Family Memory of History. Patriotic Attitudes in Selected Polish Families during World War II

Introduction

Considerations on patriotism, which may reflect various approaches to the problem,¹ inevitably and regardless of the time and the place run up against difficulties and raise controversies. However, for obvious reasons, this topic never loses its relevance.² It invariably turns out to be close to the researcher’s heart, engaging, and fascinating, even though research related to it may never hope to yield final outcomes. The concept of patriotism has produced numerous interpretations throughout history and it tends to divide researchers into two opposing camps. On the one hand, patriotism is classified as a particularly important and grand word; on the other hand, in the absence of prudence and vigilance, it leads disputants away into truisms, unnecessary pathos, and even aggression. Somehow, patriotism often becomes the object of cynical manipulation and political games. In fact, the word carries many important, indeed arguably highest cultural, historical, and political values, and yet its content easily lends itself to propagandist misinterpretations, which may and typically does lead to the deflation of the value of patriotism. Distorted views of patriotism can take various forms, because without authentic involvement in the common good of the nation, the country and the state, patriotism tends to be reduced to empty phrases and hypocrisy, often serving to mask manifestations of egoism. Particularly dangerous are cases of associating this phenomenon with megalomania, xenophobia or nationalism. Depending on the adopted conceptual criteria and the goals of inquiry set by representatives of specific scientific disciplines relevant for considerations of patriotism (especially philosophers, historians, sociologists, pedagogues and psychologists), patriotism can be examined from various perspectives, as evidenced by the increasingly rich literature on the subject. They stress more and more often that patriotism results from the natural human need for bonds; that it has its source in individual identity. On the one hand, it manifests itself in a person’s loyalty to his or her community, but a loyalty that does not preclude criticism; on the other hand, it opposes hostility and aversion to other nations, and even fosters solidarity with them. The sources of patriotism are seen as lying in the feeling of love for one’s homeland, which is not adverse to love for other nations, in accordance with the orientation towards all that unites and enriches people, rather than towards what drives people apart, let alone engenders hostility. It must also be emphasized that patriotism is not understood in the same way everywhere. The differences in its understanding across the globe result primarily from close ties with the development of national consciousnesses.

It is worth noting that the source of the word patriotism, the Greek “πατριά” (“patria”), denotes a family, a community, a tribe or a nation descended from common ancestors, or fathers. The word “πατριά” derives from the Greek root name “πατήρ” (“pater”), meaning “father,” the head of the family. Almost every definition of “patriotism” emphasizes love for the homeland and the readiness to make sacrifices.³

The history of Poland has created and nourished a specific understanding and experience of patriotism. In particular periods of Polish history, from the Middle Ages to modern times, different concepts of the value of patriotism have been formed and recognized as valid. At the same time, the thus specifically understood, internalized and experienced patriotism, a phenomenon strictly related to Polish history, has always closely corresponded to the level of national consciousness and thus to the memory of history and the politics of memory.

The memory of the past, whether it concerns a family, an individual, a region or the entire nation, builds identity and community. It is also the foundation on which the future is being built. Justified and necessary are actions that implement what we may want to call politics of memory, which places great emphasis on the need to foreground and shore up timeless values, patriotic ideas and ideals, solidarity, and democratic thinking.

When we want to identify the sources of patriotic attitudes among Poles during World War II, we should bear in mind that in the 20-year-long interwar period (that of the Second Polish Republic, or the Republic of Poland), Poles had been brought up to consider and prioritize the “common weal,” the good of the homeland. The patriotic attitudes thus formed had strong roots and influenced the subsequent generations.

We must also keep in mind that, during the interwar period, great emphasis was placed on the awareness of what it means for a nation to be deprived of independent statehood, especially by those who, in the Second Polish Republic, developed school curricula and the newly created public institutions. Poland then was squeezed, as it were, between two hostile powers, and therefore, the sense of the nation’s attachment to their own country had to be and was awakened. Poles were proud of their country and of the achievements of their ancestors; they had a sense of being jointly responsible for the shape and future of their homeland. This does not mean, however, that building patriotism in the Second Polish Republic was an easy task. For 120 years, the invaders had been determinedly consistent in instilling values and attitudes that we would now call Russian, Austrian and Prussian patriotism. These actions had not remained – indeed, they could not have remained – without an impact on the development of Polish patriotism.

There is no doubt that the interwar generation gave ample testimony of patriotism during World War II, because this generation was able to think in terms of the good of the homeland, that is, to think as patriots who would not hesitate to lay down their lives for the country. As many historians point out, this is the greatest value that the Second Polish Republic passed on to subsequent generations. The generation that created organizations like Szare Szeregi (the Grey Ranks, an underground scouting association), the Home Army, Bataliony Chłopskie (the Peasants’ Battalions) knew the value of fighting for their country and deeply believed in the success of such struggle. They were people ready to make the greatest sacrifices.

During World War II and the occupation, many Poles manifested their patriotism by heroically fighting for their homeland. Overcoming many obstacles – such as the use of terror by the occupier who took advantage of political panic and the uncertainty of the allied countries fulfilling their promises of coming to Poland’s rescue – Poles actively resisted the Nazi Germans for six years. Poles repeatedly showed courage and determination in their desire to preserve Polish culture, tradition and language; they put on display national symbols, sang patriotic songs, read Polish literature, and conducted clandestine education courses (known as komplety). They put together and maintained an effective underground state and its armed force, the Home Army. The belief in the value of patriotism during World War II and the occupation supplied the foundation for this heroic struggle against the occupier, a struggle understood as a means to regain freedom and liberty. It also manifested itself in the care for maintaining Polish culture, tradition and language, as well as in providing and inspiring educated human resources capable of managing the country after Poland’s regaining of independence.

Society as such, and young people in particular, were prepared for the reconstruction of the country after the war by studying in komplety in underground schools, where strong emphasis was placed on technical and administrative education. The Grey Ranks implemented the program “Dziś, jutro, pojutrze” (“Today, Tomorrow, the Day after Tomorrow”)⁴ put forth by Aleksander Kamiński (1903–1978), pedagogue, educator, professor of the humanities, co-creator of the scouting methodology, scout instructor, scoutmaster and soldier of the Home Army, and – last but not least – chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Polish Scouting Association. Implemented in the years 1939–1945, this was an ideals-driven program of education through struggle, fostering brotherhood and service. This program constituted a significant part of the concept of the value of patriotism during World War II and the occupation, developed, as it was, in the brutal reality of a universal threat to life and total destruction of the achievements of many generations. Going through the painful experiences of destruction, plunder, poverty, homelessness, camps, loss of loved ones and property, resettlements and redrawn borders, Poles were able to maintain the will to fight and, regardless of the extent of the losses, they continued to shed their blood for their homeland.