POLAND AND RUSSIA: RELATIONSHIPS OVER CENTURIES

Poland and Russia for centuries had been competiting to take control over teritories and nations beetween them. Political relations had not created proper atmosphere for partnership, trust and friendship beetween nations. Cultural, religious and governmental differences had not done our relations easier.

Poles had met Russians in times when Kingdom of Poland, later Richpospolita had engaged in wars beetween Lithuania and Grand Duchy of Moscow. Due to great wars of 16^th and 17^th century Russians had been met as diplomats, but ussually soldiers. The stereotype of rude Moscovites then had been born. Polish people had been seen as occupants of Moscow and Kremlin during „wielka smuta” interregnum.On the other hand, till the times of Peter the Great and his reforms, polish literature had greatly influenced russian culture with renesaince ideas.

In 18^th century balance of power had radically changed in favor to Russia. Empress Catharina the Great had taken main Polish teritories including Warsaw, during 3 partitions of Poland of 1772, 93 and 95. 19^th century brought conflicts beetween our nations. Polish Army took part in Napoleons campaign in Russia in 1812. After defeat of French Emperor, the Vienna Congress gave the polish crown to russian Tzars. During russian reign of Poland there was 3 lost by Poles uprisings. Polish patriots were deported to Siberia.

With rusification and Russian government over Poland came many Russians: Tzars servants, buerocrats, soldiers and teachers. On the other hand gigantic teritories of Russia where opened to Poles. They studied in Petersburg and Kiev. They explored teritories from Caucasus to Pacific Ocean, and where making great bussinesses. Tzars servants in Poland where not only bloody satraps but also positive examples, as Starynkiewicz, governor of Warsaw who built city lights and sewage system. Nevertheless Russian reign in Poland lies shadow over our relations.

In Russia was created stereotype of Polish as rebellious and intriguant. In Russian literature presumptuous Poles where shown in opposition to patient Russians. Pushkin showed Pole as rebel, Glinka showed him as intriguer and agressor and Dostojewski as hipocryte and swindler. On the other side Poles underlined higher level of their aristocratic and more European culture over Russian more burgois and Asian civilization.

In 1915 Russian army left Warsaw and in 1918 Poland regained its independence. Warsavians destroyed behated Paskiewicz monument and sobor on Saxon Square. After the communist revolution nations were divided again, by politics and ideology. Poles where resistant to internationalist and egalitarian communist propaganda, they valued the most their independence. In 1919 began Polish-Bolshevik war, which was finished with Treaty of Riga in 1921. Russians where associated with Tuchachevskis Red Army wich barefoot, dirty and hungry, was defeated near Warsaw by Marshall Pilsudski. In Poland few white Russians found shelter. Russia was unknown, far and dangerous country to Poles. Our countries were separated by unstable border. On the other side Poland was shown as element of enemy capitalist system, burgois versail order, part of security cordon over Russia. In press where used such words as: pańska Polska-landlords Poland, białopolacy-white Poles.

On september the 17^th 1939 Red Army joined to Hitlers war against Poland. Stalin ordered to murder thousends of Polish reserve officers who were the best of polish intelectualists, doctors, lawyers and civil servants in forests around Kharkiv, Miednoje and Katyń. Hundreds of thousends were deported to far regions of USSR to workcamps. Most of them never came back. Poles who found themselves on the eastern side of Ribbentrop-Molotow line met mostly Russian soldiers, NKWD officers, camp guards and prisoners. Only contacts with prisoners where proof that Russian nation was a victim to the same inhuman system of repression.In the end of war victorious Red Army fought against Polish Underground Army. NKWD was killing those of polish patriots who were not killed by Germans. Stalin did not do nothing to help uprising against Germans in Warsaw in 1944, despite he had possibilities to do it.On the other hand it is important that Polish Army formed by Russians conquered Berlin together with Red Army.

After 1945 and foundation of communist regime began the time of official friendship. Newspapers and propaganda was full of slogans about Polish-Soviet friendship and love to Great Leader Stalin. Russian „specialists” took main positions in Polish government and administration but mainly in army and security forces, which where dominated by Soviet officers. One of them Marshall Konstanty Rokosovski became Polish Minister of Defence. In the same time till early 50's armed resistance continued in parts of Poland. Many Poles prayed for WW3 against Russians.

After 1956 due to changes after Polish October and Khruschev Thaw in USSR bagan very special period in relations beetween our nations. Poland where more open to the west and became window for soviet people to western ideas, values and music. There was true fascination with Polish books, press, films and songs. Polish language where popular among Russians as well as polish newspapers, published in Russian: Polsha and Ekran. In Poland very popular were songs of Bułat Okudżawa and Wlodimir Wysocki and old Russian romances. Intensity of contacts grew, many people travelled to USSR to work and study, quite common where organized touristic trips. Despite this It was not mass movement and contacts, because there where only two road border crosses to USSR, it was hard to get passport, to visit USSR it was necessary to have invitation.

After 1989 the period of intensive cultural exchange has finshed. New Polish elites where ussually anti russian. On the other hand in both countries exploded fascination with western culture. Russian language is no more obligatory in Polish schools. On positives side, I have to enlist withdrawal of Red Army from Poland and opening borders in both countries. Russians come more frequently to Poland then Poles to Russia. It is possible now to begin difficult discussion over common history and white spots. President Yeltsin excused for Katyn.

The stereotypoe of Russian in Poland changed. It is now determined by dozens of small traders, smugglers, gangsters and prostitutes coming from behind eastern border. To be honest they are not ussually Russians but Ukrainians, Belorussians Ormians and others. After 1997 crisis the big Polish-Russian trade fell down. Poland takes very little place in Russians consciousnes . Old religious conflicts are back again in recent months. Russian orthodox church does not want Polish catholic priests to teach on territory of Russian Ferderation. Also political relations were almost freezed during last few years and imporved only a little under new Prime Minister. Additional difficulties are connected with Polish access to NATO and European Union, which is against traditional Russian interest.

Polish Russian relations are in the turning point again these days, we need much of good will on both sides to set it in wright way. It is great challenge for our generation.

Presentation is based on essay by Krzysztof Kędzierski: Stosunki między społeczeństwami Polski i Rosji. Historia, uprzedzenia i nowe szanse. Published in: Rossija i Polsza: most w XXI wiek, Sankt Petersburg 2001.

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