Ambassador Repnin and his “worthy” successor

Mikołaj Vasiliewicz Repnin was 1 of the fewer cultural Russians among the ambassadors of Tsarica Catherine II (called "Great") in Poland in the West. He was a prince with a strong, unpriesting construction, and on a regular basis he was foreign, even rude in relations with Polish political elites, including King Stas.

With Isabella from the Flemings of Czartoryska, he was connected by a fiery, even crazy love, the consequence of which was Jerzy Adam Czartoryski – yes, this patriot model, leader of the large Emigration residing in the Paris hotel (i.e. the Palace) Lambert. In our past Repnin has signed up as the author of humiliating our state's ambassadorial rule. He arrested and deported 3 senators (two bishops and 1 hetman and his son, Seweryn Rzewuski, a future Targowiczan – but he will be 1 in 30 years). The time of government in Warsaw of Ambassador Repnin is the turn of the 1960s and 1970s, or First Partition of Poland. During this time, "His Excellency" threw kicks at the door of his palace in Warsaw an age-old MP who, for this reason, in retaliation, bound the Barska Confederation, the first uprising (rokosz) against power and abroad dominance. His suppression by Polish and Russian troops was an additional pretext for the First Partition. In our country, he moved on to the past of this technological and popular one, becoming a symbol of the pathology of Russian influences. This is an apparent paradox due to the fact that all the another native ambassadors behaved likewise A German female then ruler of Russia, and were native Baltic Germans, not speaking a word Russian. Besides, in this language no 1 spoke in the court salons of the time not only in Petersburg, but besides in Warsaw – King Staś wrote his memoirs in French. But – as with us – erstwhile he pushed us over Germany, our margin of tolerance was much greater, even erstwhile he represented Russia. Let me remind you that the elites of the country at the time were European, not only culturally but besides ethnically, which was best illustrated by the gag created in the days of Alexander I (the uncle of Catherine II): to ask the emperor what he could do for 1 of the well-deserved generals (the cultural Russian), the second answered: “Call me German.”

Now, something to cheer you up: “the ambassadorial government” is characterised only by Russian influences. This is not something that representatives of Western countries would go to, especially those known for their unselfish relationship with Poland and all Poles (except for “post-communists”). These States represent the ‘Western Civilization’ (to which we belong), which is completely opposed to everything that represents the ‘wild east’, even erstwhile it is ruled by the speaking French Germans. The quintessence of Western civilization in global relations is, of course, our “strategic ally” whose representatives would never behave towards us as the Duke of Repnin: it is simply completely impossible, it never happened and never will. If individual were to tell specified stories, specified hostile propaganda cannot simply be believed.

Enough irony, have mercy. Our sensitivity is rather selective: the humiliations of Western allies are meekly borne, explaining the destiny of the vassal (our safety is said to depend entirely on the protector's whims). After all, we are constantly threatened by Russia, which, in addition, "must" lose the war with Ukraine, although it is ruled by a "friend" of the president of the United States. Perhaps, then, in the spirit of this submission, it is essential to ask our protector and protector to get his “friend” to halt lying in wait for our virtue? After all, in Western civilization specified a deal is possible. It is only a substance of price: it is better to pay it than to die in glory.

Prof. Witold Modzelewski

Think Poland, No. 9-10 (1-8.03.2026)