Anti-Polish sentiment

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Anti-Polonism (alternatively spelled antipolonism; also, Polonophobia) is a term denoting a hostility toward Poles as a nation or as a cultural community. Anti-Polonism has been prominent in some countries during certain periods in history. It has manifested itself in individual behaviors as well as in institutionalized prejudice and persecution. It is often associated with a Polish "black legend".

The span and origins of anti-Polonism

The history of Poland and the Polish nation resulted in anti-Polonism mainly among the members of the nations that inhabited the territories of historic Poland or were neighbours of the country. One can find examples of anti-Polinism among: Belarussians, Czechs, Germans, Gypsies, Jews, Lithuanians, Russians, and Ukrainians. Notably there are no commonly known anti-Polish sentiments among Slovakians. Occasionally, anti-Polish behaviour is exhibited by politics of other nations when they find it suitable. However, such acts usually do not have deep cultural and historical roots.

The main origins of anti-Polonism include:

based on political gains propaganda of authorities or influential individuals in the surrounding countries (Belarussians, Nazis, Russians);
resentment as a result of wars (Czechs, Germans, Lithuanians, Ukrainians);
resentment as a result of cultural and national suppression or exhibited indignity by Poles (Gypsies, Jews, Lithuanians, Russians, and Ukrainians).

Polish acts of ethnic antagonism are another origin of anti-Polonism which is common for all the above mentioned nations. As any manifestation of ethinc prejudices itself causes or amplifies animosity within their subjects, this results in a downward spiral of hostility which is very difficult to stop.

The results of anti-Polonism

File:Egzekucja Polakow przy murze wieziennym Leszno pazdziernik 1939.jpg

Germans execute Poles against a prison wall, Leszno, Poland, October 1939.

Hostility toward Poles—analogously to other ethnic phobias—has been used as a tool by demagogues seeking their own personal, or their own ethnic group's, aggrandizement at the expense of a disparaged, demonized or dehumanized people.

Forms of hostility toward Poles have included:

Racist hostility, a variety of xenophobia;
cultural hostility: a strong dislike for Poles and Polish-speaking persons;
organized persecution of Poles as an ethnic or cultural group, often based on a belief that Polish culture or interests are a threat to one's own national aspirations.

Timeline

Organized persecution of ethnic Poles (to 1918)

File:Egzekucja 15 mieszkancow Kornika 20 10 1939.jpg

German soldiers executing 15 inhabitants of Kórnik, in western Poland, October 20, 1939.

Antipolonism as organized persecution of, and prejudice against, Poles and their culture made its appearance in the 18th century, in Prussia, a rival of Poland in the European political arena. Writers such as Johann Georg Forster dismissed the idea that the Poles were part of European culture, comparing them to primitive tribes and portraying Poland as an underdeveloped, uncivilized land awaiting the importation of Kultur from truly civilized countries. This planted the seeds for German ideas of Lebensraum and created stereotypes which Nazism would later exploit. Prussian officials encouraged the view that the Poles were culturally inferior and in need of Prussian tutelage. Frederick the Great nourished a particular hatred and contempt for Poles that reflected the antipolonism in the Prussia of his time. He spoke of the Poles as "slovenly Polish trash," "the Iroquois of Europe" and "a barbarous people sunk in ignorance and stupidity." The consequences were that nobility of Polish origin were obliged to pay higher taxes than nobility of German heritage, the Polish language was persecuted in Prussia, and Polish monasteries were viewed as "lairs of idleness" and their property often seized by Prussian authorities. The prevalent Catholicism among Poles was stigmatized. When the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth lost the last vestiges of its independence in 1795 and remained partitioned for 123 years, ethnic Poles were subjected to Germanization under Prussian and later under German rule, and to Russification in the areas that had been annexed by Imperial Russia. Antipolish sentiments were fanned in both Russia and Germany.

In Russia, being a Pole was in itself culpable, and authorities sometimes employed antipolish riots as a matter of policy. Polish culture was seen as a threat to Russian imperial ambitions, and officials often acted to disrupt Polish culture. Later, with the emergance of Panslavist ideology, Russian writers saw the Poles as betraying their "Slavic family" because of Polish efforts to regain independence from the Russian Empire (the latter being viewed by Russian Panslavists as the natural leader of the Slavic nations). Prejudice and hostility toward Poles are present in many of Russia's cultural works of the time. Russia used deportations, Russification, mass murder, and confiscation of Polish nobles' property to undermine Polish culture and society. The fact that Poles were overwhelmingly of Catholic and not Orthodox faith, likewise gave impetus to persecution.

In Prussia, and later in Germany, similar persecution was the order of the day. Poles were forbidden to build homes, and their properties were targeted for forced buy-outs, financed by the Prussian and German governments. The Polish language was banned from use, and Polish children were tortured at school for speaking Polish (Września). Poles were also subject to forced deportations (Rugi Pruskie).

Organized persecution of ethnic Poles (1918-1939)

File:Katyn3.jpg

Mass graves of murdered Polish military officers at Katyń Wood, near Smolensk in western Russia.

After Poland regained its independence following the First World War as the Second Republic of Poland, the question of its borders was not settled. Poles were persecuted in the disputed territories, especially in Silesia, where this led to the Silesian Uprisings. During the Polish-Soviet War of 1919-21, many Polish prisoners of war were summarily executed by the Red Army.

The aftermath of the Polish-Ukrainian War (1918-19), the Polish-Soviet War (1919-21) and the Treaty of Riga (1921), coupled with Soviet propaganda, led to growing tensions between Poles and Ukrainians in eastern Poland.

File:Wolyn1943.jpg

Four Polish children bound to a tree with barbed wire at the village of Łobozowa (Tarnopol County), part of large-scale massacres of Poles in Volhynia (in prewar southeastern Poland) by Ukrainians in 1943.

Genocide against Poles (1939-1945)

Hostility toward Poles reached a particular peak during World War II, when all of Polish society was an object of German genocidal policies. Poland lost approximately a third of its population. Millions of Poles died in German concentration camps such as Auschwitz, where Poles were the second most numerous victims after the Jews.

The Soviet occupation of Polish territories during World War II was also extremely brutal. Polish prisoners of war were executed in the infamous Katyn Massacre and at other sites, and thousands of Polish intelligentsia, including academics and priests, were sent to forced-labor camps, GuLags.

With the conclusion of the Second World War, Nazi atrocities perforce ended. Soviet atrocities, however, continued. Soldiers of Poland's Home Army (Armia Krajowa) and returned veterans of the Polish Armed Forces that had served with the Western Allies were persecuted, imprisoned and often executed following staged trials (as in the case of Witold Pilecki, organizer of Auschwitz resistance).

Persistent prejudice against Poles (1945 to present)

File:Polskie obozy.jpg

Against "Polish [concentration] camps"

File:Ger Ju52 Sept.jpg

"Whether figures, gasoline, bombs or bread, we bring Poland death." Painted on German Ju-52 transport-plane fuselage during the Polish Defence War of 1939.

Continued mass-media references to World War II-era "Polish death camps" and "Polish concentration camps" are often cited as examples of anti-Polonism. (The afore-mentioned camps were in fact German concentration camps set up and run by German Nazi, on occupied Polish territory, whose victims included millions of Poles.) Those who object to this usage argue that the phrase is intended to place responsibility for these camps on the Poles, rather than simply being a neutral description of their location. The World Jewish Congress stated in January 2005: "This is not a mere semantic matter. Historical integrity and accuracy hang in the balance.... Any misrepresentation of Poland's role in the Second World War, whether intentional or accidental, would be most regrettable and therefore should not be left unchallenged."[1]

Robert Hurst of CTV News in Canada, however, has contended that the expression, "Polish death camps," is common usage in news organizations, including those in the United States, and is not misleading, and declined to issue a correction or an apology.[2]

Also cited as examples of anti-Polonism are other phrases relating to Poland during World War II, such as "Nazi Poland."[3] Additionally cited are persistent German canards, dating back to World War II and meant to illustrate Polish stupidity or incompetence.^{[citation needed]} Such stories include the false allegations that Polish cavalry "bravely but futilely" charged German tanks, and that the Polish Air Force was wiped out on the ground on the opening day of the war. Neither tale is true, as is discussed at Myths of the Polish September Campaign. "Milder" forms of hostility toward Poles have included disparaging "Polish jokes."

File:Akcja policyjna przeciw Polakom Krzesiny 23 11 1941.jpg

German police action against Poles in Krzesiny on November 23, 1941.

Anti-Polonism in Belarus

Polish-minority rights are increasingly being abused by the totalitarian regime of Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus, where some half a million Poles live. The Belarus authorities claim that their pro-western Polish neighbors are intent on destabilizing the Belarus regime, and attempt to portray the Polish minority as a fifth column.[4] In May and June 2005, the Belarus government closed down a Polish-language newspaper and replaced the democratically elected leadership of a local Polish organization, the Union of Poles in Belarus (UPB), with persons of the Belarus government's choice.

Anti-Polonism in Germany

Some Germans have expressed sentiments that are openly anti-Polish, while others have made remarks interpreted as insensitive or hostile in Poland or among Poles living in Germany.

Reversal of war guilt

Poland is accused by some groups of having caused World War II. Rudi Pawelka, the president of the Preußische Treuhand and the Territorial Association of Silesia, in his speech made in Nuremberg, blamed the outburst of the war on, in his opinion, acts of aggression committed by Poles during the period 1918-1938.^{[dubious – discuss]}

In addition radical German organisations expressing anti-Polish views (blaming Poles for WWII), are visited on regular basis by leading CDU and CSU politicians [5].^{[dubious – discuss]}

Polish language supression

German courts have not only forbidden divorced Polish-speaking parents to teach their children Polish, ^{[dubious – discuss]} but also voiced objections to raising them in Polish culture, claiming that to do so would be harmful to their development.[6], [7].^{[dubious – discuss]} In addition they have been cases were Polish workers have been ordered by their employers to talk in German during their private time outside of work.

Stereotypes in German media

German media frequently portray Poland as an underdeveloped country where criminality is the principal occupation of the populace.^{[dubious – discuss]} The German press ^{[dubious – discuss]}has coined a derogatory saying, "Heute gestohlen, morgen in Polen" ("Stolen today, tomorrow in Poland"), referring to the relative high number of car thefts.[8]

Another example of anti-Polish bias in the German media is the "Harald Schmidt Show."^{[dubious – discuss]} The highlights of this extremely popular program are insulting "jokes" about Poles, Polish culture and Poland.^{[dubious – discuss]} Harald Schmidt, who exploits antipolish views and stereotypes that a few decades earlier accompanied German crimes of genocide against the Polish people, such as supposed inferior intellect or natural criminality of Poles,^{[dubious – discuss]} has received the Bambi viewers' choice award, the Grimme Award, the Golden Camera, and the Golden Lion as best show host.

Accusations of U.S. lackeyism

Also, German left-wing media show an anti-Polish bias.^{[dubious – discuss]} When Poland declared it would take over a zone of occupation in Iraq, the left-wing German daily taz commented that Poland was a had "self-pleasingly assumed the role of a great power", which it was only "by the grace of America", and that it was an "old dream" of the Poles to "belong to the winners for once".

Germans-Polish friendship

Local groups of German protestants (Denkschrift) and catholics (Bensberger Kreis) demanded recognition of the Polish border on Oder-Neisse line. Germans from West Germany organised transports with food and medicines for Poles during the martial law and economical crisis of 1980's in Poland. Germans were advocates of Poland's admission to both NATO and European Union. Many local German municipalities cooperate with Polish counterparts within permanent partnerships. In 2005-2006 a Polish-German/German-Polish year has been organised by authorities in both countries.

Anti-Polonism in France

Poles are also blamed for unemployment in France after EU expansion (despite the fact that it brought more jobs to French people). Antipolish sentiment has grown in that country ^{[dubious – discuss]} due to Poland's loyalty to the United States. The fact that Poland remains both a US ally as well as a deeply religious nation, has led to enforcing of negative and antipolish views in several layers of European politics. Josep Borrell the President of European Parliament has been reported to express critical remarks several times, accusing Poland of "taking orders from USA". Another example of antipolonism sentiments are comments from Martin Schulz a member of European Parliament who demanded to silence polish representatives calling them "hooligans" during European Parliament session on October 27, 2004.

The word 'anti-Polonism' in English

It should be noted that the term anti-Polonism has not found wide currency in the English language. It does not appear in major English-language dictionaries, and LexisNexis shows it to have been used rarely in English-language dailies or magazines within the past 10 years. It has, however, appeared in some scholarly works ([9]). To the extent that people believe that Poles, Polonia and Poland continue to be treated as objects of ridicule, discrimination and exploitation, "anti-Polonism" and the kindred term "Polonophobia" may enter more widespread use.

Bibliography

Lukas, Richard C. and Norman Davies (foreword) Forgotten Holocaust: The Poles Under German Occupation 1939-1944, (2001, c1996)
Lukas, Richard C.: Forgotten Survivors: Polish Christians Remember The Nazi Occupation
Lukas, Richard C.: Did the Children Cry: Hitler's War Against Jewish and Polish Children, 1939-1945
Mikołaj Teres: Ethnic Cleansing of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia, Alliance of the Polish Eastern Provinces, Toronto, 1993, ISBN 0969802005.
Ryszard Torzecki: Polacy i Ukraińcy; Sprawa ukraińska w czasie II wojny światowej na terenie II Rzeczypospolitej; Warsaw, 1993.
Wiktor Poliszczuk: Bitter Truth. Legal and Political Assessment of the OUN and UPA, Toronto-Warsaw-Kiev, 1995.
Władysław & Ewa Siemaszko: Ludobojstwo na ludności polskiej Wołynia 1939-1945 (eng: The Genocide Carried Out by Ukrainian Nationalists on the Polish Population of the Volhynia Region 1939-1945., Warsaw, 2000.
Filip Ozarowski: Wolyn Aflame, Publishing House WICI, 1977, ISBN 0965548813.
Tadeusz Piotrowski: Genocide and Rescue in Wolyn: Recollections of the Ukrainian Nationalist, Ethnic Cleansing Campaign Against the Poles During World War II, McFarland & Company, 2000, ISBN 0786407735.
Tadeusz Piotrowski: Vengeance of the Swallows: Memoir of a Polish Family's Ordeal Under Soviet Aggression, Ukrainian Ethnic Cleansing and Nazi Enslavement, and Their Emigration to America, McFarland & Company, 1995, ISBN 0786400013.
Dr. Bronislaw Kusnierz: Stalin and the Poles, Hollis & Carter, 1949.
Dr. Dariusz Łukasiewicz: Czarna legenda Polski: Obraz Polski i Polaków w Prusach 1772-1815 (The black legend of Poland: the image of Poland and Poles in Prussia between 1772-1815) Wydawnictwo Poznanskiego Towarzystwa Przyjaciól Nauk, 1995. Vol. 51 of the history and social sciences series.ISBN 83-7063-148-7. Paper. In Polish with English and German summaries.

File:Przed wyjazdem na roboty przymusowe.jpg

Poles awaiting deportation to forced labor in Germany during WW II.

External links