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Two years later the video is still available on FB so I am reposting it today because it is such an awesome story.

www.facebook.com/dariusz.op/videos/10158913307474239

Today in Poland we are celebrating the 100th 102nd anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw – a culminating point of the Polish-Soviet War (1919-1920) and one of the most decisive events in the history of Poland, Europe, and the world.

(Józef) Sam Sandi (the dark-skinned soldier seen at the photo taken in 1920 and displayed at the bottom left corner of the screenshot) was a Cameroonian who happened to come to Poland around World War I. First he joined the Greater Poland uprising (1918–19) then he volunteered and enlisted in the Polish Army fighting against Soviet invaders.
He eventually stayed in Poland, married a local girl and had two daughters. He was a very popular professional wrestler in the 1930s. He died suddenly in 1937, presumably because of a stroke.

Now as a tribute to Sam Sandi (and other heroic participants of those events) this beautiful kids from an orphanage in Cameroon are singing (in almost perfect Polish!) our songs, same songs we sing here, favorite songs of my Grandma...

Father Dariusz who filmed them and posted the video on Facebook asked everybody to share. So I am sharing it. Go and listen! Aren't they adorable?
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6 comments

Nautilus said:

c 'est une belle et étrange histoire. La Pologne n' ayant pas eu de colonies, comme la France , cet homme camerounais est peut-être venu avec les troupes françaises . En effet , après le Traité de Versailles qui mit fin à la 1ere Guerre mondiale, l' armée française envoya à la nouvelle Pologne , des conseillers militaires et des troupes , pour contenir l' avancée de l' Armée rouge. Dans ces conseillers militaires il y avait le futur général De Gaulle. De la part de la France c' était une idée généreuse , mais qui ne tint pas ses promesses lors de l' envahissement de la Pologne par les russes et les allemands en septembre 39. Mais on ne va pas refaire l' Histoire :-)
4 years ago ( translate )

Marta Wojtkowska replied to Nautilus:

He may have come with the French troops. Or he may have come from Russia where (allegedly) he had been employed at the last tzar stables and had to flee because of the October Revolution. Unfortunately his grandchildren are not sure...
4 years ago

Andy Rodker said:

A fine tale and shot and recording!
2 years ago

FarbFormFreude said:

what a story of bravery
2 years ago

Loose_Grip/Pete said:

A great piece of history. As you say on your other post, sadly little known in the rest of Europe.
2 years ago

Malik Raoulda said:

SUBLIME ce magnifique instant saisi et bien rendu avec cette superbe explosion de couleurs.
Bon week-end
2 years ago ( translate )