European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 27, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                On the continued from Page 5 having served in the British army. He was not an officer he said so they were less interested in him. However five times they came to his Home and asked Why he returned. Five times he told them simply that Poland was his Home. As he told me this i thought i detected a bit of emotion coming to the surface. He quickly changed the subject which made me think that indeed he had spent the past 45 years asking himself the same question Why did he return to Poland instead he talked about the american soldiers he met after the War. He preferred them to the English he said. When you write in your newspaper a Little bit about the town you must say that one Soldier has the Best opinion for the american soldiers the Best in the world he said. This i say to you 45 years after the .War.". We parted after i gave Henry $20 for the tour. This is what he does to supplement the monthly pension of 2 million zlotys about $100. He introduces himself to tourists and then guides them fora fee. We said goodbye outside the cafe in dwindling Daylight. I made notes of the Day while drinking a Beer at the John Bull pub an English style pub just off the main Square. Later i bought a sausage from a Vendor and considered bed and sleep it was Only 7 30 p.m., however. I made myself a Promise. I would return to the hotel and watch mtg. When a band i had actually heard of appeared i d turn off the lights and sleep. Two hours later i ended the game prematurely and tried to sleep despite the continual pounding in my head of a song from the Urban cookie collection. While loading my car in the morning darkness i asked the attendant to Point out the Road to krak6w, the Day s destination. He pointed toward a Busy Highway nearby an said  this could have been a warning a directional tip or a polish have a Nice  i could t Tell. It was i discovered a town 60 Miles along in the direction of krak6w. The Road to pole is a two Lane Asphalt ribbon filled with potholes slow trucks and an occasional horse drawn Wagon. A superhighway is available for the first 50 Miles of the 150 Miles to kiak6w, but i avoided it p referring to see As much As possible of the Countryside and Small towns of Poland. I was impressed with the neglect the towns have suffered. There was Little color in any of them. Brown Stone buildings were chipped and decaying. The Only color came from the windows where White lace curtains hang. About 100 Miles from wroclaw the Road enters the Urban sprawl of Katowice care must be taken to follow every sign As the route twists and turns unmercifully. Adding to the discomfort was a Blue Cloud of smog that hugged the ground. It was so thick that cars coming at me simply materialized 400 Yards or so ahead like from a Winter fog headlights blazing at mid morning. Eastern Europe was an ecological Nightmare i knew. \ continued on Page 7 a statue of polish writer count Aleksander Fredo rests in the Shadow of wroclaw s town Hall. A Small portion of the panoramic painting. Big scale the John Bull Bills itself As an English style pub. Panoramic painting depicts Day of polish glory by Ron Jensen Nurnberg Bureau if you believe that bigger is better when it comes to Art then you la consider the panoramic painting housed in wroclaw Poland As among the world s greatest works. The Panorama of the Battle of Rac Lawice is nearly 400 feet in length and 50 feet High displayed in 360 degrees in a building erected especially for the painting. In wroclaw a City of churches and architecture the painting is considered the top tourist attraction drawing schoolchildren from across Poland to View the artistic rendition of a moment in polish history that could be loosely compared to our Alamo. The painting depicts a Battle that took place april 4, 1794, in Rac Lawice Between the russian army and a Hearty band of polish insurgents. Less than two years earlier Russia and Prussia had successfully partitioned Poland. Polish patriots attempted to reclaim some sovereignty. The insurrection ultimately failed but the Day captured on Canvas was a Day of glory and has inspired generations of poles. The painting contains thousands of characters dozens of horses and a landscape that is realistic because the artists visited the Battlefield to make initial sketches. Heightening the effect of the painting Are props scattered in front of it. For example a wooden Fence on Canvas is extended by a real wooden Fence constructed for display. Other military objects of the Day along with artificial shrubs dirt and rocks add to the atmosphere the painting has its own history. Jan styka and Wojciech Kossak along with a team of helpers created the work for Celebration of the Battle s Centenary in 1894. The Panorama of the Battle of Rac Lawice was a sensation when it was unveiled in june 1894 and attracted Many admirers before a bomb badly damaged it in april 1944. The following years saw Effort after Effort to repair the painting fall Short. But on june 14,1985, the restored painting was unveiled in its new Home in wroclaw. An English language voice heard through earphones can guide a visitor pointing out the separate stages of the Battle from Tadeusz Kosciuszko s valiant charge at the head of the ragtag army he commanded to a blood covered peasant lying in front of his cottage a heart broken wife kneeling at his Side. In Between Are scenes of russian artillerymen fleeing in panic peasants attacking with scythes raised and russian prisoners including the general being taken to the rear. The Panorama of the Battle of Rac Lawice is mediocre Art but wonderful history. A full rebook for the City said the Panorama was clo to wednesdays but that proved untrue. Admission is 50,000 zlotys bit Mort than $2. Stripes Magazine january 27, 1994