Tag Archives: Poland

Today, 67 years ago, the Warsaw Uprising began.

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

This is what I wrote in May 2008: One of the most painful memories of Polish history is World War II. I cannot count the times I have had Poles say to me that they are baffled that the world … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Poland, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Warsaw: City of Ruins.

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

The marvel of technology that shows what human cruelty has wrought: destruction and devastation. ‘City of Ruins’, a five minute-long documentary which simulates an aircraft flight over the ruined Polish capital of Warsaw in 1945, has received the prestigious Silver … Continue reading →

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Irena Sendlerowa and the Polish women of World War II.

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

PBS will be airing this Sunday a special program dedicated to the Polish Catholic women of World War II that fought against the Nazi Germans to save the Jewish children from annihilation. One of these women was Irena Sendlerowa (Irena … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-Semitism, Auschwitz, Empathy, Holocaust, Irena Sendler, Poland, World War II | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

“Stop seeing Poland as a place of death.”

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

Poland’s Jews are finding they can lead normal lives, according to this lovely article.  It reaffirms what I thought when I lived in Warsaw.  A few years ago, I wrote about the last Jew of Góra Kalwaria and my impressions: … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-Semitism, Auschwitz, Felix Karpman, Góra Kalwaria, Holocaust, Poland | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lech Walesa giving a helping hand.

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

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Góra Kalwaria.

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

It was 70 years ago to the day that the shtetl Góra Kalwaria lost all of its Jews.  According to the Yad Vashem website, the Jews from Góra Kalwaria, or Gur as it was known then, were deported to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Auschwitz, Felix Karpman, Góra Kalwaria, Holocaust, Poland, Religion, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wladyslaw Bartoszewski: member of the “decent” race, turned 89!

Posted on February 22, 2011 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

UPDATE:  On February 19th was Mr. Bartoszewski’s 89th birthday! Almost 4 years ago, I wrote briefly about him.  I repost: There are few of us who can truly be categorized as heroically unique, an inspiration to others, a person to … Continue reading →

Posted in Dissidents, History, Holocaust, Human Rights, Poland, World War II | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Avraham Carmi’s story.

Posted on February 18, 2011 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

“[T]he Master of the Universe has a sense of humour.”  So says a Holocaust survivor, who spent time in Warsaw, during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, and was caught and sent to Treblinka.  His is a story of horror, audacity, tenacity, … Continue reading →

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“The Museum of the History of Polish Jews…

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

… is dedicated to preserving the lasting legacy of Jewish life in Poland and of the civilization created by Polish Jews.” For more information on the Museum go here.

Posted in Culture, History, Holocaust, Human Rights, Poland, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A former Cuban prisoner rebounds.

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

The horrendous ordeal of Ariel Sigler Amaya, and his miraculous recovery once he was released from Castro’s prison. There is a Polish documentary on Cuba, called Alamar Express, the New Man, of which I wrote a while ago: Alamar Express, … Continue reading →

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Witness at the beginning of Warsaw’s destruction.

Posted on October 31, 2010 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

Also at the Smithsonian Magazine, you will meet Paul Bryan, the sole foreign correspondent left in Warsaw at the time of the German invasion of Poland.  The author of the article, Mike Edwards, opens a window into a witness’  accidental … Continue reading →

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Wojtek, the Polish bear.

Posted on October 14, 2010 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

I love learning something new…and today I found out about “Wojtek, the Polish bear soldier”: Wojtek’s greatest moment may have come when he voluntarily braved Nazi fire to help soldiers unload artillery shells at the Battle of Monte Cassino in … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, History, Memories, Poland, Soldiers, War, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Poland, a mystical land.

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

I am humbled by the honor bestowed:   my thoughts on Poland appear in the Polish Foreign Ministry’s portal. They still hold true.

Posted in Culture, Poland, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“The most terrible thing is to look at the freezing children…”

Posted on July 23, 2010 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

Kudos to SpiegelOnline for a harrowing article on The Hell of Polish Jewry.   Never in the article is there a glossing over of who the perpetrators of the hell-on-Earth were. Ponder on this photo, which I am lifting shamelessly from … Continue reading →

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Women and the Holocaust.

Posted on July 19, 2010 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

Pure evil is not just man’s domain.

Posted in Auschwitz, Empathy, Gender, History, Holocaust, Poland, War, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment