Competition on the History of Poland
Where is Poland?
Between Russia and Germany!
How would any country survive between Russia and Germany?
By offering the Competition on the History of Poland to the English-speaking public, we want to encourage you to learn more about the struggle of Poland for survival as a country between Russia and German for the past one thousand years.
Why should you be interested in this Competition? The history of Poland is not only fascinating and important but also very relevant to your life here and now. The knowledge gained through preparations for this Competition provides indispensable insights into current developments in the West, and in the United States in particular. What goes around, comes around. Whatever happens in Poland, it is interconnected with the West, hence impacts your life as well.
As the garland program of the Polonia Institute, the Competition on the History of Poland aims at bringing to the attention of the English speaking world the significance of the Polish experience in the struggle for liberty, sovereignty, and human dignity throughout the centuries. Our Competition is open to English- speaking adults 18 years and older.
We invite you to take part in the Competition on the History of Poland that will sharpen your analytical skills and broaden your horizon!
2024 Competition on the History of Poland - The battle for Rome and the Battle for Warsaw 80 years later. Compare and contrast.
The Battle for Rome, also known as the Battle of Monte Cassino, was of primary importance to the Allied effort to defeat the Axis Coalition in World War II. The Monte Cassino Monastery, well-fortified by the Germans, stood in the way of the Allied effort to take over Rome.
On May 16, 1944, the Polish Second Corps launched the final assault on the Germans at Monte Cassino. On May 18, 1944, soldiers of the Polish Second Corps raised the Polish flag over the ruins of the Monte Cassino Monastery. As a result of this historic Polish victory, the German Senger Defense Line collapsed.
2023 Competition on the History of Poland - German extermination of ethnic Poles during WWII.
Throughout the Second World War, which lasted 2076 days, Germany murdered, on average, about 3,000 Polish citizens every day, which is more than the total number of all people killed in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center – every day for 2076 days! During the war, Poland lost from German hand 39% of its doctors, 33% of its teachers, 30% of its academic faculty, including 700 professors, 28% of its priests, and 26% of lawyers. Germans kidnapped over 200,000 young Polish children and shipped them to Germany for Germanization. Material damage and non-material losses caused by Germany to Poland in WWII amounted to 6 trillion 220 billion 609 million Polish zlotys. To this day, Germany has not compensated Poland for these losses and has not educated its people about the crimes committed by Germans against ethnic Poles in WWII.
2022 Competition on the History of Poland - Legacy of Invincible Soldiers.
Poland, the first country to stand up to Nazi Germany, was the most loyal member of the WWII Allied Coalition. Polish armed forces fought the Axis Powers on all fronts of WWII from day one to the very end of the war. Yet, despite being the most unwavering member of the winning coalition, Poland was not among the winners of WWII. After the war, Poland lost one-third of its territory to the Soviet Union, fell under the Soviet occupation, was never compensated for devastating war losses caused by Germany and Russia, and was excluded from the Marshall Plan that helped Germany and other countries in Western Europe to recover from the war. All these actions were taken in the name of not upsetting the Russians.
2021 Competition on the History of Poland - 1981 Crackdown on the Solidarity Movement.
December 13, 2021, marks the 40th anniversary of the imposition of Martial Law in Poland by the communist regime of General Jaruzelski. The role of the Solidarity Movement in defending the liberty for all and sovereignty of Poland is the subject of the 2021 Competition of the Polonia Institute. This competition is offered in honor of the heroes of the Solidarity Movement repressed by the communist and post-communist regimes.