2/20/2007 - Among the soldiers who fought bravely with the American Expeditionary Force in France during the First World War, there were tens of thousands of young men of Polish descent. One of these was Private Michael Kempinski, who fought in Company G of the 128th Infantry and won a Silver Star for capturing a German machine gun nest. Private Chester Lasky, from Hamtramck, Michigan, was with the 4th Machine Gun battalion and won a bronze star for “coolness under violent enemy artillery fire.”

Thousands of other Polish-Americans fought with the Polish Army in France, also known as Haller’s Army – an all-Polish army made up primarily of recruits from overseas. Mary Bartus-Sidlick, of Canton, Michigan, says that her father Lawrence Bartus was wounded and gassed in France while fighting with Haller’s Army. “He had to give up his job as a baker because of lung problems due to being gassed,” recalls Ms. Bartus-Sidlick. “Every Memorial Day my dad flew both the American and Polish flags on our front porch.”

These Polish-American heroes were among the hundreds of thousands of immigrant soldiers who put their lives on the line for the United States after their adopted country joined the Allies in 1917.

I am writing a book about these immigrant soldiers and their experiences, and I’m trying to get in contact with their descendants. I’ve already talked to families from all over the country, and I have interviewed two foreign-born men who fought in the war – an Italian-American who died last week at the age of 110 and a Russian Jewish-American who died late last year at the age of 106.

If you have a Polish-born ancestor who fought in the First World War, either with the US Armed forces or with the Polish Army in France, I would love to include his story in the book.

Please contact: David Laskin, 18757 Ridgefield Rd. NW, Seattle, WA 98177, 206-546-8856.

Thank you!

2/9/2007 - COUNCIL OF EDUCATORS IN POLONIA
FOUNDED IN 1930


Thaddeus Przybylo Polish Heritage Essay Contest
Sponsored by the Council of Educators in Polonia

The Thaddeus Przybylo Polish Heritage Essay Contest is open to elementary school students.

Students in Grades 6-8 are to write a two-page essay. The topic for 2007 is WHY IS CASIMIR PULASKI A GOOD ROLE MODEL FOR TODAY’S YOUTH ? Students should show how attributes Casimir Pulaski displayed during his lifetime are relevant today. Students are to write a research-based essay on this topic. A bibliography must be attached.

All essays will be judged on originality, content and structure. Essays may be written in English or Polish. In the top right hand corner of the paper students should include their name, grade, home address and phone number and name of their school and school phone number. All essays must be typed, double-spaced, using 12 point font printed only on one side of each page of paper. The essay should be no longer than 2 pages.

The first place winner will be honored at the Pulaski recognition ceremony at the Polish Musuem on Pulaski Day. Prizes for first place, second place, third place and honorable mention will be presented at a ceremony in March.

The deadline for all essays is February 16, 2007.

Essays should be written following all of the above guidelines or they
will be disqualified.

Essays should be sent to:
Kenneth P. Gill Elzbieta Broler
7551 West Palatine or c/o Portage Park School
Chicago, IL 60631-1824 5330 W. Berteau
Chicago, IL 60641
GSR 30 (for CPS students)

For more information call 773-763-5587 or e-mail Ken29gill@aol.com

12/8/2006 - Emanuel Urges Poland Inclusion in Visa Waiver Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. -Today, U.S. Representative Rahm Emanuel
(D-IL), released the following letter to President Bush expressing his
strong support for including Poland in the Visa Waiver program. Emanuel sent
the same letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Following is text of the letter:

Dear President Bush:
I was pleased to hear your remarks at the 2006 NATO Summit when you stated,
"I am going to work with our Congress and our international partners to
modify our visa-waiver program." I agree with this important goal, and I am
writing today to express my strong support for including Poland in this
program.

It is vital for the United States to ensure the safety and security of the
Visa Waiver Program. Equally important, we must ensure that we do not treat
our proven allies as second-class citizens. We must be responsive to those
who seek to immigrate to this country by legal means, and those who wish to
visit their families in the United States from countries that have been our
strong allies, such as Poland.

In 2005, President Kwasniewski agreed to the Roadmap for Poland, a series of
steps each nation will take to fulfill the goal of Poland entering the Visa
Waiver Program, including working together to improve the security of the
program.

During the 109th Congress, I introduced H.Res 78 to recognize the importance
of designating Poland as a Visa Waiver Program country. H.Res 78 recognizes
the vast contributions Polish immigrants have made to our culture and
society, and it assists those who seek to visit our country and also those
who wish to visit their families. Similar legislation regarding Poland and
the Visa Waiver Program has been introduced and passed by six state
legislatures. I plan on reintroducing my resolution in the next Congress.

It is important to note that Poland joined other European leaders in signing
a letter of support for our efforts in disarming Iraq. In fact, over the
last three years of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Poland has demonstrated strong
support for the foreign policy goals of the United States, committing
thousands of troops and providing considerable resources to the war effort.

Including Poland in the Visa Waiver Program is in our economic, political
and national security interests and demonstrates our continued commitment to
our strong Polish allies.

I look forward to working with you to achieve this goal.

Sincerely,


Rahm Emanuel
Member of Congress


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