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

Poland, Land of the White Eagle, by Edward C. Corsi. 1933, 2017

Neglected Polish Achievements. Polak Potrafi: Former Kosciuszko Squadron Commander Assesses Poland’s Many Achievements: A Cure for Polonophobia

My review is based on original 1933 edition. The author was a Polonophile American who was obviously fascinated with Poland. In a spirit of repaying the newly-resurrected Polish state for the earlier services of Kosciuszko and Pulaski to America, he had offered his services to Poland, and served as a flight commander of the Kosciuszko Squadron. This book provides countless details on the history, geography, and culture of Poland. It also includes seldom-mentioned details. I focus on these in my review.

The reader learns much about Krakow. The author considers Wit Stwosz to be the Polish Michelangelo. (p. 175).

The author discusses Polish kings and their policies. For instance, he points out that Stefan Batory made it easier for the Polish peasant to become a landowner and be granted the right to vote, thus transforming the peasant into a noble. (p. 31).

Owing to the devastation that Poland later experienced in WWII, the earlier devastation of Poland during WWI has been overshadowed. Corsi elaborates on the latter. He also provides a detailed inventory of returned Polish cultural items that had earlier been confiscated by Russia during over a century of partition. (pp. 108-109). [Of course, only a fraction of the stolen items were ever returned.]

Corsi also details the Russians’ systematic sacking of the Royal Castle in Warsaw. (pp. 165). [This anticipated the sacking, and blowing up, of the Royal Castle, by the Germans during WWII. Not until decades later did the Soviet-imposed Communist authorities allow its rebuilding.]

Some specific topics:

POLISH ORIGINS OF GDANSK

As Poland was resurrected, the Germans made a big fuss about the “injustices” of the “Polish Corridor”, and Danzig (Gdansk) not being awarded to Germany. [Later, Hitler used this as a pretext for attacking Poland in 1939, even though his real motive was lebensraum.] In rebuttal, Corsi cites even German sources that prove that 90% of the population of the Corridor was ethnically Polish (pp. 138-139), and provides examples of “corridors”, in other nations, that attract no attention. (p. 139).

As for the “eternally German” claims, Corsi shows that, if anything, the opposite was true, (quote) That the Baltic coast was settled by Slavonic population as early as the second century A. D. was recorded by the historian Ptolemy. Danzig was mentioned for the first time in history in A. D. 997 in VITA S. ADALBERTI as “Gyddanyzc”. Together with all the surrounding territory it belonged to Poland for eight ensuing centuries, until the second partition in 1793, except for an interval of one hundred and forty-six years (1308-1454), when it was detached by force and passed under the rule of the Teutonic Order. The derivation of the word Danzig furnishes us with an argument proving that it is of Slavic origin and not Teutonic. It is combined of two Slavic words, “ku” meaning TOWARDS and “dana” meaning WATER. Therefore the Polish Gdansk, formerly K’dansko, means on the seacoast. This statement is verified by the eminent German historian P. Simson… (unquote). (p. 137).

GERMAN MASSACRE OF POLES AT GDANSK

Edward C. Corsi cites the German Major-General Koehler. He acknowledged the fact that, in 1308, the Teutonic Knights took Gdansk by storm, and massacred ten thousand Poles, after the manner of Genghis Khan. (p. 18).

POLISH ORIGINS OF POMORZE

Author Edward C. Corsi continues, (quote) The name “Pomerania” or “Pomerelia”, German “Pommern” is meaningless. But the Polish Pomorze signifies a land on or by the sea: “po” meaning on OR by, and “morze” meaning sea. (unquote). (p. 137).

A POLISH PAUL REVERE

(Quote) The stories of Paul Revere and the Polish hero, Michinski, are parallel in many ways. Paul Revere rode through the countryside informing the people of the approach of the British; Michinski galloped through the highways of Cracow [Krakow] warning the natives of the approach of the Turks [Tatars?]. The Bostonians each year celebrate the achievements of Paul Revere; Cracowians likewise perpetuate the story of the deeds of Michinski by an annual celebration. (unquote). (p. 175).

NAPOLEON IN WILNO (VILNIUS)

(Quote) Vilna, sometimes called the “outpost of Polish culture”, is situated in the northeast of Poland…Of St. Ann’s Napoleon, struck by its beauty, said, “If I could, I would carry this church to Paris in my hands.” (unquote). (p. 170).

KOSCIUSZKO AND THE U.S. REVOLUTIONARY WAR

(Quote) On the outskirts of the City [of Krakow] stands the Kosciuszko Mound, built a century ago by the people of Poland who constructed it, transporting the dirt themselves until it was one hundred feet high. On the crest of the mound is a small pile of dirt taken from the battlefields of Yorktown and Saratoga and placed there on July 4, 1926, to commemorate the one hundred and sixtieth anniversary of American Independence. (unquote). (p. 176).

HONORING U. S. PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON

(Quote) On July 4, 1931–the anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America–a monument to Woodrow Wilson was unveiled at Wilson Park [in Poznan]…The monument was the thoughtful gift of Ignacy Jan Paderewski and it gave the people of Poland the opportunity of expressing their appreciation to Woodrow Wilson and America for the part they played in aiding Poland to gain her independence. (unquote). (pp. 183-184). [A few years later, the conquering Germans destroyed the statue, and, later, the Soviet-imposed Communist authorities gave the park a different name. It was a classic Orwellian rewriting of history.]