Michigan Division
Did you know?
Every Saturday morning, between (9:15 and 9:30 am) you can listen to our weekly PAC-MI broadcast to Polonia on Polish Varieties Radio Program- in Polish- on WNZK 690 AM in the greater Detroit area, or listen live on the Internet- search under Birach Broadcasting (WNZK 690 AM) Zapraszamy!
The Honorable Robert Menendez The Honorable James E. Risch The Honorable Richard Durbin United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, c/o Mr. Damian Murphy, Senior Professional Staff Member Washington, D.C. 20510
Re: Presidents of State Divisions of the Polish American Congress call for amendment of S. Res. 566
We, Presidents of State Divisions of the Polish American Congress, welcome and applaud the idea of a resolution commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Katyn Massacre, introduced to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by Senators Menendez, Risch, and Durbin on May 7th, 2020, now known as S. Res. 566. We appreciate the effort in bringing attention to the crimes that were committed. This communication is intended to improve and enhance the resolution by an amendment which would also reflect the moral outrage that the Polish American community ascribes to this massacre. It should, furthermore, do justice to victims of the massacre by calling it a genocide.
First, we would like to bring to your attention the wording in the proposed Resolution. It minimizes the gravity and implies a change in the character of the Katyn crime, which we believe needs correction:
“Whereas the Katyn Massacre fits into a larger pattern of Communist governments around the world persecuting their citizens and denying their people freedom, which has resulted in the deaths of up to 100,000,000 people since the Russian Revolution of 1917.” See: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116thcongress/senate-resolution/566/text .
The Polish officers held as Prisoners-of-War by the Soviet Union were not murdered because “the Communist governments […] persecuted their citizens.” The Katyn victims, as citizens of the Polish nation, were brutally murdered because they valiantly defended their homeland, as Poles, against the Soviet aggression of September 17, 1939. They were not Soviet citizens and the Soviet Union was not their government. They were Soviet Prisoners-of-War, soldiers of the Polish Armed Forces that constituted a part of the Allied Coalition during WWII. They were murdered because they defended their homeland against the Soviet aggression, and remained loyal to Poland to the end.
The Katyn victims do not fit “a larger pattern of Communist government persecuting their citizens and denying their people freedom.” Instead, they fit a larger pattern of similar conduct by Stalinist Russia aimed at destroying the Polish people because of their nationality. This is evidenced by the “Polish Operation” of 1937, Katyn Operation of 1940, and innumerable mass executions and deportations to Siberia with intent of extermination. All those operations were aimed at annihilating the Polish national group as such. The Katyn victims were murdered not because they wanted to overthrow the Soviet government or demanded more freedoms in the Soviet Union, but because they belonged to the Polish national group that the Soviet Union intended to annihilate.
May 18th, 2020
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The current wording in the Resolution implies that the Katyn atrocity was perpetrated for political reasons. Hence, the Katyn crime would not meet the standard of genocide because it was not aimed at any protected national group but merely at political opposition. Such language, contrary to facts, is reminiscent of Russian anti-Katyn policy. The Katyn Execution Order of March 5th, 1940 of the Soviet Politburo states that the officers held as prisoners of war selected for execution are “Polish by nationality.” Accordingly, the Katyn Execution Order itself reveals that it is aimed at the Polish national group. According to the UN Genocide Convention, even if the motives for the atrocity are mixed, the coexistence of motives is no defense if the genocidal motive is present.
It is particularly unfortunate that S.R. 566 is submitted now, at exactly the time when in Tver, Russia – the place where thousands more Polish POWs were executed pursuant to the “Katyn Execution Order” — commemorative plaques for this genocidal act were recently removed.
We certainly do not want, or can agree, to any wording that may imply Soviet historical revisionism, or Putin’s continued attempts at denying, concealing, and distorting the truth about Katyn and the Soviet genocide of the Polish people. The Congress of the United States, the leader of the Free World, must not contribute to such efforts.
In considering this amendment, we urge you, our US Senators, to reflect on the following statement made by Hon. Dennis Kucinich in 2011 (“Kucinich Clause”):
Whereas, Katyn was aimed at eliminating the very idea of Poland, to exterminate the people and the memory of the people. Katyn presents a moral crisis to this day because the moral calculus with respect to Katyn has not been worked out. Katyn represents a marker in human history that has not yet been fully inscribed;
Based on the information noted and the above reasoning, we strongly urge you to consider and include the following statement within the Senate Resolution:
We recognize that the systematic mass murders of the Polish people, conducted pursuant to the order of March 5th, 1940 issued by the Soviet Politburo, raises to the level of the crime of genocide.
The essence of this amendment is to better reflect, on the one hand, the tremendous outrage of the Polish people, including those in the Polish-American community, and at the same time a moral indignation that the Senate itself may express about the Katyn Massacre, by exacting a price on the part of the country which committed these crimes, and to fore-stall Russia’s efforts at historical revisionism. Therefore, we encourage adoption of the amendment.
Respectfully yours,
Ann Bankowski, President Polish American Congress- Michigan, Inc.
Jerzy Bogdziewicz, President PAC Florida Division, Inc.
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Richard Brzozowski, President Polish American Congress Long Island Division New York, Inc.
Andrzej Burghardt, President PAC New Jersey Division, Inc.
Wiesław Gołębiewski, President PAC Florida Western Division, Inc.
Edward Jeśman, President Polish American Congress of Southern California, Inc.
James L. Ławicki II, President Polish American Congress Western New York Division Inc
Andrzej Prokopczuk, President Polish American Congress, Northern California Division, Inc.
Bozena Urbankowska, President PAC New Jersey Northern Division, Inc.
Marek Waniołka, President PAC Missouri Division, Inc.
Wiesław Wierzbowski, President PAC Massachusetts Eastern Division, Inc.
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POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS – MICHIGAN DIVISION
11333 Joseph Campau, Hamtramck, MI 48212
Telephone: (313) 365-9400, E-mail: office@pacmi.org
May 26, 2020
Dear PAC-MI Member/Delegate,
I write to you with an urgent request from PAC National President Spula, as well as from myself as Division President. There is a resolution being considered by the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senate Resolution 566 (https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/116/sres566/text), commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Katyn Massacre. Initially the resolution will go to a sub-committee, most likely the Sub-Committee on Europe and Security Cooperation. Following a favorable vote there, it will be sent back to the full committee for a vote. The next step would be its presentation to the full Senate (100 members) for a vote. We are being urged by the PAC national office to telephone our Senators and appeal to them to vote to pass this resolution bill.
Now, our 2 Michigan senators are not on the above-mentioned committees, but just the same we want to inform them of the resolution’s importance to the Polish American community, which Polish American Congress represents, and strongly urge them for the bill’s passage, at the time it comes up for a vote by the full house. The PAC divisions, that have representation on the committees, are currently being asked now to call their Senators with this urgent request (see attached list).
The initial resolution was brought to Senator Menendez, who serves on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, by the New Jersey Division of PAC. He agreed to be one of its sponsors. What ensued, after this submission, was a resubmission and reformulation of the resolution’s wording by the national PAC Executive Committee, which quite a number of national directors and Division presidents found unacceptable. There continue to be ardent discussions on the National Directors Forum on this matter. The original wording of the resolution stated that the Katyn Massacre was a genocidal act by the Soviets against the Polish nation. The current resolution removed genocide from its wording, in hopes that it would strengthen the chances of the resolution’s passage.
What followed was a proposal of an amendment to Resolution 566 submitted to Senator Menendez’s office. It was signed by eleven PAC Division presidents (see amendment attached), encouraging an improved version of Resolution 566. This amendment brings attention to, and gives reasoning why, the Katyn crimes were genocidal for the Polish nation. You can view the two attached document texts indicating where the wording was changed. These division Presidents, as well as many of the National Directors, are of the strong opinion that we need to express and bring attention to our moral outrage in regard to the Katyn Massacre and to inform and persuade our Senators, with compelling arguments, why it was a genocidal act. This stance is particularly significant at a time when Putin’s Russia is actively revising WWII history.
By presenting this amendment, we do not strive to diminish Resolution 566, but rather to bring attention to the truth behind Stalin’s order to murder Polish citizens, for the very reason of who they were.
It is in the interest of our organization and community that we express our stance and be heard. Please make this call and inform our two senators as to the importance of these matters and the need for favorable passage of Resolution 566, hopefully with the amendment to its text as was suggested. President Spula wants Division Presidents to report to him who of our membership made calls to their Senators. While I do not agree with this course, I welcome anyone letting me know if they made the call.
On behalf of the Michigan Division, I will be both emailing and mailing letters to our two Michigan senators with information as to the Resolution, along with the Amendment document and two additional links. (http://www.librainstitute.org/ARTICLES/Lukaszewski-Statement.html;http://www.librainstitute.org/ARTICLES/Witomila-Wolk-Jezierska-list.html
Please review the Resolution (link above) and Amendment document (text attached) , and kindly express your opinion to our Senators. As a community we truly need to practice being heard where it counts.
We will keep you further informed as to this situation. We plan to have information on our division website: pacmi.org.
Wishing you a safe and healthy summer. Hope to be able to meet at our September quarterly meeting.
Sincerely,
Ann Bankowski, President
Polish American Congress- Michigan
Dear Members and Delegates,
Although our June quarterly meeting was to scheduled for Monday evening, June 1, 2020, due to the continuing restrictions related to Covid 19, and our office being closed, we are postponing the quarterly general membership meeting to September 14 at 7:00pm at the PAC-MI Headquarters. We plan to send you more update this summer as to upcoming plans and events. Please check the division website periodically as well: pacmi.org.
We hope to be able to open the office for services soon. We do come in to check office mail and voice mail messages.
Just a reminder to organizations and individual members who have not sent in their division membership dues for 2020, kindly remit as soon as you are able . We have heard back from many of you, but not all as yet. I understand that this unexpected pandemic situation has created problems for many. (Please make checks to: PAC-MI; and send to: 11333 Jos. Campau Hamtramck, MI 48212)
Anticipating our getting back on track very soon and wishing you a safe and healthy summer,
Ann Bankowski, President
Polish American Congress-MichiganQuaterQ
Dear Friends of Polonia!
I hope this message finds you and your family in good health. I am writing to update Michigan’s Polonia of some useful information in these challenging times.
As promised, I am providing some information for our Polish and Polish-American businesses, in order to spread the word how they should take advantage of the huge amounts of money that our federal government and state and local governments have made available to businesses and to pay their employees during this time.
Please excuse the fact that I am including certain information I authored from my law firm, but I am providing this to Polonia as a free of charge resource to make sure we take advantage of what is available to us. I am happy to answer any questions from any Polish or Polish-American business free of charge, to assist in applying for money (but don’t tell my other clients).
Finally, let me also remind you of the items I previously wrote to you about, and make another special request that you feel free to bring to my attention any Polish citizens who may need special attention or assistance in these times:
Remain safe and know that our prayers are with you all,
____________________________________________________________
Richard A. Walawender
Honorary Consul
Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Detroit
150 West Jefferson, Suite 2500
Detroit, Michigan 48226 (USA)
T +1.313.496.7600
_____________________________________________________________
This electronic message and all of its contents and attachments contain information from the Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Detroit. which may be privileged, confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure. The information is intended to be for the addressee only. If you are not the addressee, then any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this message, or its contents or any of its attachments, is prohibited. If you have received this electronic message in error, please notify us immediately and destroy the original message and all copies. To unsubsribe to emails, please reply with the message “unsubscribe”.
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U.S. CENSUS INFORMATION
Not much time remaining to complete and submit U.S. 2020 Census Questionnaire Online. Each home should have received an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census and to complete the 2020 Census questionnaire online, at https://2020census.gov/ and in Polish at https://2020census.gov/pl.html Assistance is available in Polish or English by calling 1-844-479-2020. In completing the Census 2020 Questionnaire, remember to include your Polish ethnic origin.
Weź udział w Spisie Ludności online! Nie zostało dużo czasu! Kwestionariusz w wersji online jest już dostępny na stronie internetowej https://2020census.gov/pl.html W celu uzyskania pomocy dotyczącej Spisu Ludności 2020 lub wypełnienia go telefonicznie zadzwoń pod numer 844-479-2020. Połączenia odbierane są także w języku polskim! Wypełniając kwestionariusz Census 2020, pamiętaj, żeby w odpowiedzi na pytanie numer 9 wpisać: POLISH.
PAC-MI Scholarships Application 2020-2021
POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS OF MICHIGAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND, INC.
11333 Jos. Campau Hamtramck, Michigan 48212-3038 (313) 365-9400
GRANTS AVAILABLE (2020-2021)
Available for Business Administration, Finance or Accounting areas of study.
Available for any major area of study.
No specific major area of study or criteria has been established with the donor.
Available for any major area of study, however, candidate must be proficient in the Polish language and actively participating in Polonia.
No specific major area of study or criteria has been established with the donor.
JOHN AND VICTORIA KUSHEL GRANT
Available for a major study in the Nursing profession.
Available for a major study in Osteopathic Medicine, pre-Medicine or the Nursing profession.
EUGENE KRESKA GRANT
Available for a major study in the Engineering profession.
WALLACE AND JOANN OZOG GRANT
Available for a major study in the Religious Formation profession.
Grants are established by the Board of Directors as funds are available.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Checks will be made out to the College or University.
Completed applications become the property of the Polish American Congress of Michigan Scholarship Fund. All information submitted on the application is considered confidential and will not be duplicated and only be discussed by the Scholarship’s designated judges and officers.
Your completed application is due NO LATER THAN APRIL 1 OF EACH YEAR
Completed application must be mailed or delivered to:
Polish American Congress of Michigan Scholarship Fund, Inc.
11333 Jos.Campau
A 501(c)3 Organization under the Internal Revenue Service
POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS OF MICHIGAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND, INC.
11333 Jos. Campau Hamtramck, Michigan 48212-3038 (313) 365-9400
APPLICATION FOR SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS
NAME: _______________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________________________
CITY: ________________________ ZIP: ___________ PHONE: (_____)________________
COLLEGE / UNIVERSITY YOU WILL BE ATTENDING IN THE SCHOOL YEAR
____________________________________________ Location: ________________________
AREA OF STUDY: _____________________________________________________________
How will this scholarship grant help you in pursuit of your degree?
In the last two years, which Polonian organization(s) have benefited from your membership? How?
In the last two years, which organized volunteer, community or other group(s) benefited from your service? How?
Any additional information, which may be helpful in reviewing this application, may be added on the back on this sheet. For example: Involvement with the Polish American of Michigan Scholarship Fund, Inc. or the Michigan Division of the Polish American Congress.
Your “Application Check List” must be included with your application. Attach all necessary information needed to evaluate your request for a Scholarship Grant.
Applicant’s Signature: __________________________________________________________Date:_____________
A 501(c)3 Organization under the Internal Revenue Service
APPLICATION CHECK LIST:
In order to receive consideration for a PAC of Michigan Scholarship Grant, the following must be sent:
_____ 1. Completed Application.
_____ 2. Verification of acceptance or attending College / University (ex. letter of acceptance,
transcripts, etc.)
_____ 3. Verification of scholastic average (ex. test scores, transcripts, report card, etc.)
______ 4. Verification of financial need (ex. completed financial aid form– FAFSA), federal income tax
return form(s), other scholarships, 1098-T Form, etc.)
______ 5. A letter of recommendation from an officer of at least one Polonian organization.
_____ 6. A letter of recommendation from an officer of at least one volunteer or community
organization.
_____ 7. If you are applying for the Jozef & Regina Marciniec Grant, verify your degree of
Polish proficiency.
______ 8. Acceptance & Appreciation of the award letter within six months of the notification
of the award and addressed to the Polish American Congress of Michigan Scholarship Fund,
Inc.
Dear Friends,
You are cordially invited to join us in celebrating our Diamond Jubilee on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at the American Polish Cultural Center in Troy, MI.
RSVP’s can still be made by calling Jackie Kolowski at 586-558-3624.
It will be a fun event in this festive Carnival season.
See you there!
Ann Bankowski, President Polish American Congress- MI
It happened 400 years ago, in 1619, that the first ever workers strike took place in the New World. That year English settlers in the colony of Jamestown, Virginia were granted the right to vote in colonial America. The colony, however, was settled by craftsmen and industry specialists from other countries, notably Poles, to come work at the colony since 1608, recruited to develop this settlement. The Poles specialized in making soap-ash, glass, lumber milling, naval stores, and mining. Upon learning that they were deprived of representation, the Polish artisans, whose contributions to the settlement were inestimable, organized a work stoppage. In response to this civil action by the Poles, court records for The Virginia Company of London, of July 21 1619, thus declared “It is now agreed they shall be enfranchised and made as free as any inhabitant whatsoever”.
Sunday, July 21, the very date of the Poles’ gaining the right to vote, Polish American Congress-Michigan is hosting a 400th anniversary celebration to honor the brave example demonstrated by these industrious Polish craftsmen, in their efforts to gain their own individual freedom. It will take place on the campus of the Orchard Lakes Schools, 3535 Commerce Rd, Orchard Lake, MI 48324.
Come hear the rest of the story!
At 11:00 am, enjoy an interesting program at the campus Adam Maida Alumni Library, featuring expert presentations about Jamestown, informative exhibits, souvenirs, and refreshments, culminating with a glass blower’s demonstration.
At 1:00 pm there will be a bilingual mass in the St. Mary of Orchard Lake Shrine Chapel, followed by a mini piano concert of music of Polish emigrants, including selections by Frederic Chopin and Paderewski.
Everyone is welcome and admission is free. More information can be obtained on the PAC-MI Division website, pacmi.org, or by calling the event chairman, Richard Lapham, at 313-443-1560.
ZAPRASZAMY!
W tym roku POLONIA obchodzi 400-lecie historycznego wydarzenia w Nowym Świecie.
W roku 1619, w angielskiej kolonii Jamestown, Virginia, utalentowani rzemieślnicy z Polski, sprowadzeni do pracy i rozwoju kolonii, urządzili pierwszy „strajk” robotniczy, aby osiągnąć swoje prawo do głosu w tym osiedlu.
Głos im przyznano 21-go lipca 1619 r.
∞
Kongres Polonii Amerykańskiej w Michigan, wraz z Polską Misją w Orchard Lake, celebrują to unikalne wydarzenie.
Zapraszamy Polonię do Zakładów Naukowych w Orchard Lake
(3535 Indian Trail pomiędzy Orchard Lake i Commerce Rd.)
Niedziela, 21-go lipca 2019 r.
11:00 rano- ciekawy i informacyjny program w bibliotece, oraz wystawy, poczęstunek, i demonstracja szklarza;
1:00 pp.- Msza Św. (dwujęzyczna) w głównej kaplicy NMP
Koncert fortepianowy muzyki Polskich emigrantów po mszy.
Wstęp wolny.
Celebrujcie z Nami!
The Polish American Congress (PAC) is a U.S. umbrella organization of Polish-Americans and Polish-American organizations. Its membership is composed of fraternal, educational, veterans, religious, cultural, social, business, and political organizations, as well as individuals.
