“Germany is fully aware that Polish culture and national identity, including the institutions associated with them, are of key importance in the so-called process of soft power. That is why it pursues an aggressive policy of Germanization and the promotion of a German worldview. Donald Tusk serves as a kind of overseer of German interests in Poland, which is why they are taking over institutions in our country,” says Professor Piotr Grochmalski, an expert in international affairs, in an interview with the portal Niezależna.pl, commenting on the scandal involving the director of the Pilecki Institute, Krzysztof Ruchniewicz.
To recap: the daily Rzeczpospolita reported yesterday that Krzysztof Ruchniewicz, director of the Pilecki Institute, had considered organising a research seminar on the potential return by Poland of cultural assets, including to the Federal Republic of Germany.
“This stands in stark contrast to the policy of the Polish government and aligns directly with the interests of the new government in Berlin. Germany’s Minister of Culture is said to have expressed to his Polish counterparts a desire to recover, among other items, the so-called Berlinka – a collection of historical archives from the former Prussian State Library, currently held by the Jagiellonian Library,”
Rzeczpospolita notes.
Niezależna.pl has repeatedly reported on controversial developments at the Institute under Ruchniewicz’s leadership. The news about the proposed research seminars is yet another shocking idea, following the scandal involving Maksymilian Sznepf, the dismantling of the “Called by Name” program, and the gradual shutdown of the Lemkin Centre.
“Called by Name” is a project honouring Poles who rescued Jews during World War II. In July, Niezależna.pl reported that all substantive staff previously responsible for the project had been dismissed.
“A Scandalous Idea”
In his conversation with Niezależna.pl, Prof. Piotr Grochmalski, a political scientist and international affairs expert, emphasises that the Pilecki Institute played a crucial role in researching and documenting 20th-century history.
“The Institute was extremely important in terms of scholarly research and high-quality publications, including those with international reach. It was also a centre shaped in line with its patron, Witold Pilecki,”
says the expert.
He adds that, with the change of government, many directors of institutions dealing with culture and history were replaced.
“There is a huge asymmetry between the number of think tanks, foundations, and institutes that Germany has created, both at home and in Poland, and the number of Polish institutions of this kind. Many of them pursue a policy of soft influence, of Germanization; they attract people with appealing opportunities such as scholarships, and these individuals then go on to present the German raison d’état. As a result, we see activities such as pro-German publications or the promotion of a German perception of reality. Poland has very few such institutions of its own, and even those are now being taken over by individuals pursuing anti-Polish policies,”
says Prof. Grochmalski.
Referring to Krzysztof Ruchniewicz’s idea, Prof. Grochmalski believes that even the mere suggestion of returning cultural goods to Germany is scandalous, let alone implementing such a plan.
“Such a person should be dismissed immediately,”
he states.
“The Germanization of Poland with Tusk’s Approval”
The expert notes that Poland is witnessing numerous manifestations of Germanization, whether in institutions or media, and the developments at the Pilecki Institute are just another element of this broader plan.
“Prime Minister Donald Tusk is effectively an overseer of German interests in Poland. That is why they are taking over institutions here, and not just those. The same applies to the media. German centers ‘educate’ Polish journalists who then serve the German raison d’état. This approach is also reflected in Tusk’s own behaviour. The Prime Minister did not utter a single word on the anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising. A minister in his government (Barbara Nowacka – ed.) says that ‘Polish Nazis built the concentration camps.’ Border defenders and patriots are being portrayed as criminals, as social outcasts. All of this shows the extent to which Germany has deeply damaged our national identity. It also illustrates how powerful and aggressive German policy is, and that Tusk is the instrument through which it is being implemented,”
Prof. Grochmalski asserts.
“Germany is fully aware that Polish culture and national identity, including the institutions linked to them, are of key importance in the so-called process of soft power. That is why they pursue an aggressive policy of Germanization and of promoting the German worldview,”
he adds.
“Germanization is advancing not only through cultural channels but also through the government itself. Since the time of the partitions, we have not had a politician who thinks in German categories and prioritises German interests. Never before in history have Poles accepted someone like that playing a major role in the Polish state. And now we have such a man at the head of government. Donald Tusk is German-formed, thinks like a German, and acts in Germany’s interest,”
Prof. Grochmalski concludes.