Polish polonaise – stately steps in the wrong direction?

November 11, 2020 Souwie

This time last year, I attended a celebration at the Polish Embassy in the Hague marking the 450^th anniversary of the Union of Lublin. Some call it the precursor to the European Union. This time last year, national elections also brought victory to right wing, Law and Order party giving it another term in office. One year on, the country has been rocked by protests against proposed changes to abortion laws as women rights and those of the LGBTQ community face increasing threat. As one of the largest countries in Europe with some of the most dramatic history, Poland’s future and past merit attention. Yet the country’s recent Nobel laureate, Olga Tokarczuk, faces strong resistance to her attempts to do just this.

Lublin is the largest city in eastern Poland, it sits near the border with Ukraine and Belarus. In 1569, it became the site at which two sovereign countries – the Kingdom of Poland and the Duchy of Lithuania merged to form a Commonwealth. The two nations agreed to be ruled by a single monarch, elected jointly by both nations in free elections. Like the European Union of today, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had one currency and conducted foreign affairs and defense policy jointly. However, government departments specific to each country were preserved as were their official languages, armies, treasuries and judicial systems.

At its zenith, in the early 17^th century, this dual state covered almost 1 million square kilometers and sustained a multi-ethnic population of 11 million people. Indeed the Commonwealth was marked by relatively high levels of religious tolerance, guaranteed by the Warsaw Confederation Act of 1573. Although Catholicism was the dominant religion of the state, freedom of religion for other faiths including Islam and Judaism was granted.

Celebrating and problematizing diversity.

Perhaps it is not so surprising that Nobel Prize winner, Olga Tokarczuk’s most recent novel, The Books of Jacob is set in the early years of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Described by its English translator, Jennifer Croft, as a rewriting of history designed to ‘celebrate and problematize diversity of faith, gender, language and nation’, the book follows the life of Jacob Frank. He is a Jew of Sephardic origins who was born in Poland but grew up in Romania and the Ottoman Empire. In the summer of 1579, he led the conversion of thousands of Jews to Catholicism in what is now the Ukraine. Seeking to establish himself as the new Jewish Messiah, he adopted elements of Catholicism and Islam in his teachings.

Considered by many to be the Nobel prize winner’s masterpiece, it was published in Polish in 2014 and remained a national best-seller for over a year afterwards. By delving into the multi-ethnic world of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the novel raises questions that are highly pertinent in today’s Europe. Although her book sold 170 000 copies in hardcover and was winner of Poland’s biggest literary prize, Tokarczuk attracted harsh criticism. Denounced by nationalists as a traitor, the author received death threats and her publisher had to hire bodyguards for her. “I was very naive. I thought we’d be able to discuss the dark areas in our history,” Tokarczuk admits.

Readers are encouraged to re-examine their own histories as its plot and characters both celebrate and problematize diversity. It speaks to the issues of tolerance and inclusiveness that the current refugee crisis has raised. Particularly in countries like Poland where the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) has taken a strong stance against the influx of migrants. Indeed the European Commission has just referred a third case to the European Court of Justice on threats to the rule of law introduced by the PiS. Tokarczuk’s 1000 page novel has yet to be translated into English. Publishers in the United States hope to have an English version ready by March 2021. In the meantime it is worth considering the hostile reactions by the ethno-nationalists in Poland. The country’s ruling Law and Justice party won again yesterday in national elections with 43.6%, bringing them another term in office.

An increasingly divided society.

Working from a strong Catholic base, the PiS prides itself on its conservative stance. Party president, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, has stated that PiS exclusively recognises families as ‘one man, one woman and children’. Unsurprisingly, their stance on LBTQ rights is largely intolerant with some local councils in Poland declaring ‘LGBT-free zones’. I spoke with human rights activist, Elzbieta Podlesna, who temporarily fled Poland for refuge in Belgium, after her involvement in the so-called ‘rainbow madonna’ incident. Podlesna and others believe that Polish society is increasingly divided along conservative/liberal lines. Recent protests against draconian abortion laws have served to highlight these divisions. In a country where a deeply traditional Catholic Church has strong links with the ruling party, human rights are increasingly threatened.

The first codified constitution in modern European history.

Shortly before its demise, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth adopted the first codified constitution in modern European history, the second (after the United States) in modern world history. So advanced was the May 3^rd Constitution (1791) in terms of the liberties it provided for its citizens, that its creation caused immediate reaction amongst neighbouring states. Russia, Prussia and Austria all took the opportunity to go ahead with the third and final partition of Poland. So that by 1795, not only the constitution but the state of Poland itself, had ceased to exist. It would be 123 years before Poland would come into existence once more – just in time for the Second World War, followed by decades of Russian communist rule.

Given the turbulent history of this country, it is understandable that nationalism has flourished. It provides the sort of clear, reassuring narrative that has been largely absent from Polish history. Yet, writers like Tokarczuk , provide other less comfortable but far more impressive narratives. Ones that celebrate diversity, dissent and tolerance. In time, Polish politics will hopefully reflect this rich history and in so doing, help to further enrich Europe, as it did 450 years ago.

Polish polonaise – stately steps in the right direction?

October 12, 2019 Souwie

Yesterday, the Nobel Prize for Literature (2018) was awarded to Polish writer, Olga Tokarczuk . I attended a celebration at the Polish Embassy in the Hague marking the 450^th anniversary of the Union of Lublin. Some call it the precursor to the European Union. On Sunday, national elections take place in Poland where right wing, Law and Order party is expected to win another term in office. As one of the largest countries in Europe with some of the most dramatic history, Poland’s future and past merit attention.

Celebrating and problematizing diversity.

Readers are encouraged to re-examine their own histories as its plot and characters both celebrate and problematize diversity. It speaks to the issues of tolerance and inclusiveness that the current refugee crisis has raised. Particularly in countries like Poland where the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) has taken a strong stance against the influx of migrants. Indeed the European Commission has just referred a third case to the European Court of Justice on threats to the rule of law introduced by the PiS. Tokarczuk’s 1000 page novel has yet to be translated into English. Publishers in the United States hope to have an English version ready by March 2021. In the meantime it is worth considering the hostile reactions by the ethno-nationalists in Poland. The country’s ruling Law and Justice party are set to triumph in Sunday’s national elections.

An increasingly divided society.

Working from a strong Catholic base, the PiS prides itself on its conservative stance. Party president, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, has stated that PiS exclusively recognises families as ‘one man, one woman and children’. Unsurprisingly, their stance on LBTQ rights is largely intolerant with some local councils in Poland declaring ‘LGBT-free zones’. I recently spoke with human rights activist, Elzbieta Podlesna, who temporarily fled Poland for refuge in Belgium, after her involvement in the so-called ‘rainbow madonna’ incident. This involved appropriation of the iconic Black Madonna with a halo of the LGBT rainbow colours. Podlesna and others believe that Polish society is increasingly divided along conservative/liberal lines. The current government has also used strong rhetoric against the EU’s refugee policies and came under attack for limiting Poland’s refugee quota to just 150, mostly Christian Syrians.

The first codified constitution in modern European history.

Polish-Jewish history: a 1000 year old relationship. (5 min)

April 1, 2019 Souwie

I recently had the pleasure of attending two events focusing on the subject of Polish-Jewish history. Professor Andrzej Bryk, of Jagiellonian University in Krakow, undertook the challenging task of distilling 1000 years of Polish-Jewish history into a 45 minute presentation, on invitation of the Polish Embassy here in the Netherlands. Later in the week, I heard Booker prize winning Polish novelist, Olga Tokarczuk, speak in Amsterdam about her recent novel on the same topic, ‘The Books of Jacob’.

My knowledge of eastern European history is limited. The isolation caused by the so-called Iron Curtain successfully retarded deeper, more nuanced understandings of the history of countries like Poland. So I was both intrigued and surprised by the tensions evoked in the ensuing discussions on the subject of Polish-Jewish history. Professor Bryk’s extensive knowledge of the subject was underpinned by the underlying theme of the greatness of this shared history. A perspective that he defended with some determination in the face of some awkward questions from Jewish members of the audience. Far more surprising, however, have been the extreme responses to Tokarczuk’s book. These have included calls for her expulsion from Poland, even death threats requiring the employment of bodyguards.

‘There is no history of the Jews without a history of Poland and there is no history of Poland without the Jews.’

‘There is no history of the Jews without a history of Poland and there is no history of Poland without the Jews.’ Professor Andrzej Bryk, outlined, with impressive authority, the relationship between the Polish and the Jewish people. Polish-Jewish history may be traced back as far as the tenth century. However, it was in the 14^th century that the Yiddish civilization came fully into being, in and because, of Poland, Professor Bryk told us. An old Polish saying goes, ‘In Poland, even the trees whisper in Hebrew’.

With the large scale expulsion of the Jews from Western Europe toward the end of the 14^th century, closely connected to the financial problems that arose with the failure of the Crusades, Poland became a promising alternative for many Jewish families. Poland had not become involved in the Crusades and neither had it been so badly affected by the Plague. Instead it had expanded successfully, so that by 1492, Polish-Lithuania was the largest territorial state in Europe, covering over a million square kilometers.

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, formed in 1569, with the signing of the Union of Lublin, was unique among states of that time. Monarchs were elected by the nobility, providing a precursor for modern concepts like constitutional monarchy. The population was largely multi-ethnic and noted for its religious tolerance, guaranteed by the Warsaw Confederation Act of 1573. Most importantly from a Jewish perspective, was the creation of the Council of the Four Lands. This was the most elaborate and highly developed institutional structure in European Jewish history. A national council or parliament, that operated from the mid-16th century to the 18th. Its decisions affected the lives of thousands of Jewish communities in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This council allowed for the collection of taxes by these communities. It also helped them foster a special relationship with the Polish nobility.

However, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth began to collapse in the late 18^th century, leaving the Polish nobility with reduced economic and political status. As the nation’s intelligentsia, their Jewish links remained strong. So when the Nazis began a systematic ‘liquidation’ of this group in the first half of the war, large numbers of Jews were killed in the process. Later, 100 000 Poles would also be killed at Auschwitz. Thus began the darkest chapter of Polish-Jewish history. In all, Poland lost over six million citizens in World War II.

‘In Poland, even the trees whisper in Hebrew’.

Few would argue that Poland’s history has been an easy or especially happy one. Partitioned between the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia and the Austro-Hapsburg Monarchy, Poland ceased to exist as an independent state for over a hundred years. For their part, the Jewish people were stateless for centuries. Perhaps unsurprisingly, both groups have drawn on historical narratives of suffering and the elevated moral status that resulted therefrom in order to reclaim their identity and explain histories that are heavy with tragedy and loss. Perhaps this helps explain the extreme reactions to Olga Tokarczuk’s epic novel, The Books of Jacob.

Described by its English translator, Jennifer Croft, as a rewriting of history designed to ‘celebrate and problematize diversity of faith, gender, language and nation’, the book follows the life of Jacob Frank. A Jew of Sephardic origin, Frank was born in Poland but grew up in Romania and the Ottoman Empire. In the summer of 1579, he led the conversion of thousands of Jews to Catholicism, in an area of Poland which is now the Ukraine. Seeking to establish himself as the new Jewish Messiah, he adopted elements of Catholicism and Islam in his teachings.

“I thought we’d be able to discuss the dark areas in our history,” – Tokarczuk.

The book thus clearly highlights the importance of Jewish culture to Polish history. But also reminds readers of the role played by the Polish in the gradual suppression of the region’s multiculturalism. Tokarczuk told us that she realised, as her research progressed, why Frank’s story had been ‘swept under the carpet’. Three powerful groups in Poland were uncomfortable with this figure and what he represented. This included the Orthodox Jews who called him a traitor, Poland’s Catholic Church and the descendants of his very own followers, the Frankists. The latter had successfully assimilated into mainstream Christian society and did not want to be reminded of their origins. “I was very naive. I thought we’d be able to discuss the dark areas in our history,” Tokarczuk admits.

Some critics have explained the hostile reaction to the book by segments of Polish society in terms of the rise of white ethno-nationalism in Poland. However, the book sold over 170 000 hardback copies there and was awarded the ‘Polish Booker’ award. American Jewish historian, David Engel, provides a compelling explanation for these tensions via recourse to competing historical narratives that go back centuries.

A Christ of Nations?

Both Polish and Jewish historians have laid claim to notions of unique righteousness maintained in the face of unique suffering by their respective peoples. Some versions of Polish history have presented the country as a sort of ‘Christ of Nations’ where persecuted peoples like the Jews found a ‘paradise’ of tolerance and respect. Certainly such a sub-text could be identified in Professor Bryk’s presentation. However Engels points out that this narrative has never won substantial acceptance among the Jewish public. The various questions raised by Jewish members of the audience at the Polish professor’s presentation would seem to echo this.

Efforts have been made among both Polish and Jewish historians to bring these two narratives into conversation with one another and the works of authors like Tokarczuk clearly have a vital role to play here too. Let’s hope, that, in time, a rapprochement between these two beleaguered but incredibly resilient peoples will be reached in a manner that celebrates the very real achievements of both.