THE ROYAL STORY

Richard Dietrich, a youth missions pastor in Arizona, was in Poland for a short trip and decided to surprise his wife, Brenda Promnitz, by investigating her Polish family tree. Upon walking into the City Hall in Żary, Poland, Richard’s query was met with a shocking discovery to both Richard and the city officials: Richard’s wife is the direct descendant of the royal von Promnitz family, who were thought to be scattered and extinguished centuries before. The Polish government was thrilled to welcome Richard and his family—now heirs of a sort—back to Poland. Richard, now a Count, was invited to bring music to Poland, as the von Promnitz family had done in the 1700’s by employing Georg Philipp Telemann as Kapellmeister, chapel master and court musician, for the court of Count Erdmann II of Promnitz. 

The Promnitz family has not chosen to claim riches, titles, and properties for personal glory or comfort, but instead to use their new position as an open door for building ongoing relationships and sharing the love of Jesus through music. There is now an affection and trust between Richard and many in Poland, including local government officials.

The 2012 Promnitz Tour was hosted by local governments in 8 cities as part of their pre-Euro Cup festivities and was an American/Polish cultural exchange with free concerts of jazz, hip-hop, country/western, pop, indie rock, and gospel music. The family's aim is that Promnitz Tour will be an annual event held as a gift to the Polish people from the heritage of the Von Promnitz Family of Poland.

Richard is currently in discussions with leading screenwriters and filmmakers from Hollywood about the movie that they are planning to make about the Promnitz story. Two especially famous actors (you've watched many movies starring them) are being interviewed to play Richard, and filming is anticipated to begin in Żary during next year's tour. The family's cut will help to fund the restoration and development of many of the Promnitz properties, under Richard's oversight, into cultural centers, museums, and arts and culinary academies.

The von Promnitz family hunting lodge in Pszczyna

A bit on Telemann's jaunt in Poland:

In 1704 Telemann received an invitation to become Kapellmeister for the court of Count Erdmann II of Promnitz at Sorau (now Żary, in Poland). Leipzig authorities only granted him resignation in early 1705, however, and he arrived in Sorau in June. This new position allowed him to study contemporary French music, which was particularly popular at the court: the works of Lully and Campra. Also, when the court spent six months in Pleß (now Pszczyna), Telemann had an opportunity to hear and study Polish and Moravian folk music, which fascinated and inspired him. In performing his duties at the court, Telemann was as prolific as in Leipzig, composing at least 200 ouvertures, by his own recollection, and other works. Unfortunately, the Great Northern War put an end to Telemann's career at Sorau. In late January or early February 1706 he was forced to flee from the invading troops of the Swedish King Charles XII. He spent some time in Frankfurt an der Oder before returning to Sorau in the summer.

(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telemann)