Further information -- including free registration information -- may be found by clicking here.
Here's the schedule:
It All Began in Poland
World War II Commemoration
The Polish Mission of the Orchard Lake Schools
SS. Cyril & Methodius Seminary
& Michigan Polonia, LLC
3535 Indian Trail
Orchard Lake, Michigan
248-683-0412
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
6:00 PM Sunset Wypominki & Candle Service at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes
Mass follows in the Shrine Chapel
September 5 - 6, 2009
We are honored to have Mr. Zygmunt Matynia, Consul General of the Republic of Poland (Chicago) with us for the events on Saturday and Sunday.
Throughout the weekend there will be ongoing activities including:
Batilion Burza a living history re-enactment group of Polish & American military men and women.
Assembling a Time Capsule - Collection of WWII and commemoration materials to be opened in 2039, the Time Capsule will be registered with the Smithsonian Institute.
Personalization of Pewabic Memorial Tiles with signatures of Polish Veterans and Displaced Persons, and Księga Pamiątkowa - Guest Book Signing
Saturday, September 5, 2009
10:00 - 11:30
Reunion with Sybiracy - Polish Refugees
Antoni Walawender MA, speaks of his personal experience as a “Chlopcy z Polski”
Photo history of the Sybiracy experience including Siberia, Iran, India, South Africa, and Mexico and the launch of the oral history website
Selected Interviews with Survivors of German work camps
Poet John Guzlowski PhD, reads his poetry and explains the symbolism
11:30 - 12:15 Lunch
12:15 - 2:15
Opening of the Art Exhibition
Peggy Grant, BFA presents the History and Symbolism of Artist Adam Grochowski
Cecile Wendt Jensen, MA presents the History and Symbolism of Artist Jan Komski
Polish Photographer Marcin Chumiecki speaks about his Assignment Auschwitz Portfolio
2:15 - 2:30 Break
2:30 - 3:30
Guy Stern PhD, Director of the Holocaust Museum and Director of the International Institute of Righteous, pays tribute to the Polish Catholics who risked their lives to save Jews during World War II and Sue Krolikowski PhD pays tribute to the Polish Catholic nuns who sheltered Jewish children.
3:30 – 3:45 Break
3:45 – 4:45
Poet John Guzlowski PhD discusses his work Lightening and Ashes and Third Winter of War: Buchenwald
7:00
Polish Evening Concert in the Shrine Chapel with Curtis Posuniak, organist at St. Patrick Church in Carleton, Michigan.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
1:00 - 2:00
Mass at the Shrine Chapel to honor the Polish Army Veterans and Camp Survivors
Poet John Guzlowski addresses veterans
2:00 – 3:00
The Filarets Chorus, led by David Troiano, presents a repertory of patriotic and military songs for the Veterans
3:00 - 3:15
Group Photo of Veterans
3:15 - 4:15
William Krul, President, Polish Genealogical Society of Michigan, outlines the required governmental steps he took to obtain the proper military recognition for his father William Krul, Sr. who died in combat during WWII.
4:15 – 4:30 Break
4:30 – 5:30
Hands on training to retrieve U.S. military, refugee, and naturalization documents via the ancestry.com database and documents via the Kresy-Siberia website.
Adam Cardinal Maida Library.
This project is funded in part by Michigan Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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To see posters and a youtube regarding the commemoration, please click here.
I have also posted a blog about Sept. 1 with some films of the invasion and memories of my father's stories about it. Click here.
