Polska myśl konserwatywna okresu międzywojennego wobec kwestii ukraińskiej
Ukrainian issue in the light of the Polish conservative thought

Summary/Abstract: The article focuses on the so-called Ukrainian issue in the light of the Polish conservative thought in the times of the Second Republic. The problem of conservative ideology regarding the matter has been thoroughly examined here, not only in the days preceding the outbreak of the First World War, but in the between the wars period as well. The in -depth analysis carried out below clearly shows that the conservatives were, in their majority, strong supporters of the modus vivendi policy which Poland, they believed, could only benefit from. This sentiment, however, had been frequently reviewed, depending on the current political and economic situation, both on the national and international scene. Before Poland regained her independence in 1918, they had been often inclined to support the idea of federation and, hoping for the eruption of social and political turmoil in Russia, consequently propped up the activities of the Ukrainian nationalists there. In the between the wars interlude Polish conservatives adopted basically two different approaches to the problem of the Ukrainian issue: some would claim that assimilation was the only answer, others would resolve to the postulate of the Great Ukraine. Regardless of their attitude and political sentiments, though, the conservatives consequently supported the idea of Polish national minority growing strong in number and political magnitude on the eastern frontier, traditionally dominated by the Ukrainians. This uncompromising stance, however, mostly brought about by the cultural and socio -economic backgrounds, had never, intentionally at least, instigated any form of ethnic conflict.

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