POLISH NATION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20046, 19 September 1939, Page 10

POLISH NATION

1000'YEAR SURVEY MANY VICISSITUDES FIGHT FOR FREEDOM NATIONALISM KEPT ALIVE REVIVAL AFTER 150 YEARS An interesting and topical historical review of the Polish nation, covering a period of approximately 1000 years, was given by Rotarian J. E. Shimmin at the Gisborne Rotary Club’s luncheon yesterday. Mr. Shimmin traced the many vicissitudes through which Poland passed up to the partition in the eighteenth century among Germany, Russia and Austria-Hungary, the declaration of the country as a separate State towards the close of the last war, and the treaties against aggression entered into a few years ago with Germany and Russia. He stressed the point that these treaties were operative right up to the commencement of the present hostilities. Entomology said that the Poles were the people of the plains, meaning that they were the people of the fields of the Vistula. Between the Oder and the Vistula was .founded the beginnings of the first Polish kingdom in 9G2. The land passed through many vicissitudes, and 1352 marked the true beginning and acceptance of the kingdom of Poland. Whereas the Germans settled an the towns, the Poles settled on the land and were soon lords of estate as far as the Dnieper. Poles were of the Slavonic tongue, and racial differences grew quickly between ‘he Germanic and Slav races until the hatred became proverbial. To the south the Moravian Gate cut off Czechoslovakia, and the Carpathians formed a boundary as natural as yi.e Pyrenees. On the east the boundary was one of culture and religion, the Russians being of the Greek Orthodox Church and the Poles of the Roman Catholic faith. Poland held an important position on the great trade routes, but only on the west of the Vistula did the Poles have a portion of the foreshore, and that was disputed by the Germans.

Area and Population

In area, Poland was two-thirds of the size ot France, and in 1918 had a population of 27,000,000, to-day’s figure being 34,500,000. Seven-tenths of the population comprised Poles, while there were less than 1,000,000 Germans, 1.500,000 White Russians and Ruthenians, 3,300,000 Jews, and 5,000,000 Ukranians. The Jews and the Germans lived in the towns, and had a monopoly of petty’trading and arts and crafts.

Viewing the circumstances which ied to the making and eventually the partition of the nation, Mr. Shimmin said that in the thirteenth century there was conflict between the church and the State. A decline took place in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the lord's and the landowners being jealous of the growing powers of the towns. The weakening of the middle classes and the reduction of the peasants to serfdom left Poland weak, and led directly to the partitions.

By 1730, Catherine of Russia, Frederic of Prussia and Maria Theresa had decided on the partition of Poland. The first partition took place in 1772, the second in 1792, and the third in 1795, until Poland as a separate nation disappeared. Efforts were made for 100 years to regain their independence.

By 1870 Germany. Russia and Austria held in subjection all the smaller nations of Europe, the most troublesome of these being Poland. They had hoped from tire promises of Napoleon to regain their independence, but four-fifths of the country went to Russia and the rest to Germany and Austria and Hungary. Spirit Kept Alive

During troublous times in Europe in 1830, the Poles revolted, and many fled to France, where they kept the spirit of their country alive, but they were disappointed again in 1848, too many nobles being out of sympathy to make an insurrection successful. However, the national spirit was kept alive by the formation of agricultural societies by Zamoyski in Warsaw in 1858.

Deprived of lands, the nobles turned to industry and the professions, filling up the middle class ranks which had been wiped out. The opening of the Russian markets brought comparative prosperity, but the victories of Bismarck furnished proof to the Poles that might was right. After 1815, Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary held the common view that Poland must be kept down, and in 1862 Bismarck assured the Czar of his support against Poland, for he valued the lands of Poznan ia, where he had grown up.

While hating the Czarist regime, feelings between the Poles and the Russians were good, but the Poles hated the Germans, for tire Germans ha'ed concessions to minorities.

Then came Joseph Pilsudski with a band of men and women fired with national sentiment, and in the immediate pre-war years, though possessing the slenderest of resources, they prepared on Austrian territory the nucleus of armed forces. Germany, by purchase and other means, dispossessed the Poles of their lands. Another Polish group in Russia became National Democrats, and sought collaboration with Russia. This group looked to the coming together of Russia and France after 3891. In 1901 came the Entente Cordiale, which meant that Germany was encircled. Although partitioned for a century,

the nation remained alive, neither its speech nor its faith being surrendered, while the people retained their belief of ultimate freedom. On the map there was no Poland, but there was Paderewski, Modjuska, Lutoslowski, Madame Curie, and Sieukiewicz, the first Pole honoured with the Nobel Prize for literature.

Few people in 1914 believed that the question of Poland was involved After the retreat of the Russians, the central Powers issued a declaration of an independent Poland, but General Deseler, the German governor, wrecked all plans for winning the nation by announcing the creation of a Polish army under German officers. The provisional council met in January, 1917, with Pilsudski as head of the military section. The council wanted an oath to Poland, and this was strengthened by the Russian revolution in 1917 and the recognition of Polish independence by the republican Government. In January, 1918, President Wilson declared that statesmen were agreed that there should be an autonomous Poland. On June 22, 1918, a Polish division was formed in the French army.

Impoverished by War

The fact that the Polish nation was deprived of political and economic dependence for 150 years was bound to react forcibly on her economic position, for she had been partitioned among three Powers of totally different economic structures. They deliberately attempted to suppress the economic development of Poland so as to minimise any resistance or growth of national aspirations. Poland in 1918 was devoid of any economic organisation, and was impoverished by the military operations of the Great War in that area. Deliberate acts of vandalism of the central and contesting Powers left the State at the point of collapse. “It is only by realising these conditions that any true perspective of the work accomplished in 20 years or of the calibre of those leading the struggle can be estimated,” Mr. Shimmin continued.

As Poland saw the authority of Geneva waning, Warsaw found herself compelled to resort to bilateral agreements and to increasing dependence on her own initiative and strength. In 1938 there was a border settlement with Lithuania. In 1926 Poland felt that France was securing herself on the Rhine, and did not Care about the Vistula. Russian and German Pacts

In 1932 a non-aggression pact was signed with the Soviet Republic. This was renewed every year, and for seven years had been a stabilising influence.

After months of quiet negotiation, w.th Poland holding the best of the cards, the famous declaration of January 26, 1934, was ready, by which Germany confirmed the existing frontiers, and called off her demand for a revision of the boundaries. A 18-year term was set, during whicn war would be outlawed,* and provisions were made for settling by negotiation all outstanding differences. In 1934, Germany gave notice that sne was arming for her needs, and in 1936 came the re-occupation of the Rhineland, in 1938 the occupation of Austria, and in October of the same year the Czechoslovakian crisis. The Poles had received just before this the Teschen area from the Czechs, Teschen having belonged to Poland by the treaty of 1918. Concluding, Mr. Shimmin quoted an overseas commentator as saying that the Poles were a very proud people, and memories of Prussian oppression were still vivid. Public opinion was overwhelmingly against passivity in the face of Nazi bullying, even before the British guarantee was given. The strong line taken by the press was not inspired by the Foreign Office but by public opinion, and it was evident that the Poles would not lay down their arms as the Czechs had done. At the conclusion, a hearty vote of thanks was passed, the mover, Rotarian F. Wise, referring to it as being most interesting and topical. Rotarian J. O. Musgrave was in the chair. *