11 November – for Poles it should be a festival of regaining independency by Poland. On that day all Poles can manifest their patriotism, attachment to their homeland. In fact, on 11 November, however, he became just 1 of the days off from work and that's why most of us spend this day in blissful laziness, alternatively than remembering, as it was years ago, erstwhile thanks to the strength and determination of erstwhile generations and the support of Western powers the Polish state appeared again on the maps of Europe after 123 years.
Independence by accident?
Regaining independency in the early 20th century for the Polish political elite became an honorable matter. The global situation favoured us, due to the fact that our invaders were in opposing camps – Germany and Austria in the 3 covenants and Russia in the 3 understandings. Thanks to the failure of central states and the fall of the Tsar in Russia, the Western powers, namely France and the United Kingdom, began to support the independency movement of the countries of Central and east Europe.
On 11 November 1918 planet War I ended, but it was not certain that the Polish state would actually be reborn. In fact, that day, Józef Piłsudski took control of the Polish army from the Regency Council, which was originally a German idea. Germany thus wanted to implement its plan of Mitteleuropa – the creation of states allegedly independent but in fact politically and economically dependent on the German state. In the plans of our western neighbour Poland was to become a monarchy after planet War I. However, as it is known, this plan was not implemented due to the fact that the Second Reich failed.
Recognising the day of 11.11.1918 as the day of independence, it is considered, in a way, that it was the individual success of Józef Piłsudski. In fact, we reached independency gradually, and on 11 November it was not the first phase in its path, due to the fact that as early as the end of October 1918, the Polish Liquidation Commission was established in Kraków. Later in many areas of our country there were fighting for borders, including in Wielkopolska and Silesia. Thus, Poland's independency after planet War I was not only the merit of Piłsudski, but of all national and liberation organizations, which did not prosecute besides much sympathy, but for the free Republic decided to suspend all quarrels and disputes.
The fact that the Second Republic appeared after the war was a small coincidence. For our part, it was a large will to have specified a country (Polish communists with Rosa Luxembourg headed against the uprising of the Polish state). Thanks to the favourable global situation, namely the liquidation of the Second Reich, the breakdown of Austro-Hungarian, the fall of the Tsar in Russia, the victorious European powers (especially France) have become our allies. However, if they had won “white” in Russia, then most likely Western Europe would not have been worth engaging in creating fresh countries, including Poland.
Are European countries independent?
At first glance, it seems that since the Polish State inactive exists, it must clearly be independent. However, specified reasoning is not appropriate. Just due to the fact that we are dealing with a state does not mean that it is independent. After the Vienna legislature in Central and east Europe, a fresh state appeared called the Kingdom of Poland. It had its own king (Cara of Russia), parliament, army, offices, or all the basic attributes of statehood. Despite this, the legislature was not independent due to the fact that it was merged with Russia's real union. In the 21st century, there are besides countries that are not independent, as Scotland, which is part of the United Kingdom of large Britain and Northern Ireland, can be an example.
What about this Poland? Is our country politically and economically independent? A debate took place not long ago on Radio Wnet – a co-financed radio station from the European Union – which was attended by Wowo Bielicki, Janusz Korwin-Mikke, Łaży Łazarz and Bartłomiej Nowak. As in all debate, its participants frequently argued about crucial issues. However, in consequence to the question whether the Polish State is independent, all the participants in the discussion considered that Poland is not independent. However, the explanation of Bartłomiej Nowak was curious, who stated that the 3rd Republic is not independent, due to the fact that nowadays there are truly no sovereign independent states. According to him, the countries of the European Union have decided to renounce much of their independency for the common thought of European integration. This is, of course, a non-new view. Since Poland joined the EU, our leaders have convinced us that strong Western European states do not want to wage wars with us this time, they just want to aid us.
Once on 1 of the election broadcasts Self-defense from the time of the EU referendum individual said that never before in the past of the planet has a rich man given to the mediocre without expecting anything in return. It's hard to disagree. It is hard for me to imagine that the top European powers, specified as France, the United Kingdom, or Germany, have just decided by human kindness to aid us Poles.
Are European leaders then idiots, or are they just pretending to do their own business quietly? fresh events in the rescue of Greece have shown that the most crucial EU politicians want to save the Euro region from bankruptcy at all costs. However, many economists believe that the action taken against Greece is simply intended to postpone the declaration of bankruptcy of that country in time, which will inevitably happen anyway. Any action by the Greek Government contrary to the interests of the Union (an effort to compose a referendum) was almost immediately rejected by the leaders of the major European states. The fresh action of the European Union has shown that Greece is not an independent country at all, due to the fact that if it were, it could simply leave the Euro region and declare bankruptcy. The fact that the Greek State does not do so shows that it is incapable to decide its own fate, but must comply with the decisions of the stronger countries, which are surely independent.
Greece and Poland
Greece regained its independency under akin circumstances as Poland. erstwhile the Greeks went against Turkey in 1821, they were yet supported by Russia, England and France. After many years of fighting on 14 September 1829, peace was declared in Adrianopol, so Greece regained its independence. For the Greeks, Turkey was the main enemy, in turn Poland had as many as 3 opponents – Russia, the Second Reich, Austro-Hungary and only the losses of these countries as a consequence of planet War I gave Poland liberation.
Both Greeks and Poles should know in what circumstances they have regained independency and how crucial it is, how much they must fight for it. present the Greeks, and in the future possibly besides Poles will pay for their reckless policy. They remember 1981, we remember 2004. Then we joined the European Union with large hopes. They remember 2002, we haven't done it yet. The Greeks then joined the Euro region with equally large hopes. In any case, both them and us thought that everything would be fine, that being in the same club as Germany, France, the United Kingdom would have the same rights as them. We did not realize that there was never and never will be equality in the European Union. The Greeks have already found out. To us Poles it inactive seems that we have something to say, although we truly mean nothing. Many Greeks have already understood erstwhile will Poles see this?
93 years ago, the independent Republic was reborn. It was created thanks to the strength and determination of our then political elites, and besides to the favourable ending of planet War I. November 11 is an chance to show in a peculiar way his patriotism, attachment to Poland. It is besides worth considering what independency truly is and whether we sometimes lose it. For it is easy to lose, and it is hard to regain again. The Greeks already found out. erstwhile are we gonna see this?
Matthew Teska
The article was originally released on PROKAPIE on November 10, 2011.
