Eastern Europe's Old Memories and New Realities: Resurrecting the Polish-Lithuanian Union
Eastern Europe's Old Memories and New Realities: Resurrecting the Polish-Lithuanian Union
Author(s): Stephen R. Burant, Voytek ZubekSubject(s): Political history, Government/Political systems, International relations/trade, Transformation Period (1990 - 2010), Post-Communist Transformation, Politics of History/Memory
Published by: SAGE Publications Ltd
Keywords: Eastern Europe; Polish-Lithuanian union; historic political relations; Lithuania’s independence; postcommunist transformation;
Summary/Abstract: On March 12, 1990, one day after Lithuania's declaration of independence from the Soviet Union, Polish Foreign Minister Krzysztof Skubiszewski said that "what happens in Lithuania is relevant to us .... We have historic relations with Lithuania. We have a long (common) past. This is not insignificant ...." Echoing this statement, Polish Sejm Deputy and Gazeta Wyborcza Editor Adam Michnik argued that Poland's historic ties to Lithuania place special obligations on it "to respond to the aspirations of the Lithuanian nation with particular sensitivity." The historical ties alluded to by Skubiszewski and Michnik refer to the union of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from the end of the fourteenth to the end of the eighteenth century; their statements suggest a desire to reinvigorate these ties. [...]
Journal: East European Politics and Societies
- Issue Year: 07/1993
- Issue No: 02
- Page Range: 370-393
- Page Count: 24
- Language: English
- Content File-PDF