Polonia Inter Gentes

Benedetto Croce jako źródło inspiracji literackiej dla Gustawa Herlinga-Grudzińskiego

Alessandro Ajres — 2025-12-31

Benedetto Croce stanowi wzór dla Gustawa Herlinga-Grudzińskiego nie tylko ze względu na swoją myśl filozoficzną, historyczną i społeczną (znajomość Historii Europy w XIX wieku przez polskiego pisarza jeszcze przed wybuchem II wojny światowej jest powszechnie znana), ale staje się również źródłem literackiej inspiracji: Croce jest bowiem protagonistą niektórych opowiadań Herlinga (przede wszystkim Księcia Niezłomnego), podczas gdy w innych przypadkach pobudza on zainteresowanie Herlinga tematami odnoszącymi się – przede wszystkim – do Neapolu i otaczających go legend. Niniejszy artykuł, nie ignorując zatem wpływu, jaki myśl Alessandro Ajres Crocego wywiera na Herlinga, ma na celu skupienie się na literackiej przemianie Crocego jako bohatera w opowiadaniach polskiego autora oraz na tym, jak namiętności i pasje jednego – jako czytelnika – przekazywały się drugiemu.

Liberty, Law and Totalitarianism. Gustaw Herling-Grudziński as an Interpreter of Benedetto Croce

Fiammetta Cioè — 2025-12-31

Il presente articolo intende mettere in evidenza la profonda sintonia intellettuale tra Benedetto Croce e Gustaw Herling-Grudziński, con particolare attenzione all’ambito della filosofia del diritto. L’influenza di Croce sull’opera giornalistica, letteraria e filosofica di Herling-Grudziński si manifesta nella comune convinzione che la “religione della libertà” sia destinata a sopravvivere alle catastrofi e ai disastri della storia, malgrado i continui tentativi dell’umanità di soffocarla. Entrambi dedicano la propria vita a denunciare qualunque ordine politico che, pur essendo legalmente costituito, faccia ricorso a strumenti coercitivi lesivi della dignità dell’uomo. In quanto firmatario del Manifesto degli intellettuali antifascisti, Croce condanna con fermezza ogni forma di potere totalitario, la cui attività legislativa degenera in “sfrenato egoismo o durezza di comando”, attaccando così l’idea stessa di libertà come modoinsuperabile dell’esistenza individuale. Sulla scia del pensiero crociano, Herling-Grudziński evidenzia il “gemellaggio” tra i campi di concentramento nazisti (Lager) e i campi di lavoro forzato sovietici (Gulag). Nel Gulag, l’orrore risulta perintollerabilmente legalizzato e l’individuo, privato del suo conatus essendi e di ogni frammento di dignità, è una semplice “unità anonima di energia”. In quel “mondo a parte”, in cui l’umanità è recisa dalla storia, la civiltà tocca il proprio limite estremo, segnato dall’avvento dell’Anticristo teorizzato da Croce: una dimensione vitale e oscura dell’agire umano che non trova mai compiuta eticizzazione. L’articolo approfondirà pertanto la critica crociana al nichilismo, definito “filosofia tendenziosa” in quanto approda all’accettazione integrale del “male con la coscienza interferente che esso è male”. In un’analoga prospettiva interpretativa, Herling-Grudziński riconobbe la matrice nichilista comune ai totalitarismi che hanno devastato il Novecento.

The Polish language in Canada: selected factors shaping its ethnolinguistic vitality

Joanna Lustański — 2025-12-31

This paper offers a preliminary examination of the ethnolinguistic vitality of the Polish language in Canada, applying the framework developed by Giles, Bourhis and Taylor to assess the interplay of status, demographic and institutional factors shaping language maintenance and shift. Drawing on historical migration data, census statistics and community observations, it traces the evolution of Polish settlement from the late 19th century to the present, highlighting the erosion of intergenerational transmission, high rates of exogamy and declining recent immigration as major challenges. While Polish retains symbolic prestige within its ethnic community, its functional utility in Canadian public life remains limited, reducing incentives for active use. The analysis underscores the critical role of institutional support—particularly heritage schools, Catholic parishes and Polish-language media—in sustaining linguistic continuity, even as these institutions face declining enrolment, resource constraints and generational disengagement. Additional factors such as parental education levels, ethnic pride and technological advances in communication are examined for their mitigating or intensifying effects on language shift. The paper concludes that maintaining Polish in Canada requires deliberate and coordinated strategies to strengthen both the objective and subjective dimensions of vitality, integrate local initiatives into broader networks and enhance community awareness of the heritage language’s cultural and identity value.

Where Have all the Germans Gone? Poland’s Diminishing German Minority

Karl Cordell — 2025-12-31

Following the end of the Second World War, Poland hosted many more former Germans than is commonly realised. Despite steady voluntary migration to Germany since the end of the post-war forced migrations in 19491 , Poland still hosts an indigenous German minority. The number of self-declared Germans residing in Poland today is a matter of conjecture. What does appear certain is that their number is diminishing. This paper seeks to establish why this is the case and argues that the answer is to be found in the nature of contemporary Polish society and the post-Communist value system. It also considers the role of evolving national identities in shaping minority self-identification.

Between Minority and Diaspora: The Polish Community in Türkiye

Gizem Karaköse — 2025-12-31

The Polish diaspora in Türkiye can be broadly categorized into two historical waves with distinct social, cultural, and linguistic characteristics. The first wave, known as the “old diaspora”, consisted of Polish exiles and political refugees who settled in the Ottoman Empire during the 19th century, particularly after the November (1830–1831) and January (1863) uprisings. Polonezköy (formerly Adampol), a village near Istanbul, remains a historical symbol of this politically motivated migration. In contrast, the “new diaspora” emerged after the 1990s, as post-Cold War Polish nationals began migrating to Türkiye for professional, academic, or personal reasons. Unlike their predecessors, this group is more globally mobile and driven by voluntary rather than political factors. This study examines the contrasting adaptation processes of these two groups, highlighting how historical context, motivation, and patterns of integration have shaped their identities and roles within Turkish societies

From Historical Identity to Modern Representation: The Evolving Political Role of the Polish Minority in Lithuania – An Overview

Aistė Žemaitytė — 2025-12-31

This research examines the political influence of the Polish ethnic minority in Lithuania, analyzing its historical foundations, contemporary representation mechanisms, and future integration prospects. Despite constituting only 6.5% of Lithuania’s population, the Polish minority maintains political presence, particularly in southeastern regions such as Vilnius and Šalčininkai districts. The study employs qualitative content analysis of official documents and institutional formation from 2021–2025, focusing on three key dimensions: historical identity formation, political representation and institutional participation, and future integration visions. The analysis reveals that the the Lithuanian Polish Election Campaigns – Unions of Christian Families party (EAPL) has served as the primary vehicle for Polish political mobilization since 1994, achieving consistent success in municipal elections (securing 56–67 mandates) and maintaining representation in national parliament and European Parliament. However, recent developments indicate an evolving pattern of political integration, with Polish-origin politicians increasingly participating in mainstream parties beyond ethnic-based platforms, exemplified by appointments such as Robert Duchnevič as mayor and Ewelina Dobrowolska as former Minister of Justice.The adoption of the National Minorities Law in November 2024 addresses a 14-year legislative vacuum, providing formal recognition and enhanced protections for minority rights. The research concludes that the Polish minority represents a relatively successful case of minority political integration in the Baltic region, though future challenges persist regarding language policy, cultural preservation, and balancing ethnic identity with broader civic participation. The study demonstrates that political mobilization in nationalizing states relies increasingly on symbolic representation rather than substantive policy delivery, while successful integration depends on maintaining cultural vitality alongside active engagement in Lithuania’s pluralistic democratic processes

Memories of Julian Chruszczewski (1924–2010)

Karl Cordell — 2025-12-31

The Case of the Second Polish Army Corps and Its Veterans Who Made Calgary, Alberta, Canada Their Home after They Finished Farm Work Contracts in the Late 1940s – Part I

Aldona Jaworska — 2026-01-28

This article examines aspects of World War II and postwar political and economic factors, as well as immigration policies, that influenced the situ- ation of the Polish 2nd Army Corps and its Lieutenant-General Władysław Anders. It examines diplomatic documents and relations between the Soviet Union, the United States of America, Great Britain, Poland, and Canada. It also draws on press, biographical sources, and firsthand accounts from interviews with Polish war veterans in Calgary, conducted for my Master’s degrees in Communication and Culture and Drama, and for my 2019 book, “Polish War Veterans in Alberta: Four Recent Stories”. At the core of this article are three issues: Rewriting History in Poland after World War II to Conform to the Pro-Soviet Narrative and its Impact on the Second Polish Army Corps. Part two, Post-War Geopolitical Make-Up of Europe, and the Anders Army and part three, After the War: Starting a New Life in Canada, which will be published in a future issue of this journal.