The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-18
POLAND Old CAPITAL
Krakow, Founded by King
Krakus 1900 Years Ago.
THEIR OLD INDEPENDENCE
All Poles Cherish and Expect
Its Restoration.
Krakow. Poland. Nav 10. rSss.

u OeuS OdHhS OF Ino Sluggish NlSlulap
in the shadow Of a hill crowned by her
ancient Schloss wawelberg, old Krakow
rears her medieval roofs and spires,
towers and city gate. The finland
Venice" as rightly the city is called. Is
a mass of medieval architecture left TO
tell tale Of days gone by, Of days when
Poland's sword was feared. 1t was the
cradle OF Polish splendor. the city where
all her kings were crowned. and where
all save Poniatowski, the last, lie buried.
For the lover Of antiquity and the stu
dent of Polish life and relics, Krakow SSas
an ineffable charm It's story can be
traced back twelve hundred years, to an
ancient King Krakus, VINO wisely chose
hill upon which to build, that Nature
might do her part in his defense. About
house OF wood he raised a wall, and
from his point Of vantage gazed upon the
ViStula- like a moat below the hill, and
doubtless felt that he had chosen Cell.
AS we stood today, in a window Of the
Wawelberg, which Is a mass OF stone
structures OF various dates, two mounds
against the horizon, were pointed out 10
us. The one marks the grave Of Krakus,
the other that Of his daughter Wanda,
that early Polish queen, who, rather than
marry a certain German prince, and so
bring her people under his despotic rule,
threw herself into the VIstula as a sac
rifice for iner land, and thus averted q
threatened war against her realm.
Until the end of the Sixteenth century,
the close OF Poland's golden era, the
Wawelberg kept pace, in It's evolution,
with Krakow, the town which had sprung
up at Its feet but since that time the
child has well outgrown tits parent The
actual history of the Sohloss begins in
the twelfth century, history easily re-
called when one strolls through the six
teenth century driveway. int othe court
yard where in former times kings and
courtiers were wont to hold their tourna-
ments. A military band today assisted
the fancy In decking once more the three
tiers of balconies which line the hollow
square with rich hangings Of silk and
velvet, and through whose golden bars,
long removed, the Polish beauties gazed
uron their knights.
The military band's Dispersal soon ended
our day Dreams as did the hungry Aus
TRAN soldiers, who rushed past us to
their mess. for the Wawelberg is now a
barracks; the royal staircase has for
many years ornamAnted the amperor's
palace in Vienna: the boudoir Of the
Polish queens holds soldiers cots: In the
corridors where once only fair wornen's
forms were seen, are now rough soldiers,
who. drinking soup from cups of tin,
make the walls ring with their rude
jests.
1t Is fortunate for the student Of ma
tons as well es for the Poles that when
this land was cut up into thirds and
seized by Russia, Prussia and Austria.
Krakow, the verttable cradle Of the Polish
nation, fell to the LOT of Austria, for she
has done far less than the other coun-
tries of late TO crush out Polish nation
atty. Indeed. Franz Joseph has been
most lenient, allowing the Polish language
to be taught in the schools and PGes to
hold important government positions. In
Russia and Prussia Poland the Polish
language is forbidden. and we read many
notices to that effect when in Russian
Poland.
The Poles take great comfort in the fact
that the emperor has within the past few
years determined to restore the wawel-
berg to its former beauty and turn II
once more into q royal residence. With
this IN view. he is now building immense
barracks for the soldiers on the outskirts
OF Krakow, and as soon as they are
ready for the men the restorations, al
ready begun; wifi be completed. This
Of the emperor, or It may be an act OF
policy. Tho straining in various direc-
tons on the part Of the Hungarians. Ger
mans. and Slavic races which go 10 make
up Austria seriously threatens the ma
toms downfall; therefore Franz oJseph
IS wise when he does deeds as this TO
please his subjects.
There are 100000 Poles today IN what !
was Poland before 17T2, the year OF the |
first partition, and most OF these 20,oO0.- |
20 souls seem as determined never 10 |
ose their identity in any other nation |
as they were when first torn asunder, 127 |
years ago. oMre than once since coming |
20 Poland we have asked the question, |
DO you think Poland will ever exist as
IN independent nation again?" and each |
time the answer has BEEN I'VE know |
hat she will!''
But how IL Is to come about Il the per- |
,etuaI query which rises in the mind |
Particularly hopeless does the Polish |
,ause seem 10 one who has studied the |
in Hungary. There IS a nation I
which, by reason OF its ~Egor, love OF /
progress, love OF the new and neglect Of |
he old. IS bound to become a great /
power. IN Hungary the talk IS OF what |
hey will be. 1hereas in Poland IL is OF /
what they were, and just here lies the 1
'tumblinS-block OF the Po!es-;hey hug
traditions and ignore their middle class,
he strength Of every nation
This brings Us 20 an interesting fact; Il
5 through their AT that many Poles
,ope first 10 reassert themselves. as was
Explained to Us by c,eyer Polish woman
Who Is a successful sculptor. Two years
go Nile. Tolia Certowicz devoted a part
Z her large fortune 20 founding IN Kra-
Tow a school OF art for Polish women,
he only institution OF It's kind IN Pc
and She has exhibited az the Paris
;elan every year since 1SSs. and from tins
o time in Vienna, eBriia. Liverpool. Lem
.erg. Warsaw. Kieff. etc. In the Museum
Z Krakow her work Il giveR a dignifed |
,osition among the works Of PolaaTs
oremcst artists. AsteJko. Kossak, Lud.
rlk. StiSik ar. the rest
The are gallery o. museum, as = 70
allied, is in a quaint building. known as
he Tuchlauben. Occupying the center %
n immense public square. the Hing
latx- Originally through the middle 5f
his square ran . double row OF snail
hops. where only cloth was sold. Kas!-