Jaroslaw Kaczynski; photo - PAP

A new report published by the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party has come under fire from politicians for what they see as slurs against the Silesian minority in southern Poland.

Report by John Beauchamp

The Law and Justice document, “A Report on the State of the Republic”, has angered many for stating that “being a Silesian is simply a way to cut ties with [Polish identity] and indeed could be a way to camouflage German [identity].”

The declaration was made on Saturday by the head of Law and Justice, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who said that while his party accepts Silesian and Cashubian regional identities as being essentially Polish, the type of Silesian identity that is proposed by the Silesian Autonomy Movement (RAS) is “a camouflaged German alternative.”

The statement has prompted mixed reactions from politicians across the spectrum, especially with the launch of the National Census, which is set to record ethnic minorities of people living in Poland.

“I am quite surprised why Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who has stated many times that he is well acquainted with Polish history, especially during the last century, in this instance has gone for a Bismarckian interpretation of being Silesian,” presidential advisor Tomasz Nalecz, possibly alluding to the Prussian chancellor’s efforts of Germanification in Silesian lands.

Additionally, Stanislaw Zelichowski from the junior coalition partner, the Polish Peasants Party (PSL) underlines that Silesians have always showed their unity with Poland.

“Let us find what joins people in Poland together, and not what separates us, there has has been so much bloodshed for Polishness and for every centimetre of Polish land, as well as in Silesia during the uprisings in defence of Poland, not Germany,” Zelichowski told Polish Radio.

Respect

However, Jacek Kurski from Law and Justice has defended the words of Jaroslaw Kaczynski by saying that “Law and Justice will not provoke tensions between itself, Silesians, Cashubians, who we treat as Poles, and who have their differing ethnicity, their culture, language, which needs to be fostered and respected.”

“However the often scandalous words of Mr Gorzelik, the leader of the Silesian Autonomous Movement, are contemptuous towards Poland. This is our objection,” Kurski added.

Furthermore, Marek Jurek, a former presidential candidate and leader of the Polish Right, has appealed to Silesians to declare Polish nationality on the census.

“I think that we should all appeal to Silesians to confirm their membership of the Polish nation, it is of great value,” Jurek said, adding that “I hope that there will be a large proportion of such people, as I admire Silesia and its culture. It is important that the region stated loud and clear that it identifies with Poland.”

With the start of the National Census in Poland, questions regarding regional identities have arisen, especially in Silesia, a region known for being proud of its heritage.

While the Silesian Autonomy Movement wants the region to be independent of the rest of the country, Jaroslaw Juszkiewicz from Polish Radio in the Silesian capital of Katowice told thenews.pl that the movement is not a threat, and “they don’t want autonomy like [the Canadian province of] Quebec,” but rather securing rights “to use their language [and] symbols.”

Juszkiewicz added that the National Census includes two questions on nationality, which will give respondents the option to declare an additional “association” with a nationality.

Meanwhile, head of the Law and Justice party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, has announced that he explain his comments about ethnic minorities when he visits Silesia and the Cashubian region in the north of Poland. (pg)