Kosciuszko Foundation Awards $3,500 in Prizes in Historical Essay Contest

SEPT. 1, 2009: Kosciuszko Foundation President Alex Storozynski today announced the winners of the historical essay contest for students analyzing the 'International Significance of the Nazi-Soviet Invasion of Poland in September 1939.'
 
"On the 70th anniversary of the German invasion of Poland that started World War II, it is fitting that students analyze the most devastating international conflict of the 20th century," Storozynski said, "especially because so many untruths are still told about this war.  Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was in Poland today and said that it was 'false' to 'make it seem that World War II was made possible solely by the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact.' He failed to mention that Russians invaded Poland on Sept. 17, 1939, or that Russian troops refused to leave until after the success of the Solidarity revolution in 1989.  Putin should read the essays of our winners who understand World War II better than he does."
 
The judges of the essay contest were Maria Szonert-Binienda, Esq., Professor Donald E. Pienkos of the University of Wisconsin, and Professor Thaddeus V. Gromada, President of the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America.
 
There were 103 entries, and the First Prize, $2,000, courtesy of The Polish Army Veterans Association of America, District 2, was awarded to Katarzyna Tokarz for her essay, "The Fourth Partition of Poland."  Ms. Tokarz is a student at Georgetown University.  Ms. Szonert said, "Katarzyna's essay is well balanced and demonstrates an excellent understanding of political maneuverings leading up to the war."
 
Tokarz's essay started with the words, "On Sept. 1, 1939, Nazi soldiers invaded Poland on the orders to kill 'without pity or mercy all men, women, and children of Polish descent or language.'" All of the essays had extensive footnotes and bibliographies.
 
Second prize, $1,000, awarded by the Kosciuszko Foundation went to Paul Armstrong, a student at the University of St. Thomas, for his essay, "Poland: First to Fight." Ms. Szonert said, Armstrong's "essay is very professional, his statements are very cautious, precise, and well documented."
 
Third Prize, $500, courtesy of Adama Imports went to Bogumil Misiuk, a student at Seton Hall University.
 
Storozynski said, "All of the 103 historical essays that were submitted were excellent and showed an incredible understanding of World War II. All of the students that entered will be given a free, one-year membership to the Kosciuszko Foundation. The contest was such as success, that the Foundation has decided to hold an essay contest every year, tied to different events concerning Polish and Polish American history."
 
The award ceremony for the essay contest will be held at the Kosciuszko Foundation at 6 p.m. on Sept. 17, the 70th anniversary of the Soviet Union's unprovoked invasion of Poland.  That's the day that more than half a million Russian soldiers spilled over Poland's eastern border, taking advantage of the fact that most of Poland's army was fighting German troops on the western front.  After the invasion, the Russian army corralled 22,000 Polish officers and intellectuals into a forest near the town of Katyn. In what became known as the Katyn Forest Massacre, the Russians tied the hands of these Polish prisoners behind their backs and executed them with a bullet to the back of the head. 
 
On Sept., 17th, the Foundation will also hold a tribute to the Warsaw Uprising, and Poles that fought during World War II.  There will also be an unveiling of two photography exhibits: Warsaw, Paris of the North, An exhibition of prewar Warsaw photographs - on loan from the collection of the Warsaw Uprising Museum in Poland; and 63 days, an exhibition of photographs taken by insurrectionists during the Warsaw Uprising against the Nazis, from the collection of the Polish Army Veterans Assoc. of America. In addition, a dramatic reading of poetry and prose hosted by Grazyna Drabik, will be accompanied by a slide show of the Uprising from the collection of the Warsaw Uprising Museum and a performance of patriotic songs of the period by Marta Wryk.
 
The event is free, and open to the public. The Kosciuszko Foundation is located at 15 East 65th Street in New York City.