Józef Zachariasz Bem - does anyone know anything special about him?

Ive heard from some hungarians that he is Poland&Hungary's national hero, somebody know anything special about him? I heard he fought at a bridge and it was composed a song about him or a poem

I found some info about him on this site... ohio.edu/chastain/ac/bem.htm

Here is what the WikiPedia has to say about him; a Hungarian, yet a Polish general...Click on it:

Józef Zachariasz Bem

Thanks! But I hoped moslty that a Hungarian could tell me something special :)

Bem was a great general.

read carefully. wikipedia doesnt say that he was hungarian it just gives hungarian version of his name. bem was polish

Bem was a citizen of Tarnow, Poland. He fought for the Polish and Hungarian armies with great distinction. There is a street named after him, and a statue has been erected in the shopping street of Walova in Tarnow.

You're right.

So no Hungarian roots at all? Just been there?

He was very successful general of Hungarian army. He wished Poland regain its independence and thus he wanted to destroy Habsburg's monarchy. While national Hungarian state would serve as a regional example of the state.

Is he a decendent of your family?

Cyprian Kamil Norwid (more about him below) wrote a very deeply descriptive poem dedicated to general Bem.

Cyprian Kamil Norwid, a.k.a. Cyprian Konstanty Norwid (September 24, 1821- May 23, 1883) is a nationally esteemed Polish poet, dramatist, painter, and sculptor. He was born in the Masovian village of Laskowo-Głuchy near Warsaw. Norwid is regarded as one of the second generation of romantics. He wrote many well-known poems including Fortepian Szopena ("Chopin's Piano"), Moja piosnka [II] ("My Song [II]") and Bema pamięci żałobny-rapsod ("A Funeral Rhapsody in Memory of General Bem"). Norwid led a tragic and often poverty-stricken life (once he had to live in a cemetery crypt). He experienced increasing health problems, unrequited love, harsh critical reviews, and increasing social isolation. He lived abroad most of his life, especially in London and in Paris, where he died.

The poem was sang by my beloved Czesio Niemen. It still gives me the chills when i listen to it.

youtube.com/watch?v=0yWnInAK1Lw

Full version:

youtube.com/watch?v=Od3NPfci5Fs

I would really like to know what he is saying. Know where I can get English translation?

allpoetry.com/poem/4907507-Bema-Pamieci-Zalobny-Rapsod-Mournful-Rhapsody-In-Memoriam-of-Bem--by-mihow1

What do I know without googling?

He was a Polish general who made his name during 1831 November Uprising. His unit of rocket launchers halted the Russian advance at the battle of Ostrołęka and saved the retreating Polish army.

He took part in Hungarian Rising of 1848, the Spring of Nations, and successfully commanded the Hungarian Army against Austrian occupational forces, until Russians invaded to help Austrians.

Next he moved to Turkey and converted to Islam.

The tomb with Bem`s ashes is in Tarnów, his birthplace, I saw it visiting my girlfriend in uni times.

Beautiful place.

Bem was put on Polish banknotes in early 1980s, communist times.

Oh, thank you. Do you have any information about his parents?