We learned about the university system that has always been publicly funded and has educated some of the world\'s greatest leaders like Pope John Paul II and Copernicus.
World War II was a very tough time for many in Poland, especially the highly educated. The Nazi's looked at the people of Poland as simple workers, so the highly educated (professors, priests, doctors, etc.) were sent to camps in an effort to suppress the working class and to demonstrate to the population the educated were not needed. After the war these schools bounced back and once again they are turning out some of the world's best doctors, lawyers, artists, etc.
Our journey then took us up Wawel Hill where we walked through the Royal Castle. Here we saw some of the most famous tapestries and some truly unbelievable artifacts, in addition to learning about Krakow's legendary dragon.
We ended our afternoon at Schindler's factory which contrasted our morning walk as tourist enjoying the views to now getting a true look at the tragedies that took place from 1939 to 1945, the Nazi occupation. This period of time for Poland is an extreme example of leadership gone awry. Yet in the face of this holocaust, a man that started out with a plan to exploit the Jews for his gain ended up using his profits to save over 1,100 people.
Despite the eventual victory of the Allies over Nazi Germany, Poland did not gain it's independence, but instead fell under the control of Stalin\'s Communist Russia. The leadership of Lech Walesa united the country to form the first non-communist party, which eventually lead to his presidency and Poland's independence.
The extremes of leadership that this county has endured not only tested and proved the resilience of its people, but also demonstrates the impact that one person can have on the lives of millions of people. This day showed the class yet another example that leadership should never be taken lightly.
By Rick Burnes, David Shabazian and Steven Knudsen
Photos by Steven Knudsen
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