The Peasant Prince, by Adam Storozynski, is all about the life of Thaddeus Koscuiszko, an important figure in both American and Polish history. Koscuiszko was the engineer who designed the critical defenses at West Point. Benedict Arnold sold these plans to the British in the most infamous act of treason in U.S. history. Koscuiszko also played important roles in the Battle of Saratoga and the southern campaign of the war with Nathaniel Greene.
Marker on Kosciuszko Mound
After the war, Kosciuszko wanted to free his homeland from foreign intervention and dominance. He led an army in several important battles against the Russian empire, but he was ultimately unsuccessful in freeing Poland. Poland ceased to exist as a sovereign nation in the 19th Century when Russia, Austria, and Prussia conquered and divided its territory among themselves. Kosciuszko spent his remaining years trying to free and educate the serfs of Poland.
Wawel Cathedral
After Koscuiszko's death, Poles built a memorial to honor him called the "Koscuiszko Mound." When I lived in Krakow, a friend and I climbed to the top of this man-made hill to see some beautiful views of this city. At the time though, I didn't know who he was. Also, Koscuiszko is emtombed in the cathedral at Wawel Castle. I visited this while in Krakow and saw the vaults where many Polish kings and leaders are buried. I don't remember Koscuiszko's tomb specifically, but this place is hard to forget.I'd strongly recommend this book. It brought back a lot of memories of Poland and deepened my understanding of Polish history, even though I haven't been there in a long time.
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