One hundred years ago, on February 7 1919, a decree signed by Poland's inter-war strongman Józef Piłsudski founded the Postal Savings Bank, best known today under its abbreviated name PKO.
Named Piłsudski’s tank it had its baptism of fire in street fighting in Lwów in 1918 when Poles were fighting to establish the new country’s eastern borders. To raise morale it was also decorated with an American flag to show that Poland was not alone in its struggle but backed by US President Woodrow Wilson.
Tank brain Jan Meyer told TFN: “We wanted to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Poland’s independence and remind people about a forgotten episode in Polish history, the Battle of Lwów, so we decided to build a replica of something that took part in the battle for Poland’s borders.
The Gdańsk Shipyard is among 14 new monuments to history established by the president. "Poland has 105 monuments to history on its independence centenary," President Andrzej Duda said during a gala at the National Theatre in Warsaw on Monday.
As Europe blundered towards war in the early 20th century, Piłsudski realised that a European conflict could provide the chance for the re-establishment of an independent Polish state. TFN takes a look back at the life and times of Józef Piłsudski and what he did for Poland.
In an interview with historian Marek Kornat TFN learns how Piłsudski tried to get European support for action against Hitler in the early 1930s.
President Andrzej Duda on Poland's Independence Day on Sunday laid wreaths at monuments honouring Poland's statesmen Marshal Józef Piłsudski and Poland's inter-war prime minister and political leader Wincenty Witos.
The exhibition 'Symbols of Freedom' opened on Friday in Warsaw's Royal Castle. The show presents a self-portrait of Poles; it represents their history and their fight for independence, said President Andrzej Duda during his speech at the official opening.
Elevated on a pedestal, the entire bronze statue of Józef Piłsudski, costing an estimated EUR 185,000, overlooks the main square in the city of Nowy Sącz.
While the history of Poland’s fight for independence is littered with tales of male heroism, the role played by women has been left somewhat in the shadows. TFN’s Magda Dercz takes a look back at the extraordinary achievements of the women, without whom, Poland’s history may have turned out very differently.
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