In respective erstwhile articles for which the inspiration was Jubilee 30th Fly of the Association of Memorials of Victims of Ukrainian Nationalists in Wrocław and the publishing home on this occasion presenting the celebration to the guests I mentioned the historical competition “Volyn – Memory of Generations”.
One of the topics that participants could choose as an area of reflection and enquiry was the reflections of a young Pole on the movie "Volyn" in the dir. Wojciech Smarzowski. It turned out that despite the passage of time (the movie was created a fewer years ago) it awakens the live reaction of viewers and represents a breakthrough in the perception of the past of the Polish East Borders leaving a lasting trace in the consciousness of Poles of various generations. I believe that this movie could play a crucial function in shaping the attitudes of the Ukrainians too, if it were allowed to be emitted in the democratic, applicant for immediate accession to the EU of Ukraine. Unfortunately ... the movie could not be shown even in the Polish Institute, which is 1 of the specialized agencies of the Ministry of abroad Affairs of Poland. Besides, this movie has many opponents among any representatives – especially the Greek Catholic clergy – of the Ukrainian community surviving in Lower Silesia. possibly it is simply a misfortune which thanks to the Russian troops becomes the participation of Ukrainians will change the way of reasoning and communicative about the movie "Volyn" and about the bander genocide.
Wojciech Smarzowski and Stanisław Srokowski at a gathering in Legnica This hope is expressed by 1 of the participants of the competition Susan Janusz writing: “I think this screening will become an excuse to start dialog between the young generation of Poles and Ukrainians and a somewhat different view by the Ukrainian population of UPA. I hope that the movie “Volyn” is another successful effort to reconstruct the memory and fact of the Volyn massacre”. And another talented student sets her peers an ambitious task: “We have young generation Poles facing a large challenge so that this fact does not collapse.” due to the fact that Zuzanna Janusz besides sees the threat to this fact by explaining that "today in Ukraine, the probander explanation is being promoted, which imposes the following order of reasoning on Ukrainian children: that Bandera and UPA are the extraordinary national heroes of Ukraine".
Analysis of competition works shows that for many students the movie “Volyn” became the main origin of cognition about Kresovian martyrdom and most importantly, the suggestive transmission of the movie stimulates in them the desire to grow cognition about life in the Borderlands and the circumstances of the genocide crimes committed there. Student Mateusz Profaska (16 years) said, “In theory, the Volyn crime was known to me, I studied it in history... For me, however, these were only historical facts, statistics. Now this genocide crime has begun to take on a real dimension. I realized that it afraid real, real people – women, children, old people. They were the same as us, having the same dreams, desires, hopes and fears. 1 day it was all taken from them.”
Other student – Kordian Sikorski It is admitted that he had previously reluctantly listened to stories from the years of war passed to him by his father, who recounted the experiences of his own grandpa AK soldier, but after watching the movie “Volyn” he was very amazed that everything he heard in the household message was true. So he felt that "it is hard to go past it in any way, that it is hard to forgive ..., but it is not a hatred film, due to the fact that alongside the beast scenes there are images full of love, knowing and friendship." He besides agreed with W. Smarzowski's thesis that “Volyn” is simply a movie made with large religion in man. This right view cannot be overturned by the fact that the movie is realistically shown to be cruel and highly violent, which has caused much controversy and criticism.
But at this point, we are curious in the reception of this movie by young people participating in the competition. "This is 1 of the better Polish historical films I have seen. They kept me in suspense all the time real scenes on the screen... The manager has shown how people die in the cruelest way, showing violence, so that we can reflect on human nature, for this >>people prepared this fate, we see that man is capable of everything. Smarzowski reveals the dark side of human nature.”
That's how he thinks about this movie. Love of the Leg where the movie spawned the question of how it is possible that even acquainted people, specified as agrarian neighbors, can become traitors and even murderers. A very accurate reflection of this young reviewer of the movie “Volyn” is that “A man with a programmed ideology becomes dangerous and capable of anything”. By sharing this constitution with real concern, I note the deficiency of consequence in Ukraine, as well as in Poland to increasingly clear signs of the rebirth of neo-banderism, which is manifested by various types of symbols (the memories of Bandera, Szuchewycz, street names, black – red flags) and actions (years of creation of UPA, thematic rallies, etc., public salutes of the banderian even by any Polish politicians) promoting the ideology of Ukrainian nationalists bloodyly recorded in the past of both our nations as noble Ukrainians saving Poles – neighbours and friends were besides killed at their hands.
The movie “Volyn” cannot be accused of bias in the explanation of this tragic chapter of past in Polish-Ukrainian relations. As Miłosz Nogaj, quoted above, rightly points out, “in the film, Poles besides commit crimes, taking revenge, killing innocent women and their children, which shows the image of a cruel society which, during the war, is able to do the worst” ...
Authors of the Competition Report, very competent and insightful past researchers Dr. Elżbieta Kocowska-Siekierka and Dr. Michał Siekierka with exceptional precision, they fished out the most valuable assessments and reflections of the movie “Volyn” among students – participants of the competition. Despite their young age, the authors of the competition have appreciated their accurate insights and generalizations, specified as those by Zuzanna Janusz: “This awesome movie is primarily a communicative about entrapment, about the conflict for life and human dignity, about the effort to rip himself and his household out of war hell. For from seemingly chaotic scenes 1 can see the multifaceted image of Volyn as a mixture of many cultures of the world, below which there are terrible acts of force against man, or, in fact, neighbour."
Tadeusz Samborski decorates Wojciech Smarzowski with Kresowy Cross (Legnica)The fact that Volyn was "multiple" as a mixture of many cultures of languages and religions is besides evidenced by the late opened Sobótka k. Wrocław exhibition resulting from the collectible passion of the descendant of Kresowian Darius Kanak. He collected many everyday items in the Volyn village and quite a few household memorabilia (photographs, school certificates, letters, documents). Hence, the title of the exhibition "My Volyn family", enriched with interesting thematic boards, is justified. The exhibition shows various areas of life of the Volyn residents, their work, holidays, education, spiritual beliefs, ceremonialities and upbuilding manifestations of patriotism.
I personally feel only the deficiency in this exhibition of a more extended fragment of Volyn reality, which was carried out there by Ukrainian nationalists during planet War II. I am not in favour of the slogan “Vołyń” being synonymous with the terrible tragedy that our countrymen in this area have suffered, but it is not possible to sign this painful chapter of past with just 1 board showing the demolition of the Paszkowski family. In general, the exhibition and its creator deserve recognition, especially due to the fact that its creation is simply a completely social initiative with a strong integrative power of the descendants of Volynian surviving in Lower Silesia. It is already known that the exhibition will shortly be presented in the Wrocław Kąty and Wrocław.
On the occasion of the beginning of this exhibition in the iconic even and very well run “Slężan Museum” in Sobótka, you could get very valuable and interesting books by Mieczysław Kuczyński From Poznań, and from the birth of Wołyniak from Korc. His books (e.g. "Not Data I Was – Volyn from Oddali", "From Poland to Poland") are almost a photographic panorama of the author's household pages, members of his family, neighbors and friends and their fates against the background of the large historical events of those wartime times. Mieczysław Kuczyński with appropriate modesty does not claim to be a author by agreeing to the position of chronicler. I assure those who scope out to his books that he is simply a chronicler meticulous, reliable with a large deal of lyricism and literary talent. He considers his books about the country of childhood as a commitment to ancestors and a kind of mission to commemorate the Polish presence in the east Borders of the Republic. He wrote about it in an introduction to 1 of his books: “I wanted to convey the household past and search for all those for whom “my” part of Volyn is an crucial place on earth. For themselves or their loved ones. I think it's my duty. I am convinced that my ancestors should be expressed more permanently than my memory or even my heart."
Indeed, Mieczysław Kuczyński's books are the more permanent expression than only individual or household memory, due to the fact that they are a origin of cognition about Volyn and its inhabitants. cognition not deformed, uneconomic and not contaminated by political correctness. This is an example of a reliable account: “Theophilus Sokolovska, who (i.e. Ukrainians) did not anticipate anything bad, died. She was good to them and liked by them. And yet... People thought it was adequate to be good to the Ukrainians to avoid the worst. It didn't matter. Their assurance became the easiest prey" (M. Kuczyński "They were not given to them").
A akin way of reasoning was determined by Grandpa’s actions Krzesimir Dębski, Fr Ludwik Wrodarczyk or Zbigniew Szablewski The protagonist of the series "House Under 2 Eagles" (directed by Waldemar Krzystek) presently shown on TVP. They were all in different ways good to the Ukrainians from here "full of assurance became their easiest prey." M. Kuczyński besides cites examples of Ukrainians saving Poles with the hazard of their own lives. Kind and Bold Ukrainian Tatiana Fidziukiewicz She carried a small Polish girl in a bag of piglets to the marketplace in town, saving her from a certain death at the hands of the bander. However, the good works of Poles towards Ukrainian neighbours did not constitute effective protection of them in times of rampant chauvinism and bander genocide. Those Poles who believed in the existence of a attitude of gratitude or average human decency were in many cases seriously disappointed. Ukrainian gratitude at the time had a short memory. It is both individual and organization gratitude.
In times closer to us, this thesis is confirmed by the behaviour of the Greek Catholic Church towards its brothers in faith, or towards the Roman Catholic Church. It is widely known that in past years the activity of the Greek-Catholic Church was prohibited in the USSR. At that time the believers of this confection "cuddled" – besides in a literal sense the Roman-Catholic church; its hierarchs, priests and faithful. In the 1970s, I frequently met Greek Catholics in the Cathedral of Lviv. any I know personally so far. In independent Ukraine, Greek Catholics have taken over many Roman Catholic temples, and a painful example of specified a trend is the beautiful Baroque church in Komarna, whose restoration supported from Rome financially Prof. Karolina Lanckoronska. due to the fact that this church was taken by force from Roman Catholics as he spoke Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki in the movie "Sketch for portrait" (TVP – History). I know that a sympathetic knowing of the hard situation of Roman Catholics in Komarna was shown by the parish priest of the Orthodox parish there.
I saw another Orthodox priest praying with Roman Catholic priests and Evangelical pastor in the Field Cathedral of W.P. during this year's commemorative service in the intention of victims of the brutal pacification of the Pianiacka Huta, whose anniversary was celebrated on 28 February; first in the Cathedral, and then at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier. Our participants in this service to full ecumenism one more time lacked a typical of the Greek-Catholic Church, who had and inactive has a powerful influence on the formation of moral attitudes of a large part of the Ukrainian nation, with which reconciliation on the basis of fact can be a phase in the way of forgiveness.
Despite the asymmetry of feelings and behaviours indicated above in the relations between Poles and Ukrainians – especially in utmost or at least hard situations – I think that we should proceed to aid our neighbours from across the east border with our hearts due to the fact that they have suffered the top misfortune that war is for all nation. Ukrainians are in a situation where sympathy and compassion are not enough. Poles realize this well and spontaneously empathize with their hard and frequently dramatic or tragic situation, especially women and Ukrainian children. So much in the human, individual and individual dimension. All of this takes place in the area of simple rights and humanitarian behaviour. On the another hand, in the interstate dimension, all actions of Poland towards Ukraine must have a strong component of rationalism, not messianism or even romanticism. Under no circumstances can decision makers and creators of war reality lose sight of the interests of their own nation and state. This is simply a thread that needs to be discussed separately.
Returning to the movie "Vołyń" and its importance for raising the level of historical awareness of our society in the context of the genocide carried out by Ukrainian nationalists whose victims were about 200 000 inhabitants of the Polish east Borderlands, including Ukrainians helping Poles, it is crucial to conclude that W. Smarzowski's work based on the script of an outstanding author Stanisław Srokowski, who is 1 of the eyewitnesses of the crime, is of crucial importance for knowing this problem by a crucial percent of Poles. This movie brought unique quality to the historical reasoning of our society. This applies not only to older people, but besides to young Poles, which is due to the analysis of the works of the competition "Volyn-Memory of Generations".
Mateusz Profaska from M. Grzegorzewski advanced School in Mikołów, he wrote: “I asked myself (after watching the movie – My) what is humanity? Does anyone who has cold-bloodedly chopped off a human head, peeled off his neighbor's skin alive, have a right to be called a human being? In Smarzowski's movie there were crucial words: > > They are not humans, they are animals! Another character emphasized that they are worse than animals due to the fact that they do not bully. The lion kills to survive, in Volyn they were killed for revenge, for satisfaction, for nationalistic reasons." The optimistic emphasis in these sad considerations of students participating in the competition is the generalized constatation which sounds like the motto of the youth commitment that "We are guilty of the murdered memory".
This is another minute confirming the life maxim of many border activists and organizations: Not for vengeance, but for remembrance call for sacrifice. The Cultural Association “Landscapes” in Legnica, listening attentively and tenderly to the akin call “Mortui viventes obligant (the Dead obliges the living)” has held for respective years the celebration of the National Day of Memory of the Victims of Bander genocide, uncovering in this noble work the favour of Fr.
As it was easy to guess, the movie “Volyn” besides had many critics and opponents. She besides negatively assessed him Oksana Zabużko, a Ukrainian author who has been insured by any environments in Poland. In 1 interview, she admitted that she had not seen the movie but “I read the script and that was enough”. In this interview she praised Ukrainian actors who refused to participate in this film. I say they had their reasons for specified behaviour, but 1 of them may have been the fear of the reaction of Ukrainian neo-Bander communities which are not curious in revealing in any way the fact about genocide and its victims.
In the atmosphere of sensitization on historical topics in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine, critical voices may appear in the public space of Poland and Ukraine at the address of the series “House under 2 eagles”, in which the talented manager Waldemar Krzystek He published “Days of Tears and Horror” on the East Ends and Human Unthankfulness and Cruelty. Of course, these character deformations appeared in the behaviours of people of different nationalities whose fates crossed on the erstwhile east Borders of the Republic, on the Siberian exile and in Wroclaw. This series will surely become a origin of many valuable and deep reflections for many people, and possibly for any people it will be the first lesson of past whose material is the highly complicated destiny of different people in utmost and unpredictable situations for them. manager Waldemar Krzystkow is credited with the words of appreciation for the artistic and historical qualities of his movie creation. I congratulate him on his courage in making themes that many creators and politicians do not take on the pretext that "now is not a good time to spread them."
I'm not an expert or a movie critic. Nor am I going to compare both films ("Volyn" by W. Smarzowski and "House under 2 eagles"), although any sequences are twin-like (e.g. sermons of Ukrainian priests). But from the position of the average viewer, I perceive both these films as an crucial origin stimulating a deeper reflection on the tragedy of any moments in the past of our nation and the demolition of basic civilizational values by totalitarian systems and wars to which they lead. However, in both films, through the nightmare of death, panic and the darkness of dehumanization, there is simply a ray of hope and belief in humanity which, like the truth, will appear in favorable circumstances.
Dr Tadeusz Samborski
President of the Cultural Association “Landscapes”
Think Poland, No. 15-16 (9-16.04.201023)
