The Meaning of Katyn

The national media have acknowledged a meeting of two Prime Ministers during the ceremony in Katyn as a step towards reconciliation and improvement in relations between two countries. The opinions of experts vary. Some agree that it is a major step, which given the aim of current Government to open towards East, can be seen as a clear signal that relationship between two nations will improve in a future. However, other hold views that it is only a small gesture which needs to be followed up by genuine actions of Russian side. The politicians seem to succumb to both schools equally, maintaining balance and avoiding radicalism, which is simply an appropriate behaviour. Off course, one can find the voices of disappointment that there were no ‘sorry’ and ‘genocide’ words and that Mr Putin blamed Stalin for the crime only after the ceremony on the press conference in Smolensk. Nevertheless, some of the guests invited from Poland as movie director Andrzej Wajda were surprised by the evident honesty of Russian Prime minister and the touching atmosphere of the event. Foreign press seems to be commenting on the issue in positive tones. The BBC found it as an unprecedented step, and one which could herald a new era. Reuters followed: Wednesday’s commemoration crowns a steady improvement in relations between Russia and Poland. Are they right?

The Katyn massacre was a tragedy and given the Russian version of history Mr Putin’s gesture should be appreciated, but not misread. For many, revealing the truth about the murder and legally qualifying it as genocide, admitting guilt, apologising and compensating it to the families of victims is the only true step towards reconciliation and closing this long lasting wound between the two nations. None of these has happened last Wednesday. Claiming that it is major step towards reconciliation between two nations is a mistake. In my opinion, the history in relations between Poland and Russia plays and will play a pivotal role for at least next two decades. Given the current and factual approach and attitude of Russian officials and administration towards revealing truth about Katyn and other mass grave locations, the influence of the historical factors on the temperature of the relationship of the two nations will be negative. It will at least slow down or in another way affect many processes of cooperation, including the economic ones. We have to remember that Stalin’s murders of 1940 are not the only thorn in Polish collective memory. Another major obstacle, vastly ignored by a foreign press in interpretation of the recent event in Katyn, is the difference in how both nations see and teach history of 20th Century. Expectedly, Russian propaganda machine has a tendency to create more bias. However, some Polish historians are not without guilt putting eagerness and national sentiments in front of scientific objectiveness. In consequence, not only the elites but the ordinary citizens of these countries put historical disagreements as an important factor affecting constructive cooperation.

If the observance of the Katyn massacre anniversary is to have any significance in process of warming relations between Moscow and Warsaw, it should not be seen as point of the already started process but rather as a gateway to it. If both sides will not show the high standards of statesmanship and rationality I am afraid the Polish-Russian future will stay there for a long time walking in and out.