A celebration to toast Tadeusz Kościuszko and Polish Heroes will take place on Oct. 28, starting at 6:30 p.m at The Kosciuszko Foundation – 15 East 65th St. NYC.
After Poland passed the May 3 Constitution in 1791, it was attacked by Russia, Prussia and Austria who wanted to stop these democratic reforms. King Stanislaw Augustus created the Virtuti Militari medal to honor the Polish soldiers, such as Kościuszko, who had fought to defend the first democratic constitution in Europe. The Poles lost the war, and the Russians demanded that these medals be discarded.
While the officers who received this honor took the medals off their chests, they sent the blue ribbons from these orders to their wives and girlfriends, who used them as hair decoration.
On Oct 28, 1792, the imieniny (name day) for Tadeusz, Prince Adam Jerzy Czartoryski held a party at his palace for Kościuszko. At this party, the women wore white dresses with black and blue sashes and tied their hair in ponytails with the medal ribbons. The women honored Kościuszko with a garland crown of leaves from an oak tree planted 100 years earlier by King Sobieski, and placed it on his head.
The Kosciuszko Foundation and its chapters will reenact this event to honor local heroes that have supported the Polish Community.
In NYC, the foundation will honor Adam Bak, President of Adamba Imports, who is also a Kosciuszko Foundation Trustee, a Polish Patriot and major supporter of Polish causes.
