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Prasa szwajcarska o Polakach w dobie I wojny światowej

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Bednarz P.

Pamięć i Sprawiedliwość

2018

issue 31

122-137

Among the many subjects discussed in the Swiss press during World War I, one of the most interesting was that of foreigners. It was usually analysed in terms of the impact of their presence on Swiss domestic, foreign or even economic policies. Sometimes, however, these articles had a slightly different purpose; those devoted to Poles were such a case. They were consistent with a widespread propaganda campaign aimed at preparing the public opinion to accept and support idea of the independence of the Polish state. The articles devoted to the Polish issue can be divided into several groups. Chronologically, the first type to appear were reports of humanitarian actions conducted on Polish soil. As this theme was deeply embedded in Switzerland’s ethic, it managed to impress the local readers, thus quickly becoming a foundation of the pro-Polish campaign. Poland’s independence was supposed to prevent the recurrence of the tragic events of 1914–1918, when Poles were often forced to fight against each other, while their country was being ruined by a war conducted in someone else’s interests. Humanitarian issues were therefore raised particularly frequently. The second important group of articles were those devoted to Poland’s eminent cultural and scientific personalities, both living and deceased. They were meant to create a positive image of the Poles, as a nation that brought outstanding individuals to European culture and thus deserved independence and unrestricted development. The third group of articles familiarised the Swiss readers with the Polish political scene, both in Poland proper and in exile. The selective nature of the information provided, as well as the usually favourable narrative, created a relatively positive image of the Polish political class, which was to augur well for the political life of the reborn country. And finally, the fourth group consisted of articles describing the Polish province and the customs of its population, as well as its economic potential. These portrayals often covered important ethnicity-related issues. The coexistence of Poles, Jews, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Germans, Belarusians and Russians in the same territory turned out to be an appealing topic for the inhabitants of a multicultural Switzerland, and served as evidence of the readiness of the Polish nation towards building a modern, multinational state. The articles devoted to Poles published during World War I should be perceived as a long-term informational campaign conveying a specific message. The Swiss public opinion strongly supported the idea of Polish statehood, which was most often seen as a crucial factor for the peaceful functioning of Europe in post-war conditions. Such propaganda was carried out by almost all significant Swiss periodicals, although to varying degrees.

The Ukrainian Question in the Swiss Press 1914–1918

100%

Bednarz P.

Res Historica

2022

issue 54

307-336

Istotną płaszczyzną zainteresowania szwajcarskiej prasy w dobie I wojny światowej była kwestia prawa do samostanowienia narodów, w szczególności małych lub dopiero kształtujących się. Tematyka ta wpisywała się w helwecką politykę wizerunkową, przykładającą dużą wagę do ideałów wolnościowych. Jednym z narodów znajdujących się w polu zainteresowania Szwajcarów w tym kontekście byli Ukraińcy. Stosunkowo niewielka wiedza na ich temat, częste mylenie ich z przedstawicielami sąsiednich narodów wymagało przybliżenia zagadnienia odrębności Ukraińców czytelnikom, co było główną płaszczyzną publikacji prasowych dotyczących Rusinów w pierwszych miesiącach wojny. Zmieniająca się sytuacja geopolityczna, przesuwający się front oraz definiowanie własnych oczekiwań politycznych przez Ukraińców na przestrzeni kolejnych lat zmieniało optykę Helwetów. Najważniejszymi etapami rozwoju kwestii ukraińskiej na łamach prasy szwajcarskiej w dobie wojny były: zajęcie Galicji przez Rosjan we wrześniu 1914 r., austro-niemiecka ofensywa z lata 1915 r., konceptualizacja przyszłości politycznej Ukrainy na przestrzeni 1916 r. oraz rokowania brzeskie i zaangażowanie Ukrainy do niemieckiego planu „Mitteleuropa”. Upadek idei niepodległości Ukrainy nie pozwolił na weryfikację helweckich sądów odnośnie tego narodu i jego zdolności państwowotwórczych.

A significant area of interest of the Swiss press during the First World War was the issue of the right to self-determination of nations, in particular small or emerging ones. This subject became part of Switzerland’s image policy attaching great importance to liberation ideals. One of the nations that were in the field of interest of the Swiss in this context was the Ukrainians. Relatively scant knowledge on them, and frequent cases of confusing them with representatives of the neighboring nations required the introduction of the issue of Ukrainian identity to the readers, which was the main reason for press publications concerning the Ruthenians (Rusins) in the first months of the war. The changing geopolitical situation, the shifting front lines and the defining of their own political expectations by the Ukrainians over the next years accordingly changed the Swiss perspective. The most important stages in the presentation of the Ukrainian question in the Swiss press during the war were: the capture of Galicia by the Russians in September 1914, the Austro-German offensive in the summer of 1915, the conceptualization of Ukraine’s political future throughout 1916, as well as the Brest negotiations and involvement of Ukraine in the German plan of „Mitteleuropa”. The fall of the idea of Ukraine’s independence prevented the verification of Swiss opinions about this nation and its state-building capacities.

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1 Pamięć i Sprawiedliwość

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2 Bednarz P.

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Prasa szwajcarska o Polakach w dobie I wojny światowej

The Ukrainian Question in the Swiss Press 1914–1918