Poland 9781422292723, 142229272X

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European Union Nations Austria Belgium Czech Republic Denmark France Germany Greece Ireland

Italy The Netherlands Poland Portugal Spain Sweden United Kingdom

Poland

by

Heather Docalavich and Shaina C. Indovino Mason Crest

Mason Crest 370 Reed Road, Broomall, Pennsylvania 19008 www.masoncrest.com Copyright © 2013 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. Printed in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. First printing 987654321 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Docalavich, Heather. Poland / by Healther Docalavich and Shaina C. Indovino p. cm. — (The European Union : political, social, and economic cooperation) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4222-2254-6 (hardcover) — ISBN 978-1-4222-2231-7 (series hardcover) — ISBN 9781-4222-9272-3 (ebook) 1. Poland—Juvenile literature. 2. European Union—Poland—Juvenile literature. I. Indovino, Shaina Carmel. II. Title. DK4040.D636 2012 943.8—dc22 2010051465 Produced by Harding House Publishing Services, Inc. www.hardinghousepages.com Interior layout by Micaela Sanna. Cover design by Torque Advertising + Design.

Contents Introduction 8 1. Poland’s Current Issues 11 2. Poland’s History and Government 19 3. The Economy 35 4 Poland’s People and Culture 41 5. Poland’s Future 49 Time Line 54 Find Out More 55 Glossary 57 Index 61 Picture Credits 62 About the Authors 63 About the Consultant 64

Poland European Union Member since 2004

INTRODUCTION Sixty years ago, Europe lay scarred from the battles of the Second World War. During the next several years, a plan began to take shape that would unite the countries of the European continent so that future wars would be inconceivable. On May 9, 1950, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman issued a declaration calling on France, Germany, and other European countries to pool together their coal and steel production as “the first concrete foundation of a European federation.” “Europe Day” is celebrated each year on May 9 to commemorate the beginning of the European Union (EU). The EU consists of twenty-seven countries, spanning the continent from Ireland in the west to the border of Russia in the east. Eight of the ten most recently admitted EU member states are former communist regimes that were behind the Iron Curtain for most of the latter half of the twentieth century. Any European country with a democratic government, a functioning market economy, respect for fundamental rights, and a government capable of implementing EU laws and policies may apply for membership. Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU in 2007. Croatia, Serbia, Turkey, Iceland, Montenegro, and Macedonia have also embarked on the road to EU membership. While the EU began as an idea to ensure peace in Europe through interconnected economies, it has evolved into so much more today: • Citizens can travel freely throughout most of the EU without carrying a passport and without stopping for border checks. • EU citizens can live, work, study, and retire in another EU country if they wish. • The euro, the single currency accepted throughout seventeen of the EU countries (with more to come), is one of the EU’s most tangible achievements, facilitating commerce and making possible a single financial market that benefits both individuals and businesses. • The EU ensures cooperation in the fight against cross-border crime and terrorism. • The EU is spearheading world efforts to preserve the environment. • As the world’s largest trading bloc, the EU uses its influence to promote fair rules for world trade, ensuring that globalization also benefits the poorest countries. • The EU is already the world’s largest donor of humanitarian aid and development assistance, providing around 60 percent of global official development assistance to developing countries in 2011.

The EU is not a nation intended to replace existing nations. The EU is unique—its member countries have established common institutions to which they delegate some of their sovereignty so that decisions on matters of joint interest can be made democratically at the European level. Europe is a continent with many different traditions and languages, but with shared values such as democracy, freedom, and social justice, cherished values well known to North Americans. Indeed, the EU motto is “United in Diversity.” Enjoy your reading. Take advantage of this chance to learn more about Europe and the EU! Ambassador John Bruton, Former EU President and Prime Minister of Ireland

Riverside of Gdansk at dawn.

1 CHAPTER

Poland’s Current Issues

elcome to Poland, one of the largest countries in Central Europe. Bordered by Russia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany, and the Baltic Sea, Poland’s culture has been shaped by its central location and the ease with which people, ideas, and even armies, have moved across the area.

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Poland and EU Accession In 2003, following more than a decade of sweeping economic and political reforms, Poles voted for membership in the European Union (EU) in a historic referendum. Although national polling showed that a few Poles had concerns about joining the EU, the majority felt that tapping into the resources of a wider Europe would bring their new country more advantages than disadvantages. The process of joining the EU, called accession, requires potential member states to adopt common policies on a wide variety of issues— from trade and commerce, to environmental protection and human rights. Some of these have been easier for Poland to comply with than others. As a new country, Poland is struggling with the EU’s human rights and environmental requirements. Environmental Issues Polish rural communities depend on low-cost but dirty coal for their heating, and about 95 percent of Poland’s electricity comes from coal generators—but now the EU is pressuring Poland to come up with cleaner energy sources. The Polish government is proposing controversial shale gas wells as an alternative beginning in 2014. Poland is thought to possess around 5.3 trillion cubic meters of natural gas reserves, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk made a statement in 2011 that he had been “assured that well conducted exploration and production would not 12

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pose a danger to the environment.” Poland’s leaders insist that extracting shale from rural areas should not be a problem, since it would be done in “empty space.” “We have very strict environmental rules, and in Poland we are the most water efficient country,” a Polish diplomat told reporters. “Water is very crucial to us and if there is any risk of water contamination, I do not believe we will start any exploitation.” But other member nations of the EU are not convinced that this is a good idea. France, for example, has already frozen shale exploration licenses and banned “fracking,” a process of hydraulic rock fracturing that uses toxic chemicals. Cornell University scientists have found that the process has a carbon footprint that can be 20 percent to 100 percent greater than coal’s, and a report from Manchester University stated, “There is a clear risk of contamination of groundwater from shale gas extraction. It is important to recognise that most problems arise due to errors in construction or operation and these cannot be eliminated.” In response to this research, the EU announced in 2011 that it would draft EU-wide rules on shale tapping. Human Rights The Roma

Between 50,000 and 60,000 Roma live in Poland—and these people face discrimination and prejudice. About 90 percent are unemployed, and the European Commission has

The Formation of the European Union The EU is a confederation of European nations that continues to grow. All countries that enter the EU agree to follow common laws about foreign security policies. They also agree to cooperate on legal matters that go on within the EU. The European Council meets to discuss all international matters and make decisions about them. Each country’s own concerns and interests are important, though. And apart from legal and financial issues, the EU tries to uphold values such as peace and solidarity, human dignity, freedom, and equality. All member countries remain autonomous. This means that they generally keep their own laws and regulations. The EU becomes involved only if there is an international issue or if a member country has violated the principles of the union. The idea for a union among European nations was first mentioned after World War II. The war had devastated much of Europe, both physically and financially. In 1950, French foreign minister Robert Schuman suggested that France and West Germany combine their coal and steel industries under one authority. Both countries would have control over the industries. This would help them become more financially stable. It would also make war between the countries much more difficult. The idea was interesting to other European countries as well. In 1951, France, West Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Italy signed the Treaty of Paris, creating the European Coal and Steel Community. These six countries would become the core of the EU. In 1957, these same countries signed the Treaties of Rome, creating the European Economic Community. This combined their economies into a single European economy. In 1965, the Merger Treaty brought together a number of these treaty organizations. The organizations were joined under a common banner, known as the European Community. Finally, in 1992, the Maastricht Treaty was signed. This treaty defined the European Union. It gave a framework for expanding the EU’s political role, particularly in the area of foreign and security policy. It would also replace national currencies with the euro. The next year, the treaty went into effect. At that time, the member countries included the original six plus another six who had joined during the 1970s and ’80s. In the following years, the EU would take more steps to form a single market for its members. This would make joining the union even more of an advantage. Three more countries joined during the 1990s. Another twelve joined in the first decade of the twenty-first century. As of 2012, six countries were waiting to join the EU.

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Who Are the Roma? About a thousand years ago, groups of people migrated from northern India, spreading across Europe over the next several centuries. Though these people actually came from several different tribes (the largest of which were the Sinti and Roma), the people of Europe called them simply “Gypsies”—a shortened version of “Egyptians,” since people thought they came from Egypt. Europeans were frightened of these dark-skinned, non-Christian people who spoke a foreign language. Unlike the settled people of Europe, the Roma were wanderers, with no ties to the land. Europeans did not understand them. Stories and stereotypes grew about the Gypsies, and these fanned the flames of prejudice and discrimination. Many of these same stories and stereotypes are still believed today. Throughout the centuries, non-Gypsies continually tried to either assimilate the Gypsies or kill them. Attempts to assimilate the Gypsies involved stealing their children and placing them with other families; giving them cattle and feed, expecting them to become farmers; outlawing their customs, language, and clothing, and forcing them to attend school and church. In many ways the Roma of Europe were treated much as the European settlers treated the Native peoples of North America. Many European laws allowed—or even commanded—the killing of Gypsies. A practice of “Gypsy hunting”— similar to fox hunting—was both common and legal in some parts of Europe. Even as late as 1835, a Gypsy hunt in Denmark “brought in a bag of over 260 men, women, and children.” But the worst of all crimes against the Roma happened in the twentieth century, when Hitler’s Third Reich sent them to concentration camps. As many as half a million Roma died in the Nazis’ death camps.

criticized Poland for allowing violent attacks on the Roma. The EU has commissions that are working with Poland and other member nations to teach them how to honor their commitments to combat hate crimes and promote tolerance. The EU’s action plan also calls for Roma history and culture, especially the Roma experience during the Holocaust, to be included in school programs. This will help give the Roma a greater sense of pride and identity—and even more important, it will help dispel the ignorance in the 14

European Union—Poland

greater population that is often the cause of discrimination and prejudice. Unfortunately, about half of all Roma children in Poland do not go to school—and nearly a quarter of the ones who do go to school attend special classes that are separated from the rest of the students. The Roma in Poland are worried about this practice of segregating their children. “This condemns another generation of Roma to a state of nonexistence and a lack of education,” said the head of the Association of Polish Roma, Roman Kwiatkowski.

A traditional Roma home.

In 2010, the European Commission launched a plan for integrating the Roma into the EU. This plan will mean that countries like Poland will have to pass laws to protect this group of people—and they will have to make sure that all Roma children are attending school.

Signs indicate that Poland is beginning to change in positive ways. In 2010, the Polish parliament declared August 2 to be the official Roma and Sinti Genocide Remembrance Day. August 2, 1944, was the day when the last group of 2,897 Roma and Sinti, mostly elderly people,

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women, and children, were killed in Poland’s Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp. Altogether, more than 23,000 Roma and Sinti died in the Nazi gas chambers of AuschwitzBirkenau. “This is a historic step forward in the official recognition of the persecution and extermination of Roma and Sinti during World War II,” the Polish ambassador to the EU said. He encouraged other EU nations to follow Poland’s example in recognizing and commemorating the deportation and killing of Roma and Sinti under Nazi rule. The official recognition of the suffering of Roma and Sinti during World War II is important for integrating tolerance into mainstream awareness, he added. “Remembering the past is indispensable if we are to be successful in our contemporary efforts to fight intolerance, discrimination and hate crimes.” On the 2011 remembrance day, the EU helped organize an international seminar in Krakow, Poland, to discuss ways to teach about the Roma and Sinti genocide. The seminar sought to keep alive the victims’ legacy by fighting modern forms of racism and discrimination. Representatives of national and local authorities, historians and other experts, and more than ninety young Roma participated in the seminar. Muslims in Poland

Another group that faces discrimination and prejudice in Poland is the Muslims. Between 25,000 and 40,000 Muslims live in Poland. Muslim com-

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munities have lived in Poland even since the fourteenth century, when the Tatars settled in the PolishLithuanian Commonwealth, but many of today’s Muslim population arrived after 1970 from the Arab nations of the Middle East. A Polish human rights activist, Rafal Pankowski, is concerned that prejudice against Muslims is on the rise in his nation. “In general,” he said, “Islamophobia has become one of the big issues. I would say it is growing and I am afraid it will grow further. We see more and more talk about the so-called danger of Islam.” Pankowski believes that this growing problem is linked to Poland’s role in the U.S.-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Pankowski said Muslims in Poland have been the target of hate, especially since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He believes that despite the EU’s official stance for human rights and tolerance, the Polish right-wing is influenced by the anti-Islamic feelings in some of the other EU countries regarding Muslim immigration into the EU. Not all Muslims agree, however, that prejudice against Islam is widespread in Poland. Roza Bartulowich said, “My family is half-Muslim, halfCatholic. Our ancestors have lived here for centuries. We are a part of Poland. I have never felt anything but accepted in my homeland.” It is this centuries-long history that has helped shape modern-day Poland, with both its challenges and its strengths. “We need to learn from our history,” Bartulowich said. “That is what will make us smart for the future.”

Muslims in the European Union Muslims are people who follow Islam, a religion that grew from some of the same roots as Judaism and Christianity. “Islam” means “submission to God,” and Muslims try to let God shape all aspects of their lives. They refer to God as Allah; their holy scriptures are called the Qur’an, and they consider the Prophet Muhammad to be their greatest teacher. About 16 million Muslims live in the European Union—but their stories vary from country to country. Some Muslim populations have been living in Europe for hundreds of years. Others came in the middle of the twentieth century. Still others are recent refugees from the troubled Middle East. By 2020, the Muslim population in Europe is predicted to double. By 2050, one in five Europeans are likely to be Muslim, and by 2100, Muslims may make up one-quarter of Europe’s people. Not all Europeans are happy about these predictions. Negative stereotypes about Muslims are common in many EU countries. Some Europeans think all Muslims are terrorists. But stereotypes are dangerous! When you believe a stereotype, you think that people in a certain group all act a certain way. “All jocks are dumb” is a stereotype. “All women are emotional” is another stereotype, and another is, “All little boys are rough and noisy.” Stereotypes aren’t true! And when we use stereotypes to think about others, we often fall into prejudice—thinking that some groups of people aren’t as good as others. Fundamentalist Muslims want to get back to the fundamentals—the basics—of Islam. However, their definition of what’s “fundamental” is not always the same as other Muslims’. Generally speaking, they are afraid that the influence of Western morals and values will be bad for Muslims. They believe that the laws of Islam’s holy books should be followed literally. Many times, they are willing to kill for their beliefs—and they are often willing to die for them as well. Men and women who are passionate about these beliefs have taken part in violent attacks against Europe and the United States. They believe that terrorism will make the world take notice of them, that it will help them fight back against the West’s power. But most Muslims are not terrorists. In fact, most Muslims are law-abiding and hardworking citizens of the countries where they live. Some Muslims, however, believe that women should have few of the rights that women expect in most countries of the EU. This difference creates tension, since the EU guarantees women the same rights as men. But not all Muslims are so conservative and strict. Many of them believe in the same “golden rule” preached by all major religions: “Treat everyone the way you want to be treated.” But despite this, hate crimes against Muslims are increasing across the EU. These crimes range from death threats and murder to more minor assaults, such as spitting and name-calling. Racism against Muslims is a major problem in many parts of the EU. The people of the European Union must come to terms with the fact that Muslims are a part of them now. Terrorism is the enemy to be fought—not Muslims.

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Poland’s history lingers in ancient structures from the Middle Ages.

2 CHAPTER

Poland’s History and Government

oland has not always existed as the country it is today. For centuries, the nation suffered under the domination of foreign powers and the hardships of war. Today, Poland stands as a united, democratic country, and a new member of NATO and the European Union (EU). Poland is committed to peace and building good relations with other countries. However, Poland has traveled a long road to reach its current state.

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Early Poland Ancient artifacts discovered on Polish lands suggest the area was home to Neanderthals and ancient tribal groups of hunter-gatherers. The area became more populated after the collapse of the Roman Empire as tribes from the south and west began to settle the area, probably seeking fertile farmland and freedom from the attacks of eastern tribes such as the Huns and Magyars. By the tenth century, about twenty small states had been formed by various tribes. These groups included the Vistulans, Obodrites, Lendians, and Goplans. The most prominent group was the Polanes, or “People of the Plain,” who settled the flatlands that still form the heart of Poland today. Originally a part of the Czech tribe, the Polanes eventually established themselves as a separate ethnic group and in time became the largest Slavic group. The region settled by the Polanes has been known as Poland ever since. The Middle Ages In neighboring Germany, Otto I, a strong Saxon emperor, founded the Holy Roman Empire in 962 CE. The Holy Roman Empire was a group of Western and Central European territories that were united by faith in the Roman Catholic Church. While there was only one emperor, each territory had its own individual ruler, appointed by the emperor. In 966 Otto I granted the title of duke to Mieszko I, the leader of the Polanes. In exchange, the Polanes swore allegiance to the empire and 20

European Union—Poland

began to convert the population to Christianity. By the time Mieszko died in 972, a strong alliance with the empire had been established, a substantial amount of additional land had been conquered, and conversion to Roman Catholicism was nearly complete. Mieszko’s son Boleslaw continued his father’s work and was crowned king of Poland by the emperor shortly before his death in 1025. The Kingdom of Poland was established and became one of the major powers in Eastern Europe. In the centuries that followed, power shifted hands between different hereditary rulers as the kingdom faced intermittent warfare; some areas were lost to foreign invasion, while from time to time, new areas came under Polish rule. As the Middle Ages progressed, Poland saw a great influx of settlers from the west, mainly Germans who brought valuable skills and new ideas. The Germans also brought with them their legal practices, which, being considered more sophisticated than traditional Polish practices, were widely adopted. Poland, now with a feudal system firmly established, Roman Catholicism as the dominant faith, and Germanic customs and law becoming common practice, was now a fully integrated part of medieval Europe.

A medieval castle from Poland’s past Although Poland now had firmly established ties to Western Europe, there were many important differences between life in medieval Poland and the remainder of Western Europe. Germans were not the only immigrants to move east during this period. Large numbers of European Jews, persecuted during the Crusades, migrated to

Poland as well. Poland welcomed these settlers and extended every protection of the law to the Jews. This included heavy penalties for the destruction of Jewish cemeteries and synagogues. Other important differences between Poland and the rest of feudal Europe included greater freedoms for the peasantry and the

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larger class of nobles in Poland (nearly 10 percent of the population by some estimates) than in other areas of Europe. These differences helped fuel the rapid development of cities and commerce and set the stage for a new era of growth and prosperity.

Poland’s Golden Age By the end of the fourteenth century, Poland was still a relatively thriving nation despite political upheavals and periodic warfare. Seeking to improve political conditions, acquire new lands,

A church and monastery in Lezajsk, Poland

and enhance its military strength, Poland made a successful alliance with neighboring Lithuania. Lithuania was strong militarily and ruled large expanses of land to the east, including what is modern-day Belarus and parts of Ukraine. As a condition of the alliance, Lithuania converted to Roman Catholicism, and over the next century the resulting Jagiellonian Dynasty (named for King Jagiello, the first king of Poland-Lithuania who also ruled under the name Wladyslaw II) acquired land, wealth, and power. The success of the Jagiellonian Dynasty can be traced to the distinctive features of its government, which was unlike the other European governments of the time. The large, landowning nobility had enough wealth and power to keep royal control in balance. Over time, a parliament was established, known as the Sejm, that was made up entirely of the nobility and had the power to pass laws, address grievances against the throne, and ultimately to elect a monarch. Although the Jagiellonians were a hereditary ruling family, they eventually began to expand the power of the Sejm as a means of ensuring their heirs would be elected as successors.

The result of this shared power was one of the most enlightened states to exist in Europe at the time. As other countries were torn apart by the religious strife caused by the Protestant Reformation, Poland enjoyed relative religious freedom. Although the majority of the country was solidly Roman Catholic, religious dissent was well tolerated, and Poland became a haven for Lutherans, Calvinists, and other religious groups being persecuted elsewhere. By the late sixteenth century, Poland also supported the world’s largest population of Jews, who now had a thriving culture of their own and were prospering as bankers and business managers. Poland was ethnically and linguistically diverse as well, with ethnic Poles, Germans, Czechs, Slovaks, Belorussians, Ukrainians, and Lithuanians coexisting peacefully. Most ethnic Poles at the time were members of the nobility, who governed a mass of peasantry whose roots were not Polish or even wholly Catholic. Ultimately, however, this imbalance would result in ethnic conflict. In the meantime, literature, music, and the arts thrived in this environment of prosperity and freedom. The Polish nobility commissioned works heavily influenced by the popular Italian styles of the late Renaissance. Italian-style architecture also flourished, and many examples are still visible in the old capital city of Krakow. The University of Krakow gained prominence as a world-class center of learning, and in 1543, Nicholas Copernicus became its most famous student as he revolutionized the study of astronomy forever. Modern Poles remember this era as the golden age of Polish culture and identify their national

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love of freedom and democracy as originating in this period. While the large noble class and the middle class consisting of merchants, bankers, and skilled craftsmen did enjoy relative freedom and civil liberty, the large peasant class, however, still remained virtual slaves to the land they worked. After the last Jagiellonian ruler died without a male heir, the government gradually evolved into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, or Noble’s Commonwealth. Central power had eroded from the monarchy, and ultimately the country was governed completely by the legislature. Certain provisions in the constitution that allowed small groups of nobles to disrupt parliamentary procedures completely caused problems. As the country faced external military threats and internal power struggles, the government eventually deteriorated. Over time, land was lost to Sweden, Russia, and the Ottoman Turks. Eventually, Poland came completely under the control of Russia. Nationalism and Romanticism In 1795, Poland was subject to the last of three partitions, where the neighboring powers of Russia, Prussia, and Austria completely divided the territory of Poland and wiped the PolishLithuanian Commonwealth from the map. While much of Europe condemned this action as a crime against Polish sovereignty, no country came forward to actively oppose the annexation. By the dawn of the nineteenth century, however, 24

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new military developments encouraged Poles that their independence might one day be restored. The French general Napoleon Bonaparte launched a series of aggressions and captured large portions of Europe. By 1806, he had dissolved Germany’s Holy Roman Empire completely. The defeat awakened a sense of nationalism in the German territories. They banded together to fight against the French for Prussia, the largest German state. Poland’s location in the center of Europe became very significant, and Napoleon promised to help restore an independent Poland— and he did in fact restore some autonomy to the Duchy of Warsaw. Although short lived, the Napoleonic era served as inspiration among intellectuals that a free and independent Poland was possible. The artistic and intellectual climate of the day fueled the growth of nationalist movements in Poland. Nationalist movements swelled in popularity across Europe, and the artistic movement known as romanticism was a natural inspiration for this movement. Romanticism idealized patriotism and ethnic loyalty and promoted resistance against the conservative monarchies that imposed foreign rule on subject peoples across the continent. Arts and literature once again flourished, this time highlighting nationalist themes praising the glorious national past. By the mid-nineteenth century, nationalist rebellions were occurring across Polish lands. The revolts were put down harshly, and actions were taken to limit the use of Polish language and cultural practices. Nationalist feelings also brought ethnic ten-

Architecture in Gdansk carries reminders of Poland’s history.

The ruins of a concentration camp recall the horrors of Nazi occupation.

sions, and conflict arose between ethnic Germans, Poles, and Jews. As World War I approached, many different political groups were promoting Polish nationalism and independence. 26

European Union—Poland

World War I and the Polish Republic World War I began on June 28, 1914, when Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist, assassinat-

ed Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie. Russia allied with Serbia. Germany sided with Austria and soon declared war on Russia. After France declared its support for Russia, Germany attacked France. German troops then invaded Belgium, a neutral country, since it stood between German forces and Paris. Great Britain then declared war on Germany. The war put Russia on the opposing side from Germany and Austria, thus giving Poles political advantage, since both sides offered concessions of land and power in exchange for loyalty and recruits. Any perceived advantage was shortlived, however. Much of the war’s heavy fighting took place on Polish lands, and two million Polish troops fought on both sides. Nearly half a million of those died. The scorchedearth policy pursued at the war’s end left much of the region uninhabitable, and hundreds of thousands of Poles were removed to German labor camps during the war. After the war, American president Woodrow Wilson supported an independent Poland as the thirteenth of his famous “Fourteen Points.” In

1918, a newly independent Poland emerged, but it faced many great economic and political challenges. The new nation dealt with almost constant border disputes as boundaries were moved and redrawn across Central Europe following the war. The infant nation also had to contend with staggering amounts of war damage, a ruined economy, and dissatisfied minority groups who made up onethird of the country’s total population. It is not surprising that as World War II loomed on the horizon, the new Polish government had failed. Nazi Germany and World War II Despite the multitude of internal problems, the greatest threat to Poland came from abroad. Poland allied itself with France for protection against both Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. Poland also sought to further secure their position by signing nonaggression treaties with Germany and Russia. Poland felt threatened because Germany was gaining power and rebuilding its military under the leadership of Adolph Hitler. In 1936, he formed an alliance with Italy and signed an anti-Communist agreement with Japan. These three powers became known as the Axis Powers. France, Great Britain, and the countries that were allied with them became known simply as “the Allies.” Hitler’s stated goals of reclaiming German lands lost in World War I were initially accepted by the Allies, and a policy known as appeasement was developed that granted a series of concessions to Hitler in hope of preventing another war. However, by 1939, the Allied policy of

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appeasement had granted Germany so much land that Poland was surrounded on three sides by Nazi possessions. When Poland refused Nazi proposals to join the Axis powers, Germany responded by invading Poland on September 1, 1939. Polish forces were severely outnumbered and had no equipment to resist the state-of-the-art military technology employed by Germany.

Civilians suffered as Nazi planes bombed urban centers to weaken morale. In the end, despite fierce resistance, the Nazis overtook Poland. Poland suffered greatly under Nazi rule. Not only were Polish Jews marked for extermination as they were throughout Nazi-controlled Europe, but ethnic Poles were persecuted as well. Nearly one million Poles were deported to work in forced labor camps in Germany. Measures were taken to

Oskar Schindler and the Schindler Jews German, Catholic, wealthy—all words that describe Oskar Schindler. There was little in his background to hint that he would play such an integral role in the survival of thousands of Jews in World War II Poland. After Germany invaded Poland, Schindler moved there to open a factory. To increase his profits, Schindler hired Jewish workers. German occupation meant that most of them had lost their prewar jobs. Desperate, they were the cheapest labor source Schindler could find. Schindler’s accountant convinced some Jews who still had some wealth to invest in Schindler’s factory. In return, they would be given a job and therefore less likely to be taken to concentration camps. Schindler treated his employees well. After watching a 1942 German raid on the Jewish ghetto in Krakow, Schindler increased his attempts to help the Jewish population. He set up a “branch” of the Plaszow concentration camp in his Zablocie factory compound and compiled a list of the people he would need to run it—Schindler’s List. The factory lasted for more than a year making defective bullets for the German army. Two years later, Schindler moved the factory—and most of his employees—to Brünlitz. Schindler escaped to Argentina with his wife and some employees after the war. Business venture after business venture failed, and Schindler left his family and returned to Germany in 1958. He spent the remaining years of his life traveling between Germany and Jerusalem. During the last years of his life, Schindler was reportedly supported by those he called his Schindlerjuden—his children. The Israeli government honored him as a Righteous Among Nations, the highest honor given to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. After his death in Germany in 1974, his body was taken to Jerusalem for burial on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. He had told a friend that he wanted to be buried in Jerusalem— where his children were. Today, there are more Jews alive worldwide who owe their lives to Oskar Schindler than remain in Poland.

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The World War II concentration camp at Auschwitz, Poland wipe out Polish culture and intellectual life. All universities and colleges were closed, and any Pole considered an “intellectual” was subject to execution. All education for Polish children beyond the primary level was banned. Poles were also conscripted for forced labor in Poland itself, and sev-

eral labor camps were scattered across the country. All told, the Nazis killed approximately three million Polish Jews. An additional three million non-Jewish Poles were also killed or died as a result of Nazi occupation. In total, Poland lost more than 22 percent of its total population.

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In June 1941, Hitler reneged on a nonaggression pact with the Soviets and invaded the Soviet Union. At war with the Soviets in the east and the Allies in the west, Hitler was outmatched. Soviets marched across Poland in late 1944, and the German government there collapsed. A valiant attempt by Polish resistance forces to liberate Warsaw before the Soviet advance was

Communist Rule

In the years following World War II, Poland suffered under communist rule. The country was in economic shambles, and an entire generation of Poles was poorly educated, since they had not been allowed to attend school under Nazi occupation. Various groups made several attempts to rebel Karol Wojtyla against the Soviet-controlled communist regime, but Who? He’s perhaps better known as Pope John Paul II. these were put down harshKarol Wojtyla was born in Wadowice, Poland, near Krakow, in 1920. ly. Because of its strategic The future pope suffered much sadness in his childhood: his mother died location, Poland was a critiwhen he was nine, and an older brother died when Karol was twelve. He cal holding for the Soviets, himself was almost killed twice, first when struck by a streetcar and again so dissent could not be tolerwhen a truck hit him, which the athletic young man was able to overcome. ated. By the 1970s, an In 1941, his father died, leaving Karol basically without a family. attempt at liberalizing In 1946, Karol Wojtyla was ordained a Catholic priest and served a the economy had failed, church in Poland. After the communists invaded Poland and ordered no and the country faced a crichurch services to take place, Wojtyla defied the edict and offered worship sis as the nation’s debt spiservices. After becoming pope in October 1978, this first non-Italian pope raled out of control and continued his fight against communism. To many, Pope John Paul II was even the most basic condirectly responsible for the fall of communism worldwide. sumer goods grew prohibitively expensive. By 1980, a group of anticommunist dissidents formed the independent brutally put down by the Nazis, and by the time trade union “Solidarity.” Led by a shipyard electrithe Soviets arrived, Poland was unequipped for cian, Lech Walesa, the group promoted nonviolent any further resistance. As Poland’s boundaries protest as a means of political change and drew were redrawn following World War II, the nation support from a wide variety of groups including the regained much of its hereditary lands, but it was Roman Catholic Church, academics, as well as now a communist satellite state of the Soviet laborers and farmers. Solidarity eventually became Union. 30

European Union—Poland

The Insurrection Monument in Warsaw

Open-air cafés in modern Krakow attract tourists

the leading force for resistance against communism. By 1981, the communists had outlawed Solidarity and imprisoned many of its leaders, which only served to gain the group even more popular support. The group continued to operate as an underground resistance movement, and by 1988, it had gained enough strength that the communist government began to negotiate openly with the organization. In 1990, the secretary general of the Communist Party resigned and was replaced by a coalition government led by Solidarity. In December of that year, Lech Walesa became the first popularly elected president of Poland. The Poland of Today In the years since the fall of communism, Poland has begun to emerge from centuries of foreign domination and economic hardship as a thriving democracy. Looking back to the days of the Nobles’ Commonwealth, the Polish people feel

they have a heritage of democracy and civil liberty and are working to move forward and assume what they see as their legacy as an integral part of a unified and prosperous Europe. In achieving these goals, Poland has worked to make dramatic political and economic reforms. They are also seeking to enhance their prominence in international affairs. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and became a member of the EU on May 1, 2004. These actions will have widespread effects on the nation of Poland, particularly its economy. In 2010, Poland's president, Lech Kaczyński was killed in a plane crash. He was flying to Russia to commemorate the Katyn massacre, a day when thousands of Poles were killed by Russian secret police. It marked a new cooperation and understanding between the two countries. Sadly, the plane crashed, killing Kaczyński, his wife, and many top Polish officials. The country went into shock and mourning. Bronislaw Komorowski was later elected president.

Chapter Two—Poland’s History and Government

33

Modern-day Warsaw

3 CHAPTER

The Economy

oland is emerging from a period of economic hardship and recession into the potential to be a major player on the world economic stage. With forty million consumers, Poland is the largest market in Central Europe, larger than the markets offered by the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary combined. The Polish economy also boasts one of the most impressive growth rates in the world. In the last few years, Poland is the only EU member nation to maintain growth of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) through the financial crisis that began in 2008.

P

The New Economy As Poland came out from under decades of communist control, the economy was in shambles. Large balances of unpaid foreign debt made borrowing difficult. And yet funds were needed to improve Poland’s aged infrastructure before the nation could expect to see any real growth in foreign investment.

Privatization of industry and agriculture had begun before the collapse of the communist government; however, major reforms were needed to return to private ownership of businesses and to convert to a market economy after many years of state ownership. The new government instituted a program of “shock therapy” to revitalize the economy, and the dramatic reforms have paid off. Poland now has one of the most robust economies in all Europe.

Quick Facts: The Economy of Poland Gross Domestic Product (GDP): US $765.6 billion (2011 est.) GDP per capita: US $20,100 (2011 est.) Industries: machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles Agriculture: potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork, dairy Export commodities: machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate manufactured goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live animals 7.6% Export partners: Germany 26.9%, France 7.1%, UK 6.4%, Italy 6.3%, Czech Republic 6.2%, Netherlands 4.3%, Russia 4.1% (2010) Import commodities: machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 15%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related materials 9% Import partners: Germany 29.1%, Russia 8.8%, Netherlands 6%, Italy 5.8%, China 5.6%, France 4.5%, Czech Republic 4.2% (2010) Currency: zloty (PLN) Currency exchange rate: US$1 = 2.834 PLN (2011) Note: All figures are 2011 estimates unless otherwise noted. Source: www.cia.gov, 2012.

36

European Union—Poland

Industry: A Mainstay of Economy and Exports While not as large as it once was, heavy industry is an important part of Poland’s economy. The services sector has grown in Poland in recent years, but manufacturing remains a major source of the nation’s exports. The largest elements of the manufacturing sector are the automobile industry, iron and steel production, ship building, arms and weapons manufacture, and the chemical industry. The increased demand for Polish products has enabled the Poles to rapidly develop a more modern infrastructure and dramatically increase productivity. The success of these industries has been essential to the country’s economic recovery.

Tourists to the Baltic Sea

One of the fastest-growing branches of Poland’s manufacturing sector is the defense industry. As a member of NATO and as a border state of the EU, Poland has important military obligations that require a well-equipped, modern fighting force. Military electronics such as targeting systems, explosives, and the high-quality radar devices (produced by a company called

Radwar), account for a large part of Poland’s arms industry. In addition, the manufacture of heavy equipment, aircraft, and weaponry is expanding, and Poland has supply contracts all over the world. The history of Poland’s automotive industry goes back to the early 1930s when the first Fiat plant was built in Poland. Today, Fiat is still the Chapter Three—The Economy

37

largest automaker to do business in Poland, but Korea’s Daewoo and General Motors have also invested heavily in Poland. Volkswagen and Toyota have parts assembly plants in Poland as well. The Polish chemical industry is also thriving. Basic chemical products such as fertilizers, plastics, and dyes are produced by a number of Polish firms. The growth of the motor vehicle industry and the construction industry caused tremendous expansion in rubber manufacture, as demand for tires, treads for construction and military equipment, and PVC products rose accordingly.

Agriculture Farming is a smaller but growing sector of the Polish economy. Poland is one of the world’s largest producers of potatoes and rye. Other important food products produced and exported by Poland include pork, dairy products, poultry, and fruit. As conditions in Poland have improved, much of the food produced in Poland now meets the high standards required for the food to be exported to other EU nations. In addition, Polish farmers are counting on financial assistance from the EU to help build a more competitive agricultur-

A sheep farm in Poland

al industry. Agriculture is heavily subsidized by the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Energy Sources and Transportation Poland is committed to implementing all aspects of the EU’s energy policy. Environmental protection and conservation are among the most important factors of Poland’s new energy policy, and it is critical to Poland’s interests that the country develops new sources of energy to guarantee its future energy security. In addition to researching new and renewable energy sources, changes have been made in the way Poland uses its current energy sources. New natural gas pipelines have been built, linking Poland with Norway and Germany. Poland’s electrical system was joined with the Western European grid in the early 2000s, making it possible for Poland to sell its excess electrical power. Coal still remains the largest source of energy in Poland, but new advances have made this dependence on coal less damaging to the environment and more efficient. New sources of power such as geothermal energy and wind and solar power are slowly diminishing the large portion of Poland’s energy provided by coal. Transportation Highways, railways, waterways (both navigable rivers and canals located on modern ports and harbors), and airports make up Poland’s complex

transportation system. Five international airports connect Poland with the rest of the world, and Warsaw is quickly becoming the main transportation center for all of Central Europe. Poland’s seaports are also vital transport centers, not only for Poland but for many of the landlocked nations of Central Europe as well. Polish ports are currently undergoing a period of restructuring to integrate shipping more smoothly with Poland’s highways, railways, and air transport systems. The Global Recession In 2008, the entire world plunged into recession, a time of serious economic slowdown. While the rest of Europe battled the recession, Poland remained the only country to keep its head above water. Its economy continued to grow, although a little more slowly than before the recession. “I’m bragging about [the country’s economic growth] because it’s really something to brag about in today’s Europe,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk told journalists in 2011. The solution to the economic crisis, Tusk said, is to “spend EU funding sparingly, wisely, rationally but also courageously, in particular those funds that encourage direct investment.” The Polish people should take pride that their economy is in such good shape. With this powerful resource behind them, they are in a good position to take on the challenges their nation faces. Chapter Three—The Economy

39

Krakow’s central square

4

Poland’s People and Culture

CHAPTER

oland, home to nearly forty million people, is the largest country in Central Europe. The nation is ethnically homogeneous, with more than 97 percent of the population identifying themselves as Polish. The country is also almost 90 percent Roman Catholic, although only about 75 percent of those who identify

P

Traditional costumes at a Polish religious festival

Catholic actively practice their faith. Although other religious faiths in Poland are small in number, Polish worshippers today have complete freedom of religion. The Poles also have a strong national identity and are proud of their rich heritage and culture. 42

European Union—Poland

Food and Drink Proud of their hearty appetites, Poles have traditionally preferred simple, meat-and-potatoes–style fare. Western influences in Poland today have brought some changes in eating habits. In Poland’s

urban centers, people enjoy foreign foods such as pizza, pasta, and even Chinese and Mexican cuisine. For most Poles, however, the traditional favorites dominate. Meat, stews, potatoes, and cabbage are the staples of Polish cuisine. As in much of Central Europe, beer and wine are popular beverages. A variety of fruit-flavored liquors and vodka are also available. Education and Sports: An Educated and Active People Poland is a nation that takes education very seriously. The literacy rate for adults is very high, and many Poles can converse in another language. The country has produced famous thinkers and athletes. In Poland, education is compulsory, and every child between ages seven and sixteen must attend school. The school system, though, is quite different from most in North America. To begin, all children attend Skola podstawowa for six years. Next, students attend the Gimnazjum, or secondary school, for three years, after which they must complete a comprehensive exam. Depending on the student’s interests and grades, there are several different options after completing Gimnazjum; each young person’s path depends on whether she is interest-

ed in vocational training or pursuing study at the university level. When it comes to sports, Poles don’t believe in just sitting on the sidelines. They go out and play themselves. Community centers offer sports complexes, pools, and athletic leagues for the public. Many different sporting events are held in Poland each year, although soccer is by far the most popular sport. If an important soccer match is being broadcast on television, the city streets may be deserted. Poland’s most famous athlete is Adam Malysz, a world-champion ski jumper. Poland also boasts a proud Olympic history, with many Polish athletes winning medals over the years. Tennis, hockey, cycling, canoeing, sailing, swimming, skiing, and hiking are other popular sports. Arts and Architecture Traditionally, Poland has been a land of grand architecture. History has not been kind to many of Poland’s architectural treasures, however. In particular, the devastation caused by the two world wars destroyed many fine monuments and buildings of historic and artistic significance. Nonetheless, some of Poland’s most important architecture has survived or been painstakingly rebuilt or restored. Many of the best examples can be seen in Krakow, where many important Gothic and Renaissance structures have been preserved. The town of Kazimierz, on the banks of the Vistula River, is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe.

Chapter Four—Poland’s People and Culture

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Quick Facts: The People of Poland Population: 38,415,284 (July 2012 est.) Ethnic groups: Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census) Age structure: 0–14 years: 14.7% 15–64 years: 71.6% 65 years and over: 13.7% (2011 est.) Population growth rate: -0.075% (2012 est.) Birth rate: 9.96 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) Death rate: 10.24 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) Migration rate: -0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) Infant mortality rate: 6.42 deaths/1,000 live births Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 76.25 years Male: 72.31 years Female: 80.43 years (2012 est.) Religions: Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002) Languages: Polish (official) 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census) Literacy rate: 99.8% (2003 est.) Note: All figures are 2011 estimates unless noted. Source: www.cia.org, 2012.

Poles are proud of their contributions to the visual arts as well. Perhaps the most famous contribution to the visual arts was Jan Matejko’s illustrious school of Historicist painting. These paintings, inspired by the romanticism and nationalist 44

European Union—Poland

pride of the nineteenth century, portrayed important events from Poland’s history on a monumental scale. In addition to painting, Poles have made significant contributions in the fields of sculpture, photography, and cinema. Roman Polanski, one of the most celebrated directors of all time, is hailed as the father of Polish cinema. Music and Literature: A Source of Pride

Literary works written in the Polish vernacular date back to before the fourteenth century. Throughout the centuries Polish literature flourished, much of it in the form of poetry. Examples of important Polish literature can be found in almost all the famous literary styles that occurred in Europe, notably Renaissance, Baroque, and Neo-Classicist works. Poland’s great heyday of Romanticist literature occurred in the nineteenth century and inspired the nationalist ambitions of the Polish people. Henryk Sienkiewicz won the Nobel Prize for Literature for his book Quo Vadis, written in 1905. In the turmoil of the twenti-

A Good Friday procession

An accordian player performs polka music.

eth century, many Polish writers continued to pubModern music also has a prominent place in lish important works in exile, having fled the today’s Poland. Poland has always been very open destruction of the world wars or the oppression of to new styles of music and even before the fall of the communist regime. Another Nobel Prize wincommunism, Western popular music had gained an ner, Czeslaw Milosz, was one of these émigré audience in Poland. While pop music is popular, it writers. In music, Poles have made important contribuMarie Curie tions as well. The romanticism that gripped ninePoles are not just famous for artistic, musical, and literary achievements. teenth-century Poland inMarie Sklodowska Curie, the first person to win or share two Nobel Prizes, spired the music of was born in Warsaw, Poland, in 1867. Frédéric Chopin, which is After graduating from high school, she was unable to study at any now among the best-loved Russian or Polish universities because she was female. So, Marie worked as classical music of all time. a governess for several years. Eventually, with financial assistance from an Chopin in turn stimulated older sister, Marie was able to attend the Sorbonne, in Paris, where she studthe nationalist aspirations ied chemistry and physics. It was there that she met her husband, Pierre of his fellow Poles by introCurie, and together, they studied radioactive materials, discovering radium ducing elements of tradiand polonium. tional Polish folk music into Curie died from leukemia in 1934, most likely caused by her long-term his works. The same periexposure to radiation in her work. A year after her death, her eldest daughod produced the growth of ter won the Noble Prize for Chemistry. the Polish opera, with Stanislaw Moniuszko as its most recognized comis dominated by the Polish love of hard rock and hipposer. hop styles of music. Many Polish artists are producFolk music still occupies a prominent place in ing their own varieties of hip-hop and rock music. Polish culture. People around the world recognize Polish jazz also has a small but dedicated following. traditional Polish dance music such as the polka Jazz festivals feature this blend of a uniquely and the mazurka. Today, tourists and locals alike American musical style fused with compositions charfrequent the many cultural festivals that highlight acteristically Polish in flavor. Polish music and dancing.

Chapter Four—Poland’s People and Culture

47

Morskie Oko Lake in the Polish Tatra Mountains.

5 CHAPTER

Poland’s Future

n many ways, Poland’s future looks bright. This is a big change from Poland’s twentieth-century image. Back then, many people connected Poland with poverty, suffering, refugees, and unrest. The nation had been fought over for centuries; it had been invaded, divided, and conquered. Its people had very little hope.

I

What Is Global Climate Change—and Why Are People So Worried About It? Global climate change has to do with an average increase in the Earth’s temperature. Most scientists agree that humans are responsible because of the pollution cars and factories have put into the air. Global warming is already having serious impacts on humans and the environment in many ways. An increase in global temperatures causes rising sea levels (because of melting of the polar caps) and changes in the amount and pattern of precipitation. These changes may increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts, heat waves, hurricanes, and tornados. Other consequences include changes to farms’ crop production, species becoming extinct, and an increased spread of disease. Not all experts agree about climate change, but almost all scientists believe that it is very real. Politicians and the public do not agree, though, on policies to deal with climate change. Changes in the way people live can be expensive, at both the personal and national levels, and not everyone is convinced that taking on these expenses needs to be a priority.

But all that’s different in the twenty-first century. Today, Poland is a thriving member of the EU— and despite its ongoing problems, it is forging ahead toward the future with confidence and strength. Its relationships with its two larger neighbors, Germany and Russia, are now based on equality and respect. Many Polish immigrants who left their homeland in the twentieth century in search of better opportunities in the UK are now starting to return home. As a member of the EU, Poland still has challenges to face in the future. One of the biggest of these has to do with its energy sources. The EU is committed to reducing its dependence on carbonbased fuels, and Poland is still dependent on coal for much of its fuel and electricity. Many Polish leaders want their nation to switch to natural gas, which would allow Poland to continue to be eco50

European Union—Poland

nomically independent. But the EU is concerned that Poland’s methods of extracting natural gas could further contribute to global climate change (see chapter 1). Poland’s leaders feel that as a young nation, Poland needs to continue to develop its economy before it can focus on the environment. They believe that this is the road that will lead their country to a strong future. This approach, however, is drawing criticism from other EU members, especially France. José Bové, chairperson of the European Parliament’s Agricultural Committee, says that Poland’s decision to not make the environment a priority is a failure to protect the future. “Poland is going the wrong way. It’s looking in the rearview mirror.” Polish politicians claim their country should have the right to make its own energy decisions.

Electric transformation station in Poland. But Bové disagrees. He insists that Poland’s energy choices will affect the health of the entire planet; it’s a “global problem,” he says. “Up to now it’s been the industrialized countries of northern Europe that have been responsible for

the effect on climate. Now it is up to us to lead the way. If we’re not able to speak with one voice, how can we expect that in the future countries like India and China will agree to our common destiny?” Chapter Five—Poland’s Future

51

Old Warsaw houses in Poland.

Poland does possess other energy resources besides coal and natural gas. A 2009 study by the Global Wind Energy Council found that the country could potentially meet a large percentage of its energy needs with wind farms by 2020. The country has committed to getting 15 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020 and 20 percent rate by 2030. But many Polish officials insist that their land does not have strong enough winds to make the windmills work. These officials also claim that in “scenic rural areas, people don’t want windmills because they say it will destroy the picturesque view.” One Polish official told journalists that “windmills are not good for the birds and the animals living in underground. They’re also not good for fish, because [they make the]

fish disappear. In fact this equipment also produces infrasound which we don’t hear, but animals can.” But a spokesperson for the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) says these claims are nonsense; “Wind power is supported by all the major environmental groups,” he said, “because it’s a clean source of power which combats climate change, the greatest threat to biodiversity. Wind energy causes fewer bird fatalities than power lines, buildings or vehicles, and the EWEA had never come across instances of harm to underground animals or fish caused by wind turbines.” Energy policy is just one of many ways the European Union seeks to regulate its members. Not everyone in the EU agrees that this strong centralgovernment approach is the best way of doing things. Some people in Poland, as well as in other EU nations, believe the separate member nations should cooperate with each other more loosely, while being allowed to develop their own ways of handling issues like immigration and energy. For the most part, however, Poland believes that its future lies firmly connected with the European Union. In July 2011, when Poland took the six-month rotating presidency of the EU for the first time, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said that Poland is a “European success story,” “a symbol of hope, optimism, energy, and strength.” Europe has invested a lot in Poland’s future, the prime minister added—and now Poland will invest its energy in Europe’s future.

Chapter Five—Poland’s Future

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Time Line 966 1025 1385 1569 1795 1914 1918 1939 1945 1945 1951 1957 1980 1988 1990 1992 1999 2001 2003 2004 2008 2010 2011

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Mieszko I receives the title of duke and is the first to institute central rule in Poland. Poland begins to convert to Roman Catholicism. The Kingdom of Poland is established. The Kingdom of Poland-Lithuania is created. The Sejm is created. Poland is divided by three different states in the last of three partitions. World War I begins. Poland is reestablished as an independent nation. Germany invades Poland, and World War II begins. Allies defeat Germany in World War II. Soviets institute a communist government in Poland. The six countries that formed the core of the European Union sign the Treaty of Paris. The Treaties of Rome form the European Economic Community. Solidarity is formed. The Communist Party begins formal negotiations with Solidarity. The communist secretary general resigns, and Lech Walesa is elected president. The Maastricht Treaty creates the EU. Poland joins NATO. September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States lead to military conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan. Poles vote for membership in the EU. Poland officially joins the EU. Global recession begins. The Polish parliament declares August 2 to be the official Roma and Sinti Genocide Remembrance Day. Poland takes on the six-month rotating presidency of the EU.

Find Out More In Books

Corona, Laurel. Poland. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale, 2000. Hasday, Judy L. Marie Curie: Pioneer on the Frontier of Radioactivity. Berkeley Heights, N.J.: Enslow Publishers, 2004. Knab, Sophie Hodorowicz. Polish Customs, Traditions, and Folklore. New York: Hippocrene Books, 1996. Pogonowski, Iwo Cyprian. Poland: An Illustrated History. New York: Hippocrene Books, 2000. Zar, Rose, and Eric A. Kimmel. In the Mouth of the Wolf. Philadelphia, Pa.: Jewish Publication Society, 1997.

On the Internet

Travel Information www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/poland/ www.polandtravel.com History and Geography www.infoplease.com www.wikipedia.org

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Culture and Festivals www.poland.gov.pl Economic and Political Information www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html www.poland-info.org www.polandembassy.org EU Information europa.eu.int/ Publisher’s note: The websites listed on this page were active at the time of publication. The publisher is not responsible for websites that have changed their addresses or discontinued operation since the date of publication. The publisher will review and update the website list upon each reprint.

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Glossary activist: A person who takes action to bring about positive change.

conservative: Valuing tradition and resistant to change.

appeasement: The political strategy of pacifying a potentially hostile country by granting them some things that they want in the hope of avoiding war.

Crusades: Military expeditions made by European Christians between the eleventh and twelfth centuries to recapture areas taken by Muslim forces.

autonomy: Political independence and selfgovernment.

deportation: The act of forcing someone to leave the country.

biodiversity: The various forms of life, both plant and animal, in a particular region.

deported: Forced someone from his or her country.

carbon footprint: The amount of carbon dioxide emitted due to the consumption of fossil fuels by a particular person or group.

discrimination: Unjust treatment, especially toward people who belong to a different race, gender, or religion.

civil liberty: A basic right guaranteed to a citizen by law.

dissidents: People who publicly disagree with an established political or religious system or organization.

coalition: A temporary union between two or more groups. compulsory: Required. concessions: Privileges, rights, or kindnesses that are given to an individual or group in view of special circumstances. conservation: The preservation, management, and care of natural and cultural resources.

émigré: Someone who leaves his or her native country to live in another country. exile: Unwilling absence from one’s own country. extermination camp: A place where people are kept prisoners, and where most of the inmates are systematically killed or worked to death.

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feudal system: The legal and social system that existed in medieval Europe, in which vassals held hand from lords in exchange for military service. genocide: The deliberate killing of an entire group of people.

integrating: Bringing together separate parts into a single whole. intellectuals: People who enjoy studying and learning. intermittent: From time to time.

geothermal: Produced by the heat in the interior of the Earth.

liberalizing: Freeing, making more open to change.

gross domestic product (GDP): The total of all goods and services produced in a country minus the net income from investments in other countries.

market economy: An economy where prices and wages are determined primarily by the market and the law of supply and demand rather than by government regulation.

hate crimes: Violence motivated by prejudice (see below).

medieval: Pertaining to the Middle Ages in Europe.

Holocaust: The mass murder of Jews, Roma, homosexuals and others during the German Nazi regime in the 1940s.

Middle Ages: The period in European history between antiquity and the Italian Renaissance.

homogeneous: Having a uniform composition or structure, the same.

nationalism: A feeling of extreme devotion to one nation and its interests about all others.

hunter-gatherers: Members of a society in which people live by hunting and gathering only, with no crops or livestock raised for food.

Neanderthals: Extinct subspecies of humans who lived in Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia in the early Stone Age.

infrastructure: Large-scale public systems and services such as roads and utilities that are necessary for economic activity.

neutral: Not belonging to or favoring any side in a dispute.

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nobles: Those belonging to an aristocratic social or political class. nonaggression treaties: Official agreements between countries promising not to attack one another. parliament: A national representative governmental body that has supreme authority within the country.

referendum: A vote by the whole of an electorate on a specific question or questions put to it by a government or similar body. Renaissance: The period of European history from the fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries marking the end of the Middle Ages and characterized by major cultural and artistic changes.

peasantry: Peasants as a class in society.

reneged: Went back on a promise or commitment.

popularly: By the general public, not a select few.

renewable: Having to do with energy sources from natural sources that aren’t used up.

prejudice: An unfair judgment or opinion that’s often based on gender, religion, or race.

right-wing: The side of politics that wants to maintain things the way they have always been.

privatization: The act of transferring to private ownership an economic enterprise or public utility that has been owned by the government.

romanticism: An artistic and intellectual movement originating in Europe in the late eighteenth century and characterized by a heightened interest in nature, emphasis on the individual’s expression of emotion and imagination, and rebellion against established social rules and conventions.

Protestant Reformation: The sixteenthcentury movement to reform the Catholic Church in Western Europe. recession: A period of decline in economic activity, when businesses stop growing or go out of business, and there are fewer jobs. A recession does not last as long as a depression.

satellite state: A country completely under the control of another.

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scorched-earth: A policy of destroying crops or buildings, especially by burning, that might be useful to an advancing army. segregating: Separating from the main group. sovereignty: Supreme authority. subsidized: Gave money to someone or something in the form of a government grant to help it continue to function. tolerance: The ability to accept and respect others’ differences. underground: Done in secret. vernacular: The everyday language of a country’s people. Western: Typical of countries of Europe and North and South America whose culture and society are influenced by Greek and Roman traditions and Christianity.

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Index ancient Poland 20–24 architecture 23, 24, 43 arts 43–44 communism 27, 30–33, 36, 47 Curie, Marie 47 economy 13, 27, 30, 33, 35–39, 50 agriculture 38–39 energy sources 39 industry 36–38 transportation 39 education 14, 29, 43 European Union (EU) 12–14, 16, 17, 19, 33, 35, 37, 38, 53 food and drink 42–43 Gdansk 25 Golden Age 22–23

literature 23, 24, 44 Middle Ages 20 music 23, 44, 47 nationalism 24, 26 Pope John Paul II 30 religion 17, 42, 44 Schindler, Oskar 28 sports 43 Vistula River 20, 43 Warsaw 24, 30, 31, 47, 52 World War I 26, 43, 47 World War II 13, 16, 43, 47

Krakow 16, 23, 32, 43

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Picture Credits Pg Pg Pg Pg Pg

10 15 49 51 52

© © © © ©

Nightman1965 - Fotolia.com céline - Fotolia.com great_photos - Fotolia.com Profotokris - Fotolia.com steheap - Fotolia.com

All other images are from Corel Image collections, with the exception of those that are from the public domain. If any image has been inadvertently uncredited, please notify Harding House Publishing Services, Vestal, New York 13850, so that rectification can be made for future printings.

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About the Authors Heather Docalavich first developed an interest in the history and cultures of Eastern Europe through her work as a genealogy researcher. She currently resides in Hilton Head, South Carolina, with her four children. Shaina Carmel Indovino is a writer and illustrator living in Nesconset, New York. She graduated from Binghamton University, where she received degrees in sociology and English. Shaina has enjoyed the opportunity to apply both of her fields of study to her writing, and she hopes readers will benefit from taking a look at the countries of the world through more than one perspective.

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About the Series Consultant Ambassador John Bruton served as Irish Prime Minister from 1994 until 1997. As prime minister, he helped turn Ireland’s economy into one of the fastest-growing in the world. He was also involved in the Northern Ireland Peace Process, which led to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. During his tenure as Ireland’s prime minister, he also presided over the European Union presidency in 1996 and helped finalize the Stability and Growth Pact, which governs management of the euro. Before being named the European Commission Head of Delegation in the United States, he was a member of the convention that drafted the European Constitution, signed October 29, 2004. The European Commission Delegation to the United States represents the interests of the European Union as a whole, much as ambassadors represent their countries’ interests to the U.S. government. Matters coming under European Commission authority are negotiated between the commission and the U.S. administration.

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