Polish culture — 1000 years of literature, music, art and tradition. Five Nobel laureates in literature, Chopin, Sklodowska-Curie, Wajda, Kieslowski. Poland — country of the east in the heart of Europe.
Language and Literature
Polish — Slavic language with 7 cases and 32 letters. 5 Nobel laureates in literature: Henryk Sienkiewicz (Quo Vadis 1905), Władysław Reymont (Peasants 1924), Czesław Miłosz (1980), Wisława Szymborska (1996), Olga Tokarczuk (2018). Mickiewicz, Słowacki, Norwid — romantic bards. Lem — world master of science fiction.
Music
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) — national composer of Poland, piano poet. Karol Szymanowski, Witold Lutosławski, Henryk Górecki, Krzysztof Penderecki — 20th c. masters. National Philharmonic, National Opera. Polish jazz: Krzysztof Komeda, Tomasz Stańko.
Film and Theatre
Polish Film School: Andrzej Wajda (4 Oscars), Krzysztof Kieślowski (Three Colors, Decalogue), Roman Polański (The Pianist — Oscar), Agnieszka Holland, Paweł Pawlikowski (Ida 2014 Oscar). Tadeusz Kantor, Jerzy Grotowski — world theatre reformers.
Visual Arts
Jan Matejko (Battle of Grunwald, Stańczyk), Wojciech Kossak, Stanisław Wyspiański — historical and Art Nouveau painters. Tamara de Łempicka — Art Deco. Magdalena Abakanowicz — sculpture. Wilanów, Łazienki — baroque and classicist palaces of Warsaw.
Traditions and Festivals
Christmas — Wigilia December 24: 12 lenten dishes, opłatek, carols. Easter — blessing of foods, śmigus-dyngus. All Saints November 1 — lights at cemeteries. Dożynki — harvest festival. Polish Slavic traditions preserved despite 1000 years of Christianity.
National Cuisine
Pierogi, bigos, żurek, gołąbki, pork chop, broth, red borscht, makowiec, cheesecake. Vodka — national alcohol. Christmas Eve carp. Pączki on Fat Thursday. Polish hospitality — guest in the house, God in the house.
Modern Culture
Gdynia Film Festival, Cannes Festival — Polish directors repeatedly honored. Wisława Szymborska, Olga Tokarczuk — literature of recent decades. Marek Krajewski, Zygmunt Miłoszewski — crime fiction. Polish poster world-recognized (Polish School of Posters).