Since the very beginning of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Poland has been, at its own request and the want of “sustainers”, drawn to its ears to usage Viktor Orban's wording.
Of course, this is not only about accepting millions of refugees and refugees (and, of course, different nationalities), whose number is estimated at 6.5 million (in Poland there are about 1.5 million of them), but a full scope of another activities of the Polish government. Polish support, military and financial, for Ukraine is simply a separate problem. I will be more curious in what is happening here, including the answer to the question – are we dealing with the Ukrainianization of Poland, and if so – what is it? For the first time, this problem has been put on the public forum Grzegorz Braun, which, during 1 of the conventions of the Confederation (in which it was inactive in), utilized the slogan "Stop the Ukrainianization and flagification of Poland". This did not happen then with the enthusiasm of the leadership of this formation, which was expressed as ostentatious not to emergence Sławomir Mentzen, erstwhile the hall responded to Braun's words with a ovation. True, Braun did not then specify what he understood under that term, he did not say what “Ukrainianization” was, but the people were already under the skin sensing that it was true.
Well, if Braun was right, what precisely is this “Ukrainianization” or “badderization” of Poland? In my opinion, the first word is more appropriate, due to the fact that erstwhile it comes to flagitising, it is alternatively a trace phenomenon in Poland, although it does occur. There is surely no Ukrainianization, in the political sense of the word, a large number of Ukrainian visitors surviving in Poland. This community is divided into 2 groups – the first group are those who came to Poland “for work” before 2022, the second group is those who came after 2022. Unless the first of these groups was no problem due to the fact that they were people who worked well, had no claims, did not stand out and did not origin problems, the second group was no longer. It included activists of various foundations, organizations, and most likely Ukrainian services, who started dealing with politics, lobbying, organizing demonstrations, pickets and rallies from the very beginning. It is not a large group, but it is noisy and expansive. Their activity did not, of course, meet any restrictions from the Polish authorities. On the contrary, it enjoys not only media, organisational, but besides financial support. These organizations are dominated by Ukrainian youth, who is besides the main associate in political rallies and manifestations.
The second phenomenon that has emerged is the demoralization of a large part of Ukrainian diaspora by granting them social privileges. In combination with stupid propaganda saying that Ukraine is fighting for us, for our freedom and independence, it has made crucial changes in the mentality of these people. Since we fight for you, we die on the front – you should treat us on peculiar terms and not make any demands against us. Poland is simply a victim of its own propaganda, due to the fact that if there are besides demands related to the crimes of UPA, Volyn, exhumations – this is met with aggression and misunderstanding. How can you request this from us now, when, as you say, we fight and die for you? And from their perspective, Ukrainians are right here, but this abnormal situation was created by Polish propaganda, which, on the 1 hand, brings the present Ukraine to the pedestal and, on the another hand, demands it to show for history.
All of this makes the Polish public gradually start to cool down in their proukrainist moods from the year 2022, which is now already turning into a state of impatience or even hostility, frequently the Ukrainians from the first group, who have worked with us for years. On the another hand, we have the other phenomenon – Ukrainians in Poland are increasingly anti-Polish, as has been shown by fresh studies, whose results were not published at all, so as not to disturb the blissful belief that we are dealing with a large relationship of both nations. Finally, let us besides mention another crucial issue, i.e. the push to push Ukrainian into the Polish public space. Writings and communications in this language are common, in means of transport, in the post office, in offices, in advertisements, in banks. This is the case, although 65% of Ukrainians in Poland usage Russian language on a regular basis, as investigation has shown, although many of them do not publicize it. So we are dealing with an authoritative effort by the Polish authorities of linguistic Ukrainian Ukrainians. This besides proves that in this area we are implementing as a state the demands of Kiev's chauvinist policy, which fights Russian at all turn.
The phenomena described here are important, but erstwhile it comes to the question put at the beginning – they are even more important. Ukrainianization is besides carried out in completely another areas. This is primarily about the informed action of Polish authorities, which implement practically all the demands of Kiev propaganda and Ukrainian current, cultural and historical policies. We have become a country of uncritical propaganda. The media in Poland from the very beginning reported the war in Ukraine through only 1 side glasses, Ukrainian. There were both curiosities (legendary grandma who shot down a Russian plane with a jar of cucumbers) and serious and dangerous (relationship of the alleged large massacre or even "genocide" in Buczy). No 1 asked questions, no 1 had any doubts, no 1 intended to question the Ukrainian version of events. Each another voice was treated as an effort to advance the "Narration of the Kremlin". Unlike Western European countries, let alone the US, there are no Russian journalists in Poland, we adopted, together with the Baltic countries, the most restrictive provisions aimed at cutting off Polish public opinion from the another side. What is this, like not the Ukrainianization of the Polish media space? Ba, the media in Poland (from which, as it is known, any are not Polish at all, vide TVN or many net portals) received an unknown number of Ukrainian journalists. He is invited to comment on Ukrainian "experts" forging Ukrainian communicative and propaganda. Of course, it is not unacceptable that they appear in the media, but that their point of view is recognized, besides by Polish journalists, as only right. The media, therefore, is not a place of exchange of views, but frequently impudent propaganda. So we can talk about the Ukrainianization of media in Poland.
The second area we're dealing with is culture. Suddenly, from day to day – the Russian culture was considered non-existent in Poland, “barbaric” or “Russian imperialism”. It was, yes, initially a phenomenon involving almost all Western countries, but the degree of fierceness, confusion and thoughtlessness – it was and is much greater in us than in France or Italy, for example. The full war on Russian culture is further evidence of the adoption of guidelines on this issue of Ukrainian policy. It was in Ukraine that the full Russian culture was recognized as a manifestation of “Russian colonialism”, that Russian creators were mass-raised (Michał Gogol, Ilja Repin, Anton Czechow etc.) – or, if not possible, they were erased from memory. Pushkin's monuments are destroyed, the Bulhakov Museum in Kiev is closed, even the Lion Tolstoy is withdrawn from libraries. In Poland Ukrainian writers are artificially promoted, “Ukrainian books” are introduced in bookstores, trying to convince themselves that we are dealing with large literature (video Oksana Zabużko), even erstwhile dealing with classical graffiti.
Finally, the area of science. As we know, after 2022 Poland broke all contacts that Polish universities had with Russian universities. investigation programmes, technological exchange, conference organisation and publication of joint publications were discontinued. In return, the Polish universities received a wide jury “Ukrainian scientists”. Their level is low, as evidenced by always more common historical publications. These “scientific” besides bring to Polish discipline ideological postulates, carry out the mission of “derusification” of Polish science. For example, we have a investigation task by the Mieroszewski Centre on “Russian narrative” in Polish science, which aims to “remark” hostile tendencies and “false” interpretations. The fight against “Russian narrative” refers not only to present times, it covers the full past since the beginning of the past of the Polish state. This is done with the parallel promoted Kuriosian thesis by 1,000 years of "Polish-Ukrainian friendship". An example? There you go.
Dr. Piotr Kroll, a historian from the University of Warsaw, in an interview with PAP, says: “Cooperation between Poland and Ukraine dates back to the beginning of our statehood, namely Rusi Kievowska and the State of Lives I. Both countries were neighbouring, which naturally fostered common contact and influence. It can so be said that the past of Poland and the past of Ukraine have frequently intertwined.” How is it possible for a professional historian to consider that Poland and Ukraine have worked together since Lives I? It's a mystery that will be hard to solve. Everyone, even an average student, knows that Ukraine was only created in the 20th century, not in the X or XI. But the doctor doesn't seem to notice. The attribution of Kiev's Rusi attributes of the Ukrainian state is simply a manifestation of utmost opportunism, gathering political expectations.
In a study published by the Polish Institute of abroad Affairs (PISM), we can find out about the scale of the confluence of Polish and Ukrainian science. Since the beginning of the war, “one of the key elements of the aid was to supply direct support to Ukrainian students and scientists. Polish institutions, including the National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA), have launched scholarship programs for the continuation of discipline and research. These activities besides offered intellectual support and Polish language courses to facilitate the integration of Ukrainian refugees into the Polish educational system." On 4 March 2022, "Ministry of Education and discipline together with the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools of Poland (KRASP) established a Network of Coordinators for Assistance of Ukraine. Within its framework, 310 Polish institutions and universities effectively coordinated aid activities, exchanging good practices and collecting information on the needs of the Ukrainian academic community". These are just any examples. What are the consequences? Politicalization and Ukrainianization of Polish science, frequent cases of persecution of “unrighteous” scientists, reports on them, and the complete collapse of actual investigation on Polish-Russian relations.
And finally, it's crucial. Isn't all this an introduction to the creation of any Polish-Ukrainian state creation, federation or even a common state? So far nobody admits it, but test balloons, as Poles will respond to it – have already appeared. We remember 1 of the Campuses organized by Rafał TrzaskowskiWhen is the leader of PSL Władysław Kosiniak-Kamish That was the postulate he made. It is characteristic that he was the one, not the PO politician. Kamysha was utilized as a prelude to admit the battlefield by fighting. On the second day everyone distanced themselves from this idea, but it is not crucial that specified visions do not knock on the minds of Polish politicians.
It could be a way out of the ocean. In March 2023, American magazine "Foreign Policy" proposed more than a return in Central Europe to geopolitical solutions from the I period. A well-known American magazine even advocated the merger of Poland and Ukraine into a "federation or confederation" state, which would be an indirect way to enter Kiev into the structures of the European Union and NATO. This publication coincided with the appearance of the same voices in Poland. Next to Kosiniaka-Kamish, he formulated specified a postulate Mark Wake Up, from the think-tank ‘Strategy and Future’. "Just as Robert Schumann and Jean Monnet developed a political plan in May 1950, which led to the creation of the first European Union organisations 7 years later, so we should start reasoning about the perfect declaration announcing the establishment of a Polish-Ukrainian national state, which may come actual in the 10's, but present should order our and Ukrainian policies, besides – which is definitely more crucial – how our nations think of each other," wrote Budz.
Although his thought was criticized, it was likely better not to uncover it prematurely, although it is right. It's not adequate to be right, you request to know when. For now we are dealing with the creeping Ukrainianization of Poland, and that is adequate for now. Will there be any thought at the end of this road of establishing a Polish-Ukrainian federation or state? For today, it is alternatively fantasy, even due to the fact that Ukrainian politicians even laughed at Polish ideas of this type. They believe that Ukraine is the power, not Poland, and that Ukraine will dictate the conditions in this part of Europe. They don't request a common state for anything. Therefore, they accept the Ukrainianization of Poland in order to be able to influence our interior affairs, our policy in all spheres of life, but they do not intend to carry out any Polishization of Ukraine themselves. So we are dealing with a dangerous, due to the fact that one-sided trend weakening our opposition to Ukrainian influences. We have many Ukrainians in Polish government and Polish institutions, but we do not have Poles in Ukrainian government and institutions. We do not know whether this process is simply the consequence of the stupidity and dreamfulness of Polish elites, or is discreetly assisted from outside.
Jan Engelgard
It is simply a text which was published in the latest volume of sketches of Polish-Russian Prof. Witold Modzelewski entitled: Are We to Have “the 4th Betrayal of the West”?
Think Poland, No. 13-14 (29.03-5.04.201026)
photo of the X profile of the president of Ukraine
