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Introducing
The Institute
of Polish
Military History
A message from our President, General Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank
'I am delighted to be associated with the work of the Polish Heritage Society and very honoured to serve as its President. The Society's work highlights the enormous contribution which generations of Poles have made to their adopted country. Preserving and celebrating that heritage will only further strengthen the ties between Poland and the United Kingdom.
I worked closely with the Society on the project to build a memorial to the Polish Forces at the National Memorial Arboretum and saw at first hand the energy and dedication of those involved.
I encourage you to explore this website and learn about the many other projects the Society has sponsored. Do please contact us if you would like to be involved in any way'.
General The Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank GCB LVO OBE
A Debt of Dishonour is a unique documentary film dedicated Major General Sosabowski and all ranks who served in the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade Group and to their Comrades-in-Arms of the 1st British Airborne Division that fought in the ill-fated “Operation Market Garden” at Arnhem and Driel during September 1944.
Sto Lat-Albert Hall
The Polish Heritage Society
Unveiling of a plaque in memory of Jan Herman Zukertort (Cukiertort), at the Divan Bar, Simpson's-in-the-Strand, London—23 August 2012
On Thursday, August 23rd a plaque in memory of Jan Herman Zukertort, (1842-1888) the greatest Polish Chess Grandmaster of the 19th Century was unveiled at the Divan Bar, Simpson's-in-the-Strand, London at a ceremony attended by members of The Polish Heritage Society UK in partnership with The Polish Cultural Institute, the English Chess Federation and the Polish Chess Association.
Zukertort was born in Lublin in 1842. His Mother was Baroness Krzyzanowska and his Father was a Christian (Lutheran) Missionary. As the Tsarists would not allow his Father to carry out Polish Christianity conversions, the family emigrated to Breslau (Wroclaw) in 1855 where Zukertort went to school and subsequently to the University where he studied medicine. He did not practice medicine but started playing chess permanently, initially in Berlin and then subsequently in London where he emigrated in 1872.
Zukertort is considered today as one of the greatest chess players of all time. He won numerous tournaments and was runner-up in the first World Championship in 1876. The “Zukertort Opening” is considered today to be one of the standard chess starters. He is also famous for Blindfold Chess which he achieved in 1876 (16 Blindfold games), a world record which lasted 24 years. Many books have been written about his style and his games, and there is a chess club in Amsterdam which was set up in his honour in 1884 and is still very popular today (Zukertort-Amstelveen Chess Club). Lord Randolph Churchill (father of Winston Churchill) was one of his pupils.
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Presented by The Polish Heritage Society to
Simpson’s Divan Bar in commemoration of
the greatest Polish Chess Grandmaster
Jan Herman Zukertort, a regular at Divan Bar
He won the prestigious 1883
London Chess Tournament winning a record 22 out of 26 games,
beating most of the world’s leading grandmasters including
Steinitz, Blackburne and Chigorin.
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This plaque was designed and personally funded by Marek Rencki, Director of the Polish Heritage Society.
Plaque unveiling
