God’s Playground: A History of Poland, Vol. 2: 1795 to the Present

626 Pages·2005·86.39 MB·English

by  Norman Davies

GOD'S PLAYGROUND
A History of Poland
II

GOD'S
PLAYGROUND
A History of Poland
IN TWO VOLUMES
VOLUME II
1795 TO THE PRESENT
NORMAN DAVIES
Columbia University Press New York
Columbia University Press
Publishers Since 1893
New York
Copyright © 2005 Norman Davies
All Rights Reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A complete CIP record is available from the Library of Congress
ISBN 978-0-231-12819-3
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3
Typseset by Hope Services (Abingdon) Ltd.
PREFACE TO ORIGINAL EDITION
OF VOLUME II
This second volume, which takes the History of Poland from the late eighteenth
century to the present day, continues the pattern adopted in the first one. The
main narrative chapters (12—21) are preceded by a block of thematic essays, and
are followed by a concluding section which summarises developments since
1945. The dominant tenor of the two volumes is quite different, however. Polish
History in the earlier period saw the gradual rise and sudden fall of a unique
civilisation, whose culture and institutions reflected an eccentric mixture of
Western values injected into the Slavonic East. Polish History in the subsequent
period saw the protracted struggle of the peoples of the defunct Republic to out
last the upstart Empires of Eastern Europe, and, by furnishing themselves with
new identities, to find a new place in the world.
Nonetheless, the memory of an ancient heritage has coloured Polish percep
tions of their predicament throughout modern times. Unlike many national
movements, whose separate consciousness was manufactured from scratch in
the course of the nineteenth century, the Poles have always had the image of the
old Republic before their eyes, and through the fertile medium of their litera
ture, have used it to perpetuate their sense of indestructibility and of moral supe
riority. Although they could not claim to share the decades of military glory,
political power, or economic prosperity which came the way of their German or
Russian neighbours, they were bound to consider themselves one of the 'historic
nations' of Europe, and did not figure among the lesser breeds who (without
mentioning any names), were frequently obliged to invent the greater part of
their alleged histories. Poland may well be 'a country on wheels' both in regard
to its geographical location and also to its exits and entrances on the political
stage, but, as a cultural community with deep and lasting traditions, it has
shown itself to be a permanent fixture of the European scene.
In political terms, of course, Poland's recent history is a tragic one. The task
of reconstituting the old Republic proved quite insuperable, and the Polish
states which have been created in the twentieth century have been but pale
imitations, not to say, stunted parodies, of the original model. Although the
long sought goal of national sovereignty has twice been achieved, in 1918 and
again in 1945, the achievement has turned sour on both occasions. The Second
Republic (1918—39) was extinguished in less than a generation; the People's
Republic formed under Soviet auspices in 1944—45, lacks many of the essential
attributes of independence. The old Republic at least knew victory in defeat - in
that its spirit long survived its physical destruction. Contemporary Poland, in
vi PREFACE TO THE ORIGINAL EDITION OF VOLUME 2
contrast, may be said to have experienced defeat in victory, in that the re-
establishment of the state has failed to eliminate many of the humiliations and
oppressions of the past.
Yet Poland's interminable defeats must always be viewed in proportion. In
1797, the Partitioning Powers, who had just destroyed the old Republic,
solemnly swore to banish the very name of 'Poland' from the record. There have
been several moments - after the insurrections of 1830 and 1863, and, above all,
during the Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939-41 - when it appeared that their oath might
be fulfilled. But nowadays anyone can see that Poland does exist both in body
and soul. This country seems to be inseparable from the catastrophes and crises,
on which, paradoxically, it thrives. Poland is permanently on the brink of col
lapse. But somehow, Poland has never failed to revive, and, in spheres perhaps
more important than the political and economic, to flourish.
The final preparation of a large typescript further increases an author's
indebtedness to collaborators and patrons. In this regard, I wish to acknowledge
the assistance of Mr. Ken Wass of University College, London, who undertook
the technical drawing of most of my maps and diagrams: of Andrzej Suchcitz
and Marek Siemaszko, who compiled the index: of the Publications Committee
of the School of Slavonic and East European Studies: and especially of the De
Brzezie Lanckororiski Foundation, which provided a generous subsidy.
Norman Davies.
Wolvercote, 3 May 1979.
CONTENTS
Maps and Diagrams ix
Illustrations xi
Notes on the Illustrations xiii
Abbreviations xv
Chronology xxi
I Poland Destroyed and Reconstructed, 1795-1945
1. NAROD: The Growth of the Modern Polish Nation
(1772-1945) 3
2. ROSSIYA: The Russian Partition (1772-1918) 60
3. PREUSSEN: The Prussian Partition (1772-1918) 83
4. GALICIA The Austrian Partition (1773-1918) 102
5. FABRYKA: The Process of Industialization 120
6. LUD: The Rise of the Common People 131
7. KOSCIOL: The Roman Catholic Church in Poland 152
8. KULTURA: Education and the Cultural Heritage 166
9. ZYDZI: The Jewish Community 176
10. WOJSKO: The Military Tradition 196
11. EMIGRACJA: The Polish Emigration 202
12. VARSOVIE: The Duchy of Warsaw (1807-1815) 216
13. KONGRES6WKA: The Congress Kingdom (1815-1864) 225
14. CRACOVIA: The Republic of Cracow (1815-1846) 246
15. WIOSNA: The Springtime of Other Nations (1848) 251
16. REVERIES: The Thaw and the January Rising (1855-1864) 256
17. REWOLUCJA: Revolution and Reaction (1904-1914) 272
18. FENIKS: The Rebirth of the Polish State (1914-1918) 279
19. NIEPODLEGLOSC: Twenty Years of Independence (1918-1939) 291
20. GOLGOTA: Poland in the Second World War (1939-1945) 322
21. GRANICE: The Modern Polish Frontiers (1919-1945) 367
II Contemporary Poland since 1944
zz. PARTIA: The Communist Movement 401
23. POLSKA LUDOWA: The Polish 'People's Republic' (since 1944) 413
24. SOLIDARNOSC: The Solidarity Decade 482
25. WOLNOSC: Freedom Regained, 1990-2000 509
Postscript 519
Notes on the Text 525
Suggestions for Further Reading 556
Index 565