The Polish Falcons of America To Present Rare Vintage Films

 

 

Entitled “Preserving Our Past: Vintage Films from the Archives of the Polish Falcons of America” the film premiere will present an exceptional look at over half a century of ethnic history through film footage that has been recently restored and saved from rapid deterioration.   The event will include an opening reception and film screening, with accompanying narration.

The event will be hosted at the Copernicus Center, 5216 West Lawrence Avenue, Chicago at 6:00 p.m. on October 9.  Admission is $30 per person.

Young Polish Americans in Warsaw, circa 1926.

A national benefit fraternal organization that also promotes cultural programs and physical fitness, the Polish Falcons have strong roots in the ethnic community as well as to Poland, the Falcons’ ancestral homeland.   Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, the Polish Falcons is a national organization with over 23,000 members nationwide.  The Chicago film event is being sponsored by Polish Falcons of America Districts II and IV, which represent metropolitan Chicago, Illinois and Indiana. 

The films were originally created during a fifty-year time period beginning in the 1920s and depict various major events in the organization’s history, while simultaneously providing a rare insight into immigrant life.  Included in the collection is extremely rare film footage of pre-World War II Poland, the country in which the Falcons have had strong roots and ties. 

Through the efforts of the Polish Falcons organization, over 20,000 young Polish American immigrant men were trained as officers and soldiers for Polish divisions fighting with the Allied army in World War I, thereby helping to secure Poland’s independence.  Among the other subjects, the films document two major excursions of several hundred Falcon youth to participate in various official ceremonies in newly independent Poland during the late 1920s and early 1930s. The fact that these excursions were documented on film, a costly and cumbersome effort at the time, make them quite unique.  The influence and prestige of the early Polish Falcon organization are evident in scenes of official welcoming ceremonies hosted by the Polish government and representatives of the Polish military. The American participants are well disciplined, attired in uniforms resembling those worn by Olympic teams.  Drills and public presentations were made for Polish heads-of-state, including Count and Countess Zamoyski, who hosted one of these visiting delegations at their palatial estate in Kozłówka, Poland.

Young Polish Americans on route to Poland, circa 1920.

“Preserving these films is an unusual initiative for an ethnic benefit fraternal,” notes Falcon President and CEO Timothy Kuzma.  “We realized that these films were rare and that a substantial financial commitment needed to be made to preserve them.”  Kuzma notes that many of the 35 mm nitrate films in the organization’s archives were rapidly deteriorating, so a decision had to be quickly made to find a restoration company and secure the funds for this unique effort.  “The Polish Falcons has viewed this project not only as an investment in preserving our organization’s history, but also as an important contribution to the cultural legacy of Polish-American life and of ethnic history in general,” notes Kuzma.  “Thanks in large part to contributions from our members, we were able to make this significant contribution toward the preservation of our collective cultural heritage.”

The original black and white films are silent shorts, with captions.  The films have been edited into a 84 minute documentary with narration.   Many of the scenes portrayed offer a rare glimpse into pre-World War II Poland prior to wartime destruction.  Scenes of Warsaw before its near total wartime destruction are particularly poignant, as are scenes of the relatively pristine mountain hamlet of Zakopane, in the Tatra Mountains. Now Poland’s bustling winter capital, the films show this popular mountain tourist destination prior to modern resort development and relatively untouched by time. 

The Film Screeenig will be held at the Copernicus Center, 5216 West Lawrence Avenue, Chicago on Saturday, October 9. The event begins with an opening reception at 6:00 p.m., followed by a private screening and dessert reception. Tickets are $30 per person and are available by contacting the Polish Falcons of America National Headquarters (toll-free) at 1-800535-2071.  Further information and to view selected film clips are available at the organization’s web site at www.polishfalcons.org.

Polish Falcons from America. Poland trip 1920s.

Polish Falcons of America

381 Mansfield Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15220-2751

www.polishfalcons.org

 

The Polish Falcons of America (PFA), one of the nation’s leading Polish-American organizations, is an ethnic fraternal benefit society with over 23,000 members nation-wide. Since its inception in 1887, the Polish Falcons of America has provided for the physical, social and financial welfare of its members. With the motto of “A Healthy Spirit in a Healthy Body,” the Falcons provide insurance services, physical education and cultural programs to its membership as well as cultural and community service projects to the general community.  For further information on our history, programs and services visit the PFA web site at www.polishfalcons.org

or call toll free 1-800-535-2071.