This post contains content not supported on old Reddit. Click here to view the full post
Oto profesjonalne tłumaczenie na język angielski, idealne do publikacji na międzynarodowych forach historycznych lub w opisach materiałów wideo:
The death of Józef Piłsudski on May 12, 1935, was one of the most significant and moving moments in the history of the Second Polish Republic. As the founder of the Polish Legions, Chief of State, victor of the Polish-Soviet War, and a symbol of regained independence, he was the figure who shaped the political, military, and symbolic foundations of the Polish state after 1918.
The funeral ceremonies lasted six days and took the form of a nationwide mourning, involving millions of citizens. Kraków—the final resting place in the crypts of the Wawel Cathedral, alongside kings and national heroes—became the final stage of this journey. The events of May 18, 1935, have forever been etched into the collective memory of Poles as the symbolic closing of the Piłsudski era.
The film published by the National Digital Archives (NAC) was recorded on May 18, 1935, on 8mm film by Tadeusz Rowiński (1905–1997), a Kraków-based dentist and amateur filmmaker who emigrated to the USA after the war. The footage lasts 7 minutes and 32 seconds, is silent, and was shot from two vantage points: a window of a tenement house on Wiślana Street and from one of the buildings at the Main Market Square.
The footage shows vast crowds of mourners, fragments of the funeral procession, the atmosphere of a city immersed in silence and solemnity, as well as key public figures of the Second Republic—President Ignacy Mościcki and General Edward Śmigły-Rydz accompanying Aleksandra Piłsudska.
Unlike the official newsreels produced by the Polish Telegraphic Agency, Rowiński’s material is a private, amateur recording, which gives it exceptional source value—it shows history "up close," devoid of staging or propaganda narrative.
Although Marshal Piłsudski's funeral was extensively documented through photography—including the collections of the National Digital Archives and the Illustrated Courier Daily (IKC) press conglomerate—this film previously had no counterpart in state collections.
This recording is the first and only cinematic document of its kind in the NAC's holdings, making it a source of fundamental importance for researchers of history, visual culture, and national memory.
The unique film recently appeared on the antiquarian market in an offer from the Kraków Auction House. Upon its identification, the National Digital Archives exercised its statutory right of first refusal, acting under Art. 9, Sec. 1 of the Act on National Archival Resources and Archives.
Specialists from the National Archives in Kraków prepared a detailed conservation opinion. The preservation state of the film was assessed as good to very good, allowing for its safe acquisition and further archival work.
The version of the film released on May 11, 2026, is a technical (preview) version. This is the opening stage of a process that will, in the future, allow the material to be presented in a quality befitting its significance.
Upon completion of the work, the National Digital Archives plans to release a fully digitized version of the film.
This post contains content not supported on old Reddit. Click here to view the full post
The second nuclear power plant will be built in Bełchatów, and the French are likely to build it—this is the most probable scenario. The "nuke" would replace the Gierek-era coal-fired power plant, which is currently critical for Poland. According to the plan, it should cease operations within ten years.
Poland aims to build two nuclear power plants by 2040. At least, that is according to the "Polish Nuclear Energy Program," which was recently updated by the Ministry of Industry.
The first is being built in Pomerania. In the Choczewo commune, the plant will be constructed by the Bechtel-Westinghouse consortium. The Americans will install three AP1000 reactors there with a gross capacity of 1250 MWe each.
What about the second one? For now, neither the technology nor the location is officially known. However, in recent weeks, the government has begun to reveal its hand. It appears that France is the favorite in the race for "nuke" no. 2.
During the recent meeting between Donald Tusk and Emmanuel Macron, the Polish Prime Minister suggested potential cooperation between Poland and France in the energy sector.
>
It is no secret that the state-owned EDF (Électricité de France) is participating in the race to build the second plant in Poland. Several years ago, it submitted its first offer to Poland for the construction of "turnkey" reactors. Much was said then about a strategic Polish-French partnership that would be crucial for European climate neutrality goals.
For several months, the French giant has been conducting an audit of its subcontractors in Poland to check to what extent they could cooperate on the construction of a nuclear plant in the country. Deputy Minister Wojciech Wrochna, who is responsible for nuclear energy, has also visited Paris several times.
The aforementioned deputy minister signed an energy agreement with his French counterpart (Maud Brégeon) in April during President Macron's visit. It speaks of the key role of nuclear energy and the need to deepen cooperation in this field.
"Poland is consistently implementing its energy transition by building a system in which nuclear energy plays a significant role. In this context, France—as one of the leaders of nuclear energy in Europe—remains a key and natural partner for us," Wojciech Wrochna said at the time.
In March, the Ministry of Industry identified two preferred locations for the second nuclear power plant: Bełchatów and Konin—cities in central Poland where lignite (brown coal) energy production is being phased out (or soon will be). The document also included "reserve locations," namely Połaniec and Kozienice.
The Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, addressed this issue on Friday. Journalists pressed him on where the second nuclear plant would be built.
>
In Bełchatów, a coal-fired power plant (lignite) was opened in 1981. In subsequent years, it was gradually expanded with additional units. Currently, these are scheduled to be decommissioned by 2036. Tusk admitted that from a logistical point of view, the choice of this site would be appropriate, though he did not rule it as the final location.
"Several locations are comparable. I always think about Silesia; besides, Konin was in the running. We will wait a while for the decision. It will be made by people who truly know their stuff," he added.
The final decision is expected to be made next year. In addition to the French, offers from the Americans and Canadians are also being considered.
