On Sunday, March 9, the Polish American Congress-Michigan Division (PAC-MI) celebrated its 80th anniversary at the American Polish Cultural Center in Troy.
The PAC-MI was founded on November 12,1944 at the West Side Dom Polski located at 3426 Junction Street in Detroit. This historic building still stands and since 2007 is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Approximately 180 members, sympathizers and friends of PAC-MI attended the festive banquet. They gathered to show their respect, gratefulness and support for the organization which fought successfully against discrimination against Poles, for the truth about the Katyń massacre, which helped the Poles in Poland during the difficult time of communism, supported the “Solidarity” movement, and was instrumental in lobbying for Poland’s acceptance into NATO in 1999, to name just a few major achievements.
These are glorious and commendable accomplishments indeed.
The event was emceed by George Kurzatkowski, Treasurer, and Jolanta Hałaczkiewicz, President of the PAC-MI Division. Before the official champagne toast and dinner, the guests were treated to a recital of Polish patriotic songs performed by the baritone Wojciech Bonarowski, with piano accompaniment by Pablo Zinger.
Mr. Bonarowski introduced the songs, providing some historical background information. Among the songs, “Znasz li ten kraj” (text by Adam Mickiewicz, music by Stanisław Moniuszko), an aria from the opera „Straszny dwór” (“Haunted Manor”), by the same composer, “Marsz Sybiraków”, which is a contemporary anthem of the people who were exiled to Siberia (and their families), “Czerwone maki na Monte Cassino” (text by Feliks Konarski, music by Alfred Schütz) and “Uwierz Polsko” (lyrics and music by Monika Brewczak), a popular song, also performed by students of our local Polish language school in Sterling Heights.
Very special and appropriate for the occasion was the premiere of the “Polish American Congress anthem” known as “Polonez Polonii”. The text and the music sheet of this fascinating piece were discovered by the officers of the PAC-MI in the Orchard Schools archives only about a month ago. The song, written by Feliks Konarski, who might have composed the music as well, calls for unity and accord among Polish Americans, and sees in the PAC a symbol of this unity, which could bring a better tomorrow and a better world.
This message is possibly as relevant now as it was decades ago. However, bringing unity to Polonia, which, like American society at large, is very politically polarized, is not an easy task. Nevertheless, for the PAC- MI Division to represent all Polish Americans in Michigan, the organization needs to build bridges, foster dialog, and articulate goals around which Polish Americans will unite.
Present at the banquet were the representatives from most of the Polish American organizations, as well as the Canadian Polish Congress. The organizers were also able to attract some youth to the celebration, among them, a large group of scouts, a table-full of students from the Adam Mickiewicz School of Polish Language, as well as a few WSU Polish language students, with their instructor, Aneta Luzinski.
The interesting program continued after the dinner with speakers who reminisced on the past of the organization. Below are just some highlights from their speeches.
The first of them was Paul Odrobina, who was PAC-MI president for 22 years (the longest presidency in the history of the PAC-MI). Mr. Odrobina mentioned the incredibly successful efforts by which the PAC was able (with the help of other organizations) to collect food and medical supplies worth one million dollars and send them to Poland during the difficult time of communism.
The next speaker was Mariusz Szajnert, the PAC -MI president from 2007 to 2015, who in his succinct and moving speech mentioned some inspirational people very important for the organization, such as Mary Ellen Tyszka, Helena Żmurkiewicz, Kazimierz Olejarczyk and his wife, Bronisława (the “mother” of the PAC- MI Division), Henrietta Nowakowska (who was present at the banquet), Don Horkey and Sonia Raczkowska, who Szajnert characterized as an amazing and exceptional person (Sonia’s son “Rocky” was present at the banquet as well.)
Mr. Szajnert was followed by Ania Bankowska, a daughter of Kazimierz Olejarczyk, who in her speech, delivered in Polish and English, talked about the PAC’s rich legacy and stressed its goals such as commitment to continuous work for a better Polonia and Poland. Ms. Bankowska also encouraged the youth present to be proud of their Polish heritage.
The audience was also addressed by John Swidwinski of the American Polish Credit Union, Richard Walawender, the Honorary Consul of Poland in Detroit, Mr. Jerzy Barycki from the Canadian Polish Congress, soon to be an Honorary Consul of Poland, and Marian Rogowski from the Polonia Club of Wyandotte.
In his remarks Mister Walawender remined the audience of how very well-organized the Polish ethnic group has been, and how the PAC, as the voice of Polonia, played a key role in Poland being accepted into NATO. This Mr. Walawender considers the PAC’s biggest achievement.
In her talk Ania Bankowska quoted the famous Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz, who around 1904, erroneously predicted that Polonia would soon disappear.
She ended her speech with an enthusiastic “Long live Poland!”, Long live the United States!”, and “Long live the Polish American Congress!”
We are joining Ms. Bankowska in these sentiments and congratulate the Polish American Congress – Michigan Division on their many accomplishments and wish this distinguished organization many more years in service to the entire Polonia.
