Odesa Branch of the Union of Poles in Ukraine

Ukrainian Heroes Avenue (formerly Oleksandrivsky Avenue until 2024), 6, 65045, Odesa

Phone: +380487261771

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/polonia.od.ua/

Odesa has a rich history closely tied to Poland. The first Poles, according to Jan Długosz, appeared near Odesa in 1415, when King Władysław II Jagiełło transported wheat to Poland from this area. Founded in 1794, Odesa’s initial residents included Italians, Germans, French, and Poles. The Potocki, Branicki, and Sobański families built their palaces here, and Polish doctors, lawyers, and scientists lived in the city. Notable figures such as J.U. Niemcewicz, J.I. Kraszewski, and Adam Mickiewicz—who was exiled here in 1825—also spent time in Odesa. Polish architects F. Honsiorowski and L. Włodek left their mark on the city’s architecture.

In August 1990, the Polish Cultural and Educational Society named after Adam Mickiewicz was founded by N. Sharlewicz, Z. Zajonczkowska, V. Bielecka, P. Makhnach, M. Olshanska, L. Petrasik, and V. Zedkov. Since 1995, its official name has been the Odesa Adam Mickiewicz Branch of the Union of Poles in Ukraine. From 1995 to 2017, Tadeusz Załucki served as the branch’s chairman and is now its honorary chairman.

The organization’s mission is to promote Polish historical and cultural heritage, cultivate Polish traditions, teach the Polish language, and strengthen a sense of national identity among the younger generation.