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“Known Unknown. The Poles’ Contributions to the World” exhibition now presents Polish athletes

17.09.2020

The exhibition promoting achievements of Poles in other countries has been complemented by six new biographies of Polish Olympic champions and outstanding figures connected with the world of sport who lived abroad. These are: Halina Konopacka, Stanisława Walasiewicz, Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz, Michał Spisak, Leon Jucewicz and Jerzy Skolimowski.

“Known Unknown. The Poles’ Contributions to the World” exhibition now presents Polish athletes

The expanded exhibition opened on 16 September 2020 at the Polish Olympic Committee in Warsaw. It was prepared by the MFA Department for Cooperation with the Polish Community and Poles Abroad, in cooperation with the Polish Academy of Sciences Archives, and the Polish Olympic Committee. The event was attended, among others, by Secretary of State at the Prime Minister’s Chancellery Jan Dziedziczak, President of the Polish Olympic Committee Andrzej Kraśnicki, and Director of PAN Archives Hanna Krajewska.

The exhibition titled “Known Unknown. The Poles’ Contributions to the World” presents the profiles of 50 Poles and persons of Polish origin, who, thanks to their achievements, gained international recognition. However, they are often not associated with Poland. Fate brought them to Kazakhstan, Siberia, the US, Canada, Peru, Ecuador, Portugal, France, Greece, Great Britain, and other countries. The exhibition aims not only to promote their lives but also to make the visitors aware how many renowned artists, explorers and business people have ties with Poland. The exhibition also served as a basis for two publications titled “Known Unknown. The Poles’ Contributions to the World” and “Polish architects in the world” prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the PAN Archives.

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Halina Konopacka  (1900–1989) A discus thrower who won the first gold Olympic medal for Poland. In 1939, together with her husband, the former [JR1] minister of the treasury, she evacuated the gold reserves of the Polish National Bank to Romania saving them from the Nazis. After the war, she lived in New York where she developed a passion for painting. The works she created in her modest studio were put up for auctions.

Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz  (1911–1943) A swimmer, football player, scout, agent for the Polish and British secret services, and Greek national hero. He was posthumously awarded a Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari War Order (1945), the UK’s George Cross (1962), and the Greek Gold Cross of Valour (1976).

Michał Spisak  (1914–1965) A composer, one of the leading representatives of the neoclassical trend in music. In 1937, he received a grant from the Silesian Musical Society to study composition in Paris. France became his second homeland, and he lived there until his death. In 1955, he won the International Competition for the Official Olympic Anthem.

 

MFA Press Office

 

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