#The Nation Chronicles Poland

[gracheeez]

Ma'am I LOVE POLHUN

[book--brackets]

Temeraire by Naomi Novik (2006-2016)

DESCRIPTION

Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors ride mighty fighting dragons, bred for size or speed. When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes the precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Captain Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future – and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire. 

 Capt. Will Laurence is serving with honor in the British Navy when his ship captures a French frigate harboring most a unusual cargo–an incalculably valuable dragon egg. When the egg hatches, Laurence unexpectedly becomes the master of the young dragon Temeraire and finds himself on an extraordinary journey that will shatter his orderly, respectable life and alter the course of his nation’s history.

 Thrust into England’s Aerial Corps, Laurence and Temeraire undergo rigorous training while staving off French forces intent on breaching British soil. But the pair has more than France to contend with when China learns that an imperial dragon intended for Napoleon–Temeraire himself– has fallen into British hands. The emperor summons the new pilot and his dragon to the Far East, a long voyage fraught with peril and intrigue. From England’s shores to China’s palaces, from the Silk Road’s outer limits to the embattled borders of Prussia and Poland, Laurence and Temeraire must defend their partnership and their country from powerful adversaries around the globe. But can they succeed against the massed forces of Bonaparte’s implacable army?

Wayside School by Louis Sachar (1978-2020)

There was a terrible mistake. Wayside School was supposed to have been built with thirty classrooms all next to each other in a row. Instead, it was built with the thirty classrooms all on top of each other - thirty stories high! That may be why all kinds of strange stuff happens at Wayside School. Especially, on the thirteenth floor. It is a school full of unusual characters too. Mrs Gorf the meanest teacher in the world. Terrible Todd who always gets sent home early. John who can only read upside down.

Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black (2002-2007)

Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she drifts from place to place with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces them back to Kaye's childhood home. But Kaye's life takes another turn when she stumbles upon an injured faerie knight in the woods. Kaye has always been able to see faeries where others could not, and she chooses to save the strange young man instead of leaving him to die. 

But this fateful choice will have more dire consequences than she could ever predict, as Kaye soon finds herself the unwilling pawn in an ancient and violent power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms--a struggle that could very well mean her death.

The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist (1982-1986)

My name is Pug. I was once an orphaned kitchen boy, with no family and no prospects, but I am destined to become a master magician...

War is coming to the Kingdom of the Isles from another world, bringing with it chaos and destruction. Pug yearns to train as a warrior and fight for his kingdom alongside his foster-brother, Tomas, but instead he is forced to follow a different path: a path that will lead him right into the heart of the enemy. And one that will change the course of the war - and two worlds - forever.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (2009-2011)

It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet. 

 Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men. 

 Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered. 

 With the Great War brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way...taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change both their lives forever.

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede (1985-1993)

Cimorene is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart - and bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon - and finds the family and excitement she's been looking for.

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas (2020-present)

Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.

In an attempt to prove himself a true brujo and gain his family’s acceptance, Yadriel decides to summon his cousin’s ghost and help him cross to the afterlife.

But things get complicated when he accidentally summons the ghost of his high school’s resident bad boy, Julian Diaz – and Julian won't go into death quietly.

The two boys must work together if Yadriel is to move forward with his plan.

But the more time Yadriel and Julian spend together, the harder it is to let each other go.

The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi (2003-2004)

After finding a mysterious, handmade field guide in the attic of the ramshackle old mansion they've just moved into, Jared; his twin brother, Simon; and their older sister, Mallory, discover that there's a magical and maybe dangerous world existing parallel to our own--the world of faerie. 

The Grace children want to share their story, but the faeries will do everything possible to stop them...

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman (2012-2015)

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs, the captain of the Queen's Guard. While they begin to uncover a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect the secret behind her musical gift--a secret so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

The Queen's Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (1996-2022)

Gen can steal anything—at least that's the boast he's made in wineshops across the capital city, and this bragging has landed him in the king's prison. His chances of escape look slim—even for someone of his talents. When he is invited to join a quest to steal an object straight out of a legend, he's hardly in a position to refuse.

[augustsappho]

Stańczyk by Jan Matejko (1862)

Description from Britannica (author: Ann Kay)

Stańczyk, oil painting created in 1862 by Polish artist Jan Matejko. It is one of Matejko’s best known works and is an iconic image in Poland.

Historical painting has always been a vital thread in Polish art, and Matejko chronicled Polish history with a verve and romance that earned him a central place in his homeland’s artistic consciousness. Court jester to several Renaissance-era Polish kings, Stańczyk was said to be a man of extraordinary wisdom. Not afraid to wield his satirical wit to criticize those in power, he came to personify the fight for truth over hypocrisy and even Poland’s struggle for independence.

In this painting, Matejko has turned the jester into a symbol of his nation’s conscience. While a ball at the court of Queen Bona (wife of Sigismund I the Old) is in full swing, Stańczyk sits slumped in depression, having just discovered—presumably indicated by papers on the table—that the Polish city of Smolensk has been lost (1514) during war with Moscow. Seating him apart from the rest of the court emphasizes that only he foresees that the war will be disastrous for Poland.

Matejko’s characteristic theatricality and lighting make the painting appear like a scene from a play. The principal player, in a fanciful costume that highlights his seriousness by its contrast, is placed centrally in a spotlight. In the wings, we glimpse the bit players, while outside a window a comet falls portentously. The face is a self-portrait of Matejko himself, and the artist’s finely detailed style adds to the mood, picking out everything from the plushness of the drapes to the distant sparkle of a chandelier. For centuries Stańczyk featured in the work of an array of Polish artists and writers, but this striking image is the one that has endured.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR -

Ann Kay is a writer and editor with a degree in the history of art and literature at Kent University and a postgraduate qualification in graphic design from London University. She has also studied book design and jewelry-making. Her work appears in Encyclopaedia Britannica as part of a joint publishing agreement with the publisher of 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die and 1001 Amazing Places You Must See Before You Die, where the work originally appeared.

[eretzyisrael]

Syrian Jews in exile still embody a rich tradition

The Jews of Syria were displaced, like hundreds of other communities. Yet they have always carried the memory of their origins with them and today act as a repository of cultures. Senior rabbi of the Sephardi Community in the UK, Rabbi Joseph Dweck, writes in the Jewish Chronicle:

Photo taken of Jews in Aleppo in 1935 (Sephardic Heritage Museum)

The recent history of Syria is a tragedy that resonates with anyone who has a connection to the land, its people and its history. For me, as a Syrian Jew, it strikes a particularly poignant chord. Syria is part of the ancestral memory of my people. It is a land that once hosted vibrant Jewish communities, where ancient synagogues echoed with prayer and study, where markets bustled with life, and where centuries of Jewish history intertwined with the cultural tapestry of Arab and Levantine society.

Yet today, war, displacement, destruction, and despair compel reflection on deeper truths about what it means to live through exile, to carry the memory of a homeland, and to find strength in resilience and adaptability.

For 20 centuries, the Jewish people have been migrants. Following the destruction of the Second Temple, we became wanderers, forced to find refuge in foreign lands. From Babylonia to Spain, Morocco to Poland, Yemen to Germany, and beyond, Jewish communities settled, flourished, and integrated. Each migration was marked by resilience, a willingness to adapt, and a commitment to preserving Jewish identity.

The Jews of Syria were no exception. They lived in harmony with their neighbours for centuries, contributing to the country’s trade, culture, and intellectual life. Yet, like so many Jewish communities throughout history, they were eventually uprooted – some by choice, others by force – in search of safety and security.

For Syrian Jews, this migration was a painful but familiar story. It echoes the experience of Jews worldwide who were displaced, yet always carried the memory of their origins with them. My family first came to the eastern shores of the United States in 1901, seeking better economic opportunity after the opening of the Suez Canal diverted major trade routes away from Aleppo, which led to a decline in commerce. But they arrived on those shores with a robust culture and tradition that they faithfully instilled in their descendants. It is only due to their strong commitment to its preservation that it continues to live within me to this day. Migration for Jews has never been simply about survival, it has been about transforming displacement into opportunity, exile into growth.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Jewish identity is its role as a repository of cultures. Wherever Jews have lived, they have absorbed the languages, customs, and traditions of their host nations. From the spices of Aleppo to the melodies of Sephardic prayer, Jewish life reflects a mosaic of influences.

In this sense, Syrian Jewry embodies a rich tradition. Aram Soba, as it is known in Hebrew, produced renown rabbis, exquisite liturgical poetry, and delectable cuisine.

Read article in full

[mariacallous]

When you think of Jewish alcohol, Manischewitz (for better or worse) probably comes to mind. But slivovitz — a liquor with a forceful flavor and formidable strength — is arguably the Hebrew hooch. 

Slivovitz, whose name is derived from the slavic word sliv for “damson plum,” is made by fermenting plums, distilling the mash to 80-100 proof alcohol, then aging the resulting liqueur for up to 10 years in oak barrels. Slivovitz is largely produced in Central and Eastern Europe, where different countries create their own variants. In the Czech Republic, for example, slivovitz (in Czech, slivovice) is considered the national drink of the region of Moravia and is served at room temperature in small shot glasses known as a panák. In Bulgaria, slivovitz holds special religious importance having been distilled for nearly seven centuries by members of Troyan Monastery. The monks’ special blend is made from Madzharkini plums, a variety that grows only in the Troyan region and is distinctive for its easily extracted pits.

Although grains are introduced during some forms of the slivovitz fermentation process, some distillers decided to forgo this step as a means of ensuring the liqueur was kosher. This gesture rendered slivovitz initially attractive to Jews during Passover, specifically Seder dinners that traditionally called for the consumption of up to four glasses of wine. Unfortunately, local wines were often made alongside other spirits under non-kosher conditions and thus were unacceptable. And because, as Dr. Glenn Dynner, professor of Jewish studies at Sarah Lawrence College, points out, imported kosher wine was often prohibitively expensive and of limited availability, Jews gravitated toward slivovitz on such celebratory occasions. 

But its kashrut status alone is an insufficient reason why slivovitz is considered particularly, or even especially, Jewish. According to University of Pittsburgh professor and slivovitz historian, Dr. Martin Votruba, “Jews would acquire this local drink after moving into European kingdoms. They would simply pick it up as part of the culture.” It seems, however, their relationship with slivovitz became more purposeful during the 1800s in what is now Poland. Because they were considered relatively temperate compared to their countrymen, Jews were charged with operating drinking halls and taverns, and thus began to monopolize the liquor business, much of which revolved around slivovitz. 

Another explanation as to why slivovitz holds a special place in the Jewish cultural imaginary is its strong anecdotal association with Jewish men of an older generation. In the 1990 film “Avalon,” which chronicles the trials and tribulations of a Polish Jewish immigrant family at the turn of the 20th century, brothers Sam and Gabriel reminisce about their father: 

“He never drank water. And oh, boy, could he drink! What was that stuff called he always used to drink?’ ‘Slivovitz. Slivovitz. He used to call it, ‘Block and fall.’ You have one drink of that, you walk one block and you fall!” 

Similarly, food writer Jordan Hoffman recalls his father describing how a swig of slivovitz (which they called ‘Shleeve-O-Wits’) by Hoffman’s grandfather signaled the breaking the Yom Kippur fast: 

“… they’d peer out of the apartment window, waiting to spot him walking back from the synagogue. He’d take his sweet time, pull off his coat and hat, open a rarely used cabinet, blow the dust off an old bottle, take a sip of something, make a face, then announce that everyone could eat.”

As evinced by both accounts, slivovitz is not for the faint of heart and for some years, the caustic, bitter spirit fell out of favor. There are signs that slivovitz is slowly becoming back en vogue: restaurants, including New York’s renowned Kafana, serve slivovitz and a handful of distillers, such as Stone Barn Brandy Works, are producing their own new-fangled versions. And fans of the enormously popular series “Homeland” will attest that it’s the drink of choice for the character of Senator Andrew Lockhart.  

Slivovitz’ nostalgic appeal combined with the introduction of new, more palatable varieties means it has some real so-old-school-it’s-cool potential. And who knows — the coming year may have us all slugging slivovitz slingers rather than espresso martinis.

[tomorrowusa]

What Russia can't win on the battlefield it will try to accomplish with disinformation, propaganda, and plain old bribery.

A Russian cabal operated a propaganda site masquerading as a news site called the Voice of Europe. In addition to publishing items designed to undermine confidence in various European governments, it outright made payoffs to various EU politicians.

Investigators claimed it used the popular Voice of Europe website as a vehicle to pay politicians. The Czech Republic and Poland said the network aimed to influence European politics. Voice of Europe did not respond to the BBC's request for comment. Czech media, citing intelligence sources, reported that politicians from Germany, France, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Hungary were paid by Voice of Europe in order to influence upcoming elections for the European Parliament. The German newspaper Der Spiegel said the money was either handed over in cash in covert meetings in Prague or through cryptocurrency exchanges. Pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk is alleged by the Czech Republic to be behind the network. Mr Medvedchuk was arrested in Ukraine soon after the Russian invasion, but later transferred to Russia with about 50 prisoners of war in exchange for 215 Ukrainians. ' Czech authorities also named Artyom Marchevsky, alleging he managed the day-to-day business of the website. Both men were sanctioned by Czech authorities. Poland's intelligence agency said it had conducted searches in the Warsaw and Tychy regions and seized €48,500 (£41,500) and $36,000 (£28,500).

"Money from Moscow has been used to pay some political actors who spread Russian propaganda," BIS said in a statement. It added that the sums amounted to "millions" of Czech crowns (tens of thousands of pounds).

I went looking for the Voice of Europe site but it is now missing (Hmm. We’re having trouble finding that site). So I held my nose and visited their Twitter account and nothing new has been posted since the scandal broke.

We need to be careful when looking at news online. Recently a series of fake sites pretending to be legit US news sources was uncovered.

Russia-Backed ‘Fake News Organizations’ Revealed Across the U.S. in Bombshell New York Times Report

The fake news sites have names that sound like they are legit but aren't. Examples: D.C. Weekly, the New York News Daily, the Chicago Chronicle, and the Miami Chronicle. There is a legit New York Daily News – note the different word order from the fake. There once was a newspaper called the Chicago Chronicle but it folded during the Theodore Roosevelt administration.

Google News searches spew a lot of crap. In a lot of cases the "news" sources on Google are just the proverbial guy in his underwear in his mom's basement posting bullshit. They may not be Russian but they are often dubious.

It's best to create a bookmark folder of known legit news sources. There are still numerous good sources not behind paywalls. And many countries have public broadcasters who post news in English. Just a few: NPR, BBC, DW, CBC, ABC (Australia), RFI, YLE, Radio Sweden | Sveriges Radio, NHK-World, and even EER in Estonia.

When running across a news story which sounds peculiar, check to see if it's being reported in known legit media before posting or sharing it.

There are national elections this year in a number of countries including India, the US, and (probably) the UK. Don't inadvertently assist Putin's effort to spread disinformation and sow chaos.

[unhonestlymirror]

Liet and Bela had a country? Ukraine and Finland had a country????

1)Well, not officially, but Lithuania and Belarus fight (not physically) for Užupis (Zarečča) a lot. XD. Užupis doesn't really consider itself anyone's relative, it's more an international Republic, but being in Lithuania is certainly better than anywhere, and I consider him Jewish Lithuanian because Užupis was born on the ruins of Jewish neighbourhoods. Nevertheless, both Belarus and Lithuania dote on him. And Poland. And France. There's a lot of drama. XD

2)Well, about that... It was a joke based on some real events. Ukrainians, unlike russians, don't like to bring Kyivan Rus history left and right because, unlike russians, we are aware of our cringe moments.

So, anyway:

This is the Kyivan Rus map (with incorrect names btw), not so far from its collapse. The luminous green and orange lines are drawn by me and indicate approximate(!) borders of people who tend to speak back then either Ukrainian or Belaruthian.

Before Kyivan Rus colonialism, there were mostly Finno-Ugric tribes, including Mordvins, Udmurts, Mockshans, etc. Many of them formed a Finnish state Biarmia, a pretty successful if Scandinavians traded with them and even mentioned them. Green and orange shaded areas are the areas of Church Slavonic (the government language) and Finnish languages merging, which led to such a thing as, e.g., Old Novgorod dialect appearing. It's still not russian yet, but it's not any Ruthenian language either.

We could have blamed Belarus in everything, but that's what russians do, and if we, as Ukraine with its Kyivan Rus management located in Kyiv in U-kraine (In-land), we should take responsibility for Ruthenian Aus-land, just as we take responsibility for Yuri "Long-handed" Dolgorukiy, who was called like that either because of his appearance or because of meddling in the struggle for the Kyiv throne and infighting in Ruthenia, while being in a distant peripheral. That's why embittered Kyivans poisoned him eventually and killed all the invaders.

You can read more here

It's important to note that calling Novgorod&Rostov colonies and russia the one historical state is the same as calling Baltic Prussija and Teutonic Prussia the same state. Russia appears somewhere in the 16th century, after Golden Horde merging with Novgorod&Rostov etc. principalities. That's why a lot of "blonde-blue-eyed" russians have a mentality characteristic of Asian countries: e.g., a woman is a non-human, a baby making tool to them, no democracy, strong subordination of younger to older, of "cogs" to "higher-ups", habit of boot-licking of the higher-ups and the habit of humiliating and mocking those who are weaker. In more than half of the cases, you will encounter this kind of social behaviour in most of Asian countries. Not gonna lie, you can meet such behaviour in any country, but for russia, it's such a commonplace as for Ukrainians to scold the government, it's something they actually love to do. What is popular in russia is not really popular in Ukraine and Belarus. You would probably understand it better if you've read the russian fanfiction website for years, but I feel too sorry for you, so I don't want you to do that. Russia is the true heir of Golden Horde, and the fact that people can't distinguish a 16th-century russian clothes from Golden Horde clothes only proves my point. Which is ironic, because russians are responsible for destroying the Mongolian culture as well.

Ruthenia didn't give birth to russia, but it gave birth to Novgorod-Rostov Principalities. Nevertheless, Ukrainians tend to quote Taras Bulba when talking about russia: "Я тебе породив, я тебе й вб'ю" which means "It was me who gave birth to you, and it will be me who will kill you." Finland has, in principle, the same position.

P.S. The fact that both Kyivan Rus and Scandinavian chronicles don't really mention Baltics probably means the Baltics were already quite conscious in terms of their national identity.

[meanhare]

anyway i didnt have a normal socialization. i was raised by stray dogs, imaginary nonhuman friends, the edge chronicles book series, random semiobscure metal music with ugly cover artworks, internet-freeroaming pictures of homoerotic chinese men, poland national geographic magazines and the band called bo ningen

[ivyfox-illustration]

Cushion Afghan Hound, watercolor, sighthound, realistic, unique Afghan Hound gifts Your favourite breed art print - head or body conformation - groomer gift - Other Breeds Available - dog breeder gift - regional specialty or national specialty prize gift idea Artwork by Ivy Fox Illustration Follow Ivy Fox Illustration on social media https://m.facebook.com/IvyFox.illustration/ https://www.instagram.com/ivyfox.illustration/ Find your dog breed: Personalized Pet Portraits: https://ivyfoxillustrates.etsy.com/ My website: https://ivyfoxillustration.com/ Art Prints Merch Original PaintingsDesigned to add a touch of custom character to any setting, these cushions are a decor enthusiast's dream come true. Made with 100% cotton drill, each cushion comes pre-filled and with all-over-print capability. Available in 3 sizes for you to choose what best fits your needs. .: Materials: 100% cotton drill cover, 100% polyester filling .: Blanks are sourced from Poland .: Available in 3 sizes .: Concealed zipper .: Double-sided printContact Email: IvyFoxIllustration@ gmail(dot)com ———— Tags and other miscellaneous info: ———— Ivy Fox Illustration Ivy Fox dog art Museum of the Dog American Kennel Club Showsight - Where Champions Are Celebrated American Dog Fancier InfoDog Best In Show The Canine Chronicle AKC Gazette best pet portrait artist watercolor fine art unique art Akc meet the breeds Westminster kennel club dog show national dog show crufts grooming intergroom superzoo petquest groom expo dog sports well bred dogs purebred preservation breeders ethical breeders breeder of merit akc grand champion Ch – Champion of Record – earned by gaining 15 points in conformation wins. Points awarded is determined by the number of other entries the winning dog defeats. A dog must win at least two majors (by winning at two different shows under two different judges where there are enough entries defeated to equal 3-5 points by the AKC point system. OTCh – Obedience Trial Champion To earn an obedience title, the dog must have a passing score of 50% of possible points or better, and an overall passing score at three different competitions under three different judges. CD – Companion Dog (First Level Obedience Competition, basic obedience exercises) CDX – Companion Dog Excellent (Intermediate Level Obedience Competition, more advanced obedience work) UD – Utility Dog (Advanced Level Obedience Competition, difficult obedience work, including hand signals) UDX – The highest obedience degree AKC presently awards TRACKING TD – Tracking Dog TDX – Tracking Dog Excellent VST – Variable Surface Tracking HERDING HIC – Herding Instinct Certificate HT – Herding Tested PT – PreTrial Tested HS – Herding Started HI – Herding Intermediate HX – Herding Excellent HCh – Herding Champion AGILITY NA – Novice Agility OA – Open Agility AX – Agility Excellent MX – Master Agility Excellent NAJ – Novice Agility Jumper OAJ – Open Agility Jumper EAJ – Excellent Agility Jumper AKC Unofficial Titles CGC – Canine Good Citizen ROM – Register of Merit – A dog or bitch must earn a number of points specified by the DPCA rules, and also meet the numbers of champion and major pointed progeny required by DPCA. The requirements for bitches are less than the requirements for the dogs because males have the opportunity to produce a far larger number of offspring. ROMC – Canadian ROM ROM/C – designates that the dog has earned an American and a Canadian ROM. TT – Temperament Tested TC – Temperament Certified AOE – Award of Excellence-A dog must meet qualifications in conformation, obedience, and also be OFA´d to earn this award. New competitions are being added and rules for competitions change, for the most up to date rules and regulations, check with the AKC and the DPCA. Miscellaneous American titles often seen on pedigrees and in advertising. BIS – Best in Show at an All-Breed Show in conformation. BISS – Best in Show Specialty (where only dogs of the same breed are competing in conformation) BOB – Best of Breed BOS – Best Opposite Sex BOW – Best of Winners (best between Winners Dog and Winners Bitch in breed conformation class competition) WD – Winners Dog – the winning dog overall of the regular classes of his sex. WB – Winners Bitch – the winning bitch overall of the regular classes of her sex. RWD/RWB – Runner up to the winners dog and bitch, if the winner becomes ineligible for the award then the runner up will receive the points awarded from that show. Special – A dog that is already a Champion that is competing for Best of Breed only. A Champion cannot compete in the classes where points are earned (because a Champion has already earned them!) RTD – Registered Therapy Dog TD I- Dog has passed Therapy Dog International´s testing HEALTH CERTIFICATIONS OVC – Ontario Veterinary College OVC Hip Certification – A dog may be preliminary screened at a younger age, but will not receive a certification unless the dog is at least 18 months old. It was told to me by a tech in the radiology department of OVC that they consider hips to either be bad, in which case they are rated on a scale from 0 – 4, with 4 being the worse, or they are “good” in which case the animal will receive a certification number (if 18 months or older. Therefore they do not follow the U.S. rating system which includes “FAIR”, Good, Excellent”. Their exact words were “the hips are either GOOD or they are NOT. OFA – Orthopedic Foundation for Animals OFA Hip Certifications – dogs within a specified range of normal hip x-rays are certified OFA-Excellent, Good, or Fair OFA – Elbow Certification – Certified by OFA for normal elbows on x-ray, only one grade recognized as normal. Check with OFA for proper procedures and positioning for hip and elbow x-rays. A dog may be preliminary screened at a younger age, but will not receive a certification unless the dog is at least 24 months old. OFA is also now doing certifications for other canine health concerns such as normal thyroid levels, check with OFA for accurate data and rules concerning these. CERF – Canine Eye Registry Foundation-dog is certified to have normal eyes. Re-certification must be done annually. vWD – Von Willebrands Disease free-meaning the dog has been tested and found free of vWD, a bleeding disorder, vWD free ratings also are often given with a percentage listed. For the best information on Von Willebrand´s Disease, contact Dr Jean Dodds, who is the leading research specialist in blood disorders. Dog show prize idea

[rulers-of-hungary-tournament]

ROUND 3, MATCH 1

Admin's commentary: See what I mean by plot thickening? This is the kind of Sophie's choice for the whole Hungarian nation (and all of the other nations of former kingdom of Hungary) that I made this bracket for.

***

I.István (Štefan I.) 1000-1038

unifier of the Magyar tribes and first crowned king of Hungary (the damn crown is named after him for fuck's sake)

a literal saint - though not because he was particularly nice, mostly because of the fact that he was the first Magyar leader to be a proper Christian (unlike his dad Géza, who did get baptized, but still retained some of the pagan customs); plus he actively spread Christianity among Magyars (founding of the first Hungarian bishoprics, the one church for every 10 villages rule etc.), for better or for worse

created the basis for later Hungarian administration, including the minting of first Hungarian coins and the first law code in Hungarian history

helped Byzantines conquer Bulgaria

infamous for imprisoning and blinding his cousin and successor Vazul (chronicles blame his wife's influence, but they're probably just being sexist)

@biksarddedrak said about them: "The only thing, what you actually need to know is he was crowned on 25. of December year of our Lord 1000. The absolute unit of this man managed to haggle the pope to elevate whole Panonian basin on the most easly memorabe day. (...) I. Istvám defended his right to rule from several pagan lords who wished to deposed him in the beginig of his rule. And he did it from glorious city of Nitra."

I.Lajos (Ľudovít I.) 1342-1382

ruled for the impressive 40 years and spent 30 of it in war - around Neapolitan succession (don't ask, it's High Middle Ages, Angevins are EVERYWHERE), invasion of Wallachia, against Venice, crusade against Lithuanians, fending off Mongolian invasion of Moldavia

but I guess that's what happens when you have a country at its peak - you can afford to go to wars; to be fair, his dad already took care of the whole "consolidation" part of the process, so he could get into the expansion, during his reign Hungary at its peak extent territorially

founded the first Hungarian university in Pécs

made some minor provisions to the Golden Bull, namely forbidding the kidnapping and forced relocation of peasants by nobility

made important administrative reforms, like founding of the Secret Chancellory

also king of Poland, @rulers-of-poland-tournament said about him: "Lajos, or Ludwik Węgierski is often held responsible as the ruler who begun the tradition of Przywileje Szlacheckie - those being economic or judicial privileges of the nobility granted in exchange for loyalty. in the long term they led to drastic inequalities and ineffectiveness of royal power, but of course, Ludwik could not have known what he was laying the groundwork for"

@majowajutrzenka said about them: "He recognized his daughters as heirs to the thrones. He also have nickname the great. He wonderful king, son, husband and father. He familly dude. Lajos declared war on Charles of Luxembourg, when he insulted his mother (Elizabeth of Piast, big sister Casimir the Great)"

[gracheeez]

Did this doodles a while ago, literally last week, they are Poland (glasses and headband), Croatia (The one with the tie), Ukraine (the one posing) and Belarus (The one with the scarf)

[in2u-4asec]

Psalm 83 and the Coming Battle for Israel

“Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.”  (Amos 3:7)

End-time experts speak a lot about the Gog-Magog war of Ezekiel 38–39, a prophecy that predicts a powerful confederacy, apparently led by Russia, that is destined to someday invade Israel.  Some think that its fulfillment is even knocking at our door.

But a lesser known prophecy is gaining momentum and importance for our day: Psalm 83, in which a different confederacy attempts to wipe out Israel.

This psalm seems to be addressing current issues in the Middle East—nations conspiring to destroy Israel.

Asaph’s Vision of a Future War

“O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God.  See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads.”  (Psalm 83:1–2)

Psalm 83 is more than a prayer or a plea to God for vengeance on Israel’s enemies; it reveals that a 10-member confederacy wants to destroy the Chosen People and possess the Promised Land.

This psalm, however, was not written during a time of war.  It was written some 3,000 years ago by King David’s worship leader, Asaph, during a time of great prosperity, liberty, and peace.

King David had decisively triumphed over Israel’s enemies, and Israel could expand freely since the superpowers of Egypt and Assyria were both declining.  (Aish)

David’s kingdom, therefore, extended from the Red Sea to the Euphrates. 

Early Historical Israel

But Asaph was not just a worshiper; according to 2 Chronicles 29:30, he was also a chozeh (seer or prophet).

As a prophet, Asaph saw beyond this period of peace, to a time when this confederacy would seek the utter destruction of Israel.  That time now seems to be nearing.

“Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.”  (Psalm 83:4)

Even though Asaph’s vision was received in a time of peace, it must have been cause for some concern since many named in the confederacy had previously demonstrated their hatred.

Of course, even today, conspiring against the Jewish People is considered nothing new.  From the Philistines to the Nazis, the Jewish People have been plotted against.

“See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads.  With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish.”  (Psalm 83:2–3)

The Nazis forcibly remove men, woman, and children from Poland’s Warsaw Ghetto in 1943 after crushing the Jewish resistance that opposed Nazi Germany’s effort to transport the remaining Ghetto population to the Treblinka extermination camp.

The Coalition’s Motive: Break the Abrahamic Covenant 

“With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you.”  (Psalm 83:5)

The ten-member coalition of Psalm 83 forms a covenant with each other against not only the nation of Israel, but the God of Israel

The coalition is not satisfied to only destroy Israel as a nation; they want to wipe out the memory of the name of Israel; in effect, breaking the Abrahamic Covenant.

In the Abrahamic covenant, God pledges that a Chosen People will come through Abraham (Genesis 22:17–18), through Isaac (Genesis 26:2–4), and through Jacob (Genesis 28:14) and that God would give them the Promised Land (Genesis 15:18; Joshua 1:4).

“The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, …  ‘For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.  I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.’”  (Genesis 26:2–4)

God shows Abraham the Stars, by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld

Of course, if through a human coalition the adversary could wipe out the name of Israel, that would effectively make the God of Israel look powerless and a liar in the face of the entire world.

It would also nullify other promises, including the following:

Davidic Covenant / Eternal Throne (2 Samuel 7:12–13; Isaiah 9:6–7; Luke 1:31–33)

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.  There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over His kingdom.”  (Isaiah 9:6–7)

New Covenant / Eternal Relationship (Jeremiah 31:33; John 14:16–17)

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD.  “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.  I will be their God, and they will be my people.”  (Jeremiah 31:33)

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men pray in Jerusalem.

The Word of God, however, is accurate and reliable and no adversary can thwart God’s plans. 

His covenant with Abraham is unconditional and everlasting.  Even after Israel’s disobedience, which He foresaw, He would bring His people home to their own land after a period of exile.

“It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone….  For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.”  (Ezekiel 36:22, 24)

And God has been fulfilling this prophecy and others like it, much to the dismay of those seeking to wipe out the very memory of Israel.

The historic quarter of Byblos, a Canaanite city called Gubal during the Bronze Age and Gebal in the Iron Age that is mentioned in Psalm 83.  Byblos is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world and is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Ten-Member Coalition

While Israel’s many enemies have wanted to destroy the nation of Israel and the Jewish People, Asaph specifically identifies ten nations / groups that unite to form a coalition for this very purpose:

“With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you—the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, Byblos [Gebal], Ammon and Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre.  Even Assyria has joined them to reinforce Lot’s descendants.”  (Psalm 83:5–8)

Kingdoms Around the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah.

While these groups are no longer identifiable by their ancient names, Bill Salus, author of Israelistine and Psalm 83: The Missing Prophecy Revealed ascertains the modern-day equivalents / descendants of these coalition members as the following:

Tents of Edom: Palestinians and Southern Jordanians

Ishmaelites: Saudis (Ishmael is the father of the Arabs)

Moab: Palestinians and Central Jordanians

Hagrites: Egyptians (Hagar is the matriarch of Egypt)

Gebal(Byblos): Hezbollah and Northern Lebanese

Ammon: Palestinians and Northern Jordanians

Amalek: Arabs of the Sinai area

Philistia: Hamas of the Gaza Strip

Tyre: Hezbollah and Southern Lebanese

Assyria: Syrians and Northern Iraqi’s

Salus has worked to identify some of these ancient groups based upon their ancient locations and others by where they migrated.

Author and prophecy expert Joel Richardson has also identified each member group, as well,  basing his conclusions only on their ancient location in 10th century BC; therefore, his locations differ slightly from those of Salus.

The Coalition’s Goal: Destroy Israel

While this 10-member coalition might not yet be overtly united in an action against Israel, these nations do exists today and are already united under the values of Islam.

Moreover, Islam is influenced by a sibling rivalry that dates back to Ishmael and Isaac, and Esau and Jacob.

This ancient resentment against the chosen ones is perhaps fueling attacks and conspiracies against the existence of a Jewish homeland.

Sarai Sends Hagar Away, by James Tissot

Of course, these Psalm 83 countries are actively conspiring today to either take over the land of Israel and make it their own or to prevent Israel from being a Jewish state.  In other words, they want to make Israel a country that cannot protect and shelter the Jewish People from those who hate them. Let’s look a little closer at these groups:

Palestinians—Tents of Edom (Esau); Moab and Ammon (sons of Lot) 

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority (PA) president, has made his intentions about Israel’s existence very clear:

 “We won’t recognize and accept the Jewishness of Israel.  We have many excuses and reasons that prevent us from doing so,” Abbas said.

 “We will march to Jerusalem in the millions, as free people and heroes,” he asserted.  (JPost) 

And that sentiment remains to this day.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas meets with former US President Barack Obama.

Jordanians—Tents of Edom; Moab and Ammon

Although Jordan and Israel have enjoyed a peace treaty since 1994, Jordan’s former Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh told his parliament that Israel should not be recognized as a Jewish State nor should Jordan take in the Palestinian refugees (Tents of Edom).  (ArutzSheva)

 Jordan’s parliament voted to not recognize Israel as a Jewish state.  

That sentiment permeates society as well, where even 81% of Jordanians have anti-Semitic views and 70% have positive views of Hamas. (JPost) 

Hezbollah and Lebanon—Gebal (Byblos) and Tyre

While Hezbollah, the terrorist group based in Lebanon, was helping Syrian President Assad wage war against the rebels, Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, came out of hiding to remind the people of Lebanon that “Israel poses a danger on all people of this region … including Lebanon, and removing it is a Lebanese national interest.”  (JPost)

 That belief remains today.

Byblos

Hamas—Philistines 

Although Gaza is officially a part of the Palestinian Authority ruled by President Abbas, the terrorist group Hamas (similar to the word for “violence” in Hebrew) rules Gaza and is ready to form a coalition with any Muslim group willing to resist Israel.

Its charter states: “[Hamas] will only be of help to all associations and organizations which act against the Zionist enemy and those who revolve in its orbit.”

 Hamas Political Leader Fathi Hamad said that the goal of Hamas is total destruction of Israel.

Forty percent of Israeli civilians are in danger of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.

 “We are coming after the Zionists with all our leaders and soldiers,” Hamad said.  (JPost)

Egyptians (or possibly Northern Jordanians)—Hagrites or Hagarenes

Some commentators believe that Egypt and Israel are experiencing the highest level of peace and cooperation since they signed their peace treaty of 1979, especially in security against Hamas, where they

Gilead was a mountainous region east of the Jordan River divided among the tribes of Gad and Manasseh. It is situated in what is today called Jordan.

have destroyed hundreds of terror tunnels that smuggle weapons to ISIS in the Sinai Peninsula from Gaza. This makes sense if prophecy watchman Joel Richardson is correct. He believes that the Hagarenes are not Egyptians but northern Jodanians (based on 1 Chronicles 5:10, which specifies a region east of Gilead). In this scenario, the peace and cooperation that Israel is currently enjoying with Egypt might continue through the coming war. (wnd)

Saudis (or all Arabs)—Ishmaelites

Bill Salus believes Saudi Arabia represents the Ishmaelite people in Psalm 83.  Like most Arabs throughout the Middle East and Africa, the Saudis claim to be the true chosen people (as descendants of Ishmael).

Considering that Saudi Arabia is an ally of the US, it may seem that it is not involved in a coalition against Israel.

Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia voted “no” to the 1947 UN resolution to create a Jewish state and supported the Arab invasions of 1948, 1967 and 1973 with troops as well as finances.  They do not have diplomatic relations with Israel.

Sir M. Zafrullah Khan, right, Pakistan, speaks with Amir Faisal al Saud, center, and Shaikh Asad al Faqih, of Saudi Arabia, in a conference room before the 30th meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Palestinian Question of the Second Session of the United Nations General Assembly on November 24, 1947.

Arabs of the Sinai (or of the Negev area)—Amalek (grandson of Esau)

Salus places the Amalekites in Sinai.  He believes they were a part of Esau’s family (the Edomites) who migrated into the Sinai area, which is part of Egypt. 

Others, however, think that the Amalekites originated near Mecca and by the 10th century BC, migrated to the Negev area of modern Israel (wnd).  It is possible, therefore, that some Arab-Israelis currently enjoying citizenship within Israel are of this group.

Indeed, some Arabs inside of Israel look for its destruction as a Jewish state, and even have representation in the Knesset (parliament):

“Israel should be defined as a state of its own nationalities.  There are two nationalities in Israel.  One is [the] Jewish majority, one is [the] Arab-Palestinian minority,” said the deputy speaker of the Knesset Ahmad Tibi in January 2014.  “Saying that Israel is the Jewish state is neglecting our existence, our very existence and our narrative, and I will not accept that,” he added.  (cbc)

Syrians and Northern Iraqis (and possibly Turkey)—Assyria

Since the creation of both Israel and Syria in the mid-20th century, diplomatic ties have never been established between these two countries, which share a border.

Syria has attacked Israel in three major wars in 1948, 1967, and 1973.

Any invasion could potentially include Russia some day, which now has a permanent navy and air base in this nation to Israel’s north.

The Prophet Appeals for Victory

In Psalm 83, the prophet Asaph appeals to God, asking Him to make the coalition members perish in disgrace (Psalm 83:9–18).

In fact, Obadiah, Ezekiel 25–27, 37:10, and Jeremiah 49:1–6 prophesy that these coalition members will indeed perish and be cursed as Genesis 12:3 predicts:

“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

These connecting prophetic verses seem to refer to Israel’s victory in Psalm 83.

A resulting sense of regional security may make Israel ripe for the battle of Ezekiel 38—the invasion of a nine-member coalition whose leaders say,

“I will go up against the land of unwalled villages.  I will fall upon the quiet people who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having no bars or gates, to seize spoil and carry off plunder…”  (Ezekiel 38:11–12)

While Israel today is indeed prospering and is a safe country to visit, she will have incredible riches and live in unparalleled safety after the victory of Psalm 83 is complete.

Psalm 83: A Pending Prophecy

Some theologians have argued that the battle highlighted in Psalm 83:5–8 was fulfilled in Israel’s 1948 War for Independence; however, the tents (refugees or military encampments) of Edom (Southern Jordan) only came into existence in 1949, after the war ended.

And since Psalm 83 lists them first, Salus believes the tents of Edom will play a key role in this coming war.

Other theologians have made the argument that the 1967 Six-Day War fulfilled this prophecy; still, only a portion of the ten members listed were involved in that war, so the Six Day War does not seem to be the fulfillment of this end-time prophecy.

Since neither of these wars precisely fulfill the prophecy, we can understand that some future war involving a 10-member coalition will fulfill it.

Today that coalition, which is united under the common values and motives of Islam, fit the prophecy’s requirements like no other time in history.

Therefore, many believe the war in Psalm 83 will happen soon, before the invasion of Ezekiel 38.

In fact, none of the ten coalition members of Psalm 83 are mentioned in Ezekiel 38, though the book of Ezekiel mentions them elsewhere.

The prophets Joel, Zephaniah, Amos, and Hosea in St. Mary’s Church in Fairford, England.

Pitfalls in Interpreting Prophecy

“I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night.  You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.”  (Isaiah 62:6–7)

There is a saying that hindsight is 20/20.  Likewise, Bible prophecy is more easily understood in hindsight, after its fulfillment.

Still, Psalm 83 reminds us that we must keep a watchful eye on the Middle East and pray for the peace of Jerusalem, as well as diligently study God’s Word.

As we watch, pray and study, God will give us wisdom as events unfold and the pieces of the prophetic puzzle come into place.

And when they do, that picture will be illuminated on the same wall where God has displayed His plan for Israel and mankind and where the Messianic prophecies are permanently hung.

link to the article: https://free.messianicbible.com/feature/psalm-83-ezekiel-38-and-the-coming-battles-for-israel/

[mariacallous]

A major new work, weaving together historical anecdote and the author’s family history, laments the slow erasure of centuries of linguistic, ethnic and cultural diversity in an increasingly homogenised region.

In Goodbye, Eastern Europe,  a major new work “chronicling a thousand years of strife, war, and bloodshed” from Vienna to the 14 time zones of the Russian Empire, Jacob Mikanowski weaves a rich and amusing tapestry of historical anecdote (and personal family history). His aim is to explode conceptions of Eastern Europe as a grey, featureless bloc – but also to suggest that millennia of tolerance, cosmopolitanism and cultural, linguistic and ethnic variety are slowly being erased. While his epilogue links this diagnosis to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Mikanowski’s thesis has perhaps even greater relevance to the Western Balkans.

His historical vignettes are delightful – thieves in the finicky Austro-Hungarian Empire handed four-hour sentences for stealing an onion, elderly Romanian communists leaving Kent Cigarettes on graves to pay black-market bribes in the afterlife – but also serve a larger purpose. This tissue of anecdote is the perfect way for Mikanowski to demonstrate Eastern Europe’s “defining characteristic is diversity”. Each page revealing another “little island of heterodoxy”, down to the ultra-fine level where each village has its minority and each minority its particularities, as in the exhaustive account of a Ukrainian settlement where even the cabinetmakers had their own culture: “As Filippians and Old Believers, they spoke Russian, but with a Novogorod accent.”

To Mikanowski, the phrase “Eastern Europe” is an “outsider’s convenience”, a lump term of little practical application to locals. His argument here recalls Maria Todorova’s “Imagining the Balkans”, which powerfully demonstrates the negative, politically-loaded role of the term “Balkans” – as implied by the always-pejorative neologism “Balkanisation” – applied by outside observers and commentators to a shifting set of states and territories while many of those states try to escape the charge.

As with, for example, Romanian writers claiming a Latin identity to evade the “Balkan” label, Mikanowski notes that particularly in the post-Communist era, many Eastern European countries prefer to consider themselves in “Central Europe”, the “Nordic Community”, and so on, thus distancing themselves from the Eastern Bloc. The Balkans are, perhaps, another such an exception, but with the difference that the term is applied from the outside. Rather than a breakaway clinging to Mitteleuropa (Hungary) or Russia (Belarus), they’re isolated and abandoned – the last island of Eastern Europe.

Mikanowski does sketch the deep diversity and (sometimes uneasy) tolerance which has long characterised the Western Balkans – as well as pointing to the mushrooming of latter-day nationalism and ethnic homogenisation. For example, he takes a fascinating trip to Moschopolis in Albania, the “city of the shepherds”, which was for centuries the heart of the little-studied Vlach culture, but whose Christian churches are now largely shuttered.

Overall, the book has less to say about the Western Balkans than other regions. States are covered in the expected proportions, with Poland mentioned around 230 times, but Bulgaria 50 times and Serbia 40, with Montenegro and Kosovo only just reaching 10. This reflects Mikanowski’s Polish-Jewish origins, personal research interests and certain geopolitical realities, but also suggests the extent to which the Balkans represent Eastern Europe’s own East, encoding the same values for other Eastern Europeans as Eastern Europe itself does to the West.

Nonetheless, his arguments can provide a key for understanding the region, for example when claiming polities like the Poland-Lithuanian Commonwealth (represented here as the avatar of its contemporary, fledgling US) and the Ottoman Empire were not “nuclear winters” for culture. Rather, they “tended to accentuate difference rather than suppress it”, in the latter case particularly by fostering the “largest and oldest concentration of Muslims on the European continent”, whose contributions are often overlooked when set against Umayyad Andalusia. As with Christopher Clark’s recent effort to rehabilitate the much-maligned Austro-Hungarian Empire, to Mikanowski there is much to commend these vast and unwieldy institutions, which discriminated against minorities while simultaneously allowing for unprecedented religious toleration on the basis of recognized differences.

With these arguments, Mikanowski aims to push back against simplistic, atavistic nationalisms which have defined the post-Communist era – as when he derides the phalanxes of nationalistic statuary in Skopje, or critiques post-ideological, third-way museums in Hungary for implying communism was “just as bad” as Nazi fascism, in a charge equally applicable to contemporary nationalist ideologues in the Western Balkans. At the same time, he cautions, it’s “easy to fall into nostalgia” when discussing Eastern Europe’s pre-World War 1 diversity. Most cities were not “melting pots”, but characterized by mutually suspicious, if tolerant, communities – as in Albania’s Elbasan, once partitioned in sharply-defined concentric circles of Christian Albanians, Muslim Albanians and Christian Vlachs.

Mikanowski’s anecdotal style is less suitable for identifying other meta-historical trends or making political claims. As with the genealogy craze, everyone finds their own great-grandfather’s story fascinating – but what can this tell us about the course of history?

In such a grand narrative, something is always downplayed, and Mikanowski’s focus is on the personal and local. Understandably, the writer is more concerned with tracing the miserable fate of intellectuals under Stalinist communism than any deep-searching assessment of Communist political economy. He has sympathy for Hungarian “Goulash communism” and respect for Tito’s Yugoslavia as the sole anti-Stalinist “exception” and bane of Stalin’s life but doesn’t delve into how it was that Tito could by and large preserve inter-ethnic diversity and solidarity, instead somewhat simplistically presenting the Yugoslav project as an “act of mutual forgetting”.

Rather, the full impact of Mikanowski’s string of personal anecdotes is revealed when he turns to his family’s experiences in the Holocaust. Pushing back against representations of the slaughter of six million Jews as solely an “impersonal, mechanized process”, marked by German efficiency, Mikanowski argues that in Eastern Europe, “the Holocaust was an intimate slaughter”, as neighbour turned on neighbour in an exhaustive, hand-to-hand massacre. Thus, the author, in the book’s most profoundly affecting passage, can trace his great aunt Rosa’s scream as she was executed in the Warsaw ghetto via a secret milk-can archive, preserving the memory of her murder to the present day, where it “haunts” him yet.

Long-term persecution of the Jews and Roma notwithstanding, cataclysmic 20th-century violence was in part so horrific precisely because minorities had lived cheek-by-jowl with their persecutors for so long, in what Mikanowski calls a “ramshackle utopia”, weathering prejudice and the rise and fall of empires.

Mikanowski’s warning over the dangers of homogenisation and decline of this long-standing cosmopolitanism is particularly germane to the Balkans – all the more so in the neo-liberal free-for-all which followed the Socialist collapse. The Jews are gone, the Islamic presence is much diminished, and regional capitals are an increasingly indistinguishable blur of co-working spaces and Starbucks, masking empty rural hinterlands left to the impoverished, the elderly and the ghosts. But so too is his celebration of a “constellation of parochialism… bigger than the sum of its parts”, traces of which still endure in those same hinterlands, despite all efforts to eradicate it.

[bobemajses]

Earliest traces of Jews in Eastern Europe

Jews first appeared on the territory of Eastern Europe close to the Black and Azov Seas in 2nd-1st centuries BC. They lived primarily in Greek colonies and their spoken language was Ancient Greek. In the 7th century, the entire region around the Black and Azov Seas, and especially Taman, became a place where a large Jewish community was concentrated. This was even mentioned by the Byzantine chronicler Theophanes, who recorded that in the region of ​​the city of Phanagoria other nationalities constitute only a minority of the population. The tombstone of a Jewish warrior from the 1st century was found in Taman. Jewish communities on Slovenian and Hungarian land even pre-date the settlement of Slavs and Magyars to their current territory.

Jewish communities moved through the Derbent road to the lower Volga, where in the 8th century, the capital of the Khazar Kaganate was established. Under their influence, the Khazar ruler Bulan and the ruling class of Khazaria converted to Judaism in the second half of the 8th century.

According to the Kiev letter from the Cairo Geniza, in the 10th century there was a Slavic-speaking Jewish community in the Kievan Rus. The so-called "Zhidovski gates" in the city fortress speak of Jewish life during this period. Kiev Jews translated from Hebrew into Old Russian biblical books and held religious disputes with clergy. The community suffered greatly from the Mongol-Tatar invasion after 1240.

Meanwhile, the first extensive Jewish emigration from Western and Southern Europe to Poland occurred in 1096 at the time of the First Crusade. Especially under Duke Bolesław III. (1085–1138), encouraged by the tolerant regime of this ruler, the Jews settled in what is now part of Poland, Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine.

[antoine-roquentin]

Even the former Polish President Aleksander Kwaśniewski has acknowledged that the CIA had set up a black site in his country. “Of course, everything took place with my knowledge,” he told Poland’s leading newspaper, Gazeta Wyborcza, in 2012. “The President and the Prime Minister agreed to the intelligence co-operation with the Americans, because this was what was required by national interest.”

None of this has slowed the U.S. government’s efforts to avoid acknowledging what is now accepted fact. In their briefs, government lawyers argue that the Polish site, if it ever existed, remains a state secret because the federal government has never officially admitted to its existence. They contend that all those public reports and statements could be part of a CIA disinformation campaign. The lawyers cite as evidence the book and movie “Argo,” which chronicles how the CIA rescued Americans hiding out in Iran by posing as a film crew. (As many commentators pointed out, the movie takes considerable liberties with the facts, adding, among other things, a chase through an airport that never occurred.)

The government’s Supreme Court brief relies primarily on United States v. Reynolds, a 1953 case regarding the crash of an Air Force B-29 near Waycross, Georgia. When the families of three civilian engineers killed in the crash sought a copy of the accident report and witness statements, the Air Force refused to turn over the documents, asserting that they contained classified information about a secret mission. In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court upheld the government’s claim and, for the first time, formally recognized the state secrets privilege.

Forty-seven years later, the Air Force declassified the documents. They contained no reference to a secret mission. “Instead, the report told a horror story of incompetence, bungling, and tragic error,” Garry Wills wrote in The New York Review of Books.

[xtruss]

Is Danish King Who Gave Name to Bluetooth Buried in Poland?

— By Monika Scislowska | July 30th, 2022

The Roman Catholic church where it is believed that Danish King Harald Gormsson was buried, in Wiejkowo, Poland, Saturday, July 30, 2022. More than 1,000 years after his death in what is now Poland, a Danish king whose nickname is known to the world through the Bluetooth technology is at the center of an archeological dispute. A Polish researcher and a Swedish archeologist claim that they have pinpointed the probable burial site for King Harald Bluetooth Gormsson in a small village in northwestern Poland, an area that once had ties with the Vikings. (AP Photo Monika Scislowska)

WIEJKOWO, Poland (AP) — More than 1,000 years after his death in what is now Poland, a European king whose nickname lives on through wireless technology is at the center of an archaeological dispute.

Chronicles from the Middle Ages say King Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson of Denmark acquired his nickname courtesy of a tooth, probably dead, that looked bluish. One chronicle from the time also says the Viking king was buried in Roskilde, in Denmark, in the late 10th century.

But a Swedish archaeologist and a Polish researcher recently claimed in separate publications that they have pinpointed his most probable burial site in the village of Wiejkowo, in an area of northwestern Poland that had ties to the Vikings in Harald’s times.

Marek Kryda, author of the book “Viking Poland,” told The Associated Press that a “pagan mound” which he claims he has located beneath Wiejkowo’s 19th-century Roman Catholic church probably holds the king’s remains. Kryda said geological satellite images available on a Polish government portal revealed a rotund shape that looked like a Viking burial mound.

The 10th century golden Curmsun disc with the name of Danish King Harald “Bluetooth“ Gormsson (Curmsun in Latin) on it, coming from a tomb at the Roman Catholic church in Wiejkowo, Poland, photographed in Malmo, Sweden, in 2015. The Bluetooth wireless link technology is named after the king. More than 1,000 years after his death in what is now Poland, a Danish king whose nickname is known to the world through the Bluetooth technology is at the center of an archeological dispute. (Sven Rosborn via AP)

But Swedish archaeologist Sven Rosborn, says Kryda is wrong because Harald, who converted from paganism to Christianity and founded churches in the area, must have received an appropriate grave somewhere in the churchyard. Wiejkowo’s Church of The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary stands atop a small round knoll.

Historians at the Danish National Museum in Copenhagen say they are familiar with the “suggestion” that Wiejkowo is Harald’s burial place.

Rosborn detailed his research in the 2021 book ”The Viking King’s Golden Treasure” and Kryda challenged some of the Swede’s findings in his own book published this year.

Harald, who died in 985, probably in Jomsborg — which is believed to be the Polish town of Wolin now — was one of the last Viking kings to rule over what is now Denmark, northern Germany, and parts of Sweden and Norway. He spread Christianity in his kingdom.

A view of a 2014 stone with runic inscription in memory of Danish 10th century King Harald Bluetooth Gormsson, in Wolin, Poland, Saturday, July 30,2022. More than 1,000 years after his death in what is now Poland, a Danish king whose nickname is known to the world through the Bluetooth technology is at the center of an archeological dispute. A Polish researcher and a Swedish archeologist claim that they have pinpointed the probable burial site for King Harald Bluetooth Gormsson in a small village in northwestern Poland, an area that once had ties with the Vikings. (AP Photo Monika Scislowska)

Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson named its Bluetooth wireless link technology after the king, reflecting how he united much of Scandinavia during his lifetime. The logo for the technology is designed from the Scandinavian runic letters for the king’s initials, HB.

Rosborn, the former director of Sweden’s Malmo City Museum, was spurred on his quest in 2014 when an 11-year-old girl sought his opinion about a small, soiled coin-like object with old-looking text that had been in her family’s possession for decades.

Experts have determined that the cast gold disc that sparked Maja Sielski’s curiosity dated from the 10th century. The Latin inscription on what is now known as the “Curmsun disc” says: “Harald Gormsson (Curmsun in Latin) king of Danes, Scania, Jomsborg, town Aldinburg.”

Sielski’s family, who moved to Sweden from Poland in 1986, said the disc came from a trove found in 1841 in a tomb underneath the Wiejkowo church, which replaced a medieval chapel.

The Sielski family came into the possession of the disc, along with the Wiejkowo parish archives that contained medieval parchment chronicles in Latin, in 1945 as the former German area was becoming part of Poland as a result of World War II.

A family member who knew Latin understood the value of the chronicles — which dated as far back as the 10th century — and translated some of them into Polish. They mention Harald, another fact linking the Wiejkowo church to him.

A view inside the Roman Catholic church where it is believed that Danish King Harald Gormsson was buried, in Wiejkowo, Poland, Saturday, July 30, 2022. More than 1,000 years after his death in what is now Poland, a Danish king whose nickname is known to the world through the Bluetooth technology is at the center of an archeological dispute. A Polish researcher and a Swedish archeologist claim that they have pinpointed the probable burial site for King Harald Bluetooth Gormsson in a small village in northwestern Poland, an area that once had ties with the Vikings. (AP Photo Monika Scislowska)

The nearby Baltic Sea island and town of Wolin cultivates the region’s Viking history: it has a runic stone in honor of Harald Bluetooth and holds annual festivals of Slavs and Vikings.

Kryda says the Curmsun disc is “phenomenal” with its meaningful inscription and insists that it would be worth it to examine Wiejkowo as Harald’s burial place, but there are no current plans for any excavations.