Polonia in the USA

Drummers had always been considered an integral part of a band, but merely time-keepers, hardly musicians, and certainly not featured performers. Then someone came along to change that. His name has become synonymous with the drums.

Eugene Bertram (Gene) Krupa was born in 1909 and raised in a working class Polish American community on Chicago's south side. The eleventh of twelve children, his grandparents were Polish immigrants. His father Bartley was a Chicago city alderman for a time and died when Gene was a young boy. His mother Anna and the children then had to take various jobs to support the family.

 At age 10, Gene took a job doing chores at a music store. He took an interest in the music and spent a lot of time there listening to records. He had studied saxophone from age 6, but switched to drums. His brother bought him a drum kit at age 11. Working as a soda jerk at Wisconsin Beach, he played sax in the junior band and substituted for the drummer in the house band one day when he was only 13. In high school, he sought out the company of other young musicians and was able to play with them at dances and socials.

Read more: Eugene (Gene) Krupa - the Greatest Drummer of All Time

   Washington, D.C.  At the landmark 1870s Renwick Gallery - Smithsonian American Art Museum, just across from the White House, here on April 27, 2010, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland hosted its celebration of the profound and emancipating Polish Constitution of May 3, 1791.

Jerzy Buzek is Guest of Honor. The President of the European Parliament - Jerzy Buzek - is pictured above delivering pertinent remarks to the numerous guests of the Polish Embassy at the Renwick Gallery on the occasion of the 219^th Anniversary of Poland's historic May 3^rd Constitution

Read more: J. Buzek is Guest of Honor for May 3rd Constitution Day in DC

    BALTIMORE, Md. The Polish Heritage Association of Maryland, Inc., (PHAM) was founded on September 26, 1974 and he was 64 years-old at the time. Today, founding president Stanley Ciesielski is 99 years-young and was the designated guest of honor at the anniversary event. Unfortunately, at the last moment, Stanley suffered a mishap that temporarily prevented his much anticipated attendance.

Gala Event Marks Anniversary. Victoria T. Leshinskie, current president of the Polish Heritage Association of Maryland, Inc., is pictured above being presented with a bouquet of roses from the appreciative membership after her keynote address at the celebratory dinner-dance.

Read more: 35 Years of Polish Heritage Association of Maryland

     WASHINGTON, D.C.  //  Zbigniew Romaszewski, Deputy Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland, visited the Embassy of Poland here on September 16, 2010. He was the guest of honor at an intimate luncheon hosted by Ambassador Robert Kupiecki, attend by a score of regional Polonia leaders. The table conversation centered on the importance of the worldwide promotion of democracy and human rights, as championed by Marshal Romaszewski in his remarks.

Romaszewski was here to attend the Parliamentary Forum of the Community of Democracies to mark the International Day of Democracy and other linked functions on Capitol Hill before returning to his post in Warsaw.

Depicted above are Ambassador Robert Kupiecki (l.) and Deputy Marshal Zbigniew Romaszewski (r.) in front of the mural "The Glory Of Polish Arms" By Jan Henryk de Rosen (1938), displayed in the Grand Ballroom of the Polish Embassy.

Read more: DM Z. Romaszewski Visits Washington DC