1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff You Missed in History Class, a production 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Holly 3 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: Frye and I'm Tracy V. 4 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 2: Wilson. 5 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:20,160 Speaker 1: So Vawel Hill in Krakov is home to the Vavl 6 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: Hill complex, and that is a historically important set of 7 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: buildings that are really central to Poland's history, particularly pre 8 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: seventeenth century, but also beyond that as well. And I'm 9 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 1: not sure how this came across my interest list. I 10 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:37,960 Speaker 1: just don't know, but I want to go to Poland 11 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: and see it. And in a lot of ways, the 12 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: story of Vavol is the story of Poland. And so 13 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,919 Speaker 1: while this episode looks at the castle and it's surrounding 14 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 1: buildings on Vavl Hill, in the process, we are going 15 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: to talk about a lot of what's happened in Poland 16 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 1: over the centuries for context, But of course that also 17 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: means that this is mostly a high level, non comprehensive 18 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: pass through this location history, and we will stop to 19 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: focus on a few key and fascinating events along the way. 20 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 2: Vavl Hill is a central point to Krakoff, which I 21 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 2: think a lot of English speakers may have also heard 22 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 2: pronounced Krakow. It sits at two hundred and twenty eight 23 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 2: meters above sea level, and it's compressed of limestone. Because 24 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:22,040 Speaker 2: of its vantage point to the Viscila River and its 25 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 2: height above the surrounding landscape, it's a natural place for 26 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 2: people to try to seek safety. People have been doing 27 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 2: that there since at least the six hundreds. 28 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 1: The rule of Miesco the First, who is believed to 29 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:38,199 Speaker 1: have been in power starting circa nine sixty three, marks 30 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: the beginning of the first ruling dynasty of Poland, the 31 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: House of piast Misco the First, who is generally referred 32 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 1: to as a prince or a duke rather than a king, 33 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: was also the first ruler of Poland in recorded history 34 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: who chose to live on Vavl Hill at least part 35 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: of the time. Following Mesco the First, Bodhislas the Brave 36 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: and Mesco the Second also spent significant time on Vavl Hill, 37 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: and as rulers continued to prioritize Vawel as a base 38 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,640 Speaker 1: of operations, it became more and more important as a 39 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 1: seat of government and as a cultural and religious hub. 40 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:18,640 Speaker 1: The status was cemented both literally and figuratively when a 41 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 1: stone cathedral was built there in the year one thousand. 42 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: While earlier rulers did spend time at Vavol, it wasn't 43 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 1: until the reign of Kasimir the Restorer, who ruled from 44 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: ten thirty four to ten fifty eight, that the hill 45 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: became the primary location for political power in Poland. When 46 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 1: Kasimir died, his son Bolislaus the Generus became king, that 47 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 1: was in ten fifty eight, and he began working on 48 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: a second cathedral on the hill, although he did not 49 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 1: live long enough to see the completion of that project. 50 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: And it was also during this time, in the mid 51 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: eleventh century, that the first permanent building intended to be 52 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 1: a home for rulers was built on Vavol Hill. This 53 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: was called the Palatium and it was a stone structure. 54 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 2: Boluslas the Rhyemouth finished the cathedral project that Bodslas the 55 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 2: Generus began during his reign from eleven h two to 56 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 2: eleven thirty eight. Balslas the Rhyemouth also established a system 57 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:21,640 Speaker 2: of separated county style municipalities for Poland and declared that 58 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 2: Krakov was the main seat of the country. There is 59 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 2: a legend that first shows up in the writings around 60 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 2: this time of the twelfth century that gives a fanciful 61 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 2: version to the founding of Krakov and the beginning of 62 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 2: the castle. In this tale, the city was founded by 63 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 2: a prince named Krak or Krakus, and there are other 64 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 2: spellings of it as well, and Prince Krak is said 65 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 2: to have killed a dragon that lived in the caves 66 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 2: of Vowel Hill, possibly by feeding it poisoned livestock, so 67 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 2: that he could claim the hill and the surrounding land 68 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 2: for himself and his people, and thus Krakov was born. 69 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 2: This myth has included stories over the years that Crack 70 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 2: is also the person who built the castle, and there 71 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 2: are myriad variations on the Crack legend. In some of 72 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 2: them it's crack sons who built the city. There are 73 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,279 Speaker 2: also versions where one of Crack's servants kills the dragon 74 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 2: on behalf of the prince, rather than Crack doing it himself. 75 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 2: But all of these various versions, no matter how different 76 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 2: they are in their details, share the same basics that 77 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 2: Krakov is named after this ruler and that there was 78 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 2: a dragon involved. Throughout the eleventh and twelfth centuries, the 79 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 2: stone Pallatium was added on too, and the royal residence 80 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 2: expanded to the east over time. This resulted in a 81 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:45,359 Speaker 2: two level arrangement to Vaveel Hill, where the upper castle 82 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 2: housed the royal residence and also included the cathedral, and 83 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:53,160 Speaker 2: the lower castle included other buildings that served as churches 84 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 2: places for members of the royal court to live, as 85 00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:59,479 Speaker 2: well as the clergy that served in the cathedral and 86 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 2: the churches. In twelve fifty seven, the city of Krakoff 87 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 2: was officially chartered. The first Polish king to be crowned 88 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 2: in Vavol Cathedral was Ladislaus the Short, who took the 89 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 2: throne in thirteen oh six. He added to the krakofv 90 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 2: cathedrals by building a third one at Vavol. Ladislaus the 91 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:23,280 Speaker 2: Short also decided to renovate the castle, so he added 92 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 2: on to the existing structure, and he improved much of 93 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:30,479 Speaker 2: the existing castle, including upgrading wooden supports to stone ones. 94 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 2: He also enlarged the overall footprint of the castle, and 95 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:38,160 Speaker 2: when Ladislaus died in thirteen thirty three, he became the 96 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 2: first king to be buried in Vavl Cathedral, beginning a 97 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 2: tradition that lasted for centuries. While Ladislaus had made structural improvements. 98 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 2: His son and successor, Casimir the Third, focus on making 99 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 2: the royal residence beautiful. Under his reign, the castle became 100 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 2: an icon of opulence with its luxurious decor. He also 101 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:03,600 Speaker 2: created a Gothic compound of buildings arranged around a courtyard 102 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 2: that thought on the eastern side of the property. When 103 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 2: Casimir the Third's granddaughter Elizabeth, married Holy Roman Emperor Charles 104 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:15,479 Speaker 2: the Fourth in thirteen sixty four, the ceremony was held 105 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 2: at Vavel Castle. 106 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:19,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, at that point there was nowhere in the world 107 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:21,359 Speaker 1: they can imagine that would be more beautiful to have 108 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 1: a wedding. In thirteen eighty five, Poland's first woman ruler, Yadviga, 109 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: ascended to the throne. And Yadviga is a very interesting figure. 110 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: She will likely be her own episode before long. She 111 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:38,000 Speaker 1: united Poland and Lithuania through marriage. Her husband was Duke 112 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:43,279 Speaker 1: Yogaila of Lithuania, who became Ladislaus the second Yagelois, and 113 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: during her reign, Yudwega promoted Christianity, in part through the 114 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 1: conversion of her husband from Paganism as part of their 115 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 1: marriage deal, and in turn, much of Lithuania followed suit. 116 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: She also sought to cement Krakov as a place of 117 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 1: culture and learning by restored during the university there and 118 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:06,159 Speaker 1: modeling it after the University of Paris. Yadviga's life and 119 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:08,919 Speaker 1: rule were cut short when she died in childbirth in 120 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 1: thirteen ninety nine, and at that time her husband, who 121 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 1: had more or less been ruling jointly with her, became 122 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:19,559 Speaker 1: the sovereign. Her university project was not completed until after 123 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: her death. After becoming ruler, Ladislaus the second Jagaloa also 124 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 1: added to the castle compound, initiating the building of what 125 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: is called the Danish Tower. Then, beginning in the mid 126 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: fifteenth century, Vowel gained three more towers. At the behest 127 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: of then ruler Casimir the Fourth, who came to power 128 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 1: in fourteen forty seven, he had the Thieves Tower, the 129 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: Sandomirska Tower, and the Senator's Tower constructed. Coming up, we'll 130 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 1: talk about the first of several major fires at Vavel, 131 00:07:51,000 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 1: but first we will pause for a sponsor break. In 132 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: fourteen ninety nine, the castle at Vavol burned in a fire. 133 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: In the early sixteenth century, Vavel got a serious makeover 134 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: thanks to the influence of the Italian Renaissance on King Alexander. 135 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: Alexander came to power in fifteen oh one, and to 136 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 1: rebuild the fire ravage structure of the castle, he hired 137 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: a German architect named Eberhard Rosenberger. He also commissioned an 138 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:32,200 Speaker 1: Italian architect and sculptor named Francesco Fiorentino for the project, 139 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 1: and his magnificent new residence, which replaced the prior Gothic 140 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:41,439 Speaker 1: style castle, was not completed until fifteen forty, which unfortunately 141 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:43,600 Speaker 1: was thirty four years after his death. 142 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 2: At the time, Alexander's brother, Sigismund the First was ruler. 143 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 2: Sigismund had really taken over the project when he ascended 144 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 2: to the throne in fifteen o six. He brought the 145 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 2: Italian influence even more closely into Poland when he married 146 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 2: Milan's Princess Bona in fifteen eighteen. Sigismund's architectural legacy lies 147 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 2: in the massive palace, which gained a new eastern wing 148 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 2: and arcaded galleries at his direction. Just in case anyone's 149 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 2: not familiar with that term, An arcaded gallery is a 150 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 2: series of arches supported by pillars that usually frame a 151 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 2: walkway or separate an interior area from an open space 152 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 2: like a courtyard. These are very common in neoclassical architecture. 153 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 2: Sigismund also left behind the Italian designed family chapel that 154 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 2: he added to the cathedral. During the build and renovation process, 155 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:44,080 Speaker 2: the designers and architects had changed over as the original 156 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 2: team had died, so this became a multi generational project 157 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:52,679 Speaker 2: for the artists involved as well as the rulers. Sigismund 158 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 2: the First employed a lot of artisans from Italy and 159 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:59,440 Speaker 2: Germany to decorate the palace, and when his reign ended 160 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:02,839 Speaker 2: at his death in fifteen forty eight, his son Sigismund 161 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 2: the Second followed in the same vein. During the time 162 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 2: that Sigismund the Second reign, he also added a large 163 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:14,200 Speaker 2: and beautiful collection of Flemish tapestries to the collection. Those 164 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 2: tapestries were later looted by Russia in the eighteenth century, 165 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 2: and they had their own interesting life story, and we're going. 166 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 1: To talk about that in just a bit. 167 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 2: In fifteen ninety five, there was another fire in the 168 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 2: castle which destroyed the building's northern wing. At the time 169 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:34,439 Speaker 2: Sigismund the Third Vasa was ruler, and in the aftermath 170 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 2: of the blaze, he launched his own construction and design project. 171 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 2: The lost section of the building was rebuilt, but this 172 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 2: time in Baroque style, under the design team of architect 173 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 2: Jovanni Trevano and painter Tomaso Dolbele. Sigismund the Third was 174 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:55,199 Speaker 2: not as dedicated to Vavol as his predecessors had been, though, 175 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,840 Speaker 2: and during his reign, the royal court of Poland was 176 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 2: moved to Warsaw, making Krakoff and Vabel a secondary home 177 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 2: for the country's royals. After that, it wasn't ever really 178 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 2: used as a residence, but was reserved for important events 179 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 2: of state, like weddings and funerals. 180 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, most of the things that I read most historians 181 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 1: kind of point to this moment where Sigismund the Third 182 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 1: was like, well, We're going to go to Warsaw as 183 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:26,959 Speaker 1: really being kind of like the beginning of the end 184 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 1: of Krakov's import at least in this time. So during 185 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 1: the reign of John the third Sobieski, which lasted from 186 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 1: sixteen seventy four to sixteen ninety six, restoration efforts were 187 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 1: started on the somewhat neglected at that point castle, although 188 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:47,320 Speaker 1: it was still considered a secondary royal residence. Two later kings, 189 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: Augustus the Second and Augustus the Third, also tried to 190 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: restore the castle, although some of this was due to 191 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:56,199 Speaker 1: the fact that there was yet another fire in seventeen 192 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 1: oh two that happened just five years into the reign 193 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 1: of Augusta the Second, and though he and Augustus the 194 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 1: Third commissioned a rebuild, it was by all accounts, never 195 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 1: as impressive as its previous version. 196 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 2: At the end of the eighteenth century, Vawel was, like 197 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:16,320 Speaker 2: all of Poland, thrust into a time of uncertainty and 198 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 2: ongoing control by other nations. Throughout the seventeen hundreds, the 199 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 2: power of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth had waned. While it 200 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:29,640 Speaker 2: retained independence on paper, it came largely under the control 201 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 2: of Russia, to the extent that the Russian czars generally 202 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 2: chose the country's monarchs. At the same time, there was 203 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:40,320 Speaker 2: a lot of conflict within Poland and within Eastern Europe 204 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:42,840 Speaker 2: in general. There was just a lot of bickering and 205 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 2: war and efforts to seize power. Poland was often caught 206 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:50,559 Speaker 2: in between countries that were in conflict. 207 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:53,680 Speaker 1: This is obviously the highest of high level. There was 208 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 1: so much going on. We could pick out, like any 209 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: number of moments in this span of time and do 210 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 1: an entire episode on them, and perhaps we will, but 211 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:05,439 Speaker 1: that's just kind of to give context to what was 212 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:09,160 Speaker 1: going on here. Then, at the end of the seventeen sixties, 213 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 1: the Ottoman Turks took heavy losses in a military conflict 214 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 1: with Russia, leaving Austria and Prussia very concerned. There was 215 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 1: recognition that if the Ottoman Empire fell completely to Russia, 216 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,760 Speaker 1: there would be a dangerous imbalance in Eastern Europe, and 217 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: after that it was hard to see what future Austria 218 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: and Prussia could even have if Russia chose to challenge them. 219 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:35,959 Speaker 1: So Frederic the Second of Prussia came up with a 220 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,559 Speaker 1: plan to steer Russian expansion interest away from the areas 221 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 1: that we recognize as turkeya today and instead toward Poland. 222 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 1: Poland was so depleted at this point and had been 223 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 1: so manipulated by other powers that it really didn't have 224 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:52,120 Speaker 1: much of a say in the matter. 225 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 2: So on August fifth, seventeen seventy two, Austria and Prussia 226 00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:01,199 Speaker 2: signed a treaty with Russia that establish the first Partition 227 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 2: of Poland. This was a situation where these three powers 228 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 2: basically agreed that instead of getting into any kind of 229 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 2: messy military conflict over who might control the real estate 230 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 2: that made up Poland, they would just work out a 231 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 2: deal where they were all cool with it and they 232 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 2: would save themselves the trouble. And although it stripped Poland 233 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,120 Speaker 2: of a third of its land and half of its 234 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 2: population in the process, the weakened Polish legislature ratified the 235 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 2: agreement on September thirtieth of the following year. This basically 236 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 2: carved pieces of the country off for each of the 237 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 2: three partitioning powers. Russia got a strip of the country 238 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 2: on its eastern side, the closest to the Russian Empire, 239 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 2: Austria got a southern chunk of land that encompassed the 240 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 2: Kingdom of Galacia, and Prussia took over the northeast corner. 241 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 2: At this point, Krakoff was still part of Poland, but 242 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 2: it sat just north of the border of the area 243 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 2: that had been partitions to Austria. Throughout the remainder of 244 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 2: the eighteenth century, there were efforts within the remaining country 245 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 2: of Poland to regain some of its lost strength and power. 246 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 2: The education system was completely overhauled in the seventeen seventies. 247 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 2: Prior to seventeen seventy three, it had been run by 248 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 2: the Jesuit Order, but the Holy See abolished the Jesuits 249 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 2: that year, and that left Poland to form its own 250 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 2: education Commission, which it did. This was also a time 251 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 2: when a great deal of infrastructure was built and business 252 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:35,400 Speaker 2: interests became more prominent with the development of banks in 253 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 2: the country. Over time, this growth and related reform efforts 254 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:43,080 Speaker 2: led to the passing of a new constitution for Poland 255 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 2: on May third, seventeen ninety one. This document created a 256 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 2: constitutional parliamentary monarchy, and it laid out a plan to 257 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 2: make Poland more efficient, to develop a robust economy, and 258 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 2: to establish its own army. But this was not something 259 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 2: everyone in the county tree believed in or wanted. The 260 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 2: Confederation of Targovitza, which was backed by Russia's Catherine the 261 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:10,360 Speaker 2: Second aka Catherine the Great, was a group of Polish 262 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 2: nobles who objected to the new constitution, particularly that the 263 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 2: nobility would see a reduction in their privileges and their power. 264 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 2: The Confederation, which gathered in Russia, also asked Russia to 265 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 2: get involved and to force the attraction of the new 266 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 2: constitution and a return to the previous one. Both Russia 267 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 2: and Prussia sent military forces into Poland, which, despite its 268 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 2: growth in other areas, was still not in a position 269 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 2: to defend itself. This resulted in a second partition, which 270 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 2: was agreed to by Prussia and Russia in September of 271 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 2: seventeen ninety three. This time around, Russia took an even 272 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 2: bigger chunk of the country, moving their holdings farther west 273 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 2: and to the south. Prussia's section of Poland also more 274 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 2: than doubled in size, and yet Krakov remained part of Poland. Yeah, 275 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:07,199 Speaker 2: to be clear, those Polish nobles were very much in 276 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 2: the pocket of Russia when they started it. It kind 277 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 2: of I don't want it to sound in the way 278 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:16,199 Speaker 2: I laid it out that like they were within the 279 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 2: country going no, we think we should do that. They 280 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 2: were definitely aligned already with Russia. And the Polish population 281 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 2: mounted a rebellion in response to that second partition, and 282 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:28,439 Speaker 2: while they managed to fight the forces of Russia and 283 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:32,200 Speaker 2: Prussia off for the better part of a year, ultimately 284 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 2: Poland was defeated, and once it was all over, they 285 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:40,640 Speaker 2: faced a third partition. This time Austria, Russia, and Prussia 286 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 2: carved up the remaining parts of Poland, leaving nothing of 287 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 2: the original sovereign state. At that point, Russia held sixty 288 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:51,400 Speaker 2: two percent of what had been Poland, while Prussia took 289 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 2: twenty percent and Austria took eighteen. Although that represents the 290 00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:01,680 Speaker 2: geographical area, Austria's territory was actually some of the most populated, 291 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 2: and so even though it had the smallest percentage of geography, 292 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:09,200 Speaker 2: it ended up with thirty two percent of the Polish population. 293 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:13,840 Speaker 2: Throughout this conflict, Poland had been ruled by Stanislav the 294 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:17,959 Speaker 2: second August Poniatowsky, the last King of Poland. He had 295 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 2: been selected for the job by Catherine the Great, with 296 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 2: whom he had a romantic history. She also anticipated that 297 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:28,240 Speaker 2: he would be easy to control, and though he was 298 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:31,320 Speaker 2: not really focused on the nation's military, he does seem 299 00:18:31,359 --> 00:18:35,359 Speaker 2: to have been interested in actually leading the country. But 300 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:38,640 Speaker 2: as part of that third partition, he abdicated and moved 301 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:41,560 Speaker 2: to Saint Petersburg, where he died three years later at 302 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 2: the age of sixty six. Poland would remain a partitioned 303 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:48,520 Speaker 2: state for the next one hundred and twenty three years 304 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 2: after we hear from the sponsors that keep stuff you 305 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:55,000 Speaker 2: missed in history class going, we will talk about Vavol 306 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 2: during its occupation and how Poland eventually got its independence back. 307 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:12,920 Speaker 2: During the Austrian possession of Vavol, the castle was seized 308 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:16,399 Speaker 2: and used first as a military hospital. Some of the 309 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,720 Speaker 2: buildings were torn down and the beautiful arcaded galleries were 310 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 2: closed in with brickwork. Later, the castle was turned into 311 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 2: a military stronghold and it remained a fortress for decades. 312 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 2: In eighteen eighty, the Regional Assembly of Glicia created legislation 313 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 2: that returned the castle to use as a residence, but 314 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:38,480 Speaker 2: that was for Franz Joseph the I, the Emperor of Austria. 315 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 2: Two years after vaval Castle became the home of the 316 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:47,200 Speaker 2: Austrian head of state, the castle's official museum collection was started. 317 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:51,760 Speaker 2: It began with a gift from artist Jan Mitteiko. That 318 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:55,199 Speaker 2: gift was the painting The Prussian Homage, which depicts the 319 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:58,680 Speaker 2: homage paid to King Sigismund the First the Old by 320 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:01,720 Speaker 2: a man named Albric Holland Zarn. He was the last 321 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 2: Great Master of the Order of Teutonic Knights. 322 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:05,439 Speaker 1: From that point on. 323 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 2: The collection at Vabel was carefully curated to include a 324 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 2: wide range of art. In the years in which Poland 325 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:17,359 Speaker 2: was partitioned, there were uprisings against the partitioning. 326 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 1: Powers, a lot of them. There were five between eighteen 327 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 1: oh six and eighteen sixty three, none of which were successful. 328 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: There was also a revolution in nineteen oh five. There 329 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 1: had actually been a brief reprieve of sorts, starting in 330 00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 1: eighteen oh seven, when Napoleon Bonaparte established the Duchy of 331 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:40,880 Speaker 1: Warsaw after Prussia and Austria ceded Polish territory to France. 332 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 1: That duchy was administered by Frederick Augustus, the First of Saxony, 333 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 1: and this seemed like perhaps a first step in Poland 334 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:53,440 Speaker 1: once again gaining its freedom if France continued to win 335 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:57,200 Speaker 1: wars And the temporary government of the Duchy could negotiate 336 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:02,719 Speaker 1: independence with Bonaparte. But after Napoleon attempted and failed to 337 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 1: invade Russia in eighteen twelve, he kind of left the 338 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:08,880 Speaker 1: Duchy of Warsaw without any plan, and it was soon 339 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:13,680 Speaker 1: occupied again by the partitioning countries through it all, even 340 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 1: when their efforts at resistance and revolution did not achieve 341 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 1: the desired outcome, the Polish people adamantly retained their cultural identity. 342 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 1: Over the next one hundred years, Poland was fought, over, sectioned, 343 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:30,879 Speaker 1: and re sectioned by other countries as they occupied it 344 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:35,720 Speaker 1: in various configurations. It wasn't until the early twentieth century 345 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:38,959 Speaker 1: that Austrian forces finally left Vavel. 346 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:42,679 Speaker 2: In World War One, Joseph Pozuski, who had been a 347 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:46,600 Speaker 2: revolutionary and had been jailed by Russia for it, served 348 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 2: as a military commander of a Polish brigade that fought 349 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:55,160 Speaker 2: for Austria. He was blanked multi dimensional chess with this move. 350 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 2: He saw the potential of the war to completely rearrange 351 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:01,879 Speaker 2: the power structure of Europe, and he hoped that the 352 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:05,520 Speaker 2: partitioning countries would lose their footing and then open the 353 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:09,679 Speaker 2: door for Poland to declare independence. He was not wrong. 354 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:14,240 Speaker 2: Russia was driven out of Poland by Austrian and German forces, 355 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:17,399 Speaker 2: and in nineteen sixteen, a document known as the Two 356 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 2: Emperors Manifesto was created by those two countries that created 357 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 2: the new Polish Kingdom and territory that had been taken 358 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 2: from Russia. There were more stages to pass through, as 359 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:35,400 Speaker 2: Russia's own internal politics slowed the acceptance of Poland's independence, 360 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 2: but after the Bolshevik Revolution in nineteen eighteen, Poland was 361 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:44,600 Speaker 2: officially a nation of its own again. Even before that, 362 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:49,240 Speaker 2: in nineteen eleven, after the Austrian occupation ended, the cathedral 363 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:53,040 Speaker 2: and castle at Vovl began what would be yet another restoration, 364 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 2: although this one took a very very long time. It 365 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:59,919 Speaker 2: went on for five decades. In the meantime, the Ca 366 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 2: Cas was in use as a home to the head 367 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:06,160 Speaker 2: of state. The twentieth century restoration was headed up initially 368 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:11,640 Speaker 2: by architect Zigmund Hendel. Another architect, Adolf ziskod Bojo's, took 369 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:15,719 Speaker 2: over the project in nineteen sixteen and he remained absolutely 370 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 2: dedicated to it for the next thirty years. At the 371 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:23,200 Speaker 2: end of World War II, another person, Alfred Majuski, stepped 372 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:27,080 Speaker 2: in to finish the renovation. In nineteen twenty one, the 373 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 2: Treaty of Riga included a provision that the tapestries that 374 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:34,200 Speaker 2: had been taken in the eighteenth century were to be returned. 375 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,760 Speaker 2: This return to their home in Vavel was short though, 376 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 2: and World War II, Vavel, like the rest of Poland, 377 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:45,280 Speaker 2: was occupied by Nazi forces and Vavl castle was used 378 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:49,359 Speaker 2: by Hans Frank who was the Nazi Governor General of Poland. 379 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 2: It served as his home during that time. 380 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:56,480 Speaker 1: Another interesting thing happened in Vaovl in nineteen twenty one. 381 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 1: So we're going to step back for just a moment, 382 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:00,719 Speaker 1: because that year the head of the board for the 383 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:04,720 Speaker 1: restoration of Vavol Castle, Adolf Ziskobo, who's came up with 384 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 1: a fundraising idea for the work that needed to be done, 385 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 1: and there is actually a visual record of that fundraising 386 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:14,879 Speaker 1: work that still exists today. If you enter the Vowel 387 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: complex from its entrance on Canonis's Street, you'll see a 388 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:21,440 Speaker 1: unique pattern in the brick wall that runs along one 389 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:24,200 Speaker 1: side of the entry lane, and if you look closely 390 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:26,320 Speaker 1: at the bricks you'll see that some of them that 391 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:29,439 Speaker 1: are different color than the others are engraved with names 392 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 1: or messages. So each donor who gave thirty thousand marks 393 00:24:34,119 --> 00:24:37,480 Speaker 1: or agreed to a payment plan of regular donations that 394 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 1: went toward the restoration of the castle was given a 395 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 1: brick placement. Six two hundred and eighty two bricks were 396 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:48,160 Speaker 1: funded this way, although the program hit a snag after 397 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:51,280 Speaker 1: its first burst of bricklaying that lasted from nineteen twenty 398 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 1: one to nineteen twenty six. There were some problems with 399 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:57,280 Speaker 1: the bricks structurally, and a lot of people just did 400 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:00,919 Speaker 1: not like the checkerboard layout that was used to set them. 401 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:04,000 Speaker 1: Although there were plans to finish this brick project that 402 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:08,160 Speaker 1: started on several occasions, various setbacks, including World War II, 403 00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:12,440 Speaker 1: meant that those plans were never implemented. The existing brick 404 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:15,760 Speaker 1: wall went through a conservation stage in the nineteen nineties 405 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 1: and then another passive conservation again in twenty thirteen to 406 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:22,439 Speaker 1: preserve the bricks that do exist, and they numbered just 407 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:26,120 Speaker 1: a little over eleven hundred in total. When World War 408 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 1: two began, there was a frantic rush to get most 409 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: of the art collection out of Poland to safety so 410 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:37,200 Speaker 1: it would not be taken by the Nazis. This included 411 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:41,240 Speaker 1: tapestries and a sword which was part of coronation ceremonies. 412 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:43,760 Speaker 1: All of those were sent to Canada, along with a 413 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:47,879 Speaker 1: number of other treasures. These items were grabbed two days 414 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:51,640 Speaker 1: after the Nazi attack began, and from Krakoff they were 415 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 1: moved to the Romanian border, then to a port on 416 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 1: the Black Sea. From there they were taken by ship 417 00:25:57,359 --> 00:26:00,280 Speaker 1: to France and then to Britain, and then before long 418 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:02,960 Speaker 1: on their last leg of the journey to North America. 419 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 1: When the Nazi occupation ended, Vavl Hill and the structures 420 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:10,600 Speaker 1: there were part of a very careful restructuring to ensure 421 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 1: long term stability and care. Three institutions were established to 422 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:19,680 Speaker 1: make sure the culturally important elements of Vouval, its art, 423 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:23,920 Speaker 1: the castle and cathedral were preserved. The State Art Collection, 424 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:27,119 Speaker 1: the Board for the Restoration of Vavol Castle, and the 425 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:32,160 Speaker 1: Metropolitan Basilica Board. Although there has been plenty of unrest 426 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:36,440 Speaker 1: and shifting of Poland's fortunes in the years since, these institutions, 427 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:39,000 Speaker 1: which have shifted a little on their own, have helped 428 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:42,639 Speaker 1: ensure that the historical significance of Vavl is not lost 429 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:45,680 Speaker 1: and that there is a stable through line regarding its 430 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:50,119 Speaker 1: stewardship and care. One of the steps in rebuilding was 431 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 1: to get back the national treasures that had been sent 432 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:56,640 Speaker 1: to Canada, but that turns out to be complicated. One 433 00:26:56,680 --> 00:27:01,720 Speaker 1: particular sticking point was the contents of two trunks. These 434 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:06,240 Speaker 1: trunks contained the sword mentioned earlier, as well as original 435 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:10,719 Speaker 1: music manuscripts written by Frederic Chapin and an early Bible 436 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 1: from the Gutenberg Press, as well as some other items. 437 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:16,840 Speaker 1: When World War II ended, a request was made to 438 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:19,960 Speaker 1: get these items back. Some of them were in an 439 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:23,960 Speaker 1: Ottawa bank vault, but one of the two depositors, which 440 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:27,880 Speaker 1: was a Polish immigrat to Canada, refused to give these 441 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 1: treasures to the new Polish government. Other items that were 442 00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:34,200 Speaker 1: not in the bank vault were in a museum in Quebec. 443 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 1: Previous podcast subject Maurice Duplessis was the Prime Minister of 444 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:42,640 Speaker 1: Quebec at the time. He refused to give these items 445 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:45,719 Speaker 1: to Poland on the ground that its government was Communist. 446 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:50,200 Speaker 1: It took a great deal of negotiation to get any 447 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:54,439 Speaker 1: of the items returned. The Polish depositor Tracy just mentioned, 448 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:57,720 Speaker 1: who was a man named Joseph Pompkowski, met with well 449 00:27:57,760 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 1: known Polish pianist Vietold maushu's Zinski, who had moved to Switzerland, and, 450 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 1: according to newspaper reports from nineteen fifty nine, Malschuzinski canceled 451 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:09,919 Speaker 1: all of his concerts for a month so that he 452 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:13,159 Speaker 1: could travel to Canada and speak with Pompowski and his 453 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 1: supporters about the importance of returning these historically significant items 454 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:22,000 Speaker 1: to their home country. Those items were returned to Poland 455 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:26,080 Speaker 1: in early nineteen fifty nine at a ceremony where Malschuzinski 456 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:29,880 Speaker 1: performed the works of Chopin. The pianist for his work 457 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:32,600 Speaker 1: in helping to bring those items home, was also given 458 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 1: a medal by the Polish government, but the tapestries were 459 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 1: still in Quebec. Duplesi died in the early autumn of 460 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:43,600 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty nine, and in the year that followed, Quebec 461 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 1: under Premier Jean Lesage, agreed to return the tapestries as well. 462 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:52,280 Speaker 1: There was still some difficulty, as members of the Polish 463 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:56,800 Speaker 1: government living in exile held the same sentiment that duples 464 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:03,000 Speaker 1: had regarding Poland's communist government. Finally, in January of nineteen 465 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:08,160 Speaker 1: sixty one, newspapers reported fifty million dollars art leaves Quebec 466 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 1: four Poland via Boston. Once they were back at home 467 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 1: in Vavol, they became part of an ongoing series of 468 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 1: exhibits about decor yeah that downplays how amazing they are, 469 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:24,280 Speaker 1: but they continue to be on display. In the twentieth century, 470 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 1: even more protections were put into place to ensure that 471 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:31,760 Speaker 1: Vavel Hill complex would be protected the buildings as a 472 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 1: group and also individually are listed in the National Heritage Register, 473 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 1: and the site is listed as a Monument of History 474 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:44,280 Speaker 1: per UNESCO quote. This in effect has provided a coherent 475 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,920 Speaker 1: system of legal protection for all the parts of the property. 476 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:51,920 Speaker 1: In nineteen seventy eight, Vavle Hill and its buildings became 477 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 1: part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site that is listed 478 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:58,680 Speaker 1: as Historic Center of Krakov. The City of Krakov and 479 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:02,000 Speaker 1: the Polish government have continued to create policy to ensure 480 00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:05,800 Speaker 1: the Vowel Hill complex is preserved as it is integrated 481 00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:10,600 Speaker 1: into larger municipal initiatives. In nineteen ninety four, the museum 482 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 1: expanded its art collection again through an impressive gift from 483 00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:20,080 Speaker 1: Countess Krolina Lankoronska. Carolina is another figure who's worthy of 484 00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 1: a future episode. She was a scholar, a patron of 485 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:26,200 Speaker 1: the arts, and a Nazi resister. She was the first 486 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 1: Polish woman to complete a post doctoral program in art 487 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 1: history and became the country's first female docent, and the 488 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:37,720 Speaker 1: collection that she gave to Vavol was an impressive group 489 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:41,280 Speaker 1: of Italian paintings from the fourteenth through the seventeenth centuries. 490 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:44,800 Speaker 1: She also donated a collection of Rembrandts to the Royal 491 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:48,960 Speaker 1: Castle in Warsaw. Today, Vowel is open to the public. 492 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:51,880 Speaker 1: You can buy tickets and go there, and visitors can 493 00:30:51,920 --> 00:30:55,240 Speaker 1: tour the castle, state rooms, the royal private apartments, the 494 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 1: Crown Treasury, the armory, its absolutely incredible art collection and 495 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:03,560 Speaker 1: various exhibits exploring the structure's history as well as the 496 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 1: wider history of Krackov and even Poland. I want to 497 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:10,840 Speaker 1: go because every picture I look at of their collection 498 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:17,640 Speaker 1: and their exhibits looks brain meltingly beautiful and amazing. I 499 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:19,959 Speaker 1: didn't know that much about Vowel before I started this, 500 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:24,640 Speaker 1: so I was excited to dig in on it. I 501 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:30,120 Speaker 1: have listener mail about another place we've talked about recently, 502 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 1: the Quinta. 503 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:32,520 Speaker 2: Uh. 504 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:34,680 Speaker 1: This is from our listener, Elisa. I hope that is 505 00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:37,959 Speaker 1: how you pronounce your name, who writes Dear Holly and Tracy, 506 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:40,320 Speaker 1: thank you so much for bringing joy and knowledge to 507 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 1: me every week for many years. I especially enjoyed the 508 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:45,840 Speaker 1: behind the scenes for the extra tidbits. When I saw 509 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:49,400 Speaker 1: today's episode about Quinta Delira, I finally felt like this 510 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:51,720 Speaker 1: was something I could actually write in about. As my 511 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:55,280 Speaker 1: family visited it back in may. Yes, the grounds and 512 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:58,360 Speaker 1: home are beautiful and a mussy, but I felt they 513 00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 1: were more magical in a fairy gardens sort of way 514 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:05,040 Speaker 1: than anything spooky. Walking down the initiation well, I tried 515 00:32:05,080 --> 00:32:07,440 Speaker 1: to imagine what it would be like to be blindfolded 516 00:32:07,480 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 1: and trying to maneuver, and knowing my tripping skills, I 517 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:13,440 Speaker 1: would have ended up rolling all the way to the bottom. Hard, 518 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:16,680 Speaker 1: say Melisa. The home is such a beautiful area with 519 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:19,080 Speaker 1: the Moorish castle looking down upon it, that it is 520 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 1: a must visit if you get to Portugal. I am 521 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:24,280 Speaker 1: including a picture of my daughter in the well and 522 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:27,120 Speaker 1: pictures of my boys for pet Tex. Our brown and 523 00:32:27,120 --> 00:32:29,800 Speaker 1: white dog Rex is fourteen and a rescue from our 524 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:33,480 Speaker 1: time in Hong Kong. Our standard poodle Otis is four 525 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:37,160 Speaker 1: and the sweetest boy. Lastly, our boy Oliver is part 526 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:40,280 Speaker 1: Australian and English shepherd. He is three and he needs 527 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:42,560 Speaker 1: a job all day every day. If a job is 528 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:45,680 Speaker 1: not given, he will create one, hurting us around the house. 529 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: Thanks again for giving us such a great podcast, Alisa, Okay, 530 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:50,800 Speaker 1: I love all of this. I love this picture of 531 00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 1: your daughter, she is adorable. I love your pooches, they're 532 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:59,320 Speaker 1: so cute listen. I've been talking about poodles a lot lately. 533 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:01,880 Speaker 1: I have the dog crush on Otis. He is beautiful. 534 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:05,680 Speaker 1: I want to hug him. My hat is off to 535 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:09,720 Speaker 1: anyone who can have a dog that is in any 536 00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:12,920 Speaker 1: measure part shepherd, because they have so much energy and 537 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:16,920 Speaker 1: they do need constant stuff to do. Thank you so much, though, 538 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:20,080 Speaker 1: for sharing that with us. I now have Portugal on 539 00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:23,760 Speaker 1: my ever growing list. I'll go to Portugal and Poland soon. 540 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,960 Speaker 1: I don't know what soon means, but I cannot wait 541 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:31,960 Speaker 1: because they look beautiful. I too. I think I would 542 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:34,960 Speaker 1: fall down those stairs. Whether I was blindfolded or not, 543 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:37,880 Speaker 1: I would fall down. I'm very scare scared these days. 544 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:42,360 Speaker 1: If you would like to write to us and share 545 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:46,520 Speaker 1: pictures of your travels, your kids, furry or human or otherwise, 546 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:51,320 Speaker 1: or any other delicious things we've had baked goods lately, 547 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:53,560 Speaker 1: that was pretty great, you could do so at History 548 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:57,520 Speaker 1: Podcast at iHeartRadio dot com. You can also subscribe to 549 00:33:57,560 --> 00:33:59,280 Speaker 1: the show if you haven't done so already, on the 550 00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:02,480 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app or anywhere you listen to your favorite shows. 551 00:34:07,960 --> 00:34:10,120 Speaker 2: Stuff you Missed in History Class is a production of 552 00:34:10,239 --> 00:34:14,920 Speaker 2: iHeartRadio for more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 553 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:18,200 Speaker 2: Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.