Singing in (Foreign) Languages

A lady said to me not long ago: "You speak Polish and English, but you sing in German. I don't understand."
I replied: "What don't you understand? If I had an opportunity to practice the other language which I learned at school, I would."

Well, I have done it before. Meaning signing in a foreign language not only to myself but in public as well.

The first time was in primary school when I was 14. Not that I volunteered to do that, oh no. I was part of the school choir then. Our music teacher, who was also the choir director, and the teacher of Russian, chose me to sing a song in Russian during a school assembly.

Poland was part of the Soviet block at that time, and every year, schools and bigger workplaces observed "the days of Soviet culture and science". The observance was mandatory and some state events related to those "days" were always reported on TV.

Anyhow, the song which I sang solo at that assembly was done to mark the above-mentioned observance in the school papers/report. Its lyrics were nothing political, though. The text (children appropriate) was about Cinderella and the ball she attended at the Prince's castle. The tune was nice, but the refrain part was full of high notes and difficult to sing. Luckily, the music teacher arranged it in a way that the school choir supported me in that. Being shy, I did not enjoy standing in front of the entire school and doing my solo part, but I did like the song. 

The song was originally sang by Russian artist Ludmila Senchina, its

title was "Хоть поверьте хоть проверьте"/"Believe it or check it out."

A few years earlier, my first unofficial solo presentation took place. One day, an unexpected visitation occurred in our local youth club. Neighborhood kids (including myself) spent their after-school time in the club, doing various activities and playing games under the supervision of the club instructor. Quite out of the blue, a group of ladies, delegates from Siberia appeared in the club. My guess is that they had probably been sent there by some city officials. Certainly, it was not an accidental matter. 

 Anyway, the club instructor was told to entertain the ladies with the kids' performance. Since we had not worked on any program like that, it was quite a desperate situation. The counselor asked us (kids) whether anybody would want to/dare to sing/dance or do whatever proper in front of the visitors. I was one of very few who agreed. Well, I just felt how helpless the situation was. What I did - I sang some notes of a popular Russian song about gingerbread cookies. However, I knew only a few Russian words of the song, the rest was la, la, la. I also played one melody on the xylophone (I was part of the club xylophone group then). Since it was all without prior practice, to my horror, I happened to play out of tune as well.

To my surprise, my performance made a positive impression on the visitors. One lady asked me about my name and address as she wanted a Polish pen pal for her daughter, who was about my age. The girl's name was Lena and we later exchanged letters for some time.

Decades later, I was part of an international EU educational program. Then, we learned the traditional songs of all the project partners (in their native tongues). The languages were, English, German, Czech,

 Tancuj, Tancuj = Dance, Dance

Slovenian,

 Pobelelo Pole = The Field Turned White (with sheep)

Bulgarian,

Italian (Sardinian song),

and Cypriot.

The most important side of singing in a foreign language is the correct pronunciation of the song words. Naturally, understanding the text adds more sense to it as well. During the project, both the prior and the latter were provided by the project partners.

In quite a different program, we cooperated with an Israeli school. From time to time, the teacher and her class sent us some videos and we made some too. I taught my students an old song in Yiddish (of Polish or Russian roots). No, I do not know the language. Just found the song lyrics and their English translation. The rest meaning pronunciation came "by ear".  The kids enjoyed singing the song and making the video.

Of course, it is not the video we made.

All in all, singing in German in Texas is not such a big deal. However, I admit it may be found very unexpected.  Anyhow, I did learn some German in Poland. Nevertheless, a few years ago, I did not have the faintest idea I would sing in the language here. Mysterious are the ways...
 

German Choir of Fredericksburg, TX

S for Stepfather

 

 

My stepfather P. was born in 1922 in Warkowicze, Poland. The place was then in Wołyń Voivodeship. The area had been incorporated into the territory of Poland after the Polish-Soviet War. P.'s family/ancestors were of Polish descent.

When WW2 started, P. was 17. Where my stepfather lived then, I do not know. P.'s father's name appears on the list of the property owners who left their households/land and relocated before 1938 (1). If I am correct (?), their home was in the village of Kniaże, which was part of Podberezie municipality. Very likely, it was the political turmoil, terror, and violence spread by nationalistic groups/bands in that area of Poland was the reason which forced P's family, among many others, to leave their homes. The abandoned properties were officially liquidated by the Polish state in 1939.

When P. grew up, he became a driver. On 1 April 1944, the man joined the Polish Army. Later, he was part of the 1st Transportation Regiment that was formed by the Polish Army in September of that year. 

 P.'s 1st Transportation Brigade Badge - Polish Army WW2

With the Regiment, P. went through the front trail up to the capital of Germany, where he fought in the Battle of Berlin in 1945. The soldier was honorably discharged on 9 May 1945, Victory Day.

My stepfather was a kind and modest man who never spoke about his past. Never spoke about the war either. I wish I had asked him about those days, and showed some interest in that matter when he was alive. Well, I guess I was too young, WW2 seemed ancient history to me then. However, since he never mentioned the war, it was assumed he did not want to talk about that and as such, was respected.

P. and his war-time companions waited for quite long for the official state recognition of their WW2 heroic deeds. In 1966,  the Polish Peoples' Republic issued a medal commemorating the servicemen and women who took part in the Battle of Berlin. P. was one of the medal recipients on 5 May 1974. 

 

For his exemplary service in the Polish Army during WW2, P. was also honored with a Medal of Merit for National Defense.

Medal of Merit for National Defense

 

Stepfather P. was quite a knowledgeable man, you could talk to him on any subject. He was also an honest and reliable person and a caring father. After the war, he worked as a taxi driver. Later, in his mature years, he was a lecturer at a state driving school. Stepfather P. was also the one who taught me to ride a motorcycle.

My stepfather passed away in March 1996. In his life, P. was awarded a few other medals. I will talk about them in separate posts, though.

UPDATE:

From my research

• My stepfather's parents, siblings, and other relatives lived in the town of Tarnopol at the end of the 19th century (2).

• On 22 January 1944, three persons (a lady and two 4-year-old children), possibly relatives of P's (the same distinctive surname), and over 20 other citizens of the Buszcze (Bishche) village, Brzeżany County, Tarnopol region, were brutally killed by Ukrainian Insurgent Army (3), a nationalist type group, known in Poland as OUN/UPA bands. On the next day, citizens of Buszcze who sought refuge in the local church were burned alive together with the church building. The village was attacked again by UIA also in March and April (4, 5). The citizens of Buszcze were only some of the numerous victims of horrifying atrocities committed by UPA bands.

Considering the time of the tragic events in Buszcza (January, March 1944) and the day on which my stepfather joined the Polish Army (1 April 1944) - the two might have been related - one influenced the other.

Sources:

1. Wołyński Dziennik Wojewódzki nr. 5, Łuck, 3 marca 1939,

2. Spis imienny ludności zamieszkałej w Tarnopolu (zesp. nr 303, sygn. 231)/ record of Tarnopol citizens,
3. "Na Podolu. Pamię
ci tych, którzy zgin
ęli z rąk OUN-UPA tylko dlatego, że byli Polakami", Władysław Kubów, Warszawa, 2003,
4. Genocidium Atrox Portal,
5. Nie o zemstę lecz o pamięć i prawdę wołają ofiary ludobójstwa.
 

• More about my motorbike riding lessons here.