Poland and Persia have more in common than meets the eye. This Blog is In tribute to the late President Lech Kaczynski, his wife and the 95 innocent victims of the tragic aircrash on the Anniversary of the Katyn Massacre commemoration.
See BBC Report
I have always had a vibrant attachment to Poland although I never lived or visited this country. Whether it is happy events or sad events that concern it never leaves me indifferent. I even recall how the Military Communist Coup in Poland on the 13th of December 1981 ruined my Birthday spirit the following day (my birthday is on the 14th). Maybe it is because my maternal Grandfather Joseph Cybulski who although a Lithuanian migrated with my grandmother Julia (Czerniawska) to Poland in the 1920’s before coming to France. My Grandpa served in the Polish Cavarly prior and during WWII before being captured by the Nazi’s in 1941 and spending the rest of the War in a POW Camp. My grandpa always spoke of Poland with pride ( even more than his Lithuanian wife – my maternal Grandma) and was proud to have served in the Polish Cavalry whose origines go back to the Napoleonic Wars.
But beyond this personal family anecdote I have discovered over the years that Poland also had many common points with my father’s country Iran and my Persian Heritage.
Here are a few interesting coincidences:
1) Cornel Wilde was to play Persian Poet and Patriot Omar Khayyam in The Life, Loves and Adventures of Omar Khayyam as well as Polish Musician and Patriot Chopin ( composer of the Polonaise) in a Song to Remember.
2) The Green Movement has often been compared to an Iranian Solidarnosc as Poland’s Solidarnosc movement for democracy and an end to communism.
3) Both Shirin Ebadi and Shahbanou Farah have met and admire Solidarnosc Iconic Leader Lech Walesa. Maybe one day both of these Eminent Persian Ladies will find the courage to also shake hands for a change without avoiding one another … ;0)
Iran’s Farah Pahlavi and Poland’s Lech Walesa
Iran’s Shirine Ebadi and Poland’s Lech Walesa
4) Although a Republic, Poland is proud of it’s Royal Heritage and has adopted the Polish Royal Flag as it’s Official Flag in the Post Communist Era.
5) Voytek the Iranian Bear Hero of Monte Casino and Polish Military Mascott by Ryszard Antolak
6) Andrej Wajda Katyn – Khosrow Sinai’s Lost Requiem: Polish director Andrej Wajda of the movie Katyn (in tribute to the massacre of 15 000 to 22 000 Polish Officers and political elite by the Soviets during WWII before the German Invasion of Poland. A Result of the shortlived Soviet Nazi Non Aggression Pact of 1941) made Iranian Filmmaker an honorary member of the Polish Cinemateque in tribute to his film Lost Requiem on the Tehran Children ( Polish Jews and Non Jews who fled Poland and Russia to seek refuge in Iran due to the Russian Pogroms, Nazi Holocaust and WWII) Isfahan – City of Polish Children . See more in this relation in Polish contributor Ryszard Antolak blogs/articles : Isfahan – City of Polish Children, Polish War Cemetery at Anzali, Khosrow Sinai’s “Lost Requiem” Trailer
7) The Story of King Kong strangely links Poland and Iran thanks to Merian C. Cooper who was an Officer in the Polish Airforce during WWI stationed in Poland where he first learned about the migration of Bakhtiary Tribes and which led him to make a documentary called Grass: Read From Zardeh Kuh to King Kong by Darius KADIVAR
A Song to Remember Starring Cornel Wilde and Merle Oberon:
How Chopin met Liszt in Paris from A Song to Remember
Chopin and Rival Franz Lintz performing in Paris:
Chopin and Lover George Sand in – A song to remember :
The Live Loves and Adventures of Omar Khayyam Starring Cornel Wilde and Debra Paget:
Khayyam in Presence of Persian Royalty:
Khayyam meets Hassan Sabah
Khayyam on Bebin TV in series “History for Dummies”:
Katyn by Andrej Wajda:
Googoosh Man Hamoon Iranam aka I am Iran in Tribute to Iran’s Post Election Violence and Green Movement:
Googoosh & Mehrdad Shenasname Man aka Give my Passport:
Iranian Solidarnosc in the making:
Polish National Anthem and Polish Royal Flag:
Polish National Anthem + English Subtitles:
The Elected Absolute Kings of Polish-Lithuanian Republic 1454-1795:
The Polish-Lithuanian democracy was unique in Europe ruled by absolute kings BUT ELECTED ( But by Noblemen Only). Full of tolerance and freedom, the country became a home of many nations, including Poles, Lithuanians, Ruthenians, Tatars, Armenians, Germans… Jews, who were persecuted in the rest of Europe, found here a sanctuary. There were no religious wars at all. This mighty kingdom had been succesfully defending christian Europe against Turks for a few centuries, although there were also many Muslims living peacefully in its territory.
Although all kings before 1573 were Jagiellons, they had to obtain a parliament allowance to become a king. Since 1573 every nobleman could become a king thanks to so called “free election”, where every nobleman could vote.
The noblemen of the republic were 10% of all population (as a matter of fact, in other European countries 3%) and all of them were equal.
The buildings and their insides are shown in the current shape and look similar to their appearance from the epoch.
Music: Krzesimir Dębski
Szarża Polskiej kawalerii/Charge of Polish cavalry:
Popioły” (Ashes) – Film Polski, Battle of Samosierra:
Sassanian Knight:
Merian C. Cooper’s King Kong 1933 trailer:
BBC Persian Report on Merian C. Cooper’s Grass:
