A Chicago-made documentary detailing the plight of some of the 4 million Polish immigrants who came to the United States between 1870 and 1920 will be shown Friday at a free screening. View Full Caption Ameryka Film

PORTAGE PARK — A Chicago-made documentary detailing the plight of some of the 4 million Polish immigrants who came to the United States between 1870 and 1920 will be shown Friday at a free screening.

Adrian Prawica’s "The Fourth Partition" tells the story of Chicago at the turn of the 20th century, when it was the center of Polish culture and activism in America. With Poland divided between Russia, Germany and Austria, many Poles settled in Chicago to escape war and poverty.

While many Polish immigrants came to Chicago in search of a better life, they worked in some of the most dangerous factories and mills.

Chicago has the largest population of Poles of any city other than Warsaw.

Historians Dominic Pacyga, Don Pienkos, Rod Sellers, Piotr Domaradzki, Victoria Granacki and Dan Pogorzelski are featured in the documentary.

The film is in English, with Polish subtitles.

The Northwest Chicago Historical Society screening, sponsored by Forgotten Chicago, the Portage Park Chamber of Commerce, the Irving-Austin Business District, the North and Pulaski Historical Society and Logan Square Preservation, will be at 8 p.m. Friday at the Jesuit Millenium Center, 5835 W. Irving Park Road.

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