A history lesson on European integration

That is why Under a common sky. Ethnic groups of the Commonwealth of Poland and Lithuania, a collection of works edited by Michał Kopczyński and Wojciech Tygielski, is a refreshing look at the diverse reality of the Commonwealth through the prism of the many nations which inhabited the territory throughout the years. “In a changing Europe,” writes Tygielski in his final conclusions, “the traditions of the nobles’ Commonwealth – wisely interpreted – may prove to be invaluable, becoming one of the cornerstones of building mutual relations.”

Diverse co-existence

In the opening essay of Under a common sky, Kopczyński looks at the historical and contemporary meaning of “nation” and addresses the ongoing debate on the topic. Interestingly, in the English translation of the book the word “nations” (“nations of the former Commonwealth” in the original) has been replaced in the subtitle by the expression “ethnic groups”. The book itself is a compilation of over a dozen essays, written by well-respected specialists in the field, focussing on specific ethnic groups inhabiting the Commonwealth: Poles, Lithuanians, Ruthenians, Germans, Jews, Armenians, Tatars, Karaites, Roma, Italians, Scots and Dutch Mennonites. They divided the ethnic groups into locals, the assimilated and the newcomers.  

The authors also look at the various angles of the Commonwealth’s diverse co-existence. As Kopczyński notes in the introduction: “Diversity is only partly a result of the different writing temperaments of the individual authors.” The fact that each historian who contributed to the collection is a well-established specialist in his or her field is definitely a huge advantage of the book. Moreover, since the book is not strictly an academic publication, it makes for accessible reading to a wider audience. The language is a narrative style and the authors focus not only on complex socio-political processes, but also on interesting facts from the lives of the different ethnic groups, such as details about Italian cuisine in the Commonwealth or the dress code of Dutch Mennonites.

The authors also touch upon the political consequences of the ethnic and religious diversity in the Polish-Lithuanian state, however, without over-idealising the past. The idea of a “state without burning stakes”, as the great historian Janusz Tazbir puts it, has been one of the motifs analysed in the book, although not uncritically. Even though society did not experience the same level of persecution, religious wars and instability similar to those which immersed France or Germany at the time, the reality of co-existence between different ethnic groups was far from ideal. As Tygielski explained in his essay about Italian immigrants, “The co-existence of such a dynamic group of immigrants with the local populace was no bed of roses and mutual relations certainly evolved over time”.

Multifaceted reality

The description is without a doubt applicable to other ethnic groups analysed in the book. In fact, the various nations living on the territory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth expressed different attitudes towards one another, shifting from positive to neutral, and from reluctance to open hostility. Moreover, different groups had different aspirations. For example, the Cossacks aimed to improve their status, while Mennonites were ready to leave behind the temptations of the surrounding world to focus on eschatology.  If the experience of co-existence of different ethnic groups in the Commonwealth is to constitute a learning process and benefit our common European home, it is important to remember not only its success stories but also its failures. This book is a good attempt to show the multifaceted reality of the time.

Disappointingly, however, all authors who contributed to the book are Polish, with Oleg Łatynoszek and Anna Akibe representing ethnic minorities. Therefore, the presented perspectives are rather limited, while a view from abroad could have added additional depth to the analysis. Such an attempt was made several years ago with the release of The History of Lithuania. Polish-Lithuanian perspectives authored by Lithuanian historians and professor Andrzej Rachuba (also a contributor to Under a common sky). The combination of different national perspectives makes for an interesting blend. Nevertheless, this collection of essays is a great entry to the discussion not only on the history of multiculturalism in Poland, but also integration. The lessons of the past can prove important for the contemporary European policy.

Translated by Daniel Gleichgewicht

Dominik Wilczewski in an editor with the online portal przegladbaltycki.pl and a regular contributor to the Polish bimonthly Nowa Europa Wschodnia.

Book review, history, Polish-Lithuania commonwealth