Events and Seminars

The School of Social Sciences and Psychology presents:

"Political myths of the Polish Post-World War II emigrants in the West "

Dr Jan Lencznarowicz, Associate Professor, Institute for American Studies and Polish Diaspora
Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland

Date: Monday, 6 February, 2012
Time: 1.00 pm - 2.30 pm
Venue: Bankstown Campus Building 1.1.117

Abstract

The Second World War caused huge forced migration movements from occupied Poland. It is estimated that between 500 000 and 600 000 Poles who found themselves beyond the Soviet reach, decided not to return to Soviet-dominated Poland after the war. Soon a strong network of post-war Polish refugee communities emerged, based on organisational, personal and ideological links, common generational experience, shared political beliefs, as well as opposition to the Soviet-installed Communist regime in Poland. Drawing on diverse historical sources produced by Polish emigrants in the West in the years 1944-1956, the paper presents the main political myths maintained in Polish emigrant communities, such as the myth of Poland’s betrayal at Yalta; the myth of heroic Polish contributions to the victory over Nazi Germany; the myth of legalism – that is, the continuation of legitimate Polish authorities in exile; as well as the myth of the refugee communities in the West. Despite organisational, political and ideological divisions, personal animosities and geographical scattering in many countries, these myths facilitated the ideological and social integration of a considerable part of the Polish Diaspora.

Speaker

JAN LENCZNAROWICZ, Ph.D. is an associate professor at the Institute for American Studies and Polish Diaspora, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland. His main areas of research are: Polish political emigration in the 20th century, emigrants’ political myths and ideologies, and the policy of the Communist authorities towards Polish Diaspora. He takes interest in the history of Australia, Australian nationalism and the Polish ethnic group in Australia.

Jan Lencznarowicz is the author of three books: Jałta. W kręgu mitów założycielskich polskiej emigracji politycznej po II wojnie światowej. 1944-1956, [Yalta as the Foundation Myth of the Polish Political Emigration 1944-1956], Kraków 2009; Australia, [History of Australia in 20th century], Warszawa 2005; Prasa i społeczność polska w Australii. 1928-1980, [The Polish Press and Polish Community in Australia, 1928-1980], Kraków 1994. He published extensively in Polish and completed a number of English language publications on Polish immigrants in Australia.

SSAP Colloquia are held regularly at the Bankstown campus, from 4-5pm. All are welcome to attend. Refreshments and nibbles are served after the talk. To find out when the next SSAP Research Colloquium is being held, visit the Research Colloquia page.