Aging Nationally in Contemporary Poland by Jessica C. Robbins

Author:Jessica C. Robbins [Robbins, Jessica C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, General, Gerontology, Political Science, Public Policy, Social Policy, Ethnic Studies, European Studies
ISBN: 9781978813960
Google: IcNqzQEACAAJ
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Published: 2020-12-18T05:25:39+00:00

Here, pani Cecylia contrasted the current dishonesty of some in politics with a time in which Polishness was valued. She linked this current dishonesty to wartime bans on Chopin and Mickiewicz (cf. Tucker 2011, 91–101) and rebellious postwar performances of Dziady. In this excerpt, morality lies in times of independent Polish political formations and in times during which people strive for independence. For pani Cecylia, patriotism consists of living in—or valuing—a world full of governmental structures, linguistic and religious practices, and art forms that are Polish. Since these statements came after her dismissive comments about Europe, “what about Europe?” they suggest that pani Cecylia is against Poland’s membership in the EU. However, further remarks later in this conversation clarified her position. After she again lamented the closing of state-supported institutions after 1989 and the purchasing of Polish factories by foreign companies, I tried to ask her to connect these changes to Poland’s EU membership.

JESSICA (J):  Does this mean you’re not glad that Poland is in the EU?

PANI CECYLIA (PC):  Darling, I was very glad about this. And I would be very happy, for example, that, that my grandchildren will be able to choose their own college, that they will be able to choose for themselves where they want to live. But I would like them to feel that here is their country, their homeland, their roots, you know? That they would feel that they are Polish, and that they would strive to make things work well in Poland.

J:  Mm.

PC:  That there would never be this second or third category of people who are more poorly paid in a foreign country, or more poorly treated, or … Well, supposedly racism doesn’t exist, but apparently it does exist. After all when there is a crisis like this, it’s only then that these things become visible. Because in another country, they first think about their fellow countrymen, and not about the foreigners who came there to earn a living or make some extra money, right?

J:  Right.

PC:  And the first thing is to fire the foreigners. So why should they not have their country, their homeland, their heroes. After all that Poland has suffered, after so many wars and attacks and however many people murdered. How many of these are still unknown? Thousands of people perished and fought because … the partitions, the wars of resettlement, there were various events. But the whole time there was this love that was instilled for the homeland, the national hymns, weren’t there? They sang “Rota”: “We won’t let” … “We won’t let our faith be buried, / We are the Polish nation, the Polish people,” and so on.40 Or … well, there are a lot of these patriotic songs, from books, etcetera. However, not all Poles are the same. Some are very honest and very conscientious, and it’s hard for them right now. Because there are these con men, these wheelers and dealers—a few of them get together and take over. They establish bonuses for themselves, these colossal rewards. Well, even in the

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