Status Updates From A History of Poland.

“Bismarck then ordered, in 1885, the expulsion of thousands of of Poles who; though long domiciled in Prussian Poland, were originally Russian or Austrian subjects. The following year a fund of a hundred million marks was created to encourage German colonization in the Polish eastern provinces of Prussia.”

“And Prussia…was enabled to to resume more methodically than ever her policy of Germanification which was fundamentally, according to the administration of Bismarck himself, a programme for the extermination of the Poles under Prussia.”

Oof

…The last insurgent was only executed in 1865. But the fate of Poland was…decided when France, England, and Austria…contented themselves in June 1863 with sending diplomatic notes to the tsar in favor of the Poles.”

“the rising broke out openly on 22nd January 1863. It had assuredly no chance of success. Nevertheless, this act of despair has left a memory sacred to every Pole…The January Rising, as it is usually called, lasted even longer that the November Rising.…

“The Prussian government… changed its attitude after the November (1831) rising….then began an active policy of Germanization.”

What was included in this? Names? Religion? Language?

“In 1802 the First Consul even den a detachment of them to San Domingo, where these unfortunate Polish soldiers were compelled to fight against the negroes and perished en masse.”

Whaaat?! Why gloss over one of the noblest fights of Polish soldiers in such a misleading and uninteresting way? Was O. Halechi racist?

I’m surprised that the author doesn’t point out that the larger army and resources came from colonial pursuits; something Poland never partook of. Poland hadn’t suddenly become weak, Russian and Prussia suddenly had a surplus of resources taken from elsewhere.

I have reached the 1800s, and this chapter focuses on the part that Polish poets, musicians, and artists played in inspiring the insurrections that tried to reunite and gain independence for partitioned Poland.

It's the mid 1700s, and things are not going so well for Poland, "the Republic could no longer even make her neutrality respected, and became accustomed to see foreign armies violate her territory" (187)

Polish history continues to be fascinating--and the writing style emphatic and intriguing with lines like
"... in the beginning of this new epoch of Polish history two events...deflected the normal evolution of the Republic, creating evil precedents and grave menaces..."
or
"...the whole country in a unanimous outburst of reviving patriotism rose against the foreigner."

An interesting end to the chapter that portends the next chapter, "[John Zamoyski] departed not only a eminent statesmen, but also a great humanist, the founder of a university...a protector of arts and letters; in a word, the most worthy representative of the last generation to know a wholly sound and prosperous Poland" (p. 141).

Thus far, the history of Poland alternates between brilliant rulers and successors who squandered their hard work.