Thanks to Pawel Julian Komorowski  for producing this film inspired by the Anglo Polish Society Official Book Launch which took place in the presence of The Lord Mayor of Bristol Councillor Faruk Choudhury, on 28 January 2014. Song “Army” by Katy Carr. Filmed and edited by Pawel Julian Komorowski  with the Chairman Chris Ottewell, Christina Zaba , Katy Carr and others.

It was like a day of my dreams!  I saw all these people including the Lord Mayor of Bristol, all the Councillors.  I was speechless, I didn’t know what to say or think it was just wonderful! It was really nice meeting all these people which I never saw before, I will never forget that when I walked past the Lord Mayor (who was standing next to the door) he said “dzień dobry” to me.  I was never that happy before!  It was just an honor for me to meet him. Although it wasn`t my first time.       … Read more   

The great and mostly beneficial influence of the Polish Community on Bristolian life and culture is undeniable and well recorded, not least by the APS.  However I was surprised and delighted to find out that this influence has now extended as far as the official Bristle Dictionary compiled by the unlikely duo of Harry Stoke and Vinney Green.  Having already sold over 50,000 copies of previous editions, the new fourth edition was published on 4th July with 50 new words included. One of them, very much a surprise new entry is “Polski Sklep” – defined as a “local shop selling … Read more   

Compared to tracing any British ancestry you may have, tracing Polish roots can be difficult, as many records were destroyed in the war. So begin by researching Poland’s history, as surviving record locations may have changed over time.  Then find out as much as you can from your relatives, which is always a good starting point. The following resources may help you in your search.  Items preceded with ►are links that will take you to an external site.  Anglo Polish Society are not responsible for the content of external sites. ► Ancestry Search in Poland – A.A.Watta & Co. Professional … Read more   

Following the end of WWII, and the majority of Polish soldiers, sailors, airmen and women in the armed forces who had fought alongside the western allies were unable to return to a Soviet dominated Poland.  The British government allowed them to stay in Great Britain.  A Polish Resettlement Corps was raised in 1946 as a corps of the British Army into which Poles were enlisted for the period of their demobilization up to 1948. Disused army and air force camps were utilised as temporary accommodation for the Polish Troops.  Later they were joined by their families who were scattered in … Read more   

For those of you who were unable to get out to Poles Aloud, here is a brief sample of Katy Carr’s lovely performance.

Well in 2014 or 2015 perhaps! We all know his story, but Hollywood has apparently only just discovered it. As you all know, Wojtek was adopted by soldiers of the 22nd Artillery Supply Company of the Polish II Corps in 1942 and helped move ammunition during the Battle of Monte Cassino. Now Brendan Foley, a writer and director from Belfast, has bought the film rights for “Wojtek the Bear”. He plans to bring his story to the big screen with Ned Dowd, who worked as the producer on Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto. Mr Foley said: “It is an amazing story- a … Read more   

Kazimierz Piechowski was 21 when in 1940 he was imprisoned in Auschwitz, the notorious Nazi death camp. He was 23 when he carried out its most famous escape. Against extraordinary odds, he and three others broke into the SS uniform store. They dressed up as SS officers, stole the camp commander’s car, and drove away. All the guards let them through. They were never recaptured. Over a million people were murdered by gassing in Auschwitz. Thousands more were killed by starvation, torture, shooting, hanging, beating, disease and brutality. No-one was meant to survive longer than three months. Kazik managed two … Read more   

When the war broke out in 1939 my dad was only 16.  In 1944 when the Warsaw uprising began he was barely 20. My Mum was born in 1927.  At the outbreak of war she was 12 and when the Warsaw uprising began she was not quite 17. My Dad had been a member of the Polish underground army from the start of the war, my mother, as soon as she was able, also signed up.  My Dad held no rank but was an ordinary fighting lad and my Mum worked as a nurse. .Before the uprising she had attended … Read more