The Polish National Anthem is a song of hope. It was written by\u00a0\u00a0J\u00f3zef Rufin Wybicki in Italy in 1797. It was written to help general Jan Henryk D\u0105browski organize Polish Legions (Polish units serving in Napoleon\u2019s army). He wrote it to celebrate the departure of these Polish\u00a0legionaries from Reggio Italy, and this is where it was sung for the first time. By 1797, the tragic partitioning of Poland by it’s greedy and more powerful neighbors had already begun. In hopes of getting help to stand against these actions, some of the Polish Army joined up with Napoleon’s army. They\u00a0fought in French campaigns outside of Poland, hoping that their involvement and contribution result in liberation of their Polish homeland. Of course, France did not succeed. But, the song caught on like wildfire and became a rallying point for polish nationalistic feelings.<\/p>\n
The Polish National Anthem <\/a>is formally known as D\u0105browski’s Mazurka<\/em>, but is\u00a0more commonly know by its first line,\u00a0\u00a0Jeszcze Polska nie zgin\u0119\u0142a,<\/em> or Poland is not yet lost<\/em>.\u00a0You can hear it and learn more about it here<\/a>.In musical form, it is a mazurka, one of the folk musics of Poland, though the exact origins of this melody are unknown. You can get a good sense of the\u00a0nationalistic fervor that this anthem entails if you take a look at the lyrics:<\/p>\n Poland has not perished yet Cross the Vistula and Warta Like Czarniecki to Pozna\u0144 Father, in tears Yes, it is tryly a song of great fervor and emotion, and I was a firsthand witness to that when I was in Poland. I was at Westerplatte<\/a> on September 1st, 2010, at 04:48 AM, the exact moment 71 years earlier when World War II began (the story of this battle <\/a>itself is quite moving and a story of great heroism and national determination). There was a moving ceremony there, but one of the most amazing things I experienced was this: The orchestra started playing the Polish National Anthem. Suddenly, hats were whisked off of head, to a person, and heads bowed, hands over hearts. And then the crowd gathered there began to sing. All of them. And I mean everyone. Young people, kids, teenagers, adults, old people, dignitaries–everyone. I’ve been to many an event in the US where our national anthem is played and young (and not so young) people just kind of move around in stupid apathy, hats on head, hands in pockets, looking around, waiting for the moment to pass. That was not my experience in Poland. Poland is a nation, it seems to me, where all are proud of their heritage and glad for their freedom, but respect freedom’s fragility. In the past 200+ years, Poland has lost and regained its independence a number of times. We can learn a lot from Poland. No matter what, the people of Poland had hope and confidence in the preservation of their national identity, and they have succeeded.<\/p>\n Poland and her history should be a lesson to all of us in the US who sometimes think that we’re so great, number one, a super power. That thinking and complacence got Poland into trouble hundreds of years ago, but the belief, patriotism, and hope of her people never wavered, never perished. Once again Poland is a great nation. We can learn lessons from her.<\/p>\n So, the Polish National Anthem is a song of inspiration, of determinance, of hope, of nationalism, and of confidence. It brings a tear to my eyes every time I hear it–and that means any time a family member calls my cell phone, because\u00a0Jeszcze Polska nie zgin\u0119\u0142a<\/em> is the ring tone I use for all my family members, and only for them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Polish National Anthem is a song of hope. It was written by\u00a0\u00a0J\u00f3zef Rufin Wybicki in Italy in 1797. It was written to help general Jan Henryk D\u0105browski organize Polish Legions (Polish units serving in Napoleon\u2019s army). He wrote it … Continue reading
\nSo long as we still live
\nThat which alien force has seized
\nWe at sabrepoint shall retrieve<\/p>\n\n
\nFrom Italy to Poland
\nUnder thy command
\nLet us now rejoin the nation <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n
\nAnd Poles we shall be
\nWe’ve been shown by Bonaparte
\nWays to victory<\/p>\n\n
\nAfter Swedish occupation,
\nTo rescue our homeland
\nWe shall return by sea<\/p>\n\n
\nSays to his Basia
\nJust listen, it seems that our people
\nAre beating the drums<\/p>\n<\/dl>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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