Zajaczek fights in France and Egypt and again in Poland
REMEMBER ME. Jozef Zajaczek continued. I published a brochure on my experience in the 1794 war ""Histoire de la revolution de Pologne en 1794"", in which I tried to justify my actions. However, I was still unpopular among the Polish troops, many of whom blamed me for the fall of Praga; due to frequent personal conflicts, I chose to remain with the French army, rather than joining the Legions.
Over the coming years, I took part in the French Revolutionary wars. Also, I took part in the 1798 Egyptian Expedition. There I also served as a governor of several provinces, first, from July that year, of the Monufia Governorate, later, from January 1799, simultaneously of the Faiyum Governorate and Beni Suef Governorate. On January 25, 1800 I defeated Murad Bey at the Battle of Sediman.
In 1801 I was promoted to division general, and later took part in the failed defense of Alexandria. I became the commander of the French 2nd Division in 1802, a year later received the Knight's Cross of the Legion of Honour, and in 1804, the Commander's Cross.
During the 1805 War of the Third Coalition, I was assigned to the French Army of the Rhine; where I worked at the army's high command. The following year in September, during the Fourth Coalition, I was assigned to command of the foreign (mostly Polish) North Legion; in the following month I organized another similar unit, the Kalisz Legion.
These units were reorganized in 1808 into parts of the Army of the Duchy of Warsaw, in which I became a general. During that time, dissatisfied with my transfer from the French army, and being made subject to Prince Jozef Poniatowski whom I disliked, I refused to wear a Polish uniform and swear an oath to the Duchy, and was forced to do so only on direct orders of French marshal Louis-Nicolas Davout. (To be continued.)
CURIOUS. Cookie continued. As pies for centuries were meat pies, cookies were plain biscuits; sweetness did not become a cookie hallmark until after the Middle Ages. The modern connotation of ""cookies"" is believed to have derived from a small, sweet Dutch wedding cake known as ""koekje"" a diminutive of koek Dutch for a full sized cake. Made in numerous variations and never ""'twice baked,"" the sweeter, softer, moister koekje, etymologists claim, at least gave us the word ""cooky"" and probably the dessert itself. In America, ""cooky"" and 'cookie"" became vernacularism in the early 1700s. But the written history of the sweet remained scant compared to that of other foods, primarily because cookies did not become truly popular and certainly not brand-name sweet temptation until about a hundred years ago. As we will see, several of these early commercial successes are still selling today like Animal Cookies and Fig Newton. (To be continued.)
TRADITION. The year 1918, on the 11th hour, of the 11th day in the 11th month, the world rejoiced and celebrated. After four years of a bitter war, an armistice was signed. The ""War too end all wars"" was over. November 11 was set aside as Armistice Day in the United States, to remember the sacrifices that men and women made during the war in order to ensure a lasting peace. On Armistice Day, soldiers who survived the war marched in a parade in their home towns. Veteran officers and politicians gave speeches and held ceremonies of thanks for the peace they had won. Congress voted Armistice Day a legal holiday in 1938, but Americans realized that the previous war would not be the last. World War II began the following year and nations regardless of size participated once again in a bloody struggle. After World War II, Armistice Day continued to be observed on November 11. In 1953 the townspeople in Emporia, Kansas called the holiday Veterans' Day in gratitude to the veterans in their town. Congress passed a bill introduced by a Kansas congressman renaming the national holiday to Veterans' Day.
While in Poland this date coincides with the celebration of the Armistice in other countries. However in Poland it is a national day celebrated to commemorate the anniversary of the restoration of Poland's sovereignty as the Second Polish Republic in 1918 from the German, Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires. Following the partitions in the late 18th century, Poland ceased to exist for 123 years until the end of World War I when the destruction of the neighboring powers allowed the country to re-emerge. Today, this is a non-working day and flags are flown in Poland.
SUPERSTITION. Do you think a cricket is good luck? Well almost everyone thinks so. This is one of the few talismans from ancient times that have been universally accepted as fortunate to have around. The cricket is a ""house spirit"" and brings good luck to the dwellers of a home. Also, the cricket is believed to take his luck with him; when he leaves the house. The Japanese, the English and American Indians all believe in the inherent luck of this little creature. It is thought to be bad luck when he leaves by your chimney; it is terrible to kill one; it is also dangerous to imitate his chirp. The cricket is a super fortune-teller and knows if rain is coming, if death is near and even if a lover is coming back!
Over the coming years, I took part in the French Revolutionary wars. Also, I took part in the 1798 Egyptian Expedition. There I also served as a governor of several provinces, first, from July that year, of the Monufia Governorate, later, from January 1799, simultaneously of the Faiyum Governorate and Beni Suef Governorate. On January 25, 1800 I defeated Murad Bey at the Battle of Sediman.
In 1801 I was promoted to division general, and later took part in the failed defense of Alexandria. I became the commander of the French 2nd Division in 1802, a year later received the Knight's Cross of the Legion of Honour, and in 1804, the Commander's Cross.
During the 1805 War of the Third Coalition, I was assigned to the French Army of the Rhine; where I worked at the army's high command. The following year in September, during the Fourth Coalition, I was assigned to command of the foreign (mostly Polish) North Legion; in the following month I organized another similar unit, the Kalisz Legion.
These units were reorganized in 1808 into parts of the Army of the Duchy of Warsaw, in which I became a general. During that time, dissatisfied with my transfer from the French army, and being made subject to Prince Jozef Poniatowski whom I disliked, I refused to wear a Polish uniform and swear an oath to the Duchy, and was forced to do so only on direct orders of French marshal Louis-Nicolas Davout. (To be continued.)
CURIOUS. Cookie continued. As pies for centuries were meat pies, cookies were plain biscuits; sweetness did not become a cookie hallmark until after the Middle Ages. The modern connotation of ""cookies"" is believed to have derived from a small, sweet Dutch wedding cake known as ""koekje"" a diminutive of koek Dutch for a full sized cake. Made in numerous variations and never ""'twice baked,"" the sweeter, softer, moister koekje, etymologists claim, at least gave us the word ""cooky"" and probably the dessert itself. In America, ""cooky"" and 'cookie"" became vernacularism in the early 1700s. But the written history of the sweet remained scant compared to that of other foods, primarily because cookies did not become truly popular and certainly not brand-name sweet temptation until about a hundred years ago. As we will see, several of these early commercial successes are still selling today like Animal Cookies and Fig Newton. (To be continued.)
TRADITION. The year 1918, on the 11th hour, of the 11th day in the 11th month, the world rejoiced and celebrated. After four years of a bitter war, an armistice was signed. The ""War too end all wars"" was over. November 11 was set aside as Armistice Day in the United States, to remember the sacrifices that men and women made during the war in order to ensure a lasting peace. On Armistice Day, soldiers who survived the war marched in a parade in their home towns. Veteran officers and politicians gave speeches and held ceremonies of thanks for the peace they had won. Congress voted Armistice Day a legal holiday in 1938, but Americans realized that the previous war would not be the last. World War II began the following year and nations regardless of size participated once again in a bloody struggle. After World War II, Armistice Day continued to be observed on November 11. In 1953 the townspeople in Emporia, Kansas called the holiday Veterans' Day in gratitude to the veterans in their town. Congress passed a bill introduced by a Kansas congressman renaming the national holiday to Veterans' Day.
While in Poland this date coincides with the celebration of the Armistice in other countries. However in Poland it is a national day celebrated to commemorate the anniversary of the restoration of Poland's sovereignty as the Second Polish Republic in 1918 from the German, Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires. Following the partitions in the late 18th century, Poland ceased to exist for 123 years until the end of World War I when the destruction of the neighboring powers allowed the country to re-emerge. Today, this is a non-working day and flags are flown in Poland.
SUPERSTITION. Do you think a cricket is good luck? Well almost everyone thinks so. This is one of the few talismans from ancient times that have been universally accepted as fortunate to have around. The cricket is a ""house spirit"" and brings good luck to the dwellers of a home. Also, the cricket is believed to take his luck with him; when he leaves the house. The Japanese, the English and American Indians all believe in the inherent luck of this little creature. It is thought to be bad luck when he leaves by your chimney; it is terrible to kill one; it is also dangerous to imitate his chirp. The cricket is a super fortune-teller and knows if rain is coming, if death is near and even if a lover is coming back!