Polish-Jewish Relations: 1,300 Keyword-Phrase-Indexed Book Reviews (by Jan Peczkis)

The Lands of Partitioned Poland, 1795-1918, by Piotr Stefan Wandycz. 1975

Jewish Support for the November 1830 Insurrection (to the Extent That It Existed), Was Motivated By Antipathy to the Tsar Rather Than Loyalty to Poland

This work is very detailed. It focuses on the political issues surrounding the attempts of Poles to resurrect the Polish state, or at least make foreign rule more bearable, during the Partition years (1895-1918), as well as the foreign reaction to these attempts.

Having read numerous books on Poland, I conclude that Wandycz’ analysis is very strong in the following areas: Ukrainian-Polish relations, especially in Eastern Galicia; heavy-handed Prussian actions against Poles, in the late 19th and early 20th century, and how the Poles partly thwarted them; and Roman Dmowski and the Endek movement. The latter is treated objectively.

A FEW ASSIMILATED POLISH JEWS  WERE NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY

Wandycz also covers the situation facing Jews in Partitioned Poland. For instance, while there were some assimilated Polish Jews, including notable ones, in Congress Poland and Galicia, this tendency should not be overstated. This assimilation never assumed mass proportions. (p. 157, 207, 222, 261-262). [The then-novelty and rarity of assimilated Jews may explain why Poles generally did not treat Jewish assimilation more seriously, and why they sometimes questioned the motives of Jews who did in fact assimilate. It was for exactly the same reason that Jews, as a whole, did not treat Jewish assimilation more seriously.]

THE NOVEMBER 1830 INSURRECTION COULD HAVE SUCCEEDED

Wandycz suggests that (whatever the) Jewish support for the Poles in their November 1830 Insurrection, it was motivated, to a considerable degree, by the harsh tsarist policies against Jews, which included drafting them for military services in an attempt to “Europeanize” them. (p. 91).

Interestingly, the Insurrection of 1830 was not some kind of romantic, quixotic venture as sometimes assumed. Had the Polish military leaders made different decisions, including an incursion into Lithuania, and had the Polish cause enjoyed substantial foreign support, the uprising had a real chance of success. (pp. 112-113).