Mikolaj Kopernik (Latinized as Nicolaus Copernicus), Polish astronomer, priest, doctor, economist, diplomat, and soldier, was born in 1473 in Torun, Poland, and lived until 1543. His discovery of the heliocentric structure of the solar system not only made him famous, but also ushered in a new era in science. Poles in Europe and the United States organized during the early 1970s to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Copernicus' birth.
The Wisconsin Kopernik committee was organized early in 1972 by Cudahy optometrist Dr. Edward J. Tomasik, who also presided at the official organizational meeting of the committee, held April 23, 1972. Tomasik became general chairman and the major force directing the work of the group, which was concentrated in the Milwaukee area.
Among the events and activities planned to commemorate the birth of Copernicus and to publicize his work, was an information booth held at Milwaukee's Polish Village, July 1972; a banquet held at the Pfister Hotel February 25, 1973; a lecture on Copernicus delivered April 2, 1973 by Professor Karol Estreicher of the University of Krakow, and an exhibit of Copernicus artifacts and scientific instruments lent by the Polish government and displayed at the Milwaukee Public Museum, June 21-27, 1973. The Committee also arranged for publication and distribution of a monographic pamphlet, Mikolaj Kopernik, written by Edmund Zawacki, as well as sales of posters, buttons, pins, and other memorabilia. The banquet and exhibit were the major events sponsored by the Committee, which disbanded following the anniversary year.
