Poland's Beloved Valentine
•Basia Syzdlowski
FRYDERYK FRANCISZEK CHOPIN was born in Poland in 1810. This is how his name was recorded in the parish ledger and its Polish spelling is the title of the recent mega biography of Chopin by Allen Walker. "Chopin has come to symbolize a nation," says Walker, "and he is Poland's best known son."
When Chopin left Poland at the age of 16 to tour Europe with friends and a chaperone, he undoubtedly thought he would return. Political unrest and revolutions in Europe kept him from returning and eventually he became a Polish emigre in exile until he died in Paris in 1849.