Upcoming Events


Upcoming, Saturday the 25th of March, the Polish American Museum and Center for Military Studies will host a special event at 1:00 pm.

It will serve to highlight the many physical changes to the museum in the last year, including the new art gallery where once stood a gift shop. Also, very exciting for us, is the official dedication of a new display featuring Captain Jerzy Z. F. Bereda (Bereday). He was one of only eleven to receive Poland’s highest award, the Virtuti Militari in the Polish Independent Parachute Brigade for the Arnhem/Driel Campaign. He has joined the ranks of other highly esteemed soldiers and airmen featured in the Center Annex.

Just as important as physical changes are those that spread our message beyond the walls of the museum. In this regard we will be recognizing several individuals who have excelled in spreading the museums message with a special award ceremony. The annual achievement award will be presented to an individual that has been instrumental in the military leadership responsible for safeguarding Eastern European NATO members in the face of Russian aggression and support for the Ukraine.

Messages that resonate beyond our walls are provided in two new books depicting the lives of two soldiers whose artifacts are exhibited at the museum. The author of one and editor of the other will give brief presentations on the soldiers. The opportunity to obtain signed copies of the books by both author and attending family members will be afforded to all guests.

People are the real walls of a museum not the masonry. With that preceding statement I am proud to invite you to meet the current Ambassador of the Polish Mission to the U.N. and his deputy who will be attending. Another truly distinguished invitee is LTG John Kolasheski, commander of V Corps. His command is responsible for the defense of NATO. The forward headquarters for this unit is stationed near Poznan Poland at Camp Kosciuszko and represents the first permanent U.S. troops stationed in Poland.

Just as important as our above distinguished invitees are you members of long standing and those new to our community. We have members that are coming to this event from Canada, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas already confirming. Whether you live within walking distance or hundreds of miles away, all with an interest in the Polish American experience and heroes of both nations are welcome. Light refreshments will be served.


December 12th, 2021

On December 12th, 2021, we will be hosting an event at the Museum starting at 1:00 pm.  The event will feature Mateusz Sakowicz the Deputy Ambassador for the Polish Mission to the UN with a presentation on some exciting field work by Polish personnel at home and abroad to recover historical vehicles even amidst the background of war in Afghanistan.

There will also be a presentation by Colonel Richard Jung on Kosciuszko at West Point. Colonel Jung, during his distinguished career, did two tours guiding cadet leadership at the Academy. The event will end with a preliminary presentation of two new exhibits and a presentation on Long Island long time resident, fighter ace and board member of CMS Colonel Gabby Gabreski by our director Gerald Kochan.

There will be light refreshments served and the opportunity to take a guided tour of the museum for new visitors. Those who haven’t been to the museum in a while will have the chance to see the many new exhibits and take a sneak peak at exhibits to be dedicated in March.


A New Addition to the Site – Staff Picks:

In view of the continued restrictions on the Center and Museum owing to COVID 19 regarding events, we are going to initiate a new series entitled “Staff Picks”, which will highlight items from our collections with the intent of bringing to you at home unusual and interesting items. Obviously, this can’t take the place of immersion in an event or a visit to the museum but we hope you will enjoy the selections as much as we did in making them!

Our first offering is a memory/history album compiled by the famous WW2 Polish Flyer Wing Commander Kazimierz Rutkowski. An amazing fighter pilot and ace, his pithy recollections of flying with the Poles, Brits and Americans and the political situation facing the Polish forces in the West is extremely candid. He prepared two of these books, perhaps in hopes of publishing them and definitely to explain his perspective on the war to family and friends. We are in possession of the second copy which is heavily illustrated with original and duplicate photos and photocopies of important documents from his service. The work speaks for itself and as such is one of the favorites of our Director Gerald Kochan. It is also one of the sources that he cites in a new book on the Polish Forces in the West which is scheduled for publication late Fall.

 


August 31st, 2020

The Polish American Museum and Center for Military Studies is happy to congratulate friend of the museum, Mateusz Sakowicz, for his recent appointment to the position of Deputy Permanent Member to the Polish Mission to the UN. Mateusz Sakowicz has been a generous ally to the museum for a number of years, having participated in several of our exhibitions as an honored guest.

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Deputy Permanent Member Sakowicz (right side)

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Deputy Permanent Member Sakowicz (right) assisting in presenting to attendees of the museum.

On the 5th of June, 2017, Sunday at 2 pm, Mateusz Sakowicz participated in our ceremony, “Passage to India – The Wartime Odyssey of Polish Children and the Good Maharaja,” an event co-sponsored by the Polish Mission to the UN commemorating the 1,000 Polish children, mostly orphans, sent to the Gulags by the Soviets in the period of 1940-1941 and their eventual resettling in India to be cared for by the Maharajah Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji.

Deputy Permanent Member Sakowicz also attended the event held at the old Polish Mission to the UN in NYC in September, 2016,  where the Director of the Museum, Gerald Kochan, acted in conjunction with Ambassador to the UN, Bogusław Winid, and Ms. Melissa John, to present a Mk 2 Daimler Scout Car (Dingo) to the Republic of Poland.

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Museum attendees exploring the museum, along with Mateusz Sakowicz.

Not only has the new Deputy Permanent Member to the UN appeared as a guest of the museum many times, he has assisted in providing translation services for several of the museum’s events. Deputy Permanent Member Sakowicz has also worked closely with former Ambassador Winid in realizing several historical projects for the Polish nation.

All of us at the museum congratulate Mateusz on his new role, and are confident that Deputy Permanent Member Sakowicz will excel in the position. It is an honor to be affiliated with a representative of the diplomatic mission who understands the impact of historical events that influence relations between Poland and the rest of the world.

 


Dear friends of the Polish American Museum,

With great regret I must inform you that the event scheduled for the 22nd of March is being rescheduled for a date to be determined. This has come about as a result of the Corona Virus impact. Ambassador Winid one of our special guests was to attend a UN conference prior to our event facilitating his attendance at our event. The UN has cancelled the event due to Corona fears. Several of our out of state guests have also requested postponement until things get more defined.

I can assure you that the wait will prove worthwhile. Among the special guests will be General Michnowicz, a U.S. Army general of Polish descent currently under consideration for a division command. The first volume of a multi-volume series on the Polish Military in WW2 based on the individuals represented in the collections of the Center and Museum is likely to be released by the publisher and first author signings will take place then.  President of the Board Barbara Szydlowski will be unveiling her special labor of love, the new Blue Army exhibit. We are also trying to coordinate the event with Ambassador Winid’s schedule now that the initial conference was cancelled to permit his attendance.

On behalf of the Center & Museum, I appreciate your understanding,

Gerald M Kochan
Director


100 Years Since the Restoration of Polish Independence

On March 23 at 3:00pm the Polish American Museum will host a special celebration of the 100 years of the restoration of Polish Independence at their location at 16 Belleview, Port Washington, NY

The theme is “North American Polonia and Polish Independence; the story of Poles crossing the Atlantic in both directions whether in pursuit of liberty in North America when fleeing foreign occupation or returning to defend a reconstituted Poland.

Featured Speakers include:
Jan Lorys, the historian of the Polish Museum of America in Chicago who will address the Blue Army’s Americans of Polish heritage odyssey to defend Poland.

Gerald Kochan, PAM and CMS director who will cover the impact of Polish veterans of WWII and their journey to the USA and Canada postwar. In particular how the latest round of exhibits illustrate their contributions wartime and postwar not just to their adopted countries but to keeping the idea of an independent Poland alive. An excerpt of a new book on the veterans featured in the CMS and Museum collection will be released.

Boguslaw Winid, Presidential Advisor to President Duda, former Ambassador to the UN and our newest CMS honorary board member will update us on some exciting happenings in Poland.

Basia Szydlowski, President of the Museum Board will briefly discuss upcoming plans and acknowledge supporters.

Refreshments will be served.


In April 2017, exact date to be determined, the dedication of a new exhibit detailing the history of the elite Polish Commando Unit will take place.  This exhibit features artifacts from both the commander and second-in-command of the unit.  It will also be dedicated by members of their families and other special guests.  The following is a sampling to tease you of what you might expect to see.

Major Smrokowski sharing blessed egg with his command during Easter 1944

Lieutenant Zalewski, (left front) leading the Commando company in a Parade Review 1942

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part of the display on Major Smrokowski

Captain Zalewski’s Commando uniform jacket.