Anti-Polonism

Anti-Polonism (alternatively spelled antipolonism; also, Polonophobia) is a term denoting hostility toward Poles, or more precisely an irrational or malicious hostility toward Poles as a nation or as a cultural community. Anti-Polonism has been prominent in some countries during certain periods in history. It has manifested in individual behaviors as well as in institutionalized prejudice and persecution. It is often associated with a Polish "black legend" and a belief that almost any evil or folly may be laid at the doorstep of the Poles.

It should be noted that the term anti-Polonism has not found wide currency in the English language. It does not appear in major English-language dictionaries, and LexisNexis shows it to have been used rarely in English-language dailies or magazines within the past 10 years. It has, however, appeared in some scholarly works ([1]). To the extent that people believe that Poles, Polonia and Poland continue to be treated as objects of ridicule, discrimination and exploitation, "anti-Polonism" and the kindred term "Polonophobia" may enter more widespread use.

Hostility toward Poles—analogously to other ethnic phobias—has been used as a tool by demagogues seeking their own personal, or their own ethnic group's, aggrandizement at the expense of a disparaged, demonized or dehumanized people.

Forms of hostility toward Poles have included:

• Racist hostility, a variety of xenophobia;
• cultural hostility: a strong prejudice against Poles and Polish-speaking persons;
• organized persecution of Poles as an ethnic or cultural group, often based on a belief that Polish culture or interests are a threat to one's own national aspirations.

Organized persecution of ethnic Poles (to 1918)

When the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth totally lost its independence in 1795 and remained partitioned for 123 years, ethnic Poles were subjected to Germanization under Prussian and later under German rule, and to Russification in areas annexed by Imperial Russia. In Russian-occupied areas, many thousands of Poles who advocated Polish independence were exiled to Siberia.

Organized persecution of ethnic Poles (1918-1939)

After Poland regained her independence following the First World War as the Second Republic of Poland, the question of her borders was not settled. Poles were persecuted in the disputed territories, especially in Silesia, where this led to the Silesian Uprisings. During the Polish-Soviet War of 1919-21, many Polish prisoners of war were summarily executed by the Red Army.

The aftermath of the Polish-Ukrainian War (1918-19), the Polish-Soviet War (1919-21) and the Treaty of Riga (1921), coupled with Soviet propaganda, led to growing tensions between Poles and Ukrainians in eastern Poland.

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