Poles are proud of their roots and feel underestimated by the rest of the world. We have quite a high opinion of ourselves. In history, however, it is difficult to find cases where a stranger pretended to be a Pole, wanting to improve his image. Yes, there were various pseudo-Poles, but their intentions were not always pure ...
We present five historical examples of when foreigners considered it appropriate to impersonate Poles. Their motivations were different, and the effect was not always convincing. Nevertheless, it is worth paying attention to this bizarre phenomenon due to its rarity.
5. Provocateurs from Gliwice, or "Poles" in Hitler's service
Attention! This is Gliwice. The radio station is in Polish hands ... - broadcast on the air alleged Silesian insurgents, who on August 31, 1939, broke into the radio station in Gliwice, at that time German. The "Polish" attackers were in fact SS men in civilian disguises . And this attack (like other border provocations prepared by the Nazis) was to help Hitler in his attack on the Second Polish Republic.
The transmitter room of the Gliwice radio station. It was she who was the site of the notorious provocation (source:public domain).
The Führer wanted to show the world that the Poles are the aggressors and to convince the allied Western powers that they should not get involved on our side.
4. Jealous Brits, or a pick up on a Pole
During the Battle of Britain, Polish airmen made a sensation in the British Isles. Courageous, handsome, gallant and direct at the same time - they won the hearts of British women forced to live in a very prudish society, still bound by Victorian moral and social taboos.
As they eagerly liberated themselves from them in the arms of the Polish eagles, the British proceeded to counterattack. They began to appear at dance parties in uniforms with the words "Poland" attached , they kissed the hands of women on every occasion, they even learned to speak with a Slavic accent.
Brave and gallant Polish airmen quickly won the hearts of British women. No wonder, then, that the Islanders, irritated by this fact, began to impersonate them. The photo shows the pilots of the famous 303 Squadron (source:public domain).
There is even a story about a usurper who charmed the British with the words: "I am Polish aviator. Please have a drink with me. I'm very lonely ” (I am a Polish aviator. Have a drink with me please. I am very lonely).
3. Blue-eyed Haitians, or "Poles" out of politeness
When Napoleon sent Polish legionnaires to San Domingo (Haiti) to suppress the slave uprising in the French colony, over a hundred of our compatriots deserted and turned over to the rebels . Poles could not stand the atrocities of the French, and remembering about the lost freedom of Poland, they did not want to participate in the oppression of others ...
As a result, when Haiti became free, in the constitution of 1805, we were mentioned along with the Germans (who lived there peacefully from growing coffee) as the only Europeans who were given the right to own and acquire any property. Poles still remember the noble desertion of their countrymen and see every Haitian with lighter skin and eyes as a descendant of a legionnaire.
And we weren't the only blue-eyed whites on the island! The locals, even if they do not know this history, willingly agree to look for Polish roots in them. Out of courtesy to guests from a distant country.
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2. Nihilist Nietzsche, or "Pole" out of anger
I was taught that my blood and my surname came from a noble Nickich family - confessed Friedrich Nietzsche in 1883. Even as a little boy, I was very proud of my Polish origin - he noted and added that in his childhood he even had a book with mazurkas written on it. But music was not what the philosopher-nihilist meant.
Friedrich Nietzsche invented Polish roots to hurt his countrymen (source:public domain).
He was impressed by his noble origin and noble right to veto! That is why he stated that even if he inherited Polish blood only from his mother, remained a Pole in his essential character . Unfortunately, it was not confirmed by the genealogical research carried out years later.
Well, it doesn't seem like Nietzsche has been to Poland at least once! So he probably invented the legend of Polish origin while you waited, to hurt the then Germans and their "fallen" culture for him.
1. Tsar Paul I, or "Pole" dreamed of
Paul I Romanov was officially the son of Tsar Peter III and Catherine II (the Great). However, he believed that he was the fruit of his mother's affair with Stanisław Poniatowski - even before he became the Polish king with the support of the tsarina. Only that Paweł was born in 1754, and Katarzyna met Stanisław in 1755!
Yes, they probably had a baby together. However, not Paweł, but Anna, who died in childhood (1757–1759). Poniatowski tried to convince the Tsar of his mistake. Whether he succeeded or not, Paweł kept a certain sympathy for both Stanisław and the Poles . After taking power, he released many Poles from prisons, including Tadeusz Kościuszko.
Stanisław August was provided with a decent life and a decent funeral. He even assured that he had always been against the partitions of Poland ... Why was Paweł so insistent? He probably knew he was not the son of Peter III, but Poniatowski seemed to him to be the most worthy of his mother's lovers!