It's the time of year when golden leaves are falling, and today sees the anniversary of the fall of two of Poland's most brilliant heros.
On October 19th 1813, Napoleon's Marshal Jozef Poniatowski was swept beneath the currents of the Elster River whilst trying to cover the French Army's retreat. The failure of Napoleon's 1812 campaign spelt the end for Poland's hopes for independence, and no one had fought harder for that independence than Poniatowski, nephew of Poland's last King.
170 years later, Father Jerzy Popieluszko, a priest who had stood up to the Communist Party, was murdered by three Security Police Officers. Popieluszko had been a strong ally of trade unionists and strikers in Warsaw's Steel Works. His uncompromising stance against the ruling regime was a constant thorn in the Party's side. His murder caused public outrage, but the regime managed to survive another five years. He is now regarded as a popular saint, and his beatification is highly probable.
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