Panna Wodzianna: polish-ukrainian issue
Merkuriusz Polski Thursday, 14 January 2010 01:36
As president elections in Ukraine are coming up, we've been searching for articles, opinions and information referred to the subject. What we'd like to present, is a post from a blog running by Panna Wodzianna at salon24.pl - www.wodzianna.salon24.pl (Poland). It was published on 23rd of August 2009 - ukrainian Day of the Flag. We think, that such an unconventional and critical (as for Pole!) outlook on polish-ukrainian issues is worth mentioning.
"862 - this is the year of setting up the Kingdom of Rus by Normans. 882 - arose a state of Kievan Rus. Kingdom of Galicia - Volhynia originated from Kievan Rus and IX/Xth-century Halych, having included such towns like Chelm, Brest, Przemysl or Lviv.
Tatars' invasion have brought about to long-term slavery of eastern part of Kievan Rus. When northern part has given an origin for nowadays' Russia, south-western part's been keeping independence for quite a long time.
The identity and strength of the Kingdom as a state were the firmest after coronation of the first king - Daniel (1254) by nonce in Drohiczyn. Ukraine ows to Daniel setting up such towns like Lviv or Chelm.
King's Daniel son was leading the country in an alliance with Hungary and, because of practical reasons, he moved the capital from Chelm to Lviv. But in XIIIth century Leszek Czarny and, again, Tatars desolated the land.
In XIVth century country was situated in the middle of hungarian, lithuanian and polish fights. About 1350 came up to partition of the Kingdom in course of war carried on by Poles and Lithuanians.
Polish - Lithuanian union ensured to Lithuania the main part of subjected nation's territory for two centuries. Annexation of territory was getting deeper as Tatars were being pushed out by Lithuanians an Russia. Poland's position was reinforcing and Union of Lublin sealed dependance of Ukraine to Poland, instead of Lithuania. The proposal, that Ukraine would join 'Commonwealth of Three Nations' was refused.
Poland has carried on a colonial politics and a drainage of ukrainian territories creating huge possessions, where the role of local nation has been reduced to slave labour. Betrayal of Rus people's interest by Vladyslav IV have led to rise a national-emancipation movement, which culmination was an insurrection leaded by Chmielnicki. The insurrection failed in 1665 due to collusion between Poles (Piotr Potocki) and Tatars (Mehmed IV Girej)
Russian and Austrian-Hungarian expansion in XVIIIth century didn't straighten the situation. Chances for rebirth have been given only after the First World War, that has weakened Russia and Hungary.
Joint battle with Poland against Russia and communism hasn't change the situation - Ukraine has remained partitioned - this time by Russia and Poland.
After Poland's calamity in 1939 hopes has arisen, partially thanks to initial successes of Germany in war against Russia. UPA has been fighting against polish and russian occupants hoping to create an independent country and after the end of war - just due to symbolic and patriotic reasons.
During the Second World War the 'Tatarian case' has been brought to an end and russian colonization has got intensified. But Ukraine gained territorial development and autonomy within USSR.
In 1991 Ukraine was borne again. Today is a Day of the Flag.
Ukraine fears of countries, that for centuries has been it's enemies: Poland and Russia - with Russia Ukraine has same roots, with Poland - longer occupation. There's only one important politician in Poland who understands aspirations and problems of Ukraine - perhaps even better than Piłsudski in 1918-1921 - Lech Kaczyński."
We'd like to thank Panna Wodzianna for letting us translate the article.
for polish readers:
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