Terry, Author at Aquila Polonica

Father Maximilian Kolbe

January 8, 1894: Father Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Catholic priest, is born in Zduńska Wola. He became a Christian Martyr when he volunteered to be executed at Auschwitz in place of another prisoner.

Kolbe was heavily influenced by a childhood vision he had of the Virgin Mary, and became an ordained priest in 1919. Between the years of 1930 and 1936, he departed on a series of religious missions in East Asia. Following the invasion of Poland in 1939, his monastery was shut down for sheltering Jewish refugees and publishing anti-Nazi literature. He was arrested and imprisoned at Auschwitz.

At the end of July 1941, three prisoners escaped from Auschwitz. In response, the SS camp guards picked 10 prisoners at random to be executed as collective punishment for the escape. Captain Witold Pilecki describes this event in his most comprehensive report on his secret undercover mission at Auschwitz:

It once happened that a young inmate was chosen, whereupon an old man, a priest, stepped out of the ranks and asked the Camp Commandant to take him and release the young man.
This was a powerful moment and the block froze in amazement.
The Commandant agreed.
The heroic priest went to his death and the other inmate returned to the ranks.

Excerpt from “The Auschwitz Volunteer: Beyond Bravery,” by Captain Witold Pilecki.

Franciszek Gajowniczek, the man whose life Father Kolbe had saved, survived Auschwitz and was freed by Allied liberation forces in 1944. He was reunited with his wife after World War II and lived a full life until his passing in 1995.

When the selfless sacrifice of Father Kolbe became known, the Catholic church in 1971 under Pope Paul VI beatified him as a Confessor of the Faith, and in 1982 under Pope John Paul II, as a martyr. John Paul II declared Father Maximilian Kolbe “The Patron Saint of Our Difficult Century.”

Aircraft Design Fun

Our Air Force buffs might get a chuckle out of this lighthearted look at five British aircraft that could have been designed by a 5-year-old child with a very big crayon…! From Wingleader Films:

The Polish Wings Heritage Trail

Worth checking out: The Polish Wings Heritage Trail at https://polishwingstrail.com/ tells the virtually unknown story of the Polish Air Force units stationed in Northern Ireland, to help protect the UK and as part of the greater Allied war effort during World War II.

“We have forgotten the incredible story of sacrifice that a generation of Polish men made for our nation during a time of wartime crisis.”

Polish airmen, July 6, 1943 — looks like they’re on their way to Northern Ireland. (Photo from the Polish Wings Heritage Trail website.)

More than 100 Polish airmen were based in Northern Ireland in various RAF Squadrons, in addition to the two Polish Fighter Squadrons — the famous 303 and 315 Squadrons — which operated from RAF Ballyhalbert between 1943 and 1944 .

The Polish Wings Heritage Trail website includes an interactive online map, as well as a list of key physical locations — which might make an interesting road trip through Northern Ireland for history buffs!

Marian Pisarek – 303 Squadron Fighter Ace

Marian Pisarek, 303 Squadron fighter ace, was born 3 January 1912 at Łosie near Radzymin, east of Warsaw.

One of the original fighter pilots assigned to 303 Squadron, Pisarek brought several years of training and experience to that famous squadron.

Pisarek had volunteered to join the Polish Air Force in 1935, transferring from the infantry. After training and various postings, in 1937 he transferred to 141 Eskadra Myśliwska, which was attached to the Polish Pomorze (Pomeranian) Army in northern Poland in the September 1939 campaign.

From 3 September 1939, Pisarek commanded 141 Eskadra. On 18 September, following the Soviet invasion of Poland and on orders from Polish Air Force HQ, he crossed the Romanian border with his unit, and found his way to France via Yugoslavia and Italy. In 1940, while in France, he was posted to the fighter section of Captain Tadeusz Rolski. Escaping to the U.K. after France surrendered in June 1940, Pisarek joined the group of Major Krasnodębski.

Pisarek arrived in Britain on 23 June 1940 and was posted to 303 Squadron on 21 August 1940.

On 7 September 1940 Pisarek was shot down and bailed out safely, but his airplane crashed behind a house in Loughton, Essex, England, killing three civilians.

From 29 September until 11 November 1940 he was the Polish commander of ‘B’ Flight in 303 Squadron.

Pisarek transferred to 315 Squadron, then being formed at Acklington, Northumberland, on 21 January 1941. Two months later, on 30 March 1941, he was posted to 308 Squadron as ‘A’ Flight commander, and from 23 June until 10 December 1941, Pisarek commanded 308 Squadron.

On 24 July 1941 his Spitfire was seriously damaged over France when his wingman collided with him, but he managed to bring it back to base.

In December 1941 Pisarek was posted to HQ No. 11 Fighter Group as the Polish Liaison Officer.

On 17 April 1942 he assumed command of the 1st Polish Fighter Wing at Northolt, West London. Pisarek was shot down and killed on 29 April 1942 when leading his wing over France.

Pisarek was awarded the Golden Cross of the Virtuti Militari (posthumously), the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari, the Cross of Valour and three bars, and the British DFC.

A street in Warsaw was named after him in 1979, as was a primary school at Radzymin in 1991. His biography by Krzysztof Kubala was published in Polish in 2005 under the title Start w nieskończoność (Take-off Into Eternity).

Pisarek is credited with 11 destroyed, 2 shared destroyed, 1 probable destroyed, and 2 damaged.

Excerpted from Appendix 4 of “303 Squadron: The Legendary Battle of Britain Fighter Squadron,” by Arkady Fiedler.

Going into Public Domain – January 1, 2024

As publishers, we and our authors have a deep interest in copyright law. The Founding Fathers recognized the importance of copyright in the U.S. Constitution—the powers given to Congress in Article I, Section 8 include: “To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.”

Thus, the Founding Fathers struck a balance between rewarding creators, on the one hand, and benefiting the greater society, on the other hand, by giving creators the exclusive right to exploit their creation, but only for a limited time—after which their inventions, writings or other creations would become available to others to use and reuse however they would like.

Without assurance that we have the exclusive right to exploit the works we publish for a period of time, we would not undertake to invest the time, energy and money required to produce first-rate books and other materials.

Under current U.S. law, the term of copyright for a particular work depends on several factors, including whether it has been published, and, if so, the date of first publication. As a general rule, for works created after January 1, 1978, copyright protection lasts for the life of the author plus an additional 70 years. For an anonymous work, a pseudonymous work, or a work made for hire, the copyright endures for a term of 95 years from the year of its first publication or a term of 120 years from the year of its creation, whichever expires first. For works first published prior to 1978, the term will vary depending on several factors. More info from the US Copyright Office.

Every year on January 1, a new batch of copyrighted works and intellectual property enters the public domain. Yesterday, January 1, 2024, works published in 1928 (and earlier) became available for public use.

The many works that entered the public domain yesterday include the first versions of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, featured in the 1928 Disney short Steamboat Willie; A. A. Milne’s House at Pooh Corner, which introduced the springy-tailed Tigger to the Hundred Acre Wood; and J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan; or the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up. See all works that entered the public domain in 2024 here.

Mickey and Minnie Mouse, being among the foundational characters upon which the Walt Disney Company was built, may be of particular interest. This article reviews what the public can and cannot do with these characters, now that their first appearance has entered the public domain.

Happy New Year 2024!

We wish all our readers and friends

a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2024!!

Best wishes,

Aquila Polonica Publishing

Reflections on the Book Biz

Book lovers might be interested in this look back at the publishing business from Publishers Weekly‘s editorial director Jim Milliot, who is retiring at the end of this year. Publishers Weekly is the principal publication for the publishing and bookselling business. In reflecting on his 44 years in the publishing and book business, Jim focuses on technology and consolidation as the two developments that have had the most impact on the business.

Ever since I joined PW in April 1993, my objective has been to write and publish articles that would help everyone in the publishing industry succeed. Leveling the playing field by providing information to help smaller companies and startups compete with entrenched players has been a guiding principle….

Technology has transformed publishing in every conceivable way, from how books are acquired to how they are printed, marketed, discovered, and sold….the industry has weathered the digital revolution better than most media businesses. E-books now augment print books, rather than replacing them as had once been widely prophesied. The sales surge for downloadable audiobooks seems likely to continue, especially since the newest tech trend, AI, will allow many more stories to be converted to audio editions using synthetic narration. And online retailing has made books easier to purchase than ever….

The second ongoing trend is consolidation. I had a front-row seat to watch an industry once characterized by hundreds of independent presses, many family owned, give way to the rise of corporate publishing. So, too, bookselling was transformed from those thousands of indie booksellers I found in the ABTD [American Book Trade Directory] to a retail space that was dominated by the bookstore chains….

It was also during the 1990s, of course, that Amazon was born. There is no doubt that Amazon has had the biggest impact, for good and bad, on publishing and bookselling over the course of my career….

Though, if I have learned anything since 1979, it is that publishing is full of committed people who truly care about what they are doing and believe in the power of books….

Read the entire article online here, or in pdf.

Gdansk – Christmas 2023

From Arwin Tours: This is a walking tour in Gdansk, Poland at the Christmas Market. Last year it took second place for European Best Christmas Market. We were also there for the lighting of the Christmas Tree near Neptune’s Fountain. Gdansk is a beautiful city that is along the coast, part of the tri-cities with Sopot and Gdynia. It’s a place to visit at anytime of the year.

Krakow – Christmas 2023

This is a walking tour of Old Town Krakow in December 2023. In the middle of the main Market Square (Rynek Główny) sits a large, decorated Christmas tree. Market Square is dominated by the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) and St. Mary’s Basilica, and hosts one of the most popular Christmas Markets in Poland.

Warsaw – Christmas 2023

Warsaw is ablaze with lights for the Christmas 2023 season. Take this video walking tour from Arwin Tours, to get an idea of how lovely the capital of Poland looks this year, all decked out in winter fineness for the holiday!

The tour starts along the elegant shopping street Nowy Świat, proceeds north as that street becomes Krakowskie Przedmieście, past two of the oldest and finest Warsaw hotels, the Bristol on the right and the Europjeski on the left. We move on past the Presidential Palace to Royal Castle Square, the Christmas Market and into Old Town, ending with the dazzling Lumagica Light Garden, located in the Botanical Gardens of the University of Warsaw at Aleje Ujazdowskie and Agrykola.

From Arwin Tours: This is a walking tour in Warsaw, Poland at the Christmas Market and the Old Town. Warsaw is Poland’s largest city and its capital. Old Town Warsaw, or Stare Miasto, is the historic core of the Polish capital, Warsaw. Dating back to the 13th century, this UNESCO World Heritage Site boasts a meticulously reconstructed ensemble of colorful Baroque and Renaissance architecture, complete with cobblestone streets and lively squares. Despite severe damage during World War II, the Old Town has been faithfully restored, featuring iconic landmarks such as the Royal Castle, St. John’s Cathedral, and Sigismund’s Column. The Market Square, with its pastel-colored townhouses and the symbolic Warsaw Mermaid statue, serves as a focal point for visitors exploring the area. The Old Town’s resilience, cultural richness, and architectural charm make it a captivating destination, offering a vibrant blend of history and contemporary life in the heart of Warsaw. We will also go to the Lumagica Light Garden at the end.

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:08 Tour starts
21:45 Royal Castle Square
25:30 Christmas Market
38:09 Old Town
48:14 Lumagica Light Garden

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all our readers and friends!!

May Santa bring you your heart’s desire this year, and always.

With best wishes, Aquila Polonica Publishing

Opłatek — A Christmas Tradition

Not being Polish myself, I was not familiar with the beautiful Polish Christmas-Eve tradition of sharing a thin unleavened wafer, approximately 3″ x 6″ in size, called opłatek (pronounced: o-PWAH-tek). The plural is opłatki (pronounced: o-PWAHT-kee).The opłatki are stamped with Christmas scenes. I was charmed when some Polish friends introduced me to this tradition.

Christmas Eve is called Wigilia in Polish (pronounced: vee-GI-lya, with a hard ‘g’ as in “go” and a short ‘i’ as in “it”). Two of our authors, Rulka Langer and Julian Kulski, describe the traditions of Wigilia in their “Christmas Under German Occupation” blog posts.

When the first evening star appears in the sky, the family (or other group who has come together for Christmas Eve) gathers around the dining room table. After grace is said, the opłatek is shared.

Traditionally, the male head of the household first shares with his wife, expressing his love and good wishes for her. She breaks off a small piece and eats it, and offers it to her husband, in turn expressing her love and good wishes for him. He breaks off a small piece and eats it, and then offers it in turn to the next oldest person at the table with his love and good wishes—and so on to each person around the table according to age, breaking additional wafers as needed.

In many families, however, each member receives their own opłatek, and shares it with each other member of the family, again expressing love and good wishes for the recipient.

Even the family pets can share in this lovely ritual, in remembrance of the animals present in the manger to witness Christ’s birth. Humans share white opłatki, while colored opłatki (frequently pink) are reserved for family pets and other animals.