Psychological predicament of del pobre polaco

Noticing that many Poles abroad felt pressed to boost their spirits by speaking of fame and glory of our ancestors Witold Gombrowicz, a Polish writer and expatriate in Argentina, posed the following questions:

What does average Mr. Kowalski have in common with Chopin?

Does Chopin’s composition of the ballads raise Mr Kowalski’s specific weight by even one iota?

Can the Siege of Vienna augment Mr Kowalski by even an ounce of glory?

If our greatness or our past impress us, isn't it the proof that it has not yet entered our bloodstream?

Copernicus, Curie, Chopin are hardly ever, if at all, the subject of conversation among Poles in Poland. So many posts here on the PF are referring to great Poles that I am wondering why Poles confronted with other nations speak so often not about their own personal achievements but about greatness of others, which happen to be our compatriots? Do people of other nationalities feel the same urgent need to boost their spirits in a similar way when confronted with people from other countries?

yes.. look around the forums here.. brits think they are the best.. yanks do the same.. etc, etc.

Any other opinions? Elaborate your answers, please, tho' not too much.

Well, I was curious about that too so I did a forum search for Chopin and in in last 4 month there was only one case where Chopin was brought up to as an answer to post claiming "the poles are inferior Europeans"

I call BS.

So it must be really a wrong impression. Maybe other great Poles were brought up more often?

Centuries of ancestors, millenia of heritage, language, the flag, the capital...


There would be no battle of Vienna without 30.000 Polish Kowalskis charging downhill to save the day.


The moment people stop being moved by romantic feats is the moment the nation lost its soul.

Does Chopin’s composition of the ballads raise Mr Kowalski’s specific weight by even one iota?

You didn't answer this one.