GREAT PERSONALITIES FROM POLAND

1. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. GREAT PERSONALITIES FROM POLAND

2. The Pope from Poland Jan Paweł II, born Karol Wojtyła (known as John Paul II) was the leader of the Roman Catholic Church John Paul II(1920-2005)

3. John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope in 455 years. He was a vocal advocate for human rights.He spoke 8 languages. His motto was ‘Totus Tuus’, which means ‘Totally Yours’.

4. The Pope loved mountain climbing John Paul II travelled a lot. He was in 129 countries. For example, as the first Pope he visited the U.K. He loved meetings with young people. He initiated World Youth Day.

5. APolish politician and the former president of Poland Lech Wałęsa won the Nobel Peace Prizein 1983 LECH WAŁĘSA Born in 1943

6. He was in the music video of Michael Jackson ‘Man in the Mirror’ and The Scorpions ‘Wind of Change’ Wałęsa was the chairman and a co-founder of ‘Solidarity.’ In 1990 he won theelections and became the first democratic President of Poland after WWII. ‘Solidarity’- a social movement, the first non-communist trade union in Poland .

7. A poster encouraging people to vote in the first free elections in Poland after WWII. It portrays Gary Cooper as a sheriff in ‘High Noon’ with the ‘Solidarity’ badge and holding a ballot. ‘High Noon - 4 June 1989’ ⏎ ⏎ Wałęsa is an electrician by profession. When he got the Nobel Prize, he could not pick it up in Sweden. He was afraid that he would not be able to come back to the country because of the socialist political system in Poland.His wife accepted the prize on Walesa’s behalf.

8. APolishcomposer Fryderyk Chopin isone of the best known composers and pianists in the world FRYDERYK CHOPIN (1810-1849)

9. Fryderyk Chopin created over 200 masterpieces. He composed various pieces of music, eg. mazurkas, preludes, nocturnes, waltzes and polonaises.

10. Fryderk Chopin died in Paris but after his death his heart was removed from his body and buried in Warsaw (the capital city of Poland) .

11. APolish writer Wisława Szymborska received the Nobel Prizein Literaturein 1996 WISŁAWA SZYMBORSKA (1923-2012)

12. Her poems were translated into over 40 languages Why did Wislawa Szymborska receive the Nobel Prize? „For poetry that with ironic precision allows the historical and biological context to come to light in fragments of human reality”. (nobelprize.org)

13. She wrote about 30 collections of poems. She also wrote limericks. She was often called the ‘Mozart of Poetry’.

14. APolish writer and translator Czesław Miłoszreceived the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1980 CZESŁAW MIŁOSZ (1911-2004)

15. Czesław Miłosz was one of thegreatestPolishwriters Until 1980 his lyrics were censored in Poland. He wrote more than 50 lyrics. He translated works of W. Shakespeare, J. Milton and G. Eliot.

16. Czesław Miłosz received numerous awards and medalsin his life. He was also the California University Professor.

17. APolishscientist Maria Skłodowska-Curie is the only woman who received two Nobel Prizes MARIA SKŁODOWSKA-CURIE (1867-1934)

18. Skłodowska-Curie discovered Polonium and Radium She moved to Paris to study Physics and Mathematics at the Sorbonne. She could not do that in Poland. She got the best scores there. Maria Skłodowska-Curieand her husband (Pierre Curie) studied radioactive elements.

19. Maria Skłodowska- Curie received the Nobel Prizesin Chemistry and Physics.The first one she got with her husband Pierre Curie Skłodowska’s daughter, Irene, with her husband, Frédérik,also won the Nobel Prize (Chemistry). Maria liked sports and gota driving license as one of the first women.

20. APolish mathematician and astronomer Mikołaj Kopernik was the author of the Heliocentric Theory MIKOŁAJ KOPERNIK (1473-1543)

21. He wrote a book which describes the heliocentric model of the universe. Some people say that this book was the beginning of a scientific revolution. In Toruń, you can buy some gingerbread called ‘Kopernik’s Gingerbread Biscuits’.

22. APolish director He got the Academy Award (the Honorary Oscar)in 2000 ANDRZEJ WAJDA (Born in 1926)

23. He hasdirectedmorethan 50 movies and receivedabout 20 movies’ awards for them Wajda’s movies, which have been nominated for the Academy Awards: The Promised Land The Maids of Wilko The Man of Iron Katyń

24. A self-portrait  APolish painter Jan Matejko was an outstanding artist. His most famous painting is‘Battle of Grunwald’ JAN MATEJKO (1838-1893)

25. He painted more than 320 pictures, portraits and over a thousand drafts Most of his paintingsare in the National Museums in Warsaw and Cracow. Jan Matejko learned to play the piano before he started to study art.  ‘Battle of Grunwald ’

26. APolish ski jumper He’s one of the best ski jumpers in the world (He got 143 medals) ADAM MAŁYSZ (Born in1977)

27. Rightnow, heistaking part in car races Adam Małysz started training as the ski jumper when he was six. He won his first medal at the age of 16. He got 3 silver and 1 bronze medal at the Olympic Games.

28. Graphics: Google Graphics Music: Chopin- Polonaise C major, op. 3 Made by: Martyna Bagińska, Marta Gałecka Małgosia Waśkowska www.uind.eu THE END