HERE IS A STORY FROM PRZEMYŚL written by Jacek Błoński. Our pupils read the story and draw some pictures.
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| by Patrycja |
The
ghosts of Przemyśl
Castle
After the famous Battle of Grunwald
between the Polish King Władysław Jagiełło and the Teutonic Knights, the
victorious King of Poland decided to to place his captives in different
castles. One of the royal fortresses was Przemyśl Castle Alsace , somewhere between France and Germany Poland and savage Lithuania
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| By Konrad |
When the young knight arrived in the
castle yard he believed he would not be staying
there for a long time. He hoped that the wisdom and generosity of the Polish
King would permit Jan to go back to his country soon. He was longing for his
homeland even more because the hills around the town of Przemyśl
on the San river reminded him of his own native Alsace
The days in captivity passed slowly.
He prayed in the castle chapel, worked on the castle extension and learned
Polish. He wanted to learn the language because he had become fond of some of
the castle dwellers , especially one young girl called Anna. From time to time
she came to the castle with some food for the guard named Wojciech. Anna and
Jan became friends and very soon they fell in love.
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| by Julia |
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| by Oliwia |
Anna`s parents wanted her to marry
Wojciech, but she did not like the arrogant, young knight. He could easily see the
passionate feeling growing between Anna and the foreign knight. He was jealous
and he told everything Anna`s parents.
Her father flew into a rage. He would not allow his beloved daughter to marry an
enemy of Poland
He did not understand that Jan was not
a Teutonic knight, the young man did not even speak German. His native language
was French and he fell in love in the country of his imprisonment. Anna`s
parents announced her engagement to Wojciech
without seeking her consent. The wedding took place before long in the Dominican Church
Anna could not
forgive her mother and father for forcing her into marriage. She was missing
her sweetheart but as a married woman she could not meet Jan and other
strangers.
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| by Piotr |
When King
Władysław Jagiełło arrived in the autumn to stay in the castle, Jan decided to
ask the king for permission to return to his country. He could not stay longer
in the town ,where lived, as he thought, the girl who had rejected his love. He
did not know that Anna had been forced to marry. After listening to Jan`s story
the King decided to set him free. The Polish ruler thought it as well to have one friend in the
remote country – a courageous knight, who would praise the generosity
and wisdom of the Polish King. This would be better than keeping the young man
a prisoner in Przemyśl castle.
However, even after returning to
his country, Jan could not stop thinking about his beloved Anna.
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| by Jasiek |
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| by Kasia |
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| by Dawid |
He wanted to
forget about the beautiful Przemyśl girl and that is why he looked for a
dangerous adventure. There were many conflicts taking place in those times – so
Jan set off for Rousseau, where he fought bravely. He was not afraid of death,
because death was better than life without Anna. In one of the battles Jan was
killed.
One day some merchants loaded with goods stopped at Anna`s father`s
house on their way from France to Kiev. They told her the whole story about a brave and famous
knight named Jan who started off for the worst battles with a blue kerchief on
his arm. It was the kerchief given by Anna to her beloved Jan. He always had it
with him as a memory of his adored girl. When Anna found out about the knight
death, the poor girl did not wish to live longer. Until then she had hoped that
her lover would come back and take her with him.
Desperate Anna slipped away out of the house and ran through the gate to
the castle.
She was let in to one of the towers, because the guards recognized her
as guard Wojciech`s wife.
The girl ran up the stairs quickly to the top of the tower. For the last
time she gazed at her dear town before she leapt from the walls to her death.
She preferred to die rather than live in pain and sorrow after the loss of her
beloved.
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| By Małgosia |
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| by Kamil |
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| by Klaudia |
People say that guards who were on duty on the castle walls have seen Anna
and Jan. He in his beautiful amour with a blue kerchief on his arm - she in a white
dress, like a bride.
Some say , that even today on a summer, moonlit night you can see the lovers walking on the tower or in
the castle yard.
Translation: Gosia Łupicka
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