Today we went to visit the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, which traces their gradual coming to Eastern Europe after C10, their acceptance in Poland and the Poland-Lithuanian Commonwealth of C16-17, the war with Ukraine and the subsequent partitioning of the commonwealth between Germany, Austria and Russia in C19 and up until the present.
It was well presented, with an audio guide which highlighted about 60 items of special interest. The trouble is, though, you want to look at everything, so by the time you are getting towards the end, which is the bit you wanted to see in the first place, you are wrung out, and can't read any more.
After leaving, we walked past the Uprising Memorial, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
We got lunch at 16:00, traditional dumplings and fruit tea/beer. It was not a public holiday, but many folk were out attending commemorations or just being involved. Groups of scouts and guides had come in from rural areas, people coming past were wearing ribbons and badges and carrying flags.
A group of boys in uniform (not scouts) came past marching behind 2 very big wreaths, on their way to lay them somewhere.
We got to the Old Town Market Square (all rebuilt in the old style) just in time for 17:00.
Some guides were in charge of sounding the siren (the signal being carried right through the city), and a company of adults dressed from 1940s lined up and marched through, as if being rounded up. The local organ-busker played and sang what was probably the national anthem and another song, and then we all went our ways.
Our way led us into the big 'new' market square. Just at the entrance were a group of folk singers, and a large crowd had gathered round them, almost blocking the road. Many were singing along.
We looked around a bit, talked to some scouts,
These 'venturer' girls have to invent then embroider their interest badges.
Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński joins the commemoration. He helped save Jews during WW2, and was a people's priest.
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