WWII History Alive in Rockford, Illinios

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29 September 2010

Polish Mission Staff Sups With Soldiers at Premier Living History Event

Wow! On Sunday, September 26th, Polish Mission staff had the exciting opportunity to visit a HUGE WWII reenactment in Rockford Illinois! Seeing the over one thousand (!) reenactors, you can understand why the event organizers claimed the distinction of the biggest WWII reenactment in the country. Check the photos!

Midway Village is usually a quiet living history museum, nestled amidst peaceful woods and nice open areas that contrast with downtown Rockford’s big businesses. On a normal day you might expect to watch a blacksmith make a hinge or door handle, or maybe hear about the Victorian Hotel or General Store along the lovely reconstructed old village, similar the our local gem, Greenfield Village. But this was no normal day. The nice trails through the woods became tank paths, the buildings were converted into makeshift barracks, and every corner of the village bristled with allied and axis reenactors and equipment. Horses of the Wehrmacht cavalry filled the streets of the village while the Sherman tank roared in the nearby open field to re-create an assault against German infantry and artillery. And talk about loud—with over a dozen antique armored vehicles and artillery pieces booming away with a regular chorus of small arms fire, your ringing ears and accompanying startle give an intense and exciting experience!

The community of reenactors was very diverse. As you made your way through the woods, you found soldiers from every theater of WWII, and from nearly every nation. British, Japanese, Italian, Soviet, Polish, German, and American soldier-reenactors were everywhere, all of them excited to share their knowledge with the public. After the day was done and the village was closed, Saturday saw a fast night of swing dancing in Midway Village’s new hall. Too fun!

Living history is one of the best tools to inspire people to learn more about the past, and the Polish Mission supports those organizations that raise awareness about the past and spark interest in the study of history. If you’re in Rockford around this time next year, make sure to look up Midway Village and make their WWII reenactment a stop on your trip.

 

Random News

Lech Walesa Award Ceremony in Gdansk

Gdansk is a beautiful place. Being there in person is necessary to truly appreciate the historical significance of what happened there only a short time ago in modern history. That city witnessed the very first crumbling of an oppressive empire known hurtfully well by Poles. I was personally invited to attend the exclusive Lech Wałęsa Award Ceremony alongside a most prestigious lineup of of Polish State officials that included Prime Minister Donald Tusk, past Prime Minister Krzysztof Bielecki, Presidential Chief of Staff Jacek Michalowski, and Undersecretary of State Beata Stelmach. The event also was attended by Poland's most prominent philanthropists, like Jan Kulczyk and Roman Rewald. President Wałęsa established the award only four years ago, with the purpose of verifying the world’s commitment to building joint cooperation between nations dedicated to peace and freedom. This year’s award was given to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil for his continued efforts at local and international reform and advancement. I am overjoyed to report that The Polish Mission was represented at the ceremony! Along with Mike Smith of Wayne State University, we were formal guests of not only the award ceremony, but the President’s gala birthday party as well. To represent American Polonia in such a way is an honor and a privilege that I am enormously thankful to have. President Walesa is keenly interested in the role that Polish-Americans have in shaping the future, especially after having visited our campus in Orchard Lake just last year. I was proud to report to him that our community is vibrant, dedicated and strong, and he was grateful for knowing that the principles he and his foundation stand for, are still part of the fabric of Polish-American culture.

This event marks a special highlight not only for the Polish Mission, but for Polish-Americans on the whole, as we welcome a bright future of excellence. I will continue to provide immediate reports of our cooperation with the Lech Walesa Institute. Please check out my photos, and I ask that all join me in wishing President Wałęsa a very happy Birthday, and many more years of service to building a peaceful world.  For more information on the Lech Walesa Institute, please visit www.walesa.org

Sincerely,

Marcin Chumiecki