Poland began its independent existence destroyed, impoverished, without established borders, without the army, but with the need to merge three different organisms. The integration process had to go smoothly, especially in the face of the reluctance of its neighbors and the ambiguous attitude of the governments of the coalition powers.
Thanks to the extraordinary effort of a whole generation of Poles and the favorable international prosperity, independence was defended and preserved.
The hundredth anniversary of regaining independence is a great opportunity to face the founding myth of contemporary Poland. In previous assessments of this anniversary, pathos dominated, and stereotypical opinions were repeated about the independence leaders.
Buy a book by Marek Rezler entitled "Polish independence 1918" (Wydawnictwo Poznańskie 2018) with a discount on empik.com
Marek Rezler, a respected historian and journalist, deals with a number of myths that have permanently entered the canon of national megalomania:about the achievements of national uprisings and the martyrdom of the nation under the partitions, about the alleged superpower of the young state and the later so-called betrayal of Western allies, about failing to deal with hard realpolitik throughout the 20th century.
A well-run narrative and dynamic style are an additional advantage of this book, and bold but fully justified assessments bring a breath of fresh air to the national dialogue.
Buy the book at a discount on empik.com
