On board the Tupolev were members of the political, cultural, economic, and military 'elite'. The parallels to Katyn and of course Warsaw 1944 are uncanny. The difference in this case is that it has hit a broader political spectrum of said elites. That is why reducing it to 'a personal tragedy', i.e. focusing solely on Lech Kaczynski, is utterly misplaced. On board were historians, feminists, politicians from left and right, a banker and other individuals who have fundamentally shaped Polish society and politics, particularly in post-Communism. Their deaths do not change the views or actions of those caught up in the crash (many of Kaczynski's views remain vile), but what this event does is to throw open a small void at least. This could be a chance, it could be continuity, or it could be slightly more problematic by opening up the possibility of conspiracies, fear, and an inward turn.
In light of the fact that this was linked to Katyn and the commemoration thereof, there is a danger that Russia will become linked to the double-event of Katyn/Smolensk (even though it's in Belarus).
Looking to Hungary, it makes sense to be rather more reticent about the 'teleological' narrative of European progress. In yesterday's election, FIDSz, the populist national conservatives, won the election outright (whether they can secure the 2/3 majority of seats in parliament remains to be seen), while Jobbik (wonderful: a far-right party playing on the trope of 'improvement') the neo-fascists who have an Arrow Cross-style militia parading up and down Roma dominated areas (in the name of preventing 'gypsy crime') gained 16%. Hungary, like Poland, is returning to its past, regurgitating stories of glory and defeat; in Hungary's case Trianon, in Poland's case victimhood at the hands of Russia.
Of course Hungary's situation is far more worrying (as it gradually says good-bye to democracy), but Poland, too, has always been teetering on the verge of right-wing authoritarianism. Such developments (either the political one in Hungary or the 'cultural-political' one in Poland) should never be taken lightly.
13 comments:
Yes, agree about the coverage. On the danger of conspiracies etc, I was struck listening on R4news on the day of the crash by a clip from an interview with a Polish woman who said something like "yet again the cream of the Polish nation have been liquidated. We don't know yet who has done it but ...". Clearly this sentiment and in particular the use of the word 'liquidate' in the context of an accident, very much opens up a terrain of conspiracy and I wonder how widely shared that sentiment is in Poland - do you have any idea?
I don't have any firsthand knowledge of Poland but my wife's mother is of Polish origin and she (my wife, I mean) said when she heard this clip that her observation is that there is a very strong thread in Polish culture of 'victimhood'. Again I don't know how true this is.
I also notice that there have been a few mentions in the press, which I think derive from reports in the Russian media, that the pilot must have been urged on by Kaczynski to land come what may. Clearly no one can know if this is true but I imagine that such suggestions would play very badly with Polish opinion since they imply blame for what happened on his ego, which in collision with conspiracy ideas would presumably be quite a toxic mix.
Of course the rise of the Jobbik is a worrying development but I think that in claiming that Hungary is "waving goodbye to democracy", you are overstating the case.
The far right in Hungary as elsewhere is notoriously volatile (Do you remember Istvan Csurka and his Truth and Life Party? Where are they now?). If the Jobbik are still a viable politcal force in 4 years time, then we should be worried, but the overriding impression out here is that that they are a rag tag bunch without any ideas, depth or serious leadership who will probably have self-destructed by then.
More worrying perhaps, is the collapse in support for the MSzP, (and also the MDF) which leaves no viable democratic alternative to Fidesz. That said, although I'm not a grat admirer of Viktor Orban and his populist/opportunist, ways, I think he may have matured as a politican and there is no real reason to believe that he wil not govern responsibly this time around.
It easy for us, in a country where each of the main parties is over a hundred years old, to forget that dmeocratic institutions can take time to bed in and in may ways it is quite remarkable how successful the countried of central Europe have been so far - it's far to early to give up hope, at least!
By the way, unless I missed it, I couldn't find any coverage of the Hungarian elections in the Graun (apart from a CiF piece about how the eletion would affect the fate of a 95 years old war criminal). The BBC, Times, and Telegraph all cover it though.
readslPeter,
Polish victimhood is certainly part of Polish master narratives. It gets more complicated, because 'western' historians such as TGA and Norman Davies (who now refers to Poland as 'we'...this is hyper-Gladstonianism) use this trope and play on it in, and this then is reciprocated in Polish scholarship and the media.
I recently read an article on the legacy of the home army in Poland (by a Polish scholar) and whilst it was a serious piece of work with some good points, it drew on the affirmation of 'glorious' victimhood through western scholarship.
Yes, the question of Kaczynski's own involvement in steering the course of the moment of landing is an interesting one. There is of course the possibility (and I've seen hints of this, though thankfully not as pronounced as I may have expected) of such suggestions being rubbished as 'Russian propaganda'.
In any case, I find the emergence of religiosity as a tool for reaffirming the Polish 'Schicksalsgemeinschaft' (community of fate) an equally fascinating phenomenon (and of course the use of the 'secular' language of TGA et al to cement that). You only need to see the religious meaning of this to Polish immigrants in Britain, who otherwise do whatever on a Sunday now suddenly rediscovered crossing themselves in church in order to belong to this mythical community of fate.
Pat,
I think you are right that the MSzP and MDF decline is a worrying aspect to (the erosion of) democracy in Hungary. Even non-social democrats ought to acknowledge that, because a democracy that is only based on populism (in this case, as in Italy's, rightist populism) is doomed in my opinion.
Where I slightly differ is on your view on Jobbik as akin to Csurka's undertaking. JObbik are not just political, they are also 'physical'. I am of course talking about the militia, which is essentially a continuation of the Arrow Cross from WWII.
So I think my 'waving goodbye' comment was with reference to the physical presence of the militia and its violence (most commonly against Roma, but one need also only to think of the removal of Kadar's remains from the national cemetery 2-3 years ago, not to mention the increase in football violence, particularly amongst far-right clubs like Ferencvaros).
And don't forget that Vona and Morvai are snappy dressers; sounds like a trivial point, but is essential - they have a kind of 'Haider' aura surrounding them - very much the far-rightists for the 21st century.
Yes, you are right about the coverage by the Guardian (in contrast to others). It was virtually absent. The Guardian is what I would call outwardly insular. In other words it focuses on particular countries abroad, usually linked to post-empire and thereby conceives itself to be 'global' in reach even though it only focuses on countries that matter 'at home'.
Olching
I'd really appreciate a contribution or two from you on ARS NOTORIA. I think you'll agree that it's looking quite snazzy...
What do you say me old blogging chum?
philiphall@london.com
BTW I;ve set up a feed to yr blog on the ARS.
As for the topic under discussion. How many months ago was it when we were hearing about right wing Polish narratives about Communist Jews. Wasn't this precisely the argument Hitler used in Mein Kampf?
You have to be very careful with the New East Europeans - some of them. The returning ones were often allied with the Nazis. Look at the old SS reunions taking place in Latvia.
By rights we lefties should all go and "celebrate" one of these reunions with them properly.
I take your point about the "Magyar Garda" and see the parallels between the Jobbik and the new "modernised" far-right leaders, such as Jorg Haider and Pim Fortuyn ... both of whom happen to be dead.
A resurgence of the far right would be a disaster for Europe and I'm sure there are enough powerful interests a large who would be prepared to take fairly extreme measures to prevent it from happening.
Anti-Russian paranoia is not uncommon in Poland but only a tiny minority have indulged in conspiracy theories following the Smolensk crash.
It has mostly been the foreign media who have been looking for a Polish-Russian conflict angle.
Whilst the Polish channels were suggesting a new era in relations with Moscow, Western channels were gloomily predicting the end of the recent rapprochement.
Channel 4 News reported 'sad and angry' Poles lining the streets of Warsaw despite the fact that there were only 'sad' Poles. Fringe conspiracy theories have gained more attention outside Poland.
PS: For all his faults it is important not to lump Kaczynski in with far-right fanatics in Eastern Europe. He was a nationalist conservative but he wasn't an extremist. (Unless you view opposition to abortion and gay marriage as far right rather than mainstream conservative views.)
His biggest mistake in my opinion was rushing into alliances of convenience with some unpleasant people as part of his anti-Russian policy. His longest-lasting legacy in Poland will probably be the Warsaw Uprising Museum. Unlike some in the Baltics he hated Nazis and Communists equally.
@Olching
I agree with this. Norman Davies remained polite about it in an interview translated on the Czarny Kot Blog. But he tended to stress not Kaczynski, who simply commented should be buried in Warsaw.He did not want to jeopardise his good standing by saying what he really though of Kaczynski, which was negative.
My own suspicion is that the genuflection to Kaczynski, a lame duck President heading for crushing defeat in the forthcoming presidential elections, was given a totally umerited burial in the Wawel will exploit to get public sympathy.
As a political decision, it is one that Jaroslaw, the other populist clown, will exploit to get public sympathy, All over Krakow understandable tributes to the victims poured in and were heartfelt. Unlike the fake funeral in the UK of "The People's Princess" and all that Elton John kitsch.
To bury Kaczynski next to Poland's national heroes, those like Adam Mickiewicz and Tadeuz Kosciuszko who fought to keep Poland free from the Imperial control of the partitioning powers is actually an insult to the Polish nation which seems to have lost its head.
For a start all those sporting AK badges forget Kaczynski's peacetime politics recalled that of the atavistic nationalism of the pre-war Endek minus the anti-semitism personally. That was left to their spin doctor Kaminski to 'send the message', a placing of power hunger before principle.
But the idea of "Oni" or "them" was transferred to mean any traducer of Poland seeking to demoralise it and included idiotic witchunts using the documents of the IPN to smear those like Walesa instead of holding to account Stalinist muderers in the 1950s or clean up the post-communist spivs of the SLD who made a smooth transition to neoliberal fanatics through dodgy inside dealing.
To his great credit Andrzej Wajda took a stand and publicly denounced the decision. Few can say he did not care about Katyn since he made a powerful film about it that was so grisly and true to the facts that Putin demanded it be shown on Russian TV.
Please take a look at my blogs on it and have a go at the anti-semitic dolt who keeps attacking me without logic as a "foreigner" who doesn't under stand that the Jews were Communists traducing the nation. It's on Krakow's New Dragons.
Karl
Ps My absence is accounted for by my conservation work in Krakow. But , being me, I can't resist mentioning the incompetant Rada Meijska in Krakow who are bowing down before global corporations and neoliberalism, ripping up gree spaces and constructing kitsch architecture and transforming Krakow into a Disneyland Theme Park, with a Hollywood style Path of Fame next to the Wawel with a commemoration of Micheal Jackson. The KTVI crew laughed so hard at my splenetic attacks that in May I will appear on TVN giving, in polite language, a total and slashing indictment of political idiocy, cultural cretinism and the terminating of the historic evolution of a beautiful city to rapacious finciers, lawyers and a whole cast of grotesque spivs and PR whores.
Not using that language of course. I will post the video for all to see. I trust everyone has seen my KTVI Interview on the Internet already.
Best Wishes,
Karl
PS Olching. Essential reading you's like on Poland from a social democratic perspective would be,
David Ost, The Defeat of Solidarity
Jane Hardy Poland's New Capitalism
Naomi Klein The Shock Doctrine-has a brilliant passage on Poland, Sachs, Balcerowicz and the IMF's "conditionality" strictures, a great reward for Solidarity's fight against National Communism.
Hi Karl,
I agree with you re Kaczynski. His burial in Wawel castle was a bad joke, but then I think it feeds into Polish victim stories and in death they all become victims; it's a bizarre community of fate.
I saw your interview; it was good to see/hear you.
Thanks for the references, by the way. I haven't yet picked up Jane Hardy's book, but will do so.
Here is a still from a documentary released in Summer about the fight to preserve Krakow from rapacious property developers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF8GlkCmSf4&feature=related
The Cardigan School Film video will show the descent of Krakow into glaring neon lit up horror, omnipresent telescreens, sleaze, darkness and corruption. One scene shown here is a promo only but gives a flavour of how it is being made and how the descent of a beautiful city into the heart of a deracinated neoliberal domain of sleaze, corruption and political evil is happening.
Though it opens a bit like Taxi Driver as the Mercedes speeds through Krakow !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbg1LDrb4aI&feature=related
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