V 18th November 1995
Seventieth Birthday is, with luck, the beginning of the penultimate decade of oneʼs life. At home in London, celebrating my anniversary in the company of family and friends, at a dinner reception in wifeʼs University Womenʼs Club. The rhythm of eight year periods into which my life seems to fall, periods which coincide with major changes in my life, is now nearing its tenth whack beginning at 72, which I once listed as a period of de-briefing. It is now likely to be anything but that, with Leszczyn in the wings, the plans for which I shared with all, on the night.
All things seem to be possible in this land of opportunity and Poland opens its doors to new ventures with eagerness, welcoming especially foreign enterprise. Perhaps one should think big. Constructing in Leszczyn, an Artisan Centre, with in- ternational connections, particularly with Britain and France, providing facilities to work and study for local craftsmen, and to cross-fertilize their experience with artisans from abroad. The long-term plan to develop work units in various trades and a school of crafts directed largely towards the building trade. The project will be with commercial activity in three directions: First: by formation of an advanced agricultural unit covering 75 hectares, Second: by starting a building ma- terials retail business in nearby Płock, and Third: by creating income from renting of its premises and facilities for cultural and conference use. For this purpose a Limited company “Kontuar Sp.Zoo” has already been registered in Płock. The company, based in Leszczyn, will administer the farm, manage the retail business and progress construction of the Centre.
There is merit in presenting ideas in the context of personal life experience to cement the conclusions and aims. A life story of a man of 20th century, which is shared with many in these adventurous times, maybe more fortunate than some, but guiding all of us to broadly similar conclusions. An experience with thoughts, developing slowly, and cherished for their historical context as it happened:
Torn from home in 1939, 21st September the day of leaving Poland, and again from Lycée Pasteur - leaving Paris on the last train, south, from Austerlitz before occupation and France via Oran and Casablanca, seeing French fleet at Mers-el-Kebir and British leaving Gibraltar to destroy it; a sudden introduction to an English boarding school and War in England. Then Normandy, a sense of revenge, satisfaction of victory, and a pride of camaraderie in battle. Life training in ʻlibe-artʼ and new ideas as a point of reference; Scotch fun of life and working lads, or socialist architects, with dream of new towns, schools and of new architecture and of rebuilding Britain. Teaching at Ulm, designing in Skopie, researching in Paris, Milan, working in Hertford, Coventry and London, or a glimpse of New York. Joy of knowing many, re-discovering Poland, and sharing with all in a full life.
Rabin was killed a few days ago, a good man done for. There is no love there: De Gaulle once said that for a small country Israel is making an unusually large amount of trouble - that country was born out of evil and that society will have a hard job to leave it behind.
Leaving history behind is difficult for all of us because the past exercises an almost irresistible fascination over us and because it makes us face the facts which often force us to change our attitudes. It is always open to many inter- pretations: as for instance best known views of Napoleonʼs contribution to history, even limiting it only to the French interpretations, we see how they seesaw from bad to good and back to bad again, reflecting the tenor of the times. It is not possible that our judgement on holocaust would swing from bad to good but it may be that the treatment of these facts will be used for good or for bad, for instance for justified sadness of the memory or alternatively for building up of hate. Tremendously suggestible as we are, having a mechanism adapted much better for credulity than to doubt, the facts can therefore at any time be made a facile tool of propaganda.
It seems to me that it is one thing to look for lessons of history garnished from Punic wars, the Crusadersʼ conquests or execution of Charles I, and another to look at horrors of most recent times. Looking at the images of tragedy in Europe in this century, where over 50 million people were killed, most in gruesome circumstances, it becomes something else, it can become a message of hate, often mixed with a sense of guilt, humiliation or desire for revenge. We should gently steer the images away from damaging our most tender susceptibilities about human beings. For a person paralised by memory, forgetting may be a liberation.
We have the right to know, but this history which is so near excites extreme feelings, and while it is true that history and politics cannot be made without passion, the use of those immediate emotions is doubtfully the best way to mould our ethical principles. One becomes so tired of seeing again and again the horrors displayed even with artistic craft. We are wrong it seems to me to say ʻthat we must look at it, lest it happens againʼ, allowing a play to be made of our suggestibility. History can teach its lessons better with reasons, than by the gruesome displays of a kaleidoscope of hard emo- tions. The young may become immunised to the sensing of wrong.
