HISTORY
The Wisconsin State Division of the Polish American Congress is an active unit within the Polish American Congress (Kongres Polonii Amerykańskiej, KPA), which was founded in Buffalo, New York at the beginning of June, 1944 at a massive gathering attended by more than 2,500 delegates elected by Polish American organizations around the country.
The Polish American Congress came into existence in the last year of World War II. Its aim was to unite Polish Americans, then numbering an estimated 6 million in all in a country of 140 million in support of America’s victory in the War and in defense of the cause of a free and independent Poland after victory was achieved.
Poland, though occupied by Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia during the War, possessed a government in exile in London whose leaders were allies of the U.S. Polish military forces totally an estimated 650,000 were fighting on the side of the U.S.-British-Soviet alliance against Nazi Germany.
Mr. Charles (Karol) Rozmarek, President of the Polish National Alliance, was elected president of the Polish American Congress. The other national officers and directors elected at the meeting were all leaders of major Polish American organizations.
Only days after the great gathering in Buffalo adjourned, the battle of Normandy began on June 6, 1944. A year later the War was over in Europe. But Poland did not regain its freedom and independence after the War. Tragically, and against its people’s will, Poland came under Soviet Russian control and remained so until 1989.
As a result, the Polish American Congress remained in existence as an active political lobbying organization that pressed for U.S. government support for Poland’s freedom and an end to the injustice done to its people.
Throughout its history after 1944, under President Rozmarek, who served from 1944 until 1968, and his successors, Aloysius (Alojzy ) Mazewski (president from 1968 to 1988), and Edward Moskal (president from 1988 to 2005), the PAC remained true to its founding principles, which also extended to defending the good name of Poland and the Polish people in America from slander and denigration.
The PAC continues to this day in this sprit under President Frank Spula who, like all of his predecessors, is president of the Polish National Alliance fraternal benefit and insurance society.
THE WISCONSIN STATE DIVISION OF THE POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS HISTORY
The Wisconsin State Division of the Polish American Congress was established immediately after the forty-two Polish American men and women delegates to the PAC from Wisconsin returned home.
Judge Frank Gregorski, President of the Pulaski Council of Milwaukee County, was elected the State Division’s first president. From 1944 to 1956, the State Division operated as a committee under the umbrella of the Pulaski Council.
The Wisconsin PAC became fully independent in 1956. The first presidents of the independent Wisconsin PAC were Anthony Szymczak, Dr. John Kazmierowski, and Rev. Joseph Betlinski, all leaders in the community.
In 1960, Edward Banasikowski, a Polish emigre who had served with distinction in the Polish army and the Polish Resistance in World War II, was elected President. Mr. Banasikowski (1914-2010) served with distinction until 1977. During this period, the Congress worked closely with U.S. Congressman Clement Zablocki of Milwaukee and was in the forefront of every Polish American community activity. The State Division staunchly backed the national PAC in its untiring opposition to communist misrule in Poland.
State Division Presidents from 1977 were: Mr. Thomas Czerwinski (1977-1980), Attorney Eugene Kaluzny (1979-1983), Dr. Edward Tomasik (1983-1984), Mr. Edward Wojtkowski (1984-1990), Mr. Henry Dubinski (1990-1992), Mr. Mark Lazar (1992-1994 and 1995-1998), Professor Donald Pienkos (1994-1995 and 1998-2009), and Mrs. Clare Ann Gaouette (2009-2010).
All contributed during their time in office to the cause of our organization and deserve our respect for their efforts!
In March 2010 Mr. Waldemar Biniecki, a Polish and U.S. citizen was elected President of the State Division. He immediately took the lead in organizing a series of State Division actions in memory of President Lech Kaczynski and the 95 other prominent victims of the Polish airplane crash near Smolensk, Russia. The plane had been on the way to ceremonies honoring the memory of the more than 22,000 Polish officers and civic leaders executed under Stalin’s orders in what has come to be known as the Katyn Massacre of April 1940.