My book Bieganski the Brute Polak Stereotype is the only scholarly book devoted exclusively to the stereotype of Poles as brutes, as the world's worst anti-Semites, as more animal than human.
Many Poles and Polonians criticized me for the book, saying that negative stereotypes of Poles would die out as more and more Poles became professionals, and as Polish-Jewish relations improved.
No, I said, you don't understand stereotypes. This stereotype will never die out. Poles and Polonians must address it in an effective way.
The first place to start is to read the one scholarly book out there that takes on this stereotype, and that offers Poles and Polonians the tools to address the stereotype.
Month after month, year after year, new Bieganski crises emerge. Poles and Polonians get all fired up, they post argumentative and impassioned social media posts, The Kosciuszko Foundation or some Polish minister or other issues a testy response.
Poles and Polonians talk about how great Kosciuszko was, and they talk about the Armia Krajowa.
But they never get around to addressing these matters with any focus or concentration. And the next Bieganski crisis comes rolling down the chute.
What can I say? Polonia, when you mature, you may treat the Bieganski stereotype with more seriousness. Until then, it's just the same crisis on a different day.
"Poles imbibe anti-semitism with their mother's milk," says Israel Katz.
Polonia, I told you so.
Let me know when you want to address Bieganski in a mature and sophisticated way. I'd be more than happy to help. Meanwhile, I'll just watch from the sidelines as you continue to shoot yourself in the foot by refusing to take on the stereotype head-on.
See pertinent articles here and here.
Hi Danusha,
ReplyDeleteIn response to "Let me know when you want to address Bieganski in a mature and sophisticated way. I'd be more than happy to help. Meanwhile, I'll just watch from the sidelines as you continue to shoot yourself in the foot by refusing to take on the stereotype head-on.",
please examine our website at polishmediaissues.online - and let me know when you are willing to help.
Kind Regards,
Dan Zamoyski
Press Contact
Polish Media Issues Group
I was chased off of Polish Media Issues by Polish Americans who, out of thin air, accused me of working on the Bieganski stereotype for financial gain.
DeleteI am unaware of anything you have done. I don't see your representation in school curricula, in mainstream press articles, anywhere, except in Facebook posts by members of your group, to members of your group.
Sorry
Oops. One of the chasers was a Polish American woman, the other was a Polish British man.
DeleteThese sorts of events happen a lot. Poles attack other Poles and get into fights with other Poles.
As long as that nonsense continues, you will never accomplish anything.
"let me know when you are willing to help. "
DeleteA very condescending comment.
From your last name, I am guessing, and I could be wrong, that you are from a noble background.
I'm from peasant background. I grew up poor. I funded myself through grad school and while writing Bieganski.
My health suffered, as did my employability.
I sacrificed much to do the work I did, and you demean it.
I doubt you will recruit "helpers" that way.
Mr Zamoyski, someone really dedicated to this issue would not approach the author of the only scholarly book devoted solely to the Bieganski stereotype and belittle that person. Someone really dedicated to this issue would ask, "What am I missing? What can we accomplish together? "
DeletePoles belittling other Poles on the internet is a waste of time. It accomplishes nothing.
I admire Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki for talking back to Israel and saying, "We won't give in to lies."
ReplyDeletehttps://www.haaretz.com/world-news/europe/.premium-polish-pm-tens-of-thousands-of-poles-aided-the-jews-we-won-t-give-in-to-lies-1.6958688
The Polish School of Holocaust represents city people who contemn Polish peasants living under Nazi occupation - terrorized, poor, uneducated. Any such narration describing non-Poles would be condemned.
ReplyDeleteHello Dr Goska,
ReplyDeleteYoram Reshef is a businessman and a retired colonel of Israeli Air Force who was born in Poland. He also currently lives in Poland. Few days ago he wrote on his Facebook profile (I translated that text from Polish, so I apologize for any mistakes):
I'M ASHAMED
I'm ashamed for PM Netanyahu and his new minister Mr. Katz who probably don't know the saying "I never regret what I haven't said."
To be hosted in Poland with all honours and later with stupid statements spit in the plate from which they ate is a complete lack of culture and what is worse they said LIES.
Not all people in Poland just like in Israel and other European (countries) are or were saints but to blame an entire nation for individuals is a lie and boorishness.
I'm a second generation after the Holocaust and I'm alive like my parents and their 40 friends and their children ONLY thanks to the late Colonel Stanisław Kowalski who risking his own life saved them and for years was my ONLY grandpa.
Polish-Israeli relations are and will be sensitive that's why BOTH SIDES (yes Mr. Jaki) must learn to respect each other, not to live ONLY with fragments of the history, to build better future for my children and their Polish peers.
There are more things that unite us than divide us and we must cherish the goodness- that is the testament of my late Mom.
Yoram Reshef
Where does this back and forth get us?
DeleteI look forward to the day when Polonia unites, organizes, and acts effectively.
And when Polonians begin to treat their own scholars and authors with respect.
Poles complain that their story is not told.
And then Poles disrespect their own story tellers.
One more Polish Media Issues anecdote. Someone from Polish Media Issues sent me a pm on Facebook informing me that Sue Knight was obviously some kind of spy and I needed to be careful about associating with her -- or maybe I was a spy just like her!
ReplyDeleteThis kind of infighting that Polonians engage in so much is counter productive. And then, of course, when Polonians get nowhere with their efforts, they fall back on blaming the Jews, and insisting on their own powerlessness.
It's a shame. A genuine shame.