DISINFO: Polish authorities use falsification of history as a tool for political fight with Russia
SUMMARY
Falsification and re-writing of history on the example of Krakow clearly shows that the current and previous authorities of Poland interpret history in different ways using it as a tool for the political fight. In this situation, it is used for a fight with the Russian Federation.
RESPONSE
This message is part of the Kremlin’s policy of historical revisionism – it accuses Poland in “falsification and re-writing” of its history. According to this policy, the Russian official historiography is the only “true” way of interpretation of historical events for the countries of Eastern and Central Europe. For decades, the Soviet authorities had spread the story about the heroic role of the Red Army in the saving of the Krakow Old Town from being blown up by retreating Nazi troops. Mainstream Polish historians do not share this view, perceiving this story as a post-war myth glorifying the Red Army among the Poles. There is no substantial difference in perception of the key WWII events between the official Polish historical policy, opinions of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance, opinions of mainstream Polish historians and attitudes of a predominant part of the Polish society. For example, from their point of view, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact directly caused the German and Soviet aggression at the Polish state in September 1939 and the Red Army occupied Poland in 1944-45, causing the undemocratic establishment of Communist Poland. See similar examples of the Russian historical revisionism concerning Poland - It is thanks to Russia that Poland today exists as a country, Nazi Germany considered Poland its best ally, USSR was forced and reluctant to sign Molotov-Ribbentrop pact.