We condemn President Karol Nawrocki’s decision to revoke the Order of the White Eagle from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Nationalism is a deadly disease—regardless of the flags under which it flourishes. The Volhynia massacre was a genocide fueled by nationalism, for which there is no justification.
We live in a Europe of nation-states, and one of the elements that make up national identities and nation-building myths is the memory of the groups and individuals who fought for independence. These groups and individuals are rarely one-dimensional, and assessments of them vary from country to country—especially among neighboring states whose interests have at times been at odds throughout history.
Poland has the right to expect Ukraine to conduct a thorough assessment of the genocide that took place in Volhynia. But it has no right to dictate to a sovereign state whom it may or may not recognize as heroes of the struggle for its own independence.
For several decades, Polish society has been unable to discuss war crimes committed by its own citizens in a calm manner, even though it has been a sovereign state for nearly 40 years, with its sovereignty unthreatened. At the same time, it expects a higher standard from a country and a nation that has been directly threatened with the loss of its independence for many years—a country that is currently fighting a Russian aggressor and defending the security of all of Europe.
It is hard to believe that a historian with a Ph.D. is unaware of the complexity of historical events. Therefore, we unequivocally view the Polish president’s decision as motivated by a desire to gain political advantage and aimed at stoking anti-Ukrainian sentiment. We oppose the actions of politicians that make people living in Poland who have experienced migration or refugee status feel increasingly threatened.
