World Polonia Games
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The World Polonia Games ( pl, Światowe Igrzyska Polonijne) are a
multi-sport event A multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports among organized teams of athletes from (mostly) nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of intern ...
held annually for the Polish diaspora (Polonia) and Polish minorities living outside of
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is divided into Voivodeships of Poland, sixteen voivodeships and is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union (EU), with over 38 mill ...
. Held annually and alternating between summer and winter games each year, the games bring in 1000 participants from around 25 to 30 countries worldwide. The first World Polonia Games were held in 1934 in
Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is official ...
, with 381 athletes from 13 countries. Following a four decade break, the games were revived in 1974 in
Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 159 ...
and have been held more regularly since. Seventeen different host cities throughout Poland have hosted an installation of the event. Today, the games are organized by the Association "Polish Community" and are covered by
TVP Polonia TVP Polonia (formerly known as TV Polonia) is the international channel of the Telewizja Polska (TVP). The channel is co-funded by the TVP and the Polish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and broadcasts from the TVP headquarters in Warsaw. TVP Pol ...
. The XV Winter World Polonia Games, its most recent installation, were held in February 2022 in
Wisła Wisła (; german: Weichsel; cs, Visla) is a town in Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, with a population of about 11,132 (2019), near the border with Czech Republic. It is situated in the Silesian Beskids mountain range in th ...
,
Silesian Voivodeship Silesian Voivodeship, or Silesia Province ( pl, województwo śląskie ) is a voivodeship, or province, in southern Poland, centered on the historic region known as Upper Silesia ('), with Katowice serving as its capital. Despite the Silesian ...
.


History


Background and the first games

As early as the turn of the century around 1900, during the period of the
third partition of Poland The Third Partition of Poland (1795) was the last in a series of the Partitions of Poland–Lithuania and the land of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth among Prussia, the Habsburg monarchy, and the Russian Empire which effectively ended Poli ...
, Polish athletes travelled to participate on sports competitions. For example, the "Meeting of the Polish Falconers' Union" (''Zlot Sokolstwa Polskiego''), which took place in Krakow in 1910 on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the
Battle of Tannenberg The Battle of Tannenberg, also known as the Second Battle of Tannenberg, was fought between Russia and Germany between 26 and 30 August 1914, the first month of World War I. The battle resulted in the almost complete destruction of the Russi ...
, in which around 10,000 Poles from Europe and the United States took part in. Sports and athleticism was developed in Poland in the 1930s, during the time of the independent
Second Polish Republic The Second Polish Republic, at the time officially known as the Republic of Poland, was a country in Central and Eastern Europe that existed between 1918 and 1939. The state was established on 6 November 1918, before the end of the First World ...
, with the nation participating in the
Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a multi ...
. The growing enthusiasm for sports led to the establishment of numerous Polish sports clubs in the diaspora. At a "Congress of the Organizing Council of Poles Abroad” in Warsaw in 1933, the "First Polonia Sports Games" (''I. Polonijne Igrzyska Sportowe'', PIS) were organized for Poles living outside of Poland (including those from the
Free City of Danzig The Free City of Danzig (german: Freie Stadt Danzig; pl, Wolne Miasto Gdańsk; csb, Wòlny Gard Gduńsk) was a city-state under the protection of the League of Nations between 1920 and 1939, consisting of the Baltic Sea port of Danzig (now Gda ...
). Its organizing committee was headed by the Marshal of the Senate
Władysław Raczkiewicz Władysław Raczkiewicz (; 28 January 1885 – 6 June 1947) was a Polish politician, lawyer, diplomat and President of Poland- in-exile from 1939 until his death in 1947. Until 1945, he was the internationally recognized Polish head of st ...
. The firsrt games were held in 1934 in
Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is official ...
, and 400 athletes took part from 13 nations worldwide. The opening ceremony on August 1, 1934, in Warsaw's
Stadion Wojska Polskiego The Stadion Wojska Polskiego (, en, Polish Army Stadium), officially named Stadion Miejski Legii Warszawa im. Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego ( eng, The Marshall Józef Piłsudski's Municipal Stadium of Legia Warsaw) in Warsaw, Poland, is an all- ...
was attended by the President of Poland
Ignacy Mościcki Ignacy Mościcki (; 1 December 18672 October 1946) was a Polish chemist and politician who was the country's president from 1926 to 1939. He was the longest serving president in Polish history. Mościcki was the President of Poland when Germany ...
. The largest team was made up of Poles from the
Free City of Danzig The Free City of Danzig (german: Freie Stadt Danzig; pl, Wolne Miasto Gdańsk; csb, Wòlny Gard Gduńsk) was a city-state under the protection of the League of Nations between 1920 and 1939, consisting of the Baltic Sea port of Danzig (now Gda ...
with 64 competitors, with the most successful teams being those from
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...
, Danzig, and
Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...
.


The modern games

The
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
and post-war tension resulted in a four decade break in the games until its revival in 1974 in
Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 159 ...
. Even then, authorities initially prevented the participation of Poles from the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
and its successor states until the nation's collapse in 1991. In 1986, the first winter World Polonia Games took place in
Zakopane Zakopane ( Podhale Goral: ''Zokopane'') is a town in the extreme south of Poland, in the southern part of the Podhale region at the foot of the Tatra Mountains. From 1975 to 1998, it was part of Nowy Sącz Voivodeship; since 1999, it has been p ...
for the first time. They were originally held every three years from 1986 to 1992, but have now been held every two years since 2000 after an eight-year break. In 1990, the association "Polish Community" ''(Stowarzyszenie "Wspólnota Polska")'' was founded in Warsaw, which organizes the World Games to this day. The aim of the association is to strengthen ties among Poles living abroad. The association's longtime chairman, the politician
Andrzej Stelmachowski Andrzej Stelmachowski (, 28 January 1925, Poznań – 6 April 2009, Warsaw) was a Polish academic and politician. Life Stelmachowski was a member of Armia Krajowa, the Polish resistance during Second World War. A lawyer, professor of University o ...
, campaigned for a revival of the Games in the 1990s. At the 1991 Summer Games, participants had the opportunity to meet
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
, who was present at the event. Since 1997, the main media patron and co-organizer of the games has been
TVP Polonia TVP Polonia (formerly known as TV Polonia) is the international channel of the Telewizja Polska (TVP). The channel is co-funded by the TVP and the Polish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and broadcasts from the TVP headquarters in Warsaw. TVP Pol ...
. The games have been held annually, with the event alternating between summer and winter games each year, since 1999; Summer Games are held in odd-numbered years and Winter Games in even-numbered years. Games hosts vary, while the regular hosts of the Winter Games have been the
Beskids The Beskids or Beskid Mountains ( pl, Beskidy, cs, Beskydy, sk, Beskydy, rue, Бескиды (''Beskydŷ''), ua, Бескиди (''Beskydy'')) are a series of mountain ranges in the Carpathians, stretching from the Czech Republic in the west a ...
(6 times; consisting of the cities of Bielsko Biała,
Cieszyn Cieszyn ( , ; cs, Těšín ; german: Teschen; la, Tessin; szl, Ćeszyn) is a border town in southern Poland on the east bank of the Olza River, and the administrative seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship. The town has 33,500 inhabita ...
,
Szczyrk Szczyrk (german: Schirk) is a town in the Beskid Śląski mountains of southern Poland, situated in the valley of the Żylica river. It is part of the Silesian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously being part of the Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship ( ...
,
Tychy Tychy (Polish pronunciation: ; german: Tichau; szl, Tychy) is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, approximately south of Katowice. Situated on the southern edge of the Upper Silesian industrial district, the city boders Katowice to the north, ...
, and
Wisła Wisła (; german: Weichsel; cs, Visla) is a town in Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland, with a population of about 11,132 (2019), near the border with Czech Republic. It is situated in the Silesian Beskids mountain range in th ...
together) and
Zakopane Zakopane ( Podhale Goral: ''Zokopane'') is a town in the extreme south of Poland, in the southern part of the Podhale region at the foot of the Tatra Mountains. From 1975 to 1998, it was part of Nowy Sącz Voivodeship; since 1999, it has been p ...
(5 times). In 2018, the Winter Games were brought to
Krynica-Zdrój Krynica-Zdrój (until 31 December 2001 Krynica, rue, Крениця, uk, Криниця) is a town in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, southern Poland. It is inhabited by over eleven thousand people. It is the biggest spa town in ...
for the first time. The games have continued throughout the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
and the
2022 Ukrainian refugee crisis An ongoing refugee crisis began in Europe in late February 2022 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Almost 5.9 million refugees have since left Ukraine, while an estimated 7.7 million people had been displaced within the country by 21 April. App ...
, although to a reduced extent and with increased health and safety precautions in place.


Sports


Summer sports

In addition to a children's and family tournament, the Summer Games have consisted of: Source:


Winter sports

In addition to a children's and family tournament, the Winter Games have consisted of: Source:


Participating nations

The games are open to any Polish person or person of Polish descent who does not permanently live in Poland. Participating nations at the World Polonia Games have included those listed in the table below. Numbers indicate the number of times nations have topped a games medal table. Source:


Notable people


Participants

* Andżelika Borys (Belarus: 2011), Polish-Belarusian activist and president of the
Union of Poles in Belarus The Union of Poles in Belarus ( pl, Związek Polaków na Białorusi, be, Саюз палякаў Беларусі, ''Sajuz paliakaŭ Bielarusi'') is an organisation located in Belarus. The group, which has a membership of 20,000 people, represe ...
* Irène Debrunner (Switzerland: 1974), Swiss freestyle swimmer and Olympic athlete * Stanisława Walasiewicz (United States: 1934, 1977), Polish-American track and field athlete and Olympic champion * Bożena Wojciekian (Canada: 2011), Polish-Canadian shot putter


Attendees

*
Bogdan Borusewicz Bogdan Michał Borusewicz (; born 11 January 1949) was the Marshal in the Polish Senate from 20 October 2005 to 11 November 2015. Borusewicz was a democratic opposition activist under the Communist regime, a member of the Polish parliament (Sejm) ...
(opened the 2011 Summer Games), Marshal of the Polish Senate * Anna Gębala-Duraj (torchbearer and guest at the 2006 Winter Games), Polish cross-country skier and Olympic athlete * Wiesław Gębala (torchbearer and guest at the 2006 Winter Games), Polish cross-country skier and Olympic athlete *
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
(guest at the 1991 Summer Games) *
Grzegorz Lato Grzegorz Bolesław Lato (Polish pronunciation: ; born 8 April 1950) is a Polish former professional football player and manager who played as a winger. He was a member of Poland's golden generation of football players who rose to fame in the ...
(guest at the 2011 Summer Games), Polish footballer and president of the
Polish Football Association The Polish Football Association ( pl, Polski Związek Piłki Nożnej; PZPN) is the governing body of association football in Poland. It organizes the Polish football leagues (without the Ekstraklasa), the Polish Cup and the Polish national fo ...
*
Lech Kaczyński Lech Aleksander Kaczyński (; 18 June 194910 April 2010) was a Polish politician who served as the city mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 2005, and as President of Poland from 2005 until his death in 2010. Before his tenure as president, he pre ...
(opened the 2010 Winter Games), President of Poland * Longin Pastusiak (opened the 2004 Winter Games), Speaker of the Polish Senate *
Maciej Płażyński Maciej Płażyński (; 10 February 1958 – 10 April 2010) was a Polish liberal-conservative politician. Biography Płażyński was born in Młynary. He began his political career in 1980 / 1981 as one of the leaders of the Students' Solidar ...
(opened the 2006 Winter Games), Deputy Speaker of the Polish Senate Additional guests at the 2011 Summer Games opening ceremony in
Wrocław Wrocław (; , . german: Breslau, , also known by other names) is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, roughly ...
included
Jacek Bocian Jacek Bocian (born 15 September 1976 in Kalisz) is a Polish former sprinter who specialised in the 400 metres. His biggest successes came in the Polish 4 × 400 metres relay, including gold medals at the 1999 World Championships and 2001 Wor ...
,
Jan Brzeźny Jan Brzeźny (born 11 June 1951) is a retired Polish cyclist. He competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – ...
,
Piotr Rysiukiewicz Piotr Grzegorz Rysiukiewicz (born 14 July 1974 in Świebodzin, Lubuskie) is a retired Polish sprinter who won various medals for the Polish 4 x 400 metres relay during its greatest years in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He would usually run t ...
,
Ryszard Szurkowski Ryszard Jan Szurkowski (12 January 1946 – 1 February 2021) was a Polish road bicycle racer, widely regarded as a legend of the sport in Poland. Career He was a silver medalist in the team trial at the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics, and also w ...
, and
Urszula Włodarczyk Urszula Włodarczyk (; born 22 December 1965 in Wałbrzych) is a retired Polish heptathlete. She also competed briefly in triple jump in the fledgling years of the sport, and was a Polish record holder with 13.98 metres from July 1993 to July 2 ...
. Numerous Polish Olympians were also present during the 2011 Summer Games, including Halina Aszkiełowicz-Wojno, Włodzimierz Chlebosz, Mariusz Jędra,
Mieczysław Łopatka Mieczysław Edwin Łopatka (born 10 October 1939) is a Polish former professional basketball player and coach. At a height of 1.96 m (6'5") tall, and a weight of 96 kg (212 lbs.), he played at the small forward position. Club career Ł ...
,
Ryszard Podlas File:Ryszard Podlas (9004711791).jpg, Ryszard Podlas Ryszard Podlas (born 29 July 1954) is a Polish sprinter who specialized in the 400 metres. He was born in Białobrzezie and represented the club Technika Pracze. He won the silver medal ...
, and
Leszek Swornowski Leszek Swornowski (born 28 March 1955) is a Polish fencer. He won a silver medal in the team épée event at the 1980 Summer Olympics The 1980 Summer Olympics (russian: Летние Олимпийские игры 1980, Letniye Olimpiyski ...
.


List of World Polonia Games


Summer Games

Source:


Winter Games

Source:


Host cities

;Number of occurrences *
Małopolskie Lesser Poland Voivodeship or Lesser Poland Province (in pl, województwo małopolskie ), also known as Małopolska, is a voivodeship (province), in southern Poland. It has an area of , and a population of 3,404,863 (2019). It was created on 1 ...
– 11 times (5 Summer; 6 Winter) * Śląskie – 7 times (7 Winter) * Masowieckie – 4 times (3 Summer; 1 Winter) * Dolnośląskie – 3 times (2 Summer; 1 Winter) *
Pomorskie Pomeranian Voivodeship, Pomorskie Region, or Pomerania Province (Polish: ''Województwo pomorskie'' ; (Kashubian: ''Pòmòrsczé wòjewództwò'' ), is a voivodeship, or province, in northwestern Poland. The provincial capital is Gdańsk. The v ...
– 3 times (3 Summer) *
Kujawsko-Pomorskie Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, also known as Cuiavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship or simply Kujawsko-Pomorskie, or Kujawy-Pomerania Province ( pl, województwo kujawsko-pomorskie ) is one of the 16 voivodeships (provinces) into which Poland is divid ...
– 2 times (2 Summer) *
Lubelskie The Lublin Voivodeship, also known as the Lublin Province (Polish: ''województwo lubelskie'' ), is a voivodeship (province) of Poland, located in southeastern part of the country. It was created on January 1, 1999, out of the former Lublin, Che ...
– 2 times (2 Summer) *
Podkarpackie Subcarpathian Voivodeship or Subcarpathia Province (in pl, Województwo podkarpackie ) is a voivodeship, or province, in the southeastern corner of Poland. Its administrative capital and largest city is Rzeszów. Along with the Marshall, it is ...
– 1 time (1 Winter) * Świętokrzyskie – 1 time (1 Summer) *
Wielkopolskie Greater Poland Voivodeship ( pl, Województwo wielkopolskie; ), also known as Wielkopolska Voivodeship, Wielkopolska Province, or Greater Poland Province, is a voivodeship, or province, in west-central Poland. It was created on 1 January 1999 o ...
– 1 time (1 Summer)


Medal tables


Medal leaders by year

Summer World Polonia Games medal table leaders by year * 1934: * 1974: * 1977: * 1981: * 1984: * 1987: * 1991: * 1997: * 1999: * 2001: * 2003: * 2005: * 2007: * 2009: * 2011: * 2013: * 2015: * 2017: * 2019: * 2021: Winter World Polonia Games medal table leaders by year * 1986: n/a * 1989: n/a * 1992: n/a * 2000: * 2002: * 2004: * 2006: * 2008: * 2010: * 2012: * 2014: * 2016: * 2018: * 2020: n/a * 2022: Number of occurrences * – 11 times (4 Summer; 7 Winter) * – 6 times (6 Summer) * – 4 times (4 Summer) * – 4 times (4 Summer) * – 3 times (3 Winter) * – 1 time (1 Winter) * – 1 time (1 Summer) * – 1 time (1 Summer)


See also

* List of World Polonia Games records *
Polish diaspora The Polish diaspora comprises Poles and people of Polish heritage or origin who live outside Poland. The Polish diaspora is also known in modern Polish as ''Polonia'', the name for Poland in Latin and many Romance languages. There are roughly 20 ...
(Polonia)


Notes


References


External links


Wspólnota Polska (Association "Polish Community")
*
Official webpage of the 2017 games
*
Official webpage of the 2019 games
*
Official webpage of the 2021 games

Official webpage of Team CanadaTimeline of the Summer World Polonia Games (1934–2015)Timeline of the World Polonia Winter Games (1986–2016)
{{Multi-sport events Polish diaspora Sport in Poland