A brilliant strategist or a risk taker who was incurable but got lucky at a few key moments? A man of compromise, capable of coping with the greatest opponents when national interests demanded it, or an authoritative autocrat instead? A supporter of democracy, both radical and sincere, or a conservative at heart who readily found…
Just published in the 100 Lat Niepodległości. Pamiętniki i wspomnienia series (100 Years of Independence: Diaries and Memoirs), begun in 2013 by the Polish History Museum, is Czas przeszły dokonany (The Simple Past) by Adam Pragier, the three volumes of which stand out against the backdrop of twentieth-century Polish memoirs. Its author, however, is little…
There are many eminent specialists among the Polish researchers of the political thought of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In recent times, many works have arisen which allow for a new perspective on the achievements of the Commonwealth. Of the important works that should be mentioned, among others, Ład Rzeczpospolitej (The Order of Respublica) by Dorota Petrzyk-Reeves,…
Irena Sendler had to wait a long time for her biography to be written. Anna Bikont finally undertook this task, not only presenting the history of the colorful life and activities of Sendler, but also dealing with the many stories of the Jews who were rescued and survived the Holocaust, and showing the position of…
The Enlightenment, like no other age, created a myth of its own splendor. These were supposed to be the times of entering onto the road of progress and liberation from obscurantism, promising freedom and a truly happy life. Curtis G. Murphy’s book From Citizens to Subjects shatters this image. According to Murphy, the Enlightenment brought…
In Poland, the contribution to the victory in the coalition against Hitler, including the participation of Polish airmen in the Battle of Britain, is widely recognized as a reason for pride. The reminiscences of the fighter ace of the 303 Squadron are worthy of interest, especially since they read like an adventure novel. Jan Zumbach…
