History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

CIVIL WAR IN CENTRAL EUROPE, 1918-1921, THE RECONSTRUCTION OF POLAND, Jochen Bohler, 2018.

This book is part of a series called "The Greater War, 1912-1923" published by Oxford University Press. The series presents the rise of nation-states before and especially after World War I. Other books in the series cover, Lithuania, Turkey, Russia, Austria, etc.

This book was printed in the UK; written in American English and produced by a German historian. Yep! This is a very unusual Polish history of the birth of the Second Republic.

It is heavily researched: 28 pages of reference works cited; 237 works in English-language scholarship. Most of the archives consulted were in Poland (11 locations) followed by the USA (five locations).

Bohler is a professor at the University of Jena, Germany. After his studies he moved to Warsaw for ten years. He married a Polish woman and started to raise a family there.
The book has an exciting, fast-flowing narrative. But since I'm a novice in the study of Polish history, this book started to confuse me. Why? Bohler claims that the Second Republic grew out of a "Central European CIVIL WAR". His explanation of why this is so caused me to start researching book reviews on line.

Secondly the other main themes also confused me. Firstly, nothing and no one was UNITED. No unity. Also the level of VIOLENCE produced against civilians by the Polish was unbelievable. This idea of violence against civilians is presented in Chapter Four, "Violence and Crimes Beyond the Battlefield". Much of the violence took place in the kresy region, directed against Ukrainians and Jews. Maybe that's why Ukrainians butchered Poles during World War II?

Two reviewers, Krzysztof Jaskulowski (PhD-history; PhD-sociology) and Tomas Balkelis (PhD, Univ. of Toronto) say that the histories of the Second Republic are dominated by idealized narratives of a united Polish nation. Jaskulowski says this notion still exists in modern public thought and in Poland's social imagination. He maintains that many Polish historians skim over the violence that happened.

Also contrary to popular belief, Polish society was NOT UNITED. The book presents contradictory goals, different interests, various Polish "power centers", parties and "warlords" who sometimes fought each other.

Bakelis points out that Bohler shows Polish society displayed a total lack of participation except for urban areas. The peasants were the "silent majority".

I finally went to ChatGPT (AI) and received the following. Positively Bohler's book gives a detailed portrayal of the politico-military chaos of the era. His approach provides a comprehensive perspective on how the Polish state was constructed amidst civil unrest, foreign intervention (Bolsheviks) and internal divisions.

Leaning towards a more critical view is the usage of the term "civil war" and the portrayal of Polish nationalism. Bohler's usage of the "civil war" term to describe Poland's 1918-1921 rebirth misrepresents the nature of the period. Critics say that the struggles for independence, the Bolshevik war, the internal political unrest are NOT civil war. Civil wars are factions fighting within a single state.

Bohler presents the depiction of Polish nationalism as "imperialistic" and "aggressive", particularly against inhabitants of the kresy. He overemphasizes the negative aspects of rebirth and downplays Poland's legit struggles for self-determination.

"Presentism". This concept popped up. I never thought of it. Bohler looks at the 1918-1921 period through "modern lens". That's why he calls it a civil war. It was among Slavic peoples. He oversimplifies Polish motivation for wanting to create their own nation-state.

Overall summary. From my perspective you better know your modern Polish history in order to read this book. This book explores the power vacuum after the great empires fell.

Criticism centers around the term "civil war". It's misleading. Poland's struggles were wars of independence, they were border wars along with internal struggles. Lastly Bohler portrays Polish nationalism as overly negative --- he downplays Poland's legitimate struggle for rebirth.

One thing that Bohler mentions (and reviewer Balkelis emphasizes) is because of the violent wars after World War I, the little Central European countries (Poland, Czechoslovakia, Lithuania) became more authoritarian and fierce enemies of each other. They never untied in alliances and that's why they were easy prey for the Nazis and Stalin.

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History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

THE HISTORY OF POLAND, Mieczyslaw B. Biskupski, 2000. Part of the Greenwood Histories of Modern Nations.
Highly recommended!

This history series deals with the modern histories of nations. Most of this history is devoted to the 1914-2000 era. One chapter deals with Poland up to 1795; another chapter entitled "Poland's Long Century, 1795-1914". This is my first attempt into tackling a modern history of Poland. There is a 2nd edition published in 2018 that updates this edition. So far I have been unable to procure it.

M.B. Biskupski is a Polish-American historian. He received his PhD from Yale in 1981 and since 2002 he is the Endowed Chair in Polish and Polish-American Studies at Central Connecticut State University. Previously he taught at various colleges and at the University of Warsaw.

What's great about this book is that he has a way of describing complex historical events in a well laid out narrative, especially the ethnographic struggles, the economic situations, the political infighting. Exceptionally clear is his comparisons of the Pilsudskiites vs the endecja; why Pilsudski's coup took place; how come Poland failed against the Nazi invasion; how the Allies betrayed Poland at the conferences; characters such as Beruit, Gomulka, etc.

The layout of this history is also refreshing. There is a "Timeline of Historical Events" which is always helpful in studying so complicated a history. The end contains a notable people list with mini-biographies: from Wladyslaw Anders to Stefan Wyszynski. Finally a glossary and list of abbreviations and terms are listed (and help a lot), e.g. kresy, Polonia, AK, PRL, PZPR, etc., etc.

I love it when an historian produces a bibliographic essay which Biskupski does. This essay is a critique of Polish historiography written in the English language. It's well worth reading and he comments on some other Polish histories. These comments pretty much sum up a view of Polish history in English. (Remember these comments are based on books from two decades ago).
·Norman Davies's GOD'S PLAYGROUND has "errors and controversial interpretations" . (He's addressing the original 1982 editions).
·Biskupski gives good points to Zamoyski's THE POLISH WAY (which has since been revised and updated) and R.F. Leslie's THE HISTORY OF POLAND SINCE 1863.
·Pawel Jasienica's English translated works are "extraordinarily readable".
·"Impressive" is Robert I. Frost's AFTER THE DELUGE. Biskupski says no one yet has produced a major synthesis of the Cossack wars and the Deluge.
·"Unsatisfactory" is R.F. Leslie's REFORM AND INSURRECTION IN RUSSIAN POLAND, 1856-1865.
·He says there are no decent biographies (in English) of Pilsudski or Sikorski.
·Again Norman Davies's WHITE EAGLE RED STAR comes off with "...occasional lapses in fact and judgement..."
·Richard C. Lukas's THE FORGOTTEN HOLOCAUSR is valuable "...though marred by its polemical tone regarding Jewish issues"
·Lastly the story of the WW II Polish Underground State still awaits a comprehensive history.

For me this was a great intro into modern Poland. Sort of smoothed things out for me concerning the birth of the Second Republic amidst the wreckage of WWI and the communist period. It was during this communist period, when I was in grammar school, that I came into contact with a lot of kids who were new immigrants from Poland.

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History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]


I finally finished this history book. The author, Samuel Astley Dunham, wrote this history, in English, during the 1830 Revolution. He was very sympathetic to the caus.
"But, whether victor or vanquished, the Poles must have the respect of humanity."

But in reading the history he's very critical of the kings who ruled during the so-called "Golden Age" of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It's as if the Poles stumbled on good luck despite their perpetual bumbling in any social, economic or political sphere.

Casimir IV ruled almost forty-five years!!! "The feeble though obstinate Casimir IV was regretted by nobody. Whatever good appeared under his reign...must be referred to the favor of Heaven; whatever bad, to the weakness of his administration." That's all he gets for FORTY-FIVE YEARS OF RULING!!!

Zygmunt I "the Old' ruled over 41 years. He gets good marks. Zygmunt II Augustus "As a king, he ranks very high...with him ended the greatness of Poland."
Zygmunt III ruled for a little more than 24 years. His reign was disastrous. With him, Poland slipped into the reign of Wladyslaw IV and the Deluge and the end of a great nation.

From reading all these histories it seems that Zygmunt II Augustus is probably Poland's greatest king. That's my unprofessional opinion. But he seems to have known what he was doing. Personally, I think he's Poland's greatest king, above Casimir the Great, above Bathory, above John Sobieski.

History / Poland: Her heroes and her traitors [221]

Poland has been around as a nation a long time. Longer than Germany and longer than Russia, as we know it today.in that long period of time she has definitely produced a number of traitors. Lots of them in my opinion.

This thread definitely lists a few of them. Oftentimes traitors are produced because of internal conflicts - civil wars. Civil wars are the breeding grounds for traitors and Poland has had her share of civil wars. Some of the ingredients of civil wars are that they are based on 1.) GREED - the desire to maximize power and profit over control of the nation and/or 2.) GRIEVANCES - a reaction to an injustice and/or OPPORTUNITY - both sides feel the time is right to get something done there way through violence. Polish civil wars seem to have a hefty dose of all this.

My group of traitors are the ones responsible for the end of Poland as an independent country. After a period of two decades, they made sure Poland could never determine the course of her own fate.

That group was everyone involved in ruling Poland during 1697-1717. THE WORSE PART OF IT ALL IS PRETTY MUCH NO ONE THOUGHT OF THEMSELVES AS TRAITORS. As you read about this period the major players come off as greedy idiots afraid of losing everything and in the end they lost their country.

·Everybody involved in electing August the Saxon
·Definitely August II himself who tried to partition Poland not once but twice.
·All those involved in the Sandomierz Confederation backing August II and co-operating with Peter of Russia
·The royalist backers of August II AND THE CONFEDERATES OF TARNOGRAD. Both pathetic groups were duped into fighting each other and duped into negotiations. Worse, they were slapped into the Silent Sejm (1717), thus bringing to an end Poland's independence.

Out of all the published comprehensive outlines of Polish history (in English), this period is not investigated in depth. It's "glossed over" because it's such an embarrassment.

Unfortunately, there is a hero in this scenario. History records him as a hero. He's one of the "great men" of history. That person is Peter the Great. That's why he's termed "the Great". For us Poles that's a crying shame.

History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

In my effort to learn Polish history I've read a number of comprehensive histories of Poland. I've read the more famous ones that have been written in English. These would include:
·Adam Zamoyski
POLAND, A HISTORY, 2009
THE POLISH WAY, 1994
·Daniel Stone
THE POLISH-LITHUANIAN STATE, 1386-1795, 2001
·Norman Davies
GOD'S PLAYGROUND, Vols ! & 2, 1984 edition and 2005 revised edition.
·Jerzy Lukowski & Hubert Zawadzki
A CONCISE HISTORY OF POLAND, 2nd edition, 2006
·Patrice M. Dabrowski
POLAND, THE FIRST THOUSAND YEARS, 2016

I just finished a one hundred seven year old book (published in 1917 and described in the thread above). Surprisingly I found this book, THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF POLAND, to be one of the best. The narrative flowed easily thanks to Lewinski-Corwin's style of writing. The author wrote this book in 1917 while WW I was going on and a new Poland was attempting to be born. When he finished the book the Russian czar was already overthrown and the USA entered WW I.

The author mentions that few references have been given throughout the book. The reason ha says this was because his publisher advised against listing sources that a reader could not consult. Most of the references used were in Polish. His footnotes were printed though and I researched some of them.

August Sokolowski (1846-1924) and Wladyslaw Smolenski (1851-1926) where two of the historians used. Has anyone heard of them? Also Josef Grabiec, HISTORY OF THE POLISH NATION, 1909 was used as was ZARYS HISTORYI POLSKIEJ, 1913 (OUTLINE OF POLISH HISTORY).has any of the forum members used them or read them? It's too bad the references weren't published. They'd be helpful today.

One thing I will say is that the book was beautifully illustrated. I read a reprint version, pictured here, so I could write notes in it. The illustrations and some of the printing were poor and faded. I obtained an original copy through the library loan system from the library of Sarah Lawrence College in New York. The pictures were beautiful enough to be framed!

Even though I thoroughly enjoyed the book it has its pluses and minuses. Another interesting part is when the author talks about what the future holds from the perspective of 1917!

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History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

@pawian
He starts the first chapter be telling about a people the Latin chronicles called the "Poloni".They lived around the Warta, Odra and Notec Rivers.
The last chapter, which I have not got to yet, is entitled "The Polish Question and the Great War". So that would be 1917, the year the book was published. So the author covers about 950 years of history or so.

History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF POLAND, Edward H. Lewinski-Corwin, PhD, 1917.

I'm fascinated by this book because it's so easy to read. The narrative of events are so clear that it makes understanding easier. I'm surprised this book has not stayed in print longer. For me it seems to be one of the best flowing histories of Poland.

I'm about 40% through the 628 pages book and I decided to investigate it. I'll comment on the books contents when I finish it.
Because I'm enjoying and understanding a lot of events, I began to wonder how accurate the book was. There was an agenda to write this history but did that taint the actual history in any way? What type of historian was Lewinski-Corwin?

Edward H. Lewinski-Corwin, PhD (1885-1953) WAS NOT AN HISTORIAN. That surprised me. He received his degree from Columbia University and was a healthcare practitioner in city and state health departments. In 1934 he was inducted as an Honorary Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
But he was also an activist for Polish independence to English-speaking Americans. During World War I he was Secretary of the American Polish Relief Committee. It was during this time he wrote this history book. He says,

"There are very few works in the English language which reveal a true understanding of Polish history."

"Undertaken with a view of presenting an accurate account of the political and social evolution of Poland, based especially and largely on Polish sources of information."
He mentions two events that will foster a rebirth of Poland: the downfall of the Russian Empire and the entry of the USA in WW I. "...the two outside circumstances which will have a powerful bearing upon the equitable solution of the Polish Question."

The book was reviewed in 1918 by Robert J. Kerner in the AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW (the journal of the prestigious American Historical Association). Kerner (1887-1956) was a professor of history and Slavic studies at the Univ. of Calif., Berkeley. The book received a good review and over time other historians used it as a reference in writing history books about Europe.

The reason I investigated this book so thoroughly was because I absolutely love the way he presents the social history of Poland, step-by-step through time, i.e. the people, the classes, the nobles, the clergy, the peasants, the "outsiders", etc.

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Life / The Legacy of Polish Poster design [36]

Absolutely love this art form. Check out these faces!

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Life / The Legacy of Polish Poster design [36]

Merged:

Polish School of Poster Art

Has anyone investigated this art form from Poland? Hands down it's phenomenal! Polish artists used poster art as a means of artistic expression by interpreting and commenting on the subject (usually a movie or play) of the poster. They tied it into a reflection on their society which was the communist Polish People's Republic (1950s to 1980s). The graphic design is amazing. There is a Warsaw Poster Museum that contains Polish posters going back to the 19th century.

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History / Poland's January Uprisings of 1863 [86]


What the heck is this post all about? What does it mean? How does this have anything to do with the 1863 Uprising? Belgrade? What's Belgrade have to do with the original topic?

History / Poland's January Uprisings of 1863 [86]


I have to admit that I agree with you concerning a "hatred" of Russians and all things Russian. The stories I heard as a child from my grandparents always pointed out the dislike for Russians. These grandparents were born in the 1880s-90s, one generation after the uprising. One set came from Bylorussia. Since it was closer to "mother Russia" it was not that repressive. The other set came from south of Lublin. The closer you lived near another empire's border the more repressive the local government was.
Nothing was "Polish" anymore, everything was "Russian". No one was educated; no one went to school. Luckily the men were educated in barns and cellars at night and learned reading, writing, math, history, etc. the women were totally illiterate. They knew some arithmetic. They didn't even know about money until they came to the USA. Religious education was in Polish and that's how hymns and prayers were learned. Secretly other education took place during religious education.
I was shocked to find out how illiterate the Polish people were in 1860. 81% were totally illiterate (out of 4,764,446). (statistics from R.F.Leslie, Reform and Insurrection in Russian Poland, 1856-1865). This translates into people NOT INTERESTED AT ALL IN POLITICAL ACTIVITY. It didn't matter to millions who was the overlord was as long as they could eek out a subsistence living. THAT'S WHY SO FEW PEASANTS SUPPRTED THE UPRISING.


I'm finishing up reading about the 1863 uprising. One side of my family were peasants; the other side were minor landowning szlachta (lived in a village; did their own farming) in Bylorussia. The bottom line is that the Polish landowning "gentry" wanted to keep their own people enslaved as serfs and continue a "type of lifestyle" that contributed to the rot that started in the Commonwealth in the 18th century. Unfortunately, history now tells us that the lousy Russian czar (Alexander II) freed the serfs in his domain. He gets the credit whether you like it or not because of how wretched a fiasco the 1863 Uprising was!!!
Reading the history leading to the birth of the Republic is fantastic. It was brutal but everything was planned and executed and the Polish kept winning against anyone. This was their third "major" time at bat and they hit a grand slam! Finally.
But you have to remember that many had to find a better way to survive. Millions left the lands of the Polish culture. My people came here NEVER TO STAY; ONLY TO MAKE MONEY AND GO BACK. Within a month of living in the USA they sent for their families never to return to the "OLD COUNTRY". Thank God!
As a side note, as an American, this is why I hate anything to do with "Confederate" in US history. I despise everything about US Southern Confederacy and its history and its memory. If they had won in 1863 then my people would probably have never thought of coming to the USA. Amen!

History / Poland's January Uprisings of 1863 [86]

@Mr Grunwald
Many thanks for the info. I'm still learning about this uprising. Very complicated, especially the reasons why.

History / Poland's January Uprisings of 1863 [86]

I'm very interested in the January Uprising because I believe it affected one side of my family. I'm pretty sure in 1850 they were serfs. The generation I could remember talking to were born in the 1880s. unfortunately I was too young and didn't ask questions. The reason my grandparents came to the USA was because they were only hired farm hands. But my grandmother's older brother owned property. He left that property (and his whole family) and also came to the USA. I think he got land because of the 1863 uprising.

The info about this uprising in English is very scarce. The events leading up to it are very confusing.
I know the following sporadic details:
1.)It was being planned for a long time.
2.)The real reason for the unrest was agrarian and social reform amongst the Polish landlords and magnates under the watchful eyes of the Russian overlords.
3.)Reforms were coming from Aleander II anyway and it seems the Polish landowners did not have a plan to synchronize their reforms with the upcoming czarist reforms.
4.)There was another, more radical group. They were the instigators of the uprising. These radicals were allowed back into Poland after Nicholas I died.
5.)The unplanned event was the "conscription crisis" where hotheads ran amok without any leadership or a plan.

I'm still struggling to figure out more of the details. In this thread it is mentioned if Poland's uprisings were worth the bloodshed. I have to admit this 1863 rebellion seems to be a badly bungled fiasco! Whatever aims they had were totally unrealistic fantasy, i.e. go back to 1772 for example.

So to me it was a question of who was going to lead the way for agrarian/social reforms: the Polish or the czar and his admins. Each was trying to undermine the other. What stands out is that the Polish landowners did not want to budge concerning serf labor. Times were changing but if they had their way they would be content with ongoing slave labor. They argued and dickered around too long. The Russians started to take the initiative.

Your thoughts?

History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

Another history book, in English, concerning the January Uprising of 1863.

REFORM AND INSURRECTION IN RUSSIAN POLAND, 1856-1865, by R.F. Leslie, 1963. I managed to obtain this book through the US inter-library loan system and am making my way through it.

Robert Frank Leslie (1918-1994) was a British professor and a specialist in Polish history. One of his other books is POLISH POLITICS AND THE REVOLUTION OF NOVEMBER, 1830, published 1956, 1969.

This is not a military history of the insurrection. The last chapter basically deals with that. The book is 251 pages long excluding the bibliography. 151 pages are devoted to the background and events that led up to January, 1863. Diplomatic maneuverings and Polish politics cover another sixty pages.

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History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

There are some history books that I'm looking for in English. So far no luck finding anything.
Firstly is any book the covers the 1863 Revolution. Even if it's a section of another history book. A long as it covers the events in detail better than Wikipedia and other Google searches. I believe this event affected my family and caused some of them to come to America, France and Argentina. I want to know more about the mundane facts such as the serfs, opportunities, property, finances, economic growth, etc.

Secondly I don't see much coverage anywhere about the period from the election of the Saxon Augustus to the Silent Sejm (1717).
Basically this is the period of the Great Northern War. I would be willing to get a GNW history but there doesn't seem to be any available. Could someone refer me to an accurate GNW history? One that will cover all facets, not just Russia and Sweden. I don't even know a reliable GNW history. I could search libraries if I had a title and author. The best I've done is Wikipedia concerning the civil war fought in Poland during the GNW. I need to know more of the details such as who were the major players in this drama.

Any help would be appreciated.

For reference purposes.

I found a history book, in English, about the January Uprising (1863). It's a free download from Google Books because it's now copyright free to use.

THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT IN POLAND WITH A NARRATIVE OF THE POLISH INSURRECTION OF 1863, William Ansell Day, 1867.
Cannot find much about William Day. He produced very little output. His other work is THE PYTHOUSE PAPERS, 1879, about late 17th century English anti-Catholic hysteria, plots to assassinate Charles II, hanging Jesuits, etc., etc.

His Polish history seems to be very detailed. I have not read it yet.

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History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

MARTYRED AND BLESSED TOGETHER, THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF THE ULMA FAMILY, Fr. Pawel Rytel-Andrianik & Manuela Tulli, 2023.

To say the least this book is intense! You'll definitely reflect upon it after you've read it. Fr. Rytel-Andrianik is a professor at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. He's also editor of the Polish section of Vatican Radio/News. Manuela Tulli is an Italian journalist covering Vatican and religious topics for the Ansa news agency. The author of books, she's also a blogger.

The book's narrative flows beautifully and it is well documented with copious footnotes and bibliography. Included in the bibliography are websites. Unfortunately for me a lot of it is in Polish.

One of the most interesting topics covered is that of the child in the womb who was killed. That child is considered a martyr and beatified. The book delves into that topic and also covers the children who were very young. They are also considered martyr and beatified by the church. The topic of "martyrdom" is also covered in clear terms. Biographies of the Ulma family and the Jewish victims are also covered.

The neighbors knew the Ulmas were harboring refugees. Even though the house was 200 or so meters from the main road (650+ feet) they saw lots of activity. Food usually gave one away. Large amounts of food were purchased. But it was not neighbors who betrayed the Ulmas. It was a local policeman who was entrusted with one of the Jewish person's property who got greedy.

Chapter4, "The Massacre" is like a deep-sleep, very quick, very disturbing nightmare. All the murders were quickly done within minutes. Silently, no talking, no comments, no shouts, no orders, just gunshots. Only the children were left to be dealt with. The murderers robbed everything from the house and hauled it away in carts. Pillows, mattresses, beds, cups, plates, soup dishes, pots, pans and even tanned leather pieces that Jozef Ulma had been working on. Then the crew got drunk celebrating with vodka. Unbelievable!

The betrayer got his just due. What disturbs me is the officer in charge. He's the one who ordered the children to be killed. He told the villagers he was doing them a favor because no one would have to worry about orphans. He died respectfully at his home. When they went looking for him in 1960, he was already dead. What a story!

I highly recommend reading this.

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History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

@pawian
It's very easy to read. Not difficult at all. It's just that the printing in the book I got is so tiny. That's tiring.

@Ironside

If you check entries #80, #81 and #91 in this thread you'll see that I have read that book. Very detailed; very intense.

History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

THE HISTORY OF POLAND, S.A. Dunham. No date.

This is an 1831 book that has been recently re-printed. The book was written during the 1830 Revolution and the author, in his Preface, is very sympathetic to the cause.

Samuel Astley Dunham (1796-1858) was a British historian whose volumes appeared, over time, in LARDER'S CABINET CYCLOPAEDIA. The CABINET CYCLOPAEDIA was like an encyclopedia of histories and biographies done by various authors. Dunham's history of Poland was his first contribution. Over the next decade and a half he would write fifteen volumes of histories of Spain & Portugal, Europe in the Middle Ages, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and the Germanic Empire. His works were said to be well researched and very thorough.

What makes Dunham's work different is that he delves a lot into the early history and even touches on the pre-historical. The pre-historical was myth plus oral traditions. Cracus, Princess Wenda, the "bad guy" Popiel II, etc., etc. I thought it was quite fascinating.

But overall the book deals with the earlier history of Poland more so than the Commonwealth period. He finishes the book with a chapter entitled "Poland Partially Restored' which covers Napoleon's Grand Duchy, the Congress Kingdom, the Republic of Cracow. That's where he ends it.

The only bad point of the book is the agonizingly TINY, TINY text making it difficult to read comfortably. Overall it's interesting to read a Polish history, from a long time ago, written by a foreign historian.

History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]


Your point is well taken. That's what Snyder says in his book. Now my taxes are being used to keep them afloat! I know that's a snide remark but from reading Snyder's book to the current situation it's a straight line.

History / DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ORDER NO. 00485? [11]

I will say this. When you read Polish history and read the statistics, primarily the death tolls, you become immune to suffering and death. The dead in history just become numbers and more numbers. Oftentimes in Polish history the modern experts can't even determine a death toll figure!!!

We all know of the death toll in Palestine and the entire world is in an uproar. In reading the news and thinking to myself that the Palestine death toll is TWO DAYS of butchery in the Praga suburb during Surorov's advance on Warsaw (1794). That Palestine death toll is ONE AFTERNOON of butchery inthe apartment buildings in Warsaw during the Uprising (1944).

You listen to the news and there's no emotion. It's just figures.

History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

Finally finished Timothy Snyder's THE RECONSTRUCTION OF NATIONS. (see above).
It's a survey history of Poland, Belarus, Lithuania and Ukrainia from 1569 to 1999. It's a very scholarly work so you better know your Polish history to understand it. Towards the end of the book my concerns were about Belarus. I'm Polish but my people came from Belarus. For the Belarusians they never fully developed a "nationalism'. The history of wars and Stalin (1937-41 Kuropaty Massacres for example) totally "Russofied" Belarus as she entered the end of the 20th century. A sense of being "Belorusian" has been lacking.

Concerning Ukraine there were too many problems that never were rectified. That's why Ukraine could not get into the EU. That's why Ukraine could not get into NATO. Now she's paying for that. (the book was written in 2003).

It seems that Poland and Lithuania made the difficult transition to modern statehood.

History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

POLAND'S EASTERN BORDER, Michael Sliva, 2023. Written by a Canadian who is not an historian. Notice how his last name has been anglicized.

I had been making my way through Timothy Snyder's THE RECONSTRUCTION OF NATIONS (see above). It is a very scholarly "deep-dive" into the eastern lands of Poland throughout history. I then found Sliva's book which a.) was more readable and b.) was more up to date (2023 versus 2003).

At it's core it's a history of the KRESY --- the "borderlands". The eastern border was less a political line but more a fluctuating area of Polish influence. Part of my family came from the "eastern lands".

Sliva covers the "borderlands" of the East (naturally) the most. Places like Galicia, L'viv, Wilno, Volhynia, etc. He also covers the "hinterland". That's the areas furthest east especially during the Commonwealth. Places like Kyiv and Minsk.

There are interesting chapters dealing with Ruthenians (who they are), Lithuanians, Jews, Catholicism, Polonization (what is it), etc., etc. Importantly is the development of the concept of "nationalism".

Sliva also has lots of maps and charts. This always helps when presenting such complicated topics as the fluid Polish eastern lands. Maps and charts cover census data going as far back as 1790. Ethnicity and religious data from the 1921 & 1931 census are heavily analyzed, showing how borders finally, through lots of blood and tears, got shaped as they are today.

In the conclusion he very objectively states that the USSR/Russia is "...the far more impactful, oppressive, and modern occupier and occupies THE COLLECTIVE MEMORIES OF THESE PEOPLE (all folks of the eastern lands) TO A FAR GREATER DEGREE." (my caps)

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History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

1610 THE BATTLE OF KLUSHINO, Anthony Holland, 2023.

SURPRISINGLY I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AT ALL.

It is poorly written, extremely, extremely repetitive, not researched well and has poor sources and references, if you call his tertiary references sources at all.

Holland give historical background to the battle but it needs to be better organized and narrated more clearly. Remember that this is the convoluted period of Russian history, 1600-1620.

He does a decent analysis of leadership styles, army compositions, artillery, logistics, infrastructure, morale, mercenaries, etc. But they're all generalizations. He repeats himself way too often in this respect. In listing pros and cons he mentions the Polish liberum veto. It was never used at this time and didn't have any affect during this time.

For the actual battle I referred to Wikipedia and it seemed that that his narrative was copied directly from there. He refers to a primary source name but I had to Google it because it was not listed in the source section of the book. He mentions a contemporary Polish historian named Nagielski. I had to Google him (Miroslaw Nagielski) but I could not read his comments about the battle. They were not available on line. Again, Nagielski is not listed as a source.

Holland places a lot of emphasis on the Swedish and their contribution to the Russian army. It seems he's writing a preface to the rise of Swedish power in the north.

Finally he does a "comparative analysis" of Klushino with other battles of the time like Brietenfeld (1631) and Lepanto (1571) --- a naval battle???? Why? More effort should be given to events post battle (in my opinion) and in searching for more primary sources about the battle. How did the Polish cavalry get right into the Russian cavalry and destroy them? No details.

I'd pass on this history book.

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History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

WARSAW, MEMOIRS OF AN AMERICAN TEACHER IN POLAND, Anne Waterman Cooley, 2011. This book is available.

This is an interesting memoir published posthumously by Amme Waterman Cooley's family. It was published in 2011, one year after her death and it is the first edition so it's never been published before.

Anne Waterman (1925-2010) graduated from Vassar College and took a position as a lecturer in English Literature at the University of Warsaw. I believe the Waterman family is Polish and they originally hailed from Connecticut in the USA.

She taught in Poland from 1946 to 1948. This was a time when Poland was trying to rebuild itself under the Stalinist yolk. This is the time when the Marshall Plan was extended to Eastern Europe. Molotov rejected any such idea. When Poland expressed an interest in attending a conference, Stalin squashed it.

Stalin was going to take care of helping rebuild Poland. We all know how that went. Stalin gutted Poland of everything he could in order to rebuild the Soviet Union.

This short memoir (under 100 pages) presents life in the immediate ruins of post-WW II. She records a lot of what was transpiring in 1946-48, and we all now know a lot was happening.

Unfortunately, in my opinion, this cute book is 76 YEARS TOO LATE! If it was published in 1948 then maybe the general public would get a better idea of life under Stalin. Pretty much nothing about Poland made the news back then, even the printed news. Then maybe Poles in America would have gotten a glimpse of just how awful life was under "Uncle Joe".

History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

@Alien
I agree with @Alien. Polish history is much, much more fascinating than those countries mentions. If you said Armenia or Iran (Persia) then I'd agree. Otherwise Poland, especially the Commonwealth, was a major player in European history. As the 18th century dawned it just got overshadowed by Russia and that's the way it is to this very day. Ask pretty much anyone and no one knows anything about central & eastern European civilization other than about Russia, in all it's wretched iterations, e.g. barbaric Muscovy, tsarist, communist. corrupt federalist.

History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

I'm finding that Polish history is more intense than any historical novel, or TV series, or movie franchise could ever be. The reality of Polish history leaves any fiction writers wildest attempts at drama in the dust. Literally it takes my breath away. I don't understand why more people aren't interested in it. Thinking about that you can think about how Polish historiography changed from the late 19th century, to the interwar years, to the communist era up to the turn of this century. Plus we're talking one thousand years.

History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

Whoa!!! That information is intense. History has recorded the name of the person who beheaded the king. A mercenary in the employ of the Ottomans named Kodja Hazar. They never found anything of the king after the battle. Evidently his body was in pieces and dispersed through the winds. Absolutely intense!

History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

1444: THE BATTLE OF VARNA, Anthony Holland, 2023.

"The Battle of Varna was, above all, a lesson in the weighty consequences of underestimating one's opponent..."

The battle was a "...tectonic realignment --- a pivotal point when the geopolitical fault lines shifted, altering the continental landscape in ways that would be felt for centuries" central Europe, especially the Balkans would see ramifications up till the end of the 20th century, e.g. the disintegration of Yugoslavia.

Also this battle would be considered the last religious crusade in European history.

The author, Anthony Holland, produces a fine historical narrative starting out from the geopolitical situation in 15th century central Europe. The book is a quick (216 pages) exciting read. Holland covers protagonists, compares armies; does tactical analysis, covers the campaign, the battle and aftermath.

The crusader army was outnumbered about three to one but they managed to hold the line against the Ottomans because they had more firearms. Holland then describes the events that led up to the debacle crated by Wladyslaw III Jagielo's actions. Casualties were high on both sides. Even Sultan Murad was not immediately sure he won a victory. After three days he finally grasped the scale of his victory. He wasn't jubilant but wearily acknowledged the triumph amidst at least 25,000 who perished on the battlefield.

Holland does an interesting analysis of Wladyslaw. He believes history is not just dichotomies but the personal choices made by individuals. It's the protagonists that act as "wild cards" in the unfolding of history.

I never knew that much about Wladyslaw. How he became king of Poland then Hungary. How he decided to stay in Hungary. Interesting!!! I need to investigate him more. But Wladyslaw made a big difference at Varna.

The only chapter I DID NOT read was a chapter entitled "Alternative Scenario". I'm not a big fan of "what if", alternative histories. It's too much science fiction for me to handle. Maybe I'll check it out later. I find rea history more exciting than any fiction.

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History / Recommended Poland's history books [191]

In reading Polish history, this 1621 battle is often mentioned. When I saw this book in English I grabbed it to read about all the intricacies of the campaign. I definitely wasn't disappointed.

THE KHOTYN CAMPAIGN OF 1621, POLISH, LITHUANIAN AND COSSACK ARMIES AGAINST THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE, Michal Paradowski, 2023. This is book No. 107 in the "Century of the Soldier, 1618-1721" series published by Hellion & Co., UK.

The author is an independent researcher who lives in Scotland. His specialty is early modern warfare especially the Polish-Swedish wars. He has an interesting blog called KADRINAZI. Type the word into Google to get to his blog. It's in Polish but just switch the Google translator to English.

As background the author covers in excellent detail the previous disastrous 1620 Cecora campaign.

Additional chapters are devoted to the military systems of all the major combatants: the Commonwealth, Ottomans, Cossacks and Tatars. Other chapters deal with the biographies of commanders, logistics, actual army strengths, the campaign and the wider scope of the war that was going on. The appendix section is full of info about units involved, commanders, strengths, etc. the primary references are almost exclusively from the 17th and 18th centuries. Many are from the 1620s!!!

I was impressed with the contemporary illustrations that appeared in the book. I've copied some examples. There are also modern renditions of soldiers (in color) like Osprey Publications produces. The example I've listed is in B&W. The modern artwork was done by Sergey Shamenkov, a Ukrainian military history artist. His specialty area is the 16th and 17th centuries with an emphasis on the Swedish army of Charles XII.

I'm about 30% through the book. For me it has been an "eye-opener" of a history going through the internal mechanisms of the Commonwealth. When I'm done I might make some comments.

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