Independence Day: Myth, Symbol, and the Creation of Modern PolandThe 11th of November 1918, Polish Independence Day, is a curious anniversary whose commemoration has been only intermittently observed in the last century. In fact, the day — and the several symbols that rightly or wrongly have become associated with it — has a rather convoluted history, filled with tradition and myth, which deserves attention. Independence Day is more than just the history of a day, or the evolution of its celebration, but an explanation of what meaning has come to be associated with that date. It offers a re-reading of Polish history, not by a series of dates, but through a series of symbols whose combination allows the Poles to understand who they are by what they have been. Its focus is on the era 1914-2008, and the central actor is the charismatic Jozef Pilsudski. He came to represent a disposition regarding the meaning of Polish history which eventually penetrated virtually all of modern Polish society. The work is constructed by the analysis of memoirs, documents, coins, stamps, films, maps, monuments, and many other features making it a multi-disciplinary and multi-dimensional volume. |
Contents
The Myths and Symbols of Independence Day | 1 |
2 Discovering Independence Day | 22 |
3 Contesting a National Myth 191826 | 35 |
4 Formalization of a Discourse 192635 | 46 |
5 Independence Day and the Celebration of Piłsudskis Legend 193539 | 83 |
6 Maintaining a Piłsudskiite Independence Day 193945 | 99 |
7 Independence Day as Symbol of Protest | 120 |
Other editions - View all
Independence Day: Myth, Symbol, and the Creation of Modern Poland M. B. B. Biskupski Limited preview - 2012 |
Independence Day: Myth, Symbol, and the Creation of Modern Poland M. B. B. Biskupski No preview available - 2012 |
Common terms and phrases
11 listopada Adam Afisze Andrzej Bolshevik celebration ceremonies commemoration communist Daszyński Dmowski Dzień Dziennik eagle efforts endecja entitled essay Gazeta Polska Gazeta Warszawska Gazeta Wyborcza Gdańsk Germans Ibid Independence Day Instytut issued Janusz Jędrzejewicz Jewish Józef Piłsudski Józefa Piłsudskiego Komitet Kościuszko Kossewska Kraków Kurjer Polski Kurjer Poznański latach legionnaires legions Łódź Lublin Lwów Marshal Marszałek Marszałka military modern Poland Mościcki Muzeum Nałęcz Narodowego Narodowej national holiday noted November 11 November 11th November 9 obchody odzyskanie odzyskania niepodległości ofindependence Paderewski Pałaszewska Party patriotic Pierwsza Brygada Piłsudskiite Piotr Poland Poles Polish army Polish history Polish independence Polish political Polsce polskiego Poznań regarded regime rightist Rocznice i obchody role Russian Rzeczpospolita Rzeczypospolitej sanacja Second Republic Sikorski Śmigły-Rydz socialist soldiers Soviet stamp Stanisław Święto Niepodległości symbol Tadeusz tion Toruń tradition Trybuna Ludu underground victory Wałęsa Warsaw Władysław Wojciech Wrocław Wydawnictwo Związek Życie Warszawy