Nowa Huta Files

Last weekend I took the tram from the old town of Krakow and rode out to see the place that in 1949 promised poor people "a better and communist future". Nowa Huta is a town that was constructed around a major industrial plant (the Lenin Steelworks) as central to the socialist project in Poland.

The district is a homage to socailist realist town planning and architecture but not many people know that in the beggining was a place designed for fun and entertainment. After stop in The Central Square of Nowa Huta and walk a few metters I found the Stylowa Restaurant. This local is a legend because was the suburb’s most elegant eatery, and it probably still is. Stylowa was the place where factory workers drank and danced with the girls after a hard day's work, the same people that after a few years don't trust enough the system.

 

Walking around the neighborhood I found a historical relic that made my skin crawl. This treasure was the Soviet IS-2 tank, one of the most well-known symbols of this Krakow district. The tank, which bears the initials of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, served the Polish army during World War II.

Another thing that surprised me was the absence of grafittis of the two football teams of the city: Wisla and Cracovia, that you can find anywhere in the city. This is because in Nowa Huta everybody support Sc Hutnik, the local and lowly team that nowadays is immersed in a period of crisis and economic uncertainly.

A place for culture

Established in 1955, Kino Ludowy is one of the youngest of Krakow's theatres. It was built within a model socialist-realism workers' housing estate. The theatre was supposed to educate the workers living there and give them access to culture.

It's very significant that Nowa Huta comes second only to Warsaw, with over 300 films made: mostly short reports and documentaries. There were also some feature films produced, e.g.: ”Człowiek z marmuru” (Man of Marble) by Andrzej Wajda, ”Pamięć” (Memory) by Kazimierz Karabasz and the little-known “Zagubione uczucia” (Lost Feelings) by Jerzy Zarzycki.

Franek Fernandez

A perfect Euro for the fans

The three teams that have krakow as home base during the tourney (Italy, England and Holland) has enjoyed during these days of a city open to the world. Indeed Krakow is an unofficial host city with its own unofficial fan zone:  Błonia Park, the point of fan activity and attention during the tourney.

With the enormous Błonia Meadow the city has the perfect place for it. In addition to its accommodating spaciousness and a history of hosting large scale events from music festivals to papal masses, the Błonia also is conveniently located directly between the city’s two main football stadiums – Wisła stadium on the Błonia’s north side (which will serve as practice facilities for the Dutch national squad) and Cracovia stadium on the south side (which will host the Italian side). Kraków’s fan zone will be free to enter and open every day from June 8th to July 1st.

But the emotion was not only in Błonia and it was possible to find the football players relaxed in their spare day. They took the opportunity to go for a walk around krakow with their families and friends and because of this the private security and the police has appeared like one more guest of the party.

It's a pity that Holland has abandoned the tournament so early because the colour of the Dutch fans -decked in classic bright orange - bring to the tournament is always a pleasure to see.

These days the city is full of people of all nationalities and we have to make a special mention to the Irish. “Ireland fans are the best in the world and many people will be crying when they leave", said some days ago tourism chief of Poznan, Jan Mazurczak, paying tribute to the Green Army, who sang  in each match the full repertoire of songs, incluiding 'Stand up, Sit down, Shoes off for the Boys in Green’ or 'The Fields of Athenry", an antherm of freedom and love for a country that is not in it's best moment.

"Low lie the Fields of Athenry

Where once we watched the small free birds fly.

Our love was on the wing we had dreams and songs to sing

It's so lonely 'round the Fields of Athenry.".

Franek Fernandez

Summer music festivals in Poland

Festivals have become synonymous with summer, attracting thousands of people looking for the perfect line up. Burn Selector Festival (Krakow), the OFF Festival (Katowice) and Orange Warsaw Music Festival are three very different options but, in your opinion, which is the best? Here is some help for music lovers!

The 4th edition of Burn Selector Festival starts today. It's an awesome music festival that is held within the Blonia Park, one of the most popular Krakow's public parks. Selector Festival line-up includes big names of electronic and experimental music such as Mike Snow, Sub Focus and Buraka Som Sistema, an electronic dance music project from Portugal that mix techno with Kuduro music.

Along with the 4th edition of Burn Selector Festival, a multimedia park opens at Krakow’s Błonia. It includes two installations: “Taming a Doe” and “Become Whom? Him!”. The first one requires the viewers’ patience and calmness, and most of all, making no sound, which will make them meet the virtual doe. Even a slight move with a bad timing can scare it though.

Line-up: 18 artists on two stages, near 20 hours of concerts and Dj sets.

+ Info: www.selectorfestival.pl

Off Music Festival (Katowice)

This music festival has been held annually since 2006. Recently the prestigious website Pitchfork has named the Off Festival one of the 20 essential summer festivals, but where is the secret? The success belongs, in part, to Artur Rojek, the creator and artisitic director of the festival, that has won the title of this year "Best cultural manager".

The 7th edition will be held this year on August 2-5, and will feature such acts as Iggy and The Stooges, Alva Noto, Akron/Family, Jacaszek, Mathew Herbert, Death in Vegas and many more.

+ Info: www.off-festival.pl

Orange Warsaw Festival

The Prodigy will return to Poland to headline the Orange Festival. In less than two weeks you could see in one stage the best of all kind of music genres: rock, indie, hip hop and electronic.

Line-up: Linkin Park, Garbage, De la soul, Lauryn Hill and Groove Armada between others.

+ Info: www.orangewarsawfestival.pl