75th Anniversary                 1932-2007                     Grunwald Club, Inc.     The Grunwald Club Inc. is one of the oldest social clubs in East Baltimore. The name of the predecessor club was the Grunwald Social Club which was organized in November 1932, as an unincorporated social fraternity. The club was formed and organized exclusively for pleasure, recreation and other non-profit purposes. There were (4) original members: Bernard Dembeck, Louis Gieron, Michael Oles and Adam Bialzak. Bernard Dembeck was elected President of the Club and held this office until his death in 1974.   Meetings were held weekly, at individual member’s residences. This responsibility was rotated between members to minimize the use of personal homes as assembly places. After the membership increased to eleven (11) members it became inconvenient to gather at member’s homes and it was necessary to rent space in other East Baltimore Clubs for meetings. Membership was increasing and the early members were men who wanted a social meeting place of their own. Therefore, the Club decided to purchase a building at 2825-27 O’Donnell Street, Baltimore Maryland to be used as Club Headquarters.   On September 24, 1945, Articles of Incorporation were filed for the Grunwald Club, Inc., a newly formed Corporation.   On September 25, 1945, the Grunwald Club, Inc. purchased the property at 2825-27 O’Donnell Street, Baltimore, Maryland and designated it as Club Headquarters. The price of the building was $4000.00. The physical condition of the property, at the time of purchase, was such that it could not be used as a gathering place. Per Baltimore City records, the primary structure was built in 1880. The Club borrowed money from its members by giving non-interest bearing notes to them. This was done to help defray the expenses of remodeling the Club. After renovating, much done by the members themselves, the Club was ready as a meeting place. The Club body commenced its first assembly as its new Headquarters in 1947.  In 1955 the Club Quarters were again very extensively renovated until it now houses an attractive, comfortable Club.   The membership increased over the years until it now consists of 167 standard and 15 senior members. The original members established a policy the new members must be sponsored by a current member. With this method of new membership, most of the new members are friends or relatives of older members. This method produced a very solid, cooperative and friendly membership.   The Club has had only four (4) Presidents in its 75 years of existence.   President Benny Dembeck                           1932 – 1974 President Valentine (Lefty) Szczepaniak      1974 – 1993 President Adam Szczepaniak                       1993 – 2000 President John Sellman                               2000 – Present   We all owe these fine gentlemen our thanks and gratitude for dedicating their time and effort to make the Grunwald Club the successful organization that it is today.   Over the years the Club has made many contributions to its community through its outstanding members and donations. With the exceptional leadership that we have today, the future of the Grunwald Club is brilliant.

Casmir Pulaski Sometimes called the "Father of American Cavalry," Casimir Pulaski was born March 4th, 1747, in Warka, Poland. (It may have been 1746 or 1748.) He became a national Polish hero in 1771, when he and his army overwhelmingly defeated Russian forces in Czestochwa, Poland. Pulaski was wrongly accused in a plot to capture and kill the King of Poland and was banished from Poland. While in Paris, Casimir heard of the American Revolutionary War and the colonies' struggle to break free from England. He wrote Benjamin Franklin, who was in Paris, to ask if he would consider hiring him to fight against the British. After hearing of his reputation as a great leader, Franklin recommended him to General George Washington. Washington knew that the colonists had no trained cavalry, so he met with Pulaski and introduced him to LaFayette and John Hancock. In September 1777, Washington convinced Congress to give Pulaski temporary command of the small, new cavalry detachment. On the same day Pulaski saved military supplies and pushed back the British at the Battle of Brandywine. The next day he prevented a surprise attack at an area called Warren's Tavern. Congress acknowledged Pulaski's leadership and bravery and commissioned him as Brigadier General. He was placed in command of four light cavalry regiments. During the winter at Valley Forge in 1777-78, Pulaski wanted to train the cavalry properly, but was instructed by Congress to rest his men during the winter, as was customary at the time. Later in 1778, Pulaski became frustrated that his cavalry had not been involved in any important battles. Considering resignation, he asked Washington to allow him to start his own legion. He offered to recruit men, outfit them, and train them his own way. He would prepare this cavalry for active duty. After many letters from Pulaski, Congress finally agreed. With 68 horses and 200 foot soldiers, the Pulaski Legion would become the colonists' first true fully-trained cavalry.