Polish Heritage Month

October is Polish-American Heritage month! Polish Heritage Month was first founded back in 1981 in order to celebrate Polish history, culture and pride, and we’re excited to mark the celebrations this year with our wide selection of new and classic Polish interest titles. We’ve always had a strong Polish-interest publishing program here at Hippocrene, stemming from the background and history of our founder, George Blagowidow. Mr. Blagowidow is a native Pole who came to America after the war, and has always maintained strong ties with Polish language and culture – in fact, the very first cookbook in our catalog was The Polish Country Kitchen Cookbook! There’s sure to be something for everyone to enjoy with these books out this fall.

The Polish Country Kitchen Cookbook by beloved Polish-American author Sophie Hodorowicz Knab is now updated and available in paperback! Arranged according to the cycle of seasons, this popular cookbook includes more than 100 delicious, traditional recipes, and is peppered with pearls of practical wisdom as well as charming illustrations by Elliott Hutten.

Adam Zamoyski’s Poland: A History expands on his previous work The Polish Way, and traces Poland’s complex development from the Middle Ages to present day, examining the country’s political, economic, and military struggles, as well as its culture throughout the ages. The events of the last twenty years and the growth of the independent Polish state have allowed Zamoyski to look at Poland’s past with a fresh eye, bringing the major events and characters in its history to life. 

Forgotten Holocaust, a classic of World War II literature by, has also been revised and updated. The third edition includes a new preface by author Richard C. Lukas, and foreword by Norman Davies, as well as a short history of ZEGOTA, the underground government organization working to save the Jews. It also features an annotated listing of the many Poles executed by the Germans for trying to shelter Jews during the War.

Lastly, we have Wanda Półtawska’s And I Am Afraid of My Dreams. In February 1941, Wanda was arrested by the Gestapo in Nazi-occupied Poland. She was nineteen years old. Charged with aiding and abetting the resistance movement, she was sent to the notorious Ravensbrück concentration camp. Her powerful memoir is an enduring testament to the courage of the human spirit. 

These Polish Titles are also available:

Language

Polish-English/English-Polish Phrasebook

American Phrasebook for Poles

Beginner’s Polish

Mastering Polish with 2 Audio CDs

Polish-English/English-Polish Dictionary (American Englishedition)

Polish-English/English Polish Concise Dictionary

Polish-English/English-Polish Practical Dictionary

Polish-English Unabridged Dictionary

A Treasury of Polish Aphorisms

Cooking

The Best of Polish Cooking

Polish Heritage Cookery

Polish Holiday Cookery and Customs

Old Polish Traditions

History

Did the Children Cry?: Hitler’s War Against Jewish and Polish Children, 
1939-1945

Fighting Warsaw:The Story of the Polish Underground State, 1939-1945

Poland: An Illustrated History (Color Edition)

General

Pan Tadeusz (Bilingual)

Polish Customs, Traditions and Folklore

Quo Vadis

Treasury of Love Poems by Adam Mickiewicz

Treasury of Polish Love Poems, Quotations and Proverbs

All these titles are available in bookstores, as well as online through our website, Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. We hope you celebrate your Polish heritage with others, and maybe with some bigos and a pierogi or two!

Lublin: Historic Gem of East Poland

We’re excited to have a travel-related post today from one of our new interns, Robert:

Dzień dobry! Witam serdecznie w Polsce! (Good day! I warmly welcome you to Poland!) Today I invite you to come with me on a day’s journey through one of Poland’s oldest and historical cities: Lublin. The earliest historical records place Lublin on the map as early as the 8^th century. It is located in the southeastern region of Poland, and is the largest city in eastern Poland. It was used as a major military and trading center from the 10^th to the 12^th centuries.

Lublin's Cracow Gate 

Co można tam zobaczyć? (What can you see there?) Lublin is filled with museums (muzea), castles (zamki), restaurants (restauracje) and history. If you are looking to get away and visit a place that offers a rich cultural history, as well as a folksy hometown feel, then Lublin is the perfect destination. The town offers a culturally unique ambiance and an active art, music and nightclub scene due its large student population. Cracow Gate surrounding the majestic Old Town (Stary Miasto) is a well known symbol of the city’s storied past. It was used as a fortification system in the 14^th century and now serves as the main passage way between the Old Town and newer city. 

The Royal Castle of Lublin, now home to a museum.

Old Town is dotted with outside bars beckoning travelers to rest from walking and sightseeing and to enjoy a drink of fresh country raspberry, apple or blueberry juice and delicious Polish beers. The Royal Castle (Zamek Królewski) is also a must-see if you visit. The castle is the landmark of Lublin, founded and fortified roughly around the 8th century. The castle, along with the bridge connecting it to the Old Town and the parks around it are known as Castle Hill. The Castle has an art museum in its basement surrounded by what used to be a medieval prison and torture chamber. Visitors can visit the castle and wonder at the preserved living conditions from the 8th century.

Visitors can enjoy the quiet countryside just outside the city.

My memories of Lublin are filled with majestic sights. I especially loved walking the warm summer nights filled with people talking and laughing and street musicians lighting up the air with folk music throughout the Old Town. Sitting down for a drink at the rynek (marketplace) and listening to the music and bustling city enveloping you is the best way to become a local. Stopping by Złoty Osioł (Golden Donkey) restaurant is a must for any traveler wishing to try authentic Polish cuisine in a warm and inviting old stone enclave. The restaurant is located on the cobblestone path between the Zamek Królewski (Royal Castle) and the heart of Old Town. Eating the native Polish cuisine is an experience in itself! After a day of sightseeing, nothing is better than to sit down to tender chicken or beef cutlets (kotlet schabowy) smothered in onion and garlic gravy.


Side dishes usually include bright and refreshing cabbage salads mixed with carrots, beets, pickles, cucumbers, radishes, and, of course, potato pancakes. Travelers can also sample hearty sour cream and onion salads, a variety of soups including rich and luxurious goulash, reviving deep red borsch, and warm pierogi filled with everything from fruit to cheese and mushrooms. Bigos is another popular local and national dish, a stew of sausage, cabbage, tomatoes, pepper and carrots that mix together in a satisfying, spicy blend. And of course, all of this must be enjoyed with the best Polish beers: Tyskie, Warka, Żywiec, Okocim, and the delicious beer made in Lublin, Perła!

Here are some phrases to help you get started:

How do I get to …?
Jak dostać się do...


     Cracow Gate
     Brama Krakowska



     The Royal Castle
     Zamek Krulewski



     The Golden Donkey
     Zloty Osiol



     Old Town                              
     Stary Miasto


Is the museum / gallery free?
Czy muzeum / galeria darmo?


How much are tickets?
Ile kosztują bilety?

I’d like to order …

Chcialbym zamowic ...

     Beef Cutlet

     Kotlet schabowy

     Pierogi (dumplings)

     Pierogi

     Bigos (sausage and vegetable stew)
     Bigos


     Borscht (beet soup)
     Borscht 


     Goulash (spicy beef stew)
     Goulash 

What beer do you recommend?

Jakie piwo polecacie?

Learn more about Hippocrene’s Polish Dictionary and Phrasebook!

It’s also available at your local bookstore, and online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.