Ghosts
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This is a Level 1 haunting 💀 unexplained sounds and/or shadows.



The Polish Museum of America, in Chicago, Illinois, USA, is a museum dedicated to the country of Poland. The Museum has many pieces of artwork by Polish artists, as well as many other interesting artifacts. It also manages resources to teach the community about Poland and notible Polish people. It is said to be haunted by the ghost of Paderewski.

Background[]

The Polish Museum of America was built in 1937 in order to replace a Polish library and similar museum that had burnt down prior. After the fires many citizens of Chicago protested that there should be something to replace it, especially since Chicago has one of the largest Polish-American populations in the USA.

Ignacy Paderewski[]

Ignacy Jan Paderewski was a famous Polish pianist and then Polish prime minister, Born in 1860, Paderewski was the son of a landowner and was considored to be especially talented musically. He was sent to a music school where his piano playing skills became so great, that after he graduated from the school he was asked to teach piano to other students.

Paderewski continued as a Pianist until his wife died. After this incident, Paderweski decided that he should compose instead. This made him a worldwide phenomenon. He later remarried and began to touring the world, preforming plays and ochestras that he himself had composed. Paderewski also became known for donating much of his money to the Polish government, so that they could use his money for monuments in krakow. For this reason, Paderewski became heavily involved in the Polish Government.

During the First World War, Ignacy Paderewski became leader of the Polish relief fund. This fund aimed to gather enough money from Great Britain so that they could make Poland independant again. When this succeeded, Paderewski became the Prime minister of poland by default. Whilst Paderewski was in office, he represented Poland at the Versailles agreement, and although he was successful in getting much more territory for poland he did not succeed in getting all of the territory's that his fellow politicians wished for. For this reason, Paderewski became unpopular among politicians and was forced to resign after only a year in office.

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After his political involvements, Paderewski returned to his artistic life. He began to travel the world composing music again. He also bought land in California, and while out there, he even agreed to help direct a film. While touring in New York in 1941, Paderewski fell ill and became unable to leave his bedroom at the Buckingham Hotel. Paderewski later died at the hotel at the age of 80. Any of Paderewski's possessions that were not claimed by his relatives, were donated to the Polish Museum of America.

Hauntings[]

The Polish Museum of America has dedicated an entire room to Ignacy Paderewski where many of his old belongings are. It is believed that Paderewski's ghost has followed his personal things to the Polish Museum of America. Many Employees and visitors of the museum have heard or seen paranormal things, and have even been too worried to go there at night.

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