“Poland never agreed to form an alliance against the Soviets. Piłsudski always used to say: ‘normalization yes, but alliance no’. It was a consistent element in Poland’s message throughout their discussions with German representatives. Meanwhile, Hitler wanted to go to war, and he did not want stability in Europe”, says Krzysztof Rak, managing director of…
On 17 September 1939, the Soviet Union, without declaring war and breaking the provisions of the non-aggression pact, entered the eastern territories of the Republic of Poland. As a result, Poland became the only country that had to face two invaders during the Second World War. What were the consequences of Soviet aggression? Could it…
The main message of Sukiennicki’s biography is intellectual independence won even at the price of marginalisation and isolation, fidelity to the belief that research can show the truth about the world, says Professor Sławomir Łukasiewicz. polishhistory.pl: Wiktor Sukiennicki is a figure of great merit for Sovietology and the understanding of the functioning of the…
At a time when, according to Livy, Romulus was being founded in Rome, an impressive castle was also being built far in the north, testifying to the high level of development of the people living in the area. The discovery of a settlement in Biskupin turned out to be one of the most important events…
Ignacy Matuszewski was the type of politician who is almost extinct in our country. He was the kind of man who wished to learn something new everyday, assessed each situation in shades of gray and looked for ways to make Poland stronger. His style distinguishes him from other journalists of the interwar and emigration period…
There was a mass absolution in East Germany of its Nazi past, says Wolfgang Templin, former director of the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Warsaw and recepient of the European Solidarity Centre Medal in 2010. It’s just that only those acknowledging the Communist interpretation of history were absolved. Mikołaj Mirowski: First came the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, then…
