Rola społeczeństwa w procesie odzyskiwania niepodległości. Wokół rozważań historyków Polski Odrodzonej (1918–1939)
The Role of the Society in Regaining Independence. Reflections of Historians in Reborn Poland (1918–1939)

Author(s): Alicja Kulecka
Subject(s): 19th Century, Pre-WW I & WW I (1900 -1919), Interwar Period (1920 - 1939), WW II and following years (1940 - 1949), Post-War period (1950 - 1989), Transformation Period (1990 - 2010)
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: Michał Bobrzyński; Stanisław Kutrzeba; Marceli Handelsman; Adam Próchnik; Michał Sokolnicki; Stanisław Bukowiecki
Summary/Abstract: The rebirth of the statehood inspired reflections on the causes, sources, course and consequences which led to this momentous event. Attempts to answer the questions: why and how it was possible to regain sovereignty, and what factors were crucial for it, were present in many literary, philosophical and political texts. Historians, exploring the past, also belonged to this group reflecting on the rebirth of Poland. Their deliberations in historical works and their determinants took numerous narrative forms, were caused by different motives and used various research methodologies. In the reborn Polish state there were many milieus interested in the past and conducting research on it. Discussions about historical methodology used in the analysis of regaining sovereignty by Poland led to the identification of problems which occurred during the process. Most historians believed that numerous factors were responsible for historical processes. Only few of them, including Michał Sokolnicki, were inclined to look for just one element. Perceiving historical processes as the result of only one factor often entailed using history in current politics. Such an attitude enabled forming simple theories, which could be possibly used in political manifestos. Pointing to many different factors influencing history is the result of striving for objectivity while researching and narrating the past, even if it establishing their hierarchy is extremely difficult. Such a research approach contributes to showing complexity of historical process.

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