At the end of last year, we published an interactive map „Polish Athletes”, which is part of the idea spread within the framework of the „Layers of Memory” project.
The „Polish Athletes” layer brings closer information about athletes, taking into account their achievements in representing Poland, but also the history related to their national activities, as many notable athletes took an active part in the fight for freedom and independence.
The project aims to honor and promote the achievements of Polish athletes who have become national heroes and representatives of Poland on world arenas. Sports and athletes’ achievements evoke positive emotions, and fans are looking for information about their idols who have made their mark on the history of Polish sports, so the creation of a map showing Polish athletes was necessary and historically significant. For this reason, a project was created that presents the biographies and successes of Polish sports stars, taking into account their places of birth, death and where they pursued their careers and achieved triumphs.
Sports in Poland in the 20th century were an important part of culture and society, contributing to the formation of national identity and social integration. Despite historical difficulties, Polish athletes were regularly successful in the international arena, becoming a proud national symbol, supporting society in difficult periods and confirming the strength of the Polish State, fueled by pride in Polish nationality.
Therefore, we wanted to pay special attention to figures who were outstanding Polish athletes of the 20th century and contributed to the development of Polish sports and ensured Poland’s respect in the international arena like: Irena Szewińska, one of the most titled Polish female athletes in history, Waldemar Baszanowski – a legendary Polish barbell player, whose successes made him a role model for many young athletes, or Halina Konopacka – the first of the Polish sportswomen to win an Olympic gold medal, but also many known not only for their sporting successes, but also for underground activities such as Stanislaw Marusarz, who, in addition to winning medals, was also a Tatra courier and a second lieutenant in the Home Army, or Janusz Kusociński – a well-known middle-distance runner, known for his perseverance and determination during the fights to defend the capital, who was awarded the Cross of Valor.
The map features 200 highlights associated with Polish athletes, although the list of names is much longer. The goal of the project is to continue development, pointing out more medallists and sports heroes, and to expand the map with new functionalities that will introduce interaction with the end user. The project now and in the future aims to present as many outstanding Polish sports celebrities as possible, their profiles and successes, not only those in sports, but also other achievements, in order to appreciate their contribution and influence on the perception of Poland in the sports community.
By exploring the map, one can learn in which fields Poles have been leading the way, explore the achievements of Polish athletes, admire their sports accomplishments, and learn more about their social activities and other passions. It also provides an opportunity to better understand and appreciate the achievements of athletes and be inspired by their perseverance, fighting strength and national spirit.
The layer is designed to promote attitudes that can serve as role models worthy of emulation, both in sports and in everyday life, so an important part of the project is to continue its development by identifying more medallists and sports heroes and expanding the map with new information and figures related to sports, but also interactive features with which we want to enrich the map in the future. Through modern tools we will build interaction, which will be a valuable source of knowledge, especially for the younger generation.
We invite you to visit https://rdi.org.pl/english/layers-of-memory/, a layer dedicated to Polish athletes, which at the same time provides a reliable knowledge base on specific individuals. By presenting their biographies, we promote attitudes that can become a source of values and role models worthy of following.
