Editor's Note: These are courtesy translations of local news provided by the U.S. Army Garrison Poland Public Affairs team for the benefit the military community stationed here. Views or opinions are not endorsed by USAG Poland or the U.S. Army.
Gingerbread molds in the Toruń museum
The temporary exhibition entitled "Gingerbread Forms in Polish Museum Collections" can be viewed in the Old Town Hall. Its implementation was possible thanks to the cooperation, commitment and kindness of the management and employees of 25 Polish museums.
The exhibition is the result of two years of research work by employees of the Department of the History of Toruń Gingerbread at the District Museum in Toruń. Its aim is to present the scale of the museum collections, but also to draw attention to the beauty and artistry enclosed in these often small and inconspicuous blocks of wood. The exhibition is the first attempt to present the state of museum collections of gingerbread molds in Poland, and at the same time the first such extensive exhibition of gingerbread blocks at the District Museum in Toruń in almost 50 years.
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue, which is the first such extensive study of the collection of gingerbread moulds in our country. It is a knowledge base on Polish gingerbread traditions and related museum resources. It is also an introduction to further research and exploration, and at the same time an attempt to draw attention to the potential of these wooden objects – research, conservation, educational potential, which is not always fully used.
The implementation of this task was financially supported by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. The Toruń District Museum invited institutions that can boast significant collections of gingerbread molds to cooperate. The selection criteria included the quality and artistic value of the objects, the number, the origin of the collection, gingerbread traditions and connections with Toruń as a significant center of gingerbread in Poland.
An additional element popularizing the project is a "virtual tour" of the exhibition, enabling everyone who, for various reasons, will not be able to come to Toruń to visit the exhibition.
The exhibition presenting gingerbread molds scattered throughout Poland will be available from November 23, 2024 to March 2, 2025.
Wooden, carved gingerbread molds are not only a remnant of the old workshops of woodcarvers and gingerbread makers, they are also a material testimony to our gingerbread history and tradition. Many beautiful, historic gingerbread molds have survived to this day, finding their safe haven in museums all over Europe.
Polish museums also store and present dozens of such forms, but they are found much more often in museum warehouses than in exhibitions. The creators of gingerbread forms were in most cases anonymous authors. They were carved by the gingerbread makers themselves, especially at the beginning of their careers, but just as often they were done by specialized craftsmen – wood carvers.
The forms were made of hard wood, which allowed for precise carving of patterns. Using specialist tools – chisels of various shapes, widths and sizes of blades – the sculptor cut out previously sketched lines. Different depths of the cuts on the form allowed for more or less convex gingerbread decorations. The carved pattern was the negative for the positive, which became the gingerbread. It was the gingerbread forms that determined the aesthetic expression of spicy baked goods.
The XXII Santa Claus Running Festival in Torun is upon us
On Sunday, December 1, 2024, the XXII Santa Claus Run Festival will begin. A week later, on December 7, the Santa Claus Run for children will take place.
The Festival will officially open on December 1, 2024 at 11:50 AM. All races are scheduled to start from the Nicolaus Copernicus House. The finish line of this year's festival will be at the Grzegorz Dunecki Municipal Stadium at ul. gen. Józefa Bema 23/29 in Toruń.
The competition office will be located in the Tennis Hall at Szosa Chełmińska 75b in Toruń and will be open on November 30 from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and on December 1 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
The following races will be held as part of the festival:
- XXII St. Nicholas Half Marathon
- 10 km Santa Clauses
- 5 km Santa Clauses
- 5km Nordic Walking
- Polish Team Championship in the Saint Nicholas Half Marathon,
- Polish Team Championships 10 km. Saint Nicholas Day,
- Polish Team Championships 5 km Saint Nicholas Day,
- Toruń City Half Marathon Championships,
- Toruń City Championship in the 10 km Santa Claus Run.
The race is open to all amateur runners who have completed the entry form and paid the entry fee.
In the XXII St. Nicholas Half Marathon and 10 km St. Nicholas, the general classification of women and men in age categories (by year of birth) will be awarded - only the first places.
In the Toruń City Championships, the women's and men's classification will be awarded, and only people permanently registered in Toruń can participate. A competitor who receives a prize in the general category does not receive a prize in the age category.
In the 5 km Santa Claus race and 5 km Santa Claus Nordic Walking race, the general classification of women and men will be awarded. Prizes will be awarded for the first 3 places, there will be no age classification.
The winners will be awarded at the Tennis Hall – ul. Szosa Chełmińska 75B, from 1:30 p.m.
The race office will be located at Rotunda Square in the Copernicus Gallery on the day of the race from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Participation in the children's races is PLN 60. Only online registration is required. The starting package will include a Santa hat and a starting number.
Official website of the festival: https://biegmikolajow.pl/
XIV Christmas Battle of the Stars in Toruń
For the 14th time, a charity curling tournament will be held - Christmas Battle of the Stars. The funds raised will be donated to the Nadzieja Hospice Foundation.
We invite you to participate in the event on November 29, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Mentor Sport ice rink.
The Christmas Battle of the Stars is not only a curling tournament, but also accompanying events - auctions, a raffle (every ticket wins), a book fair, a playroom for children. In addition - hot drinks, sweet pastries and numerous surprises. A new feature in 2024 are crocheting workshops and creating Christmas greeting cards. Free admission.
- Thanks to the generosity of the Battle organizers, the good hearts of the competition participants and the entire curling community, our children have always been able to count not only on support in their daily functioning (collections of dressings and treatment materials, care and cleaning products, supplements and food products), but also on a huge contribution to the construction of a new headquarters and equipment for the Nursing and Care Department, including a mechanical ventilation unit, where children are on respirators. Over the years, we can safely say that thanks to the evnet, we have managed to collect over PLN 100,000 in both financial and material aid. Christmas Battle is a great example of how to combine the promotion of curling with charitable activities, such from the heart, out of a pure need for selfless help - explains Ewa Biedrzycka, a member of the Management Board of the Nadzieja Hospice Foundation.
The 14th edition of the competition will feature 12 teams, not normally involved in curling. They include athletes, employees of local companies and entire families. – We invite everyone, regardless of age, who wants to support the Toruń “Nadzieja” students with fun in a festive atmosphere. Santa hats, Christmas sweaters, reindeer antlers, elf costumes and other Christmas gadgets are welcome – says Mateusz Kulik, the main organizer.
The Museum of POW Camps in Żagań is worth visiting! It has new exhibits!
The Museum of POW Camps in Żagań has been enriched with a collection of thirteen original graphics (measuring 28 x 38 cm) made by Polish pilot Bohdan Arct (316th "Warsaw" Fighter Squadron) in the Stalag Luft 1 Barth POW camp in November 1944.
On September 6, 1944, during a combat flight to the Amsterdam area, the engine of Arct's Mustang seized and the pilot was forced to parachute out. After landing in the Arnhem area, he was caught by the Dutch police and handed over to the Germans. After a short stay in transit camps, he was sent to Stalag Luft 1 in Barth in Western Pomerania. - The graphics were given to us by Mr. Kelvin Youngs and Stefan Pietrzak from Aircrew Remembered, for which we are very grateful - informs Marek Łazarz, director of the Museum of POW Camps in Żagań. - In accordance with Bohdan Arct's will, the works will be exhibited as part of the permanent exhibition of our museum.
It is worth visiting the Żagań museum
At the entrance to the Museum of POW Camps in Żagań stands a stone that was once part of a larger monument, but after World War II its elements were lost. They were only recently found, on the premises of a closed military shooting range, and returned to the museum.
The stones are engraved with the names of tragically deceased pilots, and one of them once had a propeller. Right next to them lie stones dedicated to soldiers of the Soviet Army, which will be moved to the cemetery on Kożuchowska Street. On the MOJ wall you can see a beautiful mural dedicated to Polish pilots, participants of the Great Escape.
Museum history expert
Marek Łazarz, director of the POW Camp Museum, is an expert in history. He gives very interesting accounts of, among other things, the "wooden horse" operation, a successful escape from the Luft 3 camp. He is also the author of the book "Four Tank Men and a Dog. A Guide to the Series and its Surrounding Areas". The book has 312 pages and was published on January 1, 2006. It contains photos from the series set, memories of the creators, descriptions of places where individual scenes were filmed and interesting facts from the set, as well as episode summaries. The author also describes the activities of the famous Tank Club and the musical version of the series.
In Żagań there was no Michael's Fair, but there will be a St. Nicholas Fair! The city festival is coming soon!
Michael's Fair 2024, the traditional city festival, was to take place on September 20-22, 2024. Unfortunately, on September 15, 2024, flooding began, which also affected Żagań. Therefore, Mayor Sławomir Kowal canceled the Żagań festival. This does not mean that it will not take place! The fair will be in December 2024 and it will be St. Nicholas' Fair!
On September 15, 2024, a flood began in Żagań. The city's residents, soldiers, and anyone willing to help began strengthening the embankments on the Bóbr River, thanks to which the city was saved from the great flood.
Michael's Fair did not take place, but Mayor Sławomir Kowal announced that there will be a St. Nicholas Fair in the city, on Friday and Saturday, December 6 and 7, 2024, in the palace and park. The events will be hosted by a well-known journalist, once of Radio Zet, currently Eska, Kamil Nosel. There will be shopping zones, good food and meetings with Santa.
St. Nicholas Fair Program in Żagań
Friday, December 6, 2024
- 4:00 p.m. start of the event
- 4:10 p.m. O's Theater "Where are you dear Santa Claus?"
- 5:20 p.m.artists from the Black Division club
- 6:30 p.m.concert of the Echa group
- 8:00 p.m. the star of the evening Lanberry, who debuted in 2015 with the song "Podpalimy świat". Since then, she has released many hits. In 2024, she released the album, "Heca". In 2022-2024, she was a member of the jury of the TVP 2 Then Voice of Poland program. She has received many nominations for Fryderyk awards.
- 9:00 p.m. DJ Maiqel
- 10:00 p.m.ending
Saturday, December 7, 2024
- 4:00 p.m.concert of the vocal section of the Żagań Palace of Culture
- 4:50 p.m.Maja Paczkowska - an evening with covers
- 5:30 p.m. 2's Band from Szprotawa
- 6:30 p.m. Nocturnal Haze band
- 7:40 p.m. Ikarus Feel - Trio from Lublin, playing indie-pop sound, combining expressive lyrics with catchy melodies.
- 9:00 p.m. the star of the evening Tymek, or Tymoteusz Bucki from Opole. Composer, singer, music producer. He has sold over 60,000 copies of his albums in Poland.
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