The authors of the guide are Przemysław Rey, director of the National Anthem Museum in Będomin, and Małgorzata Gańska, a curator at the Museum. This richly illustrated booklet contains information that will help readers understand the meaning of the words of Mazurek Dąbrowskiego and learn about its history. The guide also includes musical notation and advice on proper conduct when performing or playing the anthem.
One of the chapters is devoted to the most common mistakes. As early as the 19th century, an error crept into the text of the first stanza: people began singing póki... instead of kiedy my żyjemy. In the second stanza of the Legion Song, which is the third stanza in the anthem, Józef Wybicki incorrectly wrote the surname Czarnecki; the correct form is Czarniecki.
Another mistake is singing, in the third stanza dedicated to Hetman Stefan Czarniecki, wrócił się/ rzucił się/ rzucim się przez morze. In the correct version of our anthem, this line reads: wrócim się przez morze. In the final stanza, the first two lines of our anthem are very often sung incorrectly. Many people sing: Mówił ojciec do swej Basi cały zapłakany, instead of: Już tam ojciec do swej Basi mówi zapłakany.
The guide is available below: