Wobec „ludu ruskiego…”. „Myśl Narodowa” (1921–1939) wobec mniejszości ukraińskiej i białoruskiej
Towards “Ruthenian people_”. Weekly „Myśl Narodowa” (1921-1939) and Ukrainian and Belarusian minority

Summary/Abstract: The Ukrainian and Belarusian issue in the period of interwar Poland constituted the fundamental axis of the National Democracy policy on contemporary Slav minorities living in Poland. National elites and opinion-forming circles of the national camp refused the right to self-determination to Ukrainian and Belarusian minorities. They were judging both groups as unable to create a modern view on its ethnicity, politics and social affairs. Therefore they were emphasizing that Ukrainians and Belarusians constituted the part of "Ruthenian” group and don’t meet any criteria, allowing them to be categorized as a separate nation. Therefore all tensions and conflicts were treated disputes inside one Polish nation. Hence resulted positive assessment of assimilation chances for the Ukrainian and Belarusian people. National Democra¬cy emphasized the lack of national differences between Poles, Ukrainians and Belarusians. The Polonization of "kresy” was regarded as a specific mission of civilization, in which National Democracy saw an excellent opportunity to strengthen the vital forces of the Polish nation. Improving the economical situation of the Ukrainian and Belarussian minority was regarded necessary to cool radical anti-Polish moods among the minorities. Finally the National Democracy opposed absolutely plans of granting the national autonomy both minorities accepting only creating the territorial autonomy - self-government.

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