QuickCheck: Did a composer who died in France have his heart buried in Poland?
For some, it is about returning to nature, such as having their ashes scattered at sea, while others prefer a traditional burial.
Legend has it that a famous composer was buried in Paris, but his heart lies forever in Poland.
Is this true?
Verdict:
True
The heart of the famous Polish composer Frederic Chopin does not reside in the city where he passed away, but in Warsaw, inside the Holy Cross Church.
Chopin died in Paris, France, at the young age of 39 in 1849. While many believe tuberculosis was the cause of his death, some researchers speculate that he may have actually suffered from cystic fibrosis.
Nevertheless, the exact cause of his death remains a mystery today.
Chopin's last wish was for his heart to be returned to his homeland, even though his body was buried in Paris. His heart had to be smuggled past Russian authorities and kept hidden. Even decades later, during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, it continued to serve as a symbol of Polish national pride.
During this time, the Nazis, who were occupying Poland, recognised Chopin's significance as a Polish national icon. As a result, they banned his music and removed his heart from the church. It was only after the war that the heart was returned and entombed in a pillar of the same church where it rests today.
References:
https://www.sfgate.com/music/ article/Secret-exhumation- leaves-mysteries-of-Chopin-s- 5901251.php
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/ 11/06/arts/chopin-heart- tuberculosis.html
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
5 days ago
- Borneo Post
Traditional ethnic crafts find new life via modern twists
An exhibitor (R) makes cultural and creative products with visitors during the 9th Inner Mongolia Cultural Industry Expo in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Zhipeng) HOHHOT (July 28): Located on the main street of China's only Russian ethnic township, Enhe, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Wang Xiufen's cafe exudes a warm, woody aroma. The scent of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the earthy smell of wood, drifting from a weathered log cabin — a traditional Russian-style house. Step inside, and the eye is drawn to vibrant textiles: handwoven tapestries, colorful crocheted wall hangings, and intricate woolen ornaments, all crafted by Wang herself. For Wang, an inheritor of Russian ethnic textile craftsmanship, this cafe is more than a business. It's a window for showcasing her ethnic traditions. 'Weaving was once passed down through generations in my family, but young people weren't interested,' Wang said. 'Now, they come for coffee, snap photos of these decorations, which are perfect for sharing on social media, and suddenly, they want to know more and even learn.' Across the diverse ethnic communities in Inner Mongolia, many traditional craft inheritors are wrapping their cherished culture in new contexts to make heritage feel not like a relic, but a living, breathing part of the present. A short walk away in Enhe, another custodian of tradition is reimagining her craft. Fu Yanmei has spent over 20 years making lieba, a Chinese transliteration of the Russian word for bread, and her bakery, once a quiet local staple, now buzzes with activity. Years ago, she launched a DIY lieba program, inviting visitors to shape the dough themselves. But Fu doesn't just let them bake — she tells them about lieba's history and how it's made with natural sourdough, no additives. Young tourists, she noted, make up most of the participants. 'Tasting their own baked lieba is a joy they remember.' Further east, in Oroqen Autonomous Banner near the Greater Khingan Mountains, the Oroqen people, one of China's smallest ethnic groups, are also breathing new life into their heritage. In the old days, they crafted canoes, cradles, baskets, and other tools and vessels from birch bark, prized for its waterproof and durable qualities. Today, at the Oroqen intangible cultural heritage museum, Meng Shuling, a master of birch bark craftsmanship, showcases these traditional items and her modern reinventions. Her workshop showcases delicate birch bark earrings, glossy fridge magnets, and tiny cradle-shaped pendants, all pieces that marry the material's natural texture with contemporary tastes. 'The old ways can't stay locked in the past,' Meng said, running a finger over a birch bark jewelry box. Beyond these grassroots efforts, institutional support is also fueling the revival of traditional crafts. Since 2023, Inner Mongolia's institute of culture and tourism development, in collaboration with several universities, has launched a program to revitalize intangible cultural heritage by harnessing the creativity of the younger generation. This initiative encourages students to draw inspiration from intangible heritage elements to create digital illustrations, IP characters, and fashion designs. To date, it has yielded more than 300 pieces of intangible heritage-themed cultural and creative design drafts and handicrafts. 'Young people want things they can wear, display and cherish daily. That's how we keep the skill alive,' Meng said. – Xinhua China ethnic handicraft traditional crafts
Malaysian Reserve
24-07-2025
- Malaysian Reserve
Plane carrying nearly 50 crashes in Russia's far east
MOSCOW – A passenger plane carrying nearly 50 people crashed in a remote spot in Russia's far eastern region of Amur on Thursday, with no immediate signs of survivors, authorities said. The aircraft, a twin-propeller Antonov-24 operated by Angara Airlines, was headed to the town of Tynda from the city of Blagoveshchensk when it disappeared from radar at around 1:00 pm local time (0400 GMT). A rescue helicopter later spotted the burning fuselage of the plane on a forested mountain slope about 16 kilometres (10 miles) from Tynda. Videos published by Russian investigators showed what appeared to be columns of smoke billowing from the wreckage of the plane in a dense, forested area. Rescuers in the helicopter saw no evidence of survivors, local rescuers said, as the Amur region's civil defence agency said it was dispatching a ground team to the scene. 'At the moment, 25 people and five units of equipment have been dispatched, and four aircraft with crews are on standby,' it said. The forest terrain has made getting to the site difficult, a rescuer told the state TASS news agency. 'The main search operations are being conducted from the air,' they said. Angara Airlines, a small regional carrier based in the Russian city of Irkutsk, made no immediate public comment. The plane was carrying 43 passengers and six crew members on board, according to the region's governor Vassily Orlov. Among the passengers were five children, he said. Russia's state TASS news agency, citing emergency services, said the plane was carrying 40 passengers and six crew. The plane crashed while attempting a second approach to Tynda airport, Russia's Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor's Office said. 'While approaching Tynda Airport, the aircraft went around for a second landing, after which contact was lost,' it said. 'The circumstances are being investigated,' it said. It did not make any immediate comment on what caused the crash. The state TASS news agency reported that the plane was manufactured almost 50 years ago. 'In 2021, the aircraft's airworthiness certificate was extended until 2036,' it reported, citing a source in aviation services. AFP was not able to immediately verify this information. The Antonov-24 is a popular, Soviet-designed twin-propeller plane that first entered into service in 1959. Russia has taken steps to switch from Soviet aircraft to modern jets in recent years, but ageing light aircraft are still widely used in far-flung regions, with accidents frequent. –AFP
The Star
24-07-2025
- The Star
Russian plane missing with around 50 people on board in Amur region, Interfax says
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian air traffic control lost contact with an An-24 passenger plane with about 50 people on board in the eastern Amur region, the Interfax and SHOT news outlets reported on Thursday. (Reporting by Marina Bobrova, writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Kim Coghill)
