by Ian Dunkley
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The 32nd Rallies, they started in 1973, took place, not surprisingly in view of the title, in Poland. However it is not always the case that both rallies took place in the same country. Both rallies? There are always two, a “Rendezvous” a small marshalling rally within a days drive to the main rally, often it is held in a different country. In the many ways the Rendezvous is more “entertaining” than the large one for because fewer people attend it is closer knit and much less formal, if the term can be applied to anything involving gliding.
This year was one of the exceptions, both rallies were held in Poland, the first at Jelania Gora, and its historic satellite, Jeszow, a hilly area in the southwest of Poland, close to the borders of both the Czech Republic and Germany, of which it was once part. The main rally was held at Gliwice, some 300km away in the “flatlands”, an attractive rural area but with a some large towns and the remnants of large, uneconomic factories from the communist days.
The Jelania Gora was much larger than is usual for a rendezvous, as it had been combined with the annual European Grunau Rally, for the very good reason that Jeszow is the home of the Grunau, for that’s what the village used to be called. Edmund Schnieder’s factory was there, a factory that today houses SZD, busy restoring, or building, old gliders.
Flying took place on both sites, Jelania Gora for the majority, or Jeszow for those who wanted the excitement of uphill then downhill AT take offs, and uphill landings, plus bungeeing. Night flying was also on offer at Jelania Gora, in gliders, as were trips to the local town and mountains, for this is a major holiday area.
With over 120 gliders the Gliwice rally was one of the largest held, a hangar for clubs to lust after, a campsite large enough for a small village, and parties to regret the next morning but enjoy at the time. With over 400 pilots and crew one did not get the chance to talk to all the old friends, or make many new ones. However “new faces” were identified so that next year in Germany they also will become friends.
