, Wrocław, Poznań, Ostrów Lednicki (Lechicki) and Gniezno.

This was confirmed by archaeological excavations. The archbishopric of the Slavic rite in Krakow functioned for over 150 years.

3. Some kings of Lehia and their courts and attendants were baptized in the Eastern Orthodox, Slavic rite and ruled together for over 100 years as Christians. In my opinion, they were:

Ziemowit Reformator, who ruled in the years 862-892;

Wrocisław who ruled in 892-896;

Leh X Brave in 896-921;

Ziemomysl in 921-957;

Mieczysław II in 957-999.

The first king called Mieczysław ruled in 340-388. According to Polish chronicles and annals, Mieczysław II died in 999. Mieczysław II was elected as king of Lehia at a valid rally in 957, retained the title of king in accordance with the custom (now the so-called protocol) until his death in 999, regardless of the later repercussions related to the transition with his surroundings from the Slavic rite to the Roman rite.

It probably happened in or after 968, because in the so-called in the epitaph of Brave it is written that Bolesław was born in 967, of a "pagan father". This is because the Roman clergy did not recognize the Slavic rite and treated it as paganism. Mieczysław II was baptized by the aggressive German Church, not the Czech one, as there was no archbishopric in Prague at that time.

The official date of baptism of a part of the population of Polania (Poland) should also be backdated to the year 845, but then the public would have to be informed that the use of the later date was purposeful and was designed to hide the existence Lehs - because that is what they are called in foreign sources.

Ancient Polish medal from the book about Tadeusz Wolanski's discoveries, 1842

Ancient map - in arabic marking the Kingdom of Lechia

Lechistan on old Greek map of Europe

Suevi, Wenedae, Sarmatia on map of Roman Empire

Polish Kings from an Austrian print 1655, many Lechia kings.

Inscription of Zygmunt III Waza column in Warsaw, by his son Wladyslaw IV, naming Zygmunt III as the 44th king of Poland; chronology goes back to 5th century and includes many Lechia kings.

Traditional circular layout of a Lechia Slavic village with central grounds for meetings.

Remnants of 55 portraits, 36 extant, of Lech and Polish kings.

Portrait of earliest Polish kings in Kralow, with Krak. Popiel, and Wanda





Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for 2022!

Dear Friends,

Let me start my holiday wishes for the members and friends of Helena Modjeska Art and Culture Club with a quote from the great 13th century Persian poet, Rumi: “Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life.” Gratitude is the most uplifting of emotions; counting the blessings is the key to happiness.

  Among many moments to be grateful for this year in the Club, we had a beautiful caroling party with about 70 guests sharing “oplatek” wafer, special home-cooked dishes, and singing Christmas carols together in the beautifully decorated and welcoming home of Jola and Alex Wilk in Anaheim Hills (December 12, 2021). Henryk Chrostek and Olivia Kierdal led the carol sing-along. 
 
Christmas Carols: https://youtu.be/otMQr9_ZACc

For those who could not get there, on Saturday, December 18, 2021 we organized an international meeting by Zoom: Joanna Sokolowska-Gwizdka from Austin, Texas, gave a richly illustrated lecture about the holidays with Helena Modrzejewska, our club’s patron. There were guests from Texas, Florida and Canada (Agata Pilitowska, winner of our Helena Modjeska Prize 2019) and from Poland (Janusz Bieszk, whose lecture on Lechistan and Lechitach will be held by Zoom on January 15, 2022 at 12 noon).

For those who missed the lecture, here’s the link: 

https://youtu.be/oN_McHjU77k


Holidays are a great time to “feed on gratitude”— that is to cook and share “once-a-year” dishes, based on Grandma’s recipes, passed on through generations. Some of this traditional food is pretty weird to outsiders from other cultural traditions. I find that even my Polish  American friends in California do not have the same menu of Christmas dishes that I carried with me here, as sacrosanct rules for life, recipes for dishes I must cook once per year, or else there is no Christmas… “Kompot” anyone? “Kutia”? “Kapusta z grzybami”? “Karp w galarecie”? Everyone has their least favorite Polish traditional dish…


Barszcz z uszkami

Gingerbread by Marysia Kubal

My friends came from different parts of Poland and do not share those traditions that I am so attached to, though we share our history, language, culture… Yet, we all cherish what's most important about celebrating holidays together: family love expressed without words, by cooking together, laughing together around the kitchen table.  These gifts of companionship and contentment are priceless; they are far more important than anything that money can buy. I tried to capture those feelings in many poems over the years. Today, I’d like to share a holiday poem with all Phoenix House staff and friends as my wishes for Happy Holy Days of many shared delights and blessings!

>Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Best Wishes for the New Year 2022! 

~ Maja Trochimczyk, President



Rules for Happy Holy Days


Don’t play Christmas carols

at the airport. Amidst the roar
of jet engines, they will spread
a blanket of loneliness
over the weary, huddled masses,
trying not to cry out for home.

Don’t put Christmas light on a poplar.
With branches swathed in white
galaxies, under yellow leaves, the tree
will become foreign, like the skeleton
of an electric fish, deep in the ocean.

Clean the windows from the ashes
of last year’s fires. Glue the wings
of a torn paper angel. Brighten
your home with the fresh scent
of pine needles and rosemary.

Take a break from chopping almonds
to brush the cheek of your beloved
with the back of your hand,
just once, gently. Smile and say:
“You look so nice, dear, you look so nice.”

(c) 2009 by Maja Trochimczyk


Good News


Did you know that Christmas

is Love, Love, Love, only Love

to be given, shared, cherished?

When baking together, hands

covered in flour, your fingertips

sweetened with chopped figs,

or roughened from wrapping

so many tamales for the family

dinner, while the honeyed voice

of Nat King Cole asks you to have

yourself a merry, little Christmas—

 

Love means sharing a laugh

at the antics of the dog that runs

in circles on the lawn, so happy

to be free—without leash, without

orders to sit, roll, obey the master.

Love is a quiet moment of writing

the sweetest of wishes to be mailed

far, far away—this year even further.

Love is this letter, filled with affection,

your kind, gentle words that glisten

with happiness & warmth.

(C) 2018 by Maja Trochimczyk

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