XXIX 1st May 2004
At three oʼclock today we raised my European flag which Greta has sewn for me more than 25 years ago, showing eight colours to represent the colours of every country in the Union. Greta nee Cohen, my mother-in-law, was one of the last Jewish girls brought out from Graslitz in Sudetenland, before German occupation, in a sealed train of Jewish refugees passing through Germany to Hamburg to embark for England. In November 1993 her last words to me before she died were: “go to Poland, Matthew and buy the land” which enabled me to leave (she died few hours later) to travel to Płock and stop the auction of Leszczyn by my offer. I believe that her last thought was of her childhood loss of her home when she spoke.
We welcomed our neighbours, friends and relations in Leszczyn, 100 or more, to celebrate Polandʼs and Leszczynʼs entry into the European Union. The curé Wiesław from Zagroba blessed the occasion and Bielskʼs mayor Jablonski gave a formal tone with a short homily - I introduced the raising of Gretaʼs flag at three oʼclock by Kamille, son of J - and the youngest boy in the village. The formalities were enriched by playing of Chopinʼs Polonaise, singing of national anthem and a gracious surprise of local hunting club “Knia?” presenting me with their honorary medal. After the formal occasion, enjoyed if interrupted now and then by a friendly joke from the audience, we took to: sausages, sauerkraut and goulash, prepared by our ladies, and served in the hall of our European Institute, with a beer bar and vodkas on the tables, which was followed by music and dancing in the yard sealing the important occasion, helped by good weather, though - not all the people nor all farmers, were convinced of the benefits of the Union. It was a good 1st of May, a day, which always had a special place in the heart of all Europeans.
We know that there are differences between societies some of which are and others which are not fully integrated into becoming a state. Poland a country in the heart of Europe had been a nation with important influence in the region for a thousand years, but has never become a state in the precise meaning of the definition. To become a state a country needs natural and established borders, with a powerful central administration, over a significant period of time, which Poland never had. There was a time in 15th and 16th centuries under the Jagiellon dynasty, which controlled lands from Riga to Kiev and as far as Oder River in the west, that a state might have been formed, but it was not achieved. The short-lived conquests and proud victories did not establish permanent and natural borders, to enable a powerful central administration to develop.
They moved to and fro - a thousand kilometres at a time, remaining a constant source of discord and tragedy, not only for Poland but for Europe generally. By not being able to establish fixed borders either in the east, or on the Oder in the west, with a broad access to the sea, even if it meant compromising some of her proud ambitions, Poland remained always in an antagonism with her neighbours. This aspect of her history was perhaps a result of competition between aristocratic families, who owning their great estates and private armies, competed with each other for ascendancy in the nation. Similar antagonisms elsewhere in Europe were resolved, often helped by geography which was a difficulty here, by ruthless royal power: in England by Henry VII, in France by Louis XI or in Russia by Ivan-the-Dread, each of whom created a state - often even before it became integrated as a nation. Britain, for instance did not develop its national élan, till after Charles I and Cromwell, while Germany, which existed always as nation, did not become a state, until Bismarck, nor did Italy until Mazzini and Garibaldi.
In Poland it did not happen. And now we are at the turn of history, when the European States as such will hopefully disappear, under the progress towards a Federal Union. The new Federal formula is difficult for Poland to acknowledge, as it is for other states - involving them all in disavowing the National identities and facing the future as citizens of Europe.
Ancient loyalties to Regions will need time to grow stronger, to Calabria, Tuscany, Burgundy, Cornwall, Yorkshire, Saxony or Mazowsze. The culture at a smaller scale will grow closer to the people, in sharing their most basic traditions, myths and lore, becoming more independent and free, as citizens. Each region is bound to find its way to identity in Europe, an awareness which already existed in the Middle Ages, with troubadours, knights, or savants of Bologna, Oxford, Krakow, Heidelberg and Montpelier. As histories of France, Spain, England, or Germany, or of Poland, Italy or Russia become a beautiful memory of the past, the individual traditions will be joined together in harmony, rather than in opposition in the loyalty to European Tradition.
It will perhaps be an advantage for Poland not to have been a state and to enter directly into the “Federality of Regions” by delegation of powers to Wielkopoloska, Malopolska, Mazury, Podlasie or Mazowsze - and display their richness, which will replace the anger of European nationalism. It is now too late for Poland to become a state; although for the first time in five hundred years, she has the established borders and integrated administration. These borders today are the same as existed a thousand years ago under Bolesław the Brave and could have served the nation well over this long period, missing perhaps some proud ambitions, but probably avoiding many tragedies and creating a stable power in the centre of Europe.
It would have been better for the history of our continent, if Germany took to this road in the twenties, as could have happened, and gave with France a lead to integration of Europe with Stresemann and Briand - foregoing her young, barely 50 year old, statehood in exchange for the pride of her ancient regions which is happening there now. One has reason to believe that Poland with her history of grandeur and suffering under the partitions, and being now unique to move directly to the Statehood of Europe may give a lead and be an example for others. A course that can be well defined and proudly advanced.
Looking at Sweden, who gave up her continental dreams of 17th century conquests and who fulfils her aims now, with supreme ability in trade, invention in social and intellectual achievement, we see how it can be done. One might gladly ima- gine dissipating power-crazed of Europeʼs individual foreign ministries or even her beautiful, but often bloated with author- ity capitals, and see by contrast the Regions spreading the culture and reawakening the true rhythm in the land of Europe.
