John Mogilski has spent a lifetime studying the people, culture and heritage of Poland.

On Feb. 12, the former Carbon County commissioner will celebrate his 68th birthday by meeting other local residents who share his love and enthusiasm for the Motherland and anyone else who enjoys world history.Mogilski will be on hand at the Panther Valley Public Library for the first of what is hoped to be regular presentations about all things Poland.These won't be lectures. Instead, they'll be information-filled sessions with interaction."We'll have a discussion about things and a little background, too," said Mogilski.His large Bertsch Street house features a first-floor library/office combination filled with reference material, some of which he'll use to help stimulate discussion."I've collected books and videos on people who are Polish, including Pope John Paul II."Mogilski brings to the table a lifetime of diverse experience.A retired state corrections officers, Mogilski also worked for AT&T in Bell Laboratories and served an advertising representative for the Times News, an affiliate of Pencor Services, Inc.He also is a trained technical illustrator and accomplished painter in oil on canvas.All through the years, he remained fascinated by the rich history of Poland and how Polish culture has persevered, even when the country vanished."There was a time for about 200 years when there wasn't a Poland," he said. "But there always was Polish culture."A good example of that would be Mogilski's grandmother. She was Polish and maintained all of the Polish traditions. But she lived in that region at a time when Poland didn't officially exist. She came to the United States as an "Austrian immigrant" by name because Austria ruled the territory at that point in history.Still, she was Polish through and through, and she carried forward the strength and character that remained undiminished in the good people of Poland even during times of division."The first partition was in 1667," Mogilski said.Mogilski, a Summit Hill native, said some reference materials do a good job of illustrating the life and times of Poland.One such piece is the production of The History Channel's "Betrayal: The Battle for Warsaw."The Warsaw Uprising is considered the largest and perhaps most heroic underground campaign of World War II. Even as Poles stood staunch in battle against the Germans in the heart of Warsaw, they were callously betrayed not by the enemy but by allies.Another important information source is the 1988 series "The Struggles for Poland."Narrated by famous broadcast journalist Roger Mudd, the episodes span an era from 1900 to about 1923.Mogilski, a U.S. Air Force veteran, also draws inspiration from Jack Higgins' novel "Flight of Eagles," based on a true story about an American ace pilot.Mogilski believes a turning point in world history, or at the very least, something to be examined, is the 1863 Battle of Vienna.The conflict marked the first time Poland and the Holy Roman Empire had cooperated militarily against Turks."If they had lost, all of the Christian world would've been under Muslim rule," said Mogilski.In many ways, ideas offered by Mogilski represent significant points of interest and discussion applicable to all people, not only those of Polish extraction.Everyone is welcome to show up for Mogilski's presentation. All are encouraged to stop by and say hello.It's scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, at 117 E. Bertsch St., Lansford.For more information, call 570-645-5285.