Poland - Battle of Grunwald

Battle of Grunwald.

Sent by Zuzanna, a postcrosser from Warsaw, Poland.

This is from Wikipedia : The Battle of Grunwald or 1st Battle of Tannenberg was fought on 15 July 1410, during the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War. The alliance of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led respectively by King Jogaila (Władysław Jagiełło) and Grand Duke Vytautas (Witold), decisively defeated the Teutonic Knights, led by Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen. Most of the Teutonic Knights' leadership were killed or taken prisoner. While defeated, the Teutonic Knights withstood the siege on their fortress in Marienburg (Malbork) and suffered only minimal territorial losses at the Peace of Thorn (1411) (Toruń). Territorial disputes continued until the Peace of Melno was concluded in 1422. However, the Knights never recovered their former power and the financial burden of war reparations caused internal conflicts and an economic downturn in their lands. The battle shifted the balance of power in Eastern Europe and marked the rise of the Polish–Lithuanian union as the dominant political and military force in the region.

The battle was one of the largest battles in Medieval Europe and is regarded as the most important victory in the history of Poland and Lithuania. It was surrounded by romantic legends and nationalistic propaganda, becoming a larger symbol of struggle against invaders and a source of national pride. During the 20th century, the battle was used in Nazi and Soviet propaganda campaigns. Only in recent decades have historians made progress towards a dispassionate, scholarly assessment of the battle reconciling the previous narratives, which differed widely by nation.

The battle was fought in the territory of the Monastic state of the Teutonic Order, on the plains between three villages: Grünfelde (Grunwald) to the west, Tannenberg (Stębark) to the northeast, and Ludwigsdorf (Łodwigowo, Ludwikowice) to the south. Jogaila referred to the site in Latin as in loco conflictus nostri, quem cum Cruciferis de Prusia habuimus, dicto Grunenvelt. Later Polish chroniclers interpreted the word Grunenvelt as Grünwald, meaning "green forest" in German. The Lithuanians followed suit and translated the name as Žalgiris. The Germans named the battle after Tannenberg ("fir" or "pine" "hill" in German). Thus there are three commonly used names for the battle: German: Schlacht bei Tannenberg, Polish: Bitwa pod Grunwaldem, Lithuanian: Žalgirio mūšis. Its names in the languages of other involved peoples include Belarusian: Дубровенская бітва, Ukrainian: Грюнвальдська битва, Russian: Грюнвальдская битва, Czech: Bitva u Grunvaldu, Romanian: Bătălia de la Grünwald.

Poland

Multi views of Poland.

Sent by Ewa, a postcrosser from Warsaw, Poland.

Poland - White Stork

Bocian Biely or White Stork, the national bird of Poland.

Sent by Ewelina, a postcrosser from Poland.

This is from Wikipedia : The White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on its wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average 100–115 cm (39–45 in) from beak tip to end of tail, with a 195–215 cm (77–85 in) wingspan. The two subspecies, which differ slightly in size, breed in Europe (north to Estonia), northwestern Africa, southwestern Asia (east to southern Kazakhstan), and southern Africa. The White Stork is a long-distance migrant, wintering in Africa from tropical Sub-Saharan Africa to as far south as South Africa, or on the Indian subcontinent. When migrating between Europe and Africa, it avoids crossing the Mediterranean Sea and detours via the Levant in the east or the Strait of Gibraltar in the west, because the air thermals on which it depends do not form over water.

A carnivore, the White Stork eats a wide range of animal prey, including insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, and small birds. It takes most of its food from the ground, among low vegetation, and from shallow water. It is a monogamous breeder, but does not pair for life. Both members of the pair build a large stick nest, which may be used for several years. Each year the female can lay one clutch of usually four eggs, which hatch asynchronously 33–34 days after being laid. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs and both feed the young. The young leave the nest 58–64 days after hatching, and continue to be fed by the parents for a further 7–20 days.

The White Stork has been rated as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It benefited from human activities during the Middle Ages as woodland was cleared, but changes in farming methods and industrialisation saw it decline and disappear from parts of Europe in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Conservation and reintroduction programs across Europe have resulted in the White Stork resuming breeding in the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Sweden. It has few natural predators, but may harbour several types of parasite; the plumage is home to chewing lice and feather mites, while the large nests maintain a diverse range of mesostigmatic mites. This conspicuous bird has given rise to many legends across its range, of which the best known is the story of babies being brought by storks.

Poland - Polish Folklore

POLISH FOLKLORE
Dolls dressed in regions' traditional costumes.

Sent by Krystyna, a postcrosser from Sosnowiec in Poland.

Poland - Polish Folklore

Polish Folklore; Łowicz, Silesia, Opoczno, Zalipie, Sanok, Łopuszna, Tatry, Lednogora, Kurpie, and Nowogród.

Sent by Bernadeta, a postcrosser from Poland.

Poland

Various features of Poland; (from top left)Smoked cheese made of salated sheep milk, Krakow, Highlander, Warsaw, Gdansk, and Wroclaw.

Sent by Marcelina, a postcrosser from Poland.

Poland - Ol49-111 Locomotive

OL49-111 Driving Steam Locomotive.

Sent by przygodanahelu from Poland.

This is from Wikipedia : PKP class Ol49 was a class of steam engine used in Poland by the PKP. A total of 116 were built between 1951 and 1954, 112 for the PKP and four for export to North Korea, by Fablok in Chrzanow.

They replaced the older Ok1 and Ok22.

Several examples are still in use, based out of Wolsztyn, while others have been mounted at various locations across Poland. At least one example has been exported for preservation and can be found in Belgium.

Polish Traditional Costumes

A painting shows Polish in their traditional costumes.

Sent by Lidka, a postcrosser from Wolsztyn in Poland.

Folk - Greetings from Poland

Folk - Greetings from Poland.

Sent by Michal from Poznań in Poland.