POLSKA PEOPLE

Population and ancestry. Poland has a population of about 39 million. About 97 percent of the people are Poles. They are descended from Slavic tribes that settled on the Vistula and Warta rivers several thousand years ago. Polish, the official language, is related to Czech and other Slavic languages. Minority groups make up about 3 percent of Poland's population. The largest groups are Germans, Ukrainians, and Belarusians. After World War II ended in 1945, many Poles began moving from rural areas to cities and towns. Today, about 64 percent of the people live in urban areas, compared with only about 35 percent in 1950. Warsaw is the only Polish city with more than 11/2 million people. Two other cities, Krakow and Lodz, have more than 700,000 people. Way of life in Poland has changed in many ways during the 1900's. Before World War II, Poland was largely agricultural, and most of the people were poor farmers. After the war, Poland developed into an industrial nation. Many people took jobs in the cities. In the cities, most Polish families live in simple two- or three-room apartments. Small brick or wooden cottages provide housing in rural areas. Bread, pork, sausages, potatoes, apples, and dairy products are favorite Polish foods. The Polish people enjoy meaty stews, hearty beet or cabbage soup, and mushrooms. Rich pastries and fish are eaten, especially on holidays. Many old traditions have disappeared from everyday life in Poland. For example, folk costumes are worn only for special occasions or festivals. Most Poles, especially young people and city dwellers, prefer Western styles of dress. But some traditions remain important. Religion, in particular, has had a strong influence on Polish life for more than a thousand years. For many Poles, social life centers around the church and family gatherings. Religious holidays, especially Christmas and Easter, are observed with festive celebrations. Camping and hiking are some of the popular recreational activities in Poland. Poles also enjoy soccer and other sports. Religion. The Poles adopted Christianity in A.D. 966. Throughout their history, they remained loyal to the Roman Catholic Church, though people in neighboring countries practiced Protestant or Eastern Orthodox religions. During the 1800's, when Poland did not exist as a separate nation, loyalty to the Roman Catholic Church helped hold the Polish people together. In the late 1940's and early 1950's, Poland's Communist leaders tried to destroy the influence of the Roman Catholic Church in Poland. Religious practices were restricted, and many priests were imprisoned. Polish Catholics resisted these efforts, however, and after antigovernment riots in 1956, the Polish government discontinued most of its policies against the Roman Catholic Church. Today, Poles have complete freedom of religion. A large majority of all Poles are Roman Catholics. There are about 15,000 Roman Catholic churches in Poland and about 18,000 religious instruction centers. The Roman Catholic Church also operates the Academy of Catholic Theology in Warsaw and the Catholic University of Lublin. In 1978, Karol Cardinal Wojtyla, a Polish cardinal, became pope of the Roman Catholic Church. The first Polish pope in history, he took the name of John Paul II. Religious minority groups in Poland include Protestants, Jews, and members of various Eastern Orthodox Churches. Education. Poles have a long tradition of respect for education. Polish scholars, such as the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, have made important contributions in many fields. The first Polish university, the University of Krakow (now Jagiellonian University), was founded in 1364. Poland established a government ministry of education as early as 1773. Until the 1900's, however, education was reserved for only a small, privileged section of the population. Today, about 98 per cent of all Poles 15 years of age or older can read and write. Most students attend free, goverment-operated schools. But an increasing number of students are enrolling in private schools. The law requires children from age 7 to 15 to attend school. After completing the elementary school program, students may attend vocational schools or four-year secondary schools. Secondary school graduates must then pass entrance examinations for entry into schools of higher education. Poland has 10 universities, as well as many technical institutes and other specialized schools. The arts. Poland has produced many outstanding artists, musicians, and writers. Cultural life in Poland flourished during the 1400's and 1500's. In the 1500's, the poets Mikolaj Rej and Jan Kochanowski were among the first writers to use the Polish language for their works. Polish culture flourished during the 1800's, when the Polish national identity was threatened by the Germans and Russians. The paintings of Jan Matejko portrayed scenes from Polish history. The composer Frederic Chopin wrote many works based on Polish dances, such as the mazurka and the polonaise. Another composer and pianist, Ignace Jan Paderewski, also became a leading Polish statesman. Outstanding Polish writers of the 1800's included the poet Adam Mickiewicz, the playwright Stanislaw Wyspianski, and the novelist Henryk Sienkiewicz. Sienkiewicz won a Nobel Prize in 1905 for his works, which included Quo Vadis? Another Polish novelist, Wladyslaw Reymont, won a Nobel Prize in 1924 for The Peasants and other novels. Beginning in the late 1940's, Poland's Communist leaders restricted cultural activity that did not promote Communist goals. But a series of antigovernment protests from the 1950's to the 1980's resulted in increases in cultural freedom. Today, there are few restrictions on cultural activities. The government has encouraged the preservation of traditional folk arts and music. Many Poles have won fame in the graphic arts, especially in poster design. Movies are also a popular art form. Czeslaw Milosz, a Polish poet, won a Nobel Prize for literature in 1980.