I thought that this was a very emotionally moving tribute (per Google Translate):
"In the lower part of the monument we see a family, a symbol of the eternal presence of Poles in these lands. All standing next to each other, huddled together like chicks in a nest, surrounded by the flames that destroyed their homestead, with dignity accept the martyr's death that awaits them. From their sacrifice, from this flame of the martyred Kresowians dying in the flames, an eagle grows, a symbol of the existence of our Homeland, whose spirit is indestructible. Like a phoenix from the ashes, the spirit of the Polish Nation is born, an indestructible and eternal spirit. (...) Master Andrzej, your monument "The Volhynian Massacre" already stands under the "Polish sky". Your last will has been fulfilled. (...).”.
Asking Nazis to respect the victims of Nazi’s seems a bit unrealistic to me. I doubt they actually saw anything wrong with the genocide and most likely are proud of it still today, and to exhume means facing the reality that the world might not look in favour to Ukraines side in this war, which is clearly lead by people who have ties with those who committed those crimes in the past. Who knows there might be more lies buried that would be dangerous to dig them up at this point.
With all due respect, Poles have known this all along, whatever their leaders might say in public. Look at Polish opinion polling, going way back. Poles like Ukrainians even less than Russians, and Poles are rabid in their hate of Russia.
The problem is that right now, Ukrainians are the ones dying in America's proxy war, while Poles are the reserves. So Ukraine and not Poland has American favor at the moment, which is the only thing that matters in european politics.
I feel you, but the fact that Sikorski raised this with Zelensky, was totally humiliated as a result, and then leaked everything to the Polish press shows that this has become a very serious political issue in their relations.
As for Polish Russophobia, in my experience, it's mostly the political form (i.e. hatred of the Imperial/Soviet/Federation governments) and very rarely ethnic Russophobia. Russia's Ambassador to Poland also confirmed this earlier in the year:
Ukraine's Russophobia is mostly ethnic but disguises itself at times as political in order to make it more palatable for the Western public, so it's technically a very different strain even though those two might seem similar on the surface and when viewed from afar.
I would explain the incident as Poles overestimating their standing with the Americans. Polish self-image is wrapped up in their status as America's Special Little Buddy.
At least in my experience, Poles have all manner of russophobia, political and otherwise.
Most Ukrainians were never russophobic at all when I lived there. However it was made clear them that hating their brothers was the price of admission to The Club, The Golden Billion, The Magical Land Where Institutions Basically Work.
I don't believe that Poland is expecting US backing on this issue. It's a surprisingly sovereign move, I didn't expect Tusk's government to make it, but it's clearly being done in response to public pressure ahead of next year's presidential elections.
Poland has stood up to Ukraine before under its prior government despite the US being against that so it appears as though both political camps have certain (domestically politically driven) red lines when it comes to Ukraine.
They won't cross the Rubicon by cutting of Kiev's military aid, including from third countries, but what's happening now shows that the ruling party is making a big deal about this contrary to prior expectations of its approach.
I believe Poland IS expecting US backing on this, and other issues. After all they've bent the knee and now serve as one huge military base for the US. In all those years of Soviet occupation they thought that America is the savior - now they're finding out that America is just another master. Probably worse than S.U. was. So the expectations will fizzle out, because the US is not interested in backing anyone except for imperialism.
I see it totally differently since they've gone against the US before, both on Ukraine and previously on Israel, particularly regarding the latter's historically revisionist lie laying equal blame for the Holocaust on Poles:
Pole knows that there are some issues with which it and the US disagree, plus there's no precedent of the US taking Poland's side over Ukraine's. This is a purely domestic and very sensitive issue for Poles as I explained.
As for why they allowed the US and NATO to expand their military presence in the country, that doesn't done out of duress, but in response to Poland practically begging for this for years.
Both leading parties agree -- regardless of whatever foreign observers and domestic dissidents think -- that Poland's security is tied to the US and particularly in being the US' most loyal ally against Russia.
A Global Snapshot: The Stupid, the Broken & the Evil - VON GREYERZ
"Gold can solve many financial and currency disasters – that is the stupid, the broken and the insane outlined above in our foreseeably doomed credit and currency markets. But no precious metal can preserve or replace the loss of far more precious lives consumed by the evils of unnecessary wars." https://vongreyerz.gold/a-global-snapshot-stupid-broken-evil
The Poles have their own dark past they refuse to face up to. It includes the murder of Jewish concentration camp survivors who attempted to return to their homes.
Thank you for sharing your analysis in as always such a clear manner. Immensely helps me gain a broader understanding of such complex historical issues and let’s just say its not really covered by UK legacy media.
Why don't Russia recognize the genocide of Katyn? And of chechens? Of tatars? Of the volga germans? Holodomor? And Kazakhs? Of Balkars? Latvians? Estonians? Lithuanians?
Russia already apologized for Katyn, in fact Putin himself personally did during his brief stint as PM, which I hyperlinked to in the analysis for those who'd like to learn more about it.
As for other controversies, they're beyond the scope of this particular one. I only referenced Katyn to show that even Russia apologized to Poland but Ukraine has yet to do so.
You don't need to bring Russia into this dispute, it's a purely bilateral issue, but some Ukrainians still do so to pressure Poles into remaining silent forever but it's no longer working.
And this is more good background on the monument displayed in the cover picture:
https://kuryerpolski.us/en/Page/View/wolyn-ku-pamieci
I thought that this was a very emotionally moving tribute (per Google Translate):
"In the lower part of the monument we see a family, a symbol of the eternal presence of Poles in these lands. All standing next to each other, huddled together like chicks in a nest, surrounded by the flames that destroyed their homestead, with dignity accept the martyr's death that awaits them. From their sacrifice, from this flame of the martyred Kresowians dying in the flames, an eagle grows, a symbol of the existence of our Homeland, whose spirit is indestructible. Like a phoenix from the ashes, the spirit of the Polish Nation is born, an indestructible and eternal spirit. (...) Master Andrzej, your monument "The Volhynian Massacre" already stands under the "Polish sky". Your last will has been fulfilled. (...).”.
https://niepoprawni.pl/blog/slawomir-tomasz-roch/wielka-monstrancja-meczennikow-wolynia-i-kresow-w-ktorej-hostia-jest-cialo
Gosh yes 😊🙏
Asking Nazis to respect the victims of Nazi’s seems a bit unrealistic to me. I doubt they actually saw anything wrong with the genocide and most likely are proud of it still today, and to exhume means facing the reality that the world might not look in favour to Ukraines side in this war, which is clearly lead by people who have ties with those who committed those crimes in the past. Who knows there might be more lies buried that would be dangerous to dig them up at this point.
"..proud of it still today..."
More than that: they have summer camps to indoctrinate children with such pride!
"Who knows..."
Just guess who knows!
With all due respect, Poles have known this all along, whatever their leaders might say in public. Look at Polish opinion polling, going way back. Poles like Ukrainians even less than Russians, and Poles are rabid in their hate of Russia.
The problem is that right now, Ukrainians are the ones dying in America's proxy war, while Poles are the reserves. So Ukraine and not Poland has American favor at the moment, which is the only thing that matters in european politics.
I feel you, but the fact that Sikorski raised this with Zelensky, was totally humiliated as a result, and then leaked everything to the Polish press shows that this has become a very serious political issue in their relations.
As for Polish Russophobia, in my experience, it's mostly the political form (i.e. hatred of the Imperial/Soviet/Federation governments) and very rarely ethnic Russophobia. Russia's Ambassador to Poland also confirmed this earlier in the year:
https://korybko.substack.com/p/the-russian-ambassador-to-poland
Ukraine's Russophobia is mostly ethnic but disguises itself at times as political in order to make it more palatable for the Western public, so it's technically a very different strain even though those two might seem similar on the surface and when viewed from afar.
I would explain the incident as Poles overestimating their standing with the Americans. Polish self-image is wrapped up in their status as America's Special Little Buddy.
At least in my experience, Poles have all manner of russophobia, political and otherwise.
Most Ukrainians were never russophobic at all when I lived there. However it was made clear them that hating their brothers was the price of admission to The Club, The Golden Billion, The Magical Land Where Institutions Basically Work.
I don't believe that Poland is expecting US backing on this issue. It's a surprisingly sovereign move, I didn't expect Tusk's government to make it, but it's clearly being done in response to public pressure ahead of next year's presidential elections.
Poland has stood up to Ukraine before under its prior government despite the US being against that so it appears as though both political camps have certain (domestically politically driven) red lines when it comes to Ukraine.
They won't cross the Rubicon by cutting of Kiev's military aid, including from third countries, but what's happening now shows that the ruling party is making a big deal about this contrary to prior expectations of its approach.
I believe Poland IS expecting US backing on this, and other issues. After all they've bent the knee and now serve as one huge military base for the US. In all those years of Soviet occupation they thought that America is the savior - now they're finding out that America is just another master. Probably worse than S.U. was. So the expectations will fizzle out, because the US is not interested in backing anyone except for imperialism.
I see it totally differently since they've gone against the US before, both on Ukraine and previously on Israel, particularly regarding the latter's historically revisionist lie laying equal blame for the Holocaust on Poles:
https://korybko.substack.com/p/former-israeli-president-reuven-rivlin
Pole knows that there are some issues with which it and the US disagree, plus there's no precedent of the US taking Poland's side over Ukraine's. This is a purely domestic and very sensitive issue for Poles as I explained.
As for why they allowed the US and NATO to expand their military presence in the country, that doesn't done out of duress, but in response to Poland practically begging for this for years.
Both leading parties agree -- regardless of whatever foreign observers and domestic dissidents think -- that Poland's security is tied to the US and particularly in being the US' most loyal ally against Russia.
It wouldn't be the first time that Poland acted up, hoping to get some attention or a spiff from their Americna Master.
Sort of like how a dog intentionally, openly misbehaves in order to get Master to pay it some attention.
"Russia's Ambassador to Poland also confirmed this..."
For what it's worth, that's my real-life, on the ground, post-Soviet experience, as well.
"...long overdue."
Better late than never!
Thank you. This conflict is on a slow boil—while many hope it will just go away.
A Global Snapshot: The Stupid, the Broken & the Evil - VON GREYERZ
"Gold can solve many financial and currency disasters – that is the stupid, the broken and the insane outlined above in our foreseeably doomed credit and currency markets. But no precious metal can preserve or replace the loss of far more precious lives consumed by the evils of unnecessary wars." https://vongreyerz.gold/a-global-snapshot-stupid-broken-evil
The Poles have their own dark past they refuse to face up to. It includes the murder of Jewish concentration camp survivors who attempted to return to their homes.
Thank you for sharing your analysis in as always such a clear manner. Immensely helps me gain a broader understanding of such complex historical issues and let’s just say its not really covered by UK legacy media.
Why don't Russia recognize the genocide of Katyn? And of chechens? Of tatars? Of the volga germans? Holodomor? And Kazakhs? Of Balkars? Latvians? Estonians? Lithuanians?
A Russian giving genocide lessons is a joke.
Russia already apologized for Katyn, in fact Putin himself personally did during his brief stint as PM, which I hyperlinked to in the analysis for those who'd like to learn more about it.
As for other controversies, they're beyond the scope of this particular one. I only referenced Katyn to show that even Russia apologized to Poland but Ukraine has yet to do so.
You don't need to bring Russia into this dispute, it's a purely bilateral issue, but some Ukrainians still do so to pressure Poles into remaining silent forever but it's no longer working.
I agree that that part of ukrainian history was a disgrace and ukraine should, if not apologize, at least not deny it anymore.