Through a Stalinist lens An interview with Ernest Wyciszkiewicz
The conflict that
flared up between Russia and Poland at the end of 2019 signalled a new level of
aggression in Russian historical propaganda. Not only that: Poland has become
the chief enemy. Seventy-five years after the end of WWII, Russia’s
commemorative agenda is both geopolitical and domestic.
New Eastern Europe: On December 20th 2019 Vladimir Putin
delivered a speech where he blamed Poland for the outbreak of the Second World
War. These remarks caused outrage in Poland. The ministry of foreign affairs
issued a statement in which it blamed the Russian leader for undermining joint
efforts to find a way to truth and reconciliation in Polish-Russian relations.
As director of the Polish-Russian Centre for Dialogue and Understanding in
Warsaw, what was your institution’s response?
Ernest Wyciszkiewicz: First let me start by saying that I was
not outraged because what took place in December 2019 was actually nothing new.
In the past ten years Poland has often been under historical pressure from
Russia. Periods of peaceful coexistence were rare and were quickly followed by
stormy exchanges. So we have been there before. Yet, what we have been
witnessing since Putin’s infamous comments in December is a new level of
aggression in Russian historical propaganda, as well as the fact that Poland
was specifically chosen as enemy number one in this domain.
What was more
surprising for me was the level of Putin’s direct involvement. First, there was
a part of Putin’s speech during the December 19th press conference dedicated to
the topic. This was followed the next day by an unprecedented, hour-long
lecture during an informal meeting of leaders of the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS) held in St Petersburg. I watched it and saw the
stunned faces of CIS country leaders – they had no clue what was going on. Then
there was a meeting between Putin and high level military officials, when the
topic was raised again, as it was the next day at a meeting with business
leaders.
Each time, Putin specifically chose history as the major topic and
Poland as enemy number one. This was unprecedented. However, when it comes
to efforts to whitewash the Soviet past, there were earlier activities to which
we can also refer. challenges, to legitimise his goals with a ‘rally around the
leader’ effect....
https://www.eurozine.com/through-a-stalinist-lens/
see also
Madhavan Palat: Utopia and Dystopia in Revolutionary Russia
The Bolsheviks Come to Power in Petrograd: Centennial Reflections
Why Leninism and Bolshevism Are Not the Same
My correct views on everythingWhy Leninism and Bolshevism Are Not the Same
