Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Explore Poland’s rich history in 2024, from the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising to the centennial celebrations of notable figures like Antoni Baraniak, Marek Hłasko, and Wincenty Witos. Immerse yourself in pivotal political, cultural, and societal events, honoring the legacy of these individuals and the nation’s accomplishments.
50 years ago, on July 6, 1974, the Polish national football team secured third place in the FIFA World Cup in Germany by defeating Brazil 1-0. The goal was scored by Grzegorz Lato.
50 years ago, on July 19, 1974, at 11:15 a.m., the clock on the Sigismund’s Tower of the reconstructed Royal Castle in Warsaw was set in motion.
35 years ago, on July 19, 1989, the National Assembly elected General Wojciech Jaruzelski as the President of the People’s Republic of Poland. On the same day in London, President of the Republic of Poland in exile, Kazimierz Sabbat, passed away, and his successor became Ryszard Kaczorowski.
80 years ago, on July 21, 1944, the puppet Polish Committee of National Liberation was established in Moscow, aiming to take control of Soviet-controlled Poland. The following day, the so-called July Manifesto was announced in Moscow and distributed in the Polish territories west of the Bug River, controlled by the Red Army.
100 years ago, on July 27, 1924, at the VIII Summer Olympic Games in Paris, the track cycling team composed of Józef Lange, Jan Łazarski, Tomasz Stankiewicz, and Franciszek Szymczyk won a silver medal. On the same day, Adam Królikiewicz on the horse Picador claimed bronze in the show jumping competition. These were the first Olympic medals in the history of Polish sports. In the following decades, a total of 3,012 Polish athletes participated in 23 Summer and 24 Winter Olympic Games, earning 321 medals: 79 gold, 96 silver, and 146 bronze. “In recognition of the merits and exceptional significance of Polish athletes’ performances at the Olympic Games, on the centenary of winning the first Olympic medal, the Sejm of the Republic of Poland declares the year 2024 as the Year of Polish Olympians,” as stated in the resolution of July 28, 2023.
110 years ago, on July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, marking the beginning of the conflict later known as World War I. The global conflict on three continents claimed the lives of nearly 10 million soldiers. The defeat of imperial powers brought independence to Poland and other countries in Central Europe.