NATIONALIST POPULISM AND POST-COMMUNISM

warned against the “German colonial actions in the territory of Poland” 107 , while Krzystof Kamiński (KPN) declared that the process of reconciliation and economic cooperation with Germany should not be continued “at the cost of Germanisation” 108 . Jarosław Kaczyński, from Porozumienie Centrum, even called for the immediate “change” of the Polish policy towards Germany 109 . The sensitive nature of Polish-German relations was based predominantly on the increasing economic importance of the Federal Republic of Germany, as well as problematic historical relations or the presence of a German minority in the territory of Poland, and fears accompanying the reunification process. Although the unified Germany had quickly become the most important trade partner for Poland, as well as a strategic supporter for Poland’s aspirations to enter the Western political and security structures, numerous prejudices and fears concerning German aspirations over the Western part of Poland or the selling-out of the Polish economy to the hands of German capital did not disappear. In this regard, the leader of Polska Wspolnota Narodowa Polskiego Stronnictwa Narodowego, Bolesław Tejkowski, warned of the intention of the Germans to “dominate the whole economy” in Poland. 110 In 1991–1992, anti-Semitism was basically used in two ways in the Polish political discourse. There was either an open usage of anti-Semitic language, based on attacks on the Jewish origins of some political leaders or members of the government or, on the contrary, a categorical rejection of the presence of anti-Semitism in Poland by some Polish political leaders. The former approach is represented by Bolesław Tejkowski from Polska Wspólnota Narodowa Polskiego Stronnictwa Narodowego, who openly declared his anti-Jewish attitudes, saying that the “Jews should be considered as the occupants” 111 of Poland and that the “historical experience with the Jews was fatal” for the Poles. 112 Maciej Giertych, the leading personality of Stronnictwo Narodowe, added that “Jewish Communism (żydokomuna) and Jewish Solidarity (żydosolidarność) have continuously dominated the political life in Poland”. 113 Finally, Stanisław 107 Statement of Marek Jurek (OKP-ZChN). Gazeta Wyborcza (19–20 October 1991), p. 1. 108 Interview with Krzystof Kamiński, MP from KPN, Gazeta Wyborcza (22 November 1991), p. 15. 109 Quotation from the press conference organised after Jaroslaw Kaczyński’s return from a visit to Germany and Italy. See Gazeta Wyborcza (2 October 1991), p. 3. 110 Interview with Bolesław Tejkowski, leader of Polska Wspolnota Narodowa Polskiego Stronnictwa Narodowego. Gazeta Wyborcza (4 July 1991), pp. 14–15. 111 Interview with Bolesław Tejkowski conducted after the visit of President Wałęsa to Israel. Gazeta Wyborcza (4 July 1991), pp. 14–15. 112 Ibid. 113 Statement of Maciej Giertych, Head of the Council of Stronnictwo Narodowe. This

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