The Polish Studies Center Newsletter Indiana University • Bloomington, Indiana Spring 2005
Polish Center & Johnston Honored by Polish Foreign Minister Bill Johnston, Director of the Polish exhibitions, concerts, and many other on sabbatical leave, said that recognizing Studies Center, traveled to Warsaw last events. Over the years the Polish Studies the Center for the promotion of Polish October where he and the Center were Center at Indiana University has become culture was only part of the story. presented with the Foreign Minister’s a focal point of interest and provides “For more than a quarter century, the Award at a ceremony in the Presidential insight into the real mechanisms which Center, like other area studies at Indiana Palace. The significance of this award have kept Poland and its People going University, has been opening up the rest was described in a letter from Deputy despite historical and Ambassador of Poland in Washington economic challenges. DC, Bogusław Winid: This award has been “On October 6, 2004 the Minister of presented for over thirty Foreign Affairs of Poland, The Honorable years to individuals or Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz, awarded institutions which have the Diploma recognizing the Indiana worked very diligently University Polish Studies Center and the to promote Poland inspiring leadership of Professor Bill and enhance bilateral Johnston for outstanding work to promote cooperation. The Polish history and culture in the United Polish Studies Center States. at Indiana University Professor Johnston has tirelessly headed by Professor Bill continued to bring Poland and its Johnston ideally fulfills heritage closer to the American public by the award’s charter.” Bill Johnston (left) being presented the award by the Polish Foreign Minister, Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz. organizing various educational projects, Johnston described conferences, translation workshops, receiving the award as a great honor and further commented of the world to IU students and faculty on the inspiration from directors who as well as to the people of the state of IN THIS ISSUE: came before him: “The Foreign Ministry Indiana.” Award was a great honor for me and for IU-Bloomington Interim Chancellor Director’s Notebook 2 the Polish Studies Center. The Award Kenneth Gros Louis also commented on Tribute to John Findling 2 was given jointly to me and to the the contribution the Center has made to Spring Gender Conference 3 Center; but I feel it’s very important to the IU community and added that “the emphasize that I received it as current award underlines IU’s ties with so many A Report from the Streets Director of the Center. The award really different countries, and its relationship of Warsaw 4 belongs equally to all those previous with Poland predated the collapse of Letter from Ellie Valentine 5 directors who have gone before me and the Iron Curtain by many years.” The who together helped the Center become Letter from Kraków 6 Polish Studies Center was first opened what it is today. Above all, it is one further in October, l977. It initially served as an Events in 2004 7-8 accolade to Tim Wiles, who more than exchange partner with Warsaw University Faculty, Alumni, and any other individual was responsible for and contributed to the establishment of Student News 9-10 the Center’s prominence in US-Polish the American Studies Center at WU. An relations.” academic exchange was also established Spring 05 Events Calendar 11 Owen Johnson, the Polish Studies with Jagiellonian University in 2000. Center’s acting director while Johnston is 2 Polish Studies Center at Indiana University
in place for years. The USIA grant that blossomed into a wide-ranging program of Director’s Notebook- had funded the IU-Warsaw University activities. This is my second assignment as Act- exchange would be phased out in a few Bill helped design two of the major ing Director of the Polish Studies Center. years. programs this past fall before departing for During my first stint, 15 years ago, We embarked on an ambitious pro- Poland. He arranged an informal read- Poland had just completed its famous gram for the Polish Studies Center, with ing of Czesław Miłosz’s poetry and prose, roundtable discussions and held its first weekly brown bag talks, and numerous when the great Polish Nobel Laureate post-communist elections, in which the special lectures and programs. A good passed away. The reading, co-sponsored communists were sent packing. The East deal of our focus was still on politics and by the Office of the Chancellor, drew an European spotlight, which had focused economics and history. appreciative audience to the Federal Room sharply on Poland for the ten years since Today the Polish Studies Center is in the Indiana Memorial Union. the rise of Solidarity, was diffusing across much stronger in the area of humanities, In November, we celebrated the 100th what was now becoming Central Europe, literature and culture, because that’s where anniversary of the birth of Witold Gombro- as Hungary, Czechoslovakia and East Ger- it can make its strongest contribution. wicz, perhaps the most important Polish many also headed into the uncertain world Each year we welcome a variety of gradu- prose writer of the last century. Included of democracy and capitalism. Alex Rabi- ate students and faculty from Poland. were a reading of his play, The Marriage, nowitch, then the Dean of International Our program this year might have a lecture by Grzegorz Jankowicz; readings Programs, attended a special White House been quieter, given the absence abroad by Bill from his new translation of the Gom- symposium on Poland and Hungary. of historian Marci Shore, political scientist browicz short story collection, Bacacay, All the changes that were taking place Jack Bielasiak, and PSC director Bill John- and a showing of the new film Pornografia, were forcing a restructuring of all of the ston. Fortunately, however, Bill made a based on Gombrowicz’s novel. contacts and exchanges that had been number of contacts before he left that have ----Owen V. Johnson
He wrote an interest- John Findling Retires ing article, “Warsaw, in Early December 1984, is John E. Findling, whose association with Polish Studies a City Not Quite at Ease began in 1984/85, retired in December from the History Depart- With Itself,” for the IU ment in the Division of Social Sciences at Indiana University Newspaper, in which he Southeast. sought to explain to non- In 1984/85, he served as Associate Director of the American specialists the compli- Studies Center at Warsaw University, then partnered with IU’s cated situation that then Polish Studies Center, through a grant from the US Information prevailed in Poland. Agency. Poland was still under martial law. Findling received “Western academics, particularly Americans, played a crucial his B.A. from Rice in role at this time in providing uncensored cultural programs for 1963, and his M.A. the [Warsaw] university community and other intellectuals,” the (1965) and Ph.D. (1971) late Tim Wiles wrote, “by means of lecture series, film showings, John E. Findling from the University of acquiring foreign publications for the libraries, and so on. [John] Texas, where he wrote his was active on all these fronts. He and his wife and son moved dissertation on “The United States and Zelaya: A Study in the easily in Polish society, and he made a number of important con- Diplomacy of Expediency.” Between his M.A. and Ph.D. stud- tacts for our program. In spite of the political repression, under ies, he taught high school at the American-Nicaraguan School in his co-directorship the American Studies Center grew consider- Managua for two years. ably, to the point of offering a regular seminar series and supervis- He joined the faculty at IUSE in 1971 and was granted tenure ing a number of graduate students, several of whom were able to just four years later. He became acting chair of the Division of win fellowships for study in the U.S.” Social Sciences. Findling also worked with Polish scholars during the commu- Over time he developed a specialization in sports history, his nist period on a history of the United States. first article being “The Louisville Grays’ Scandal of 1877.” Even “I found that virtually nothing existed that I had to do,” today his home page has a link to webcams at Chicago’s Wrigley Findling recalled later. So he built on the initiatives and patterns Field. He has been a member of the North American Society for established by Mary McGann, when she served as associate direc- Sport History, where he served as a member-at-large on the tor, 1981-83. He and his family settled into a small apartment executive committee. He also developed a specialization in on Solec street, about fifteen minutes from the American Studies World’s Fairs, like sports, one of the “display events” by which a Center. It was so small, he wrote, “that we think entertaining will culture expresses itself. be somewhat difficult.” Findling’s biggest contribution to academe was in the com- Sleeping was challenging, too. “If we can get hold of a bining of his interests in World’s Fairs and sports with his skill as double bed, we would be happier and probably healthier, as we an author and editor. The list of his books is staggering. now sleep on a fold-out couch, which isn’t terribly comfortable as Three of them are single-authored: Chicago’s Great World’s a couch, let alone a bed,” he reported to the Office of International Fairs (1994); and Close Neighbors, Distant Friends : United Programs, shortly after his arrival. His wife Carol found a job States-Central American Relations (1987). He edited Dictionary with the Polish News Bulletin. of American Diplomatic History (1980; 2nd ed 1989). Spring 2005 • Newsletter 3
Spring Conference: Gender and Feminism under Post-Communism The Polish Studies Center will be one of address issues of “Economic and Social Ohridski University of Sofia, Yelena Gapova the hosts for a major international confer- Justice.” It will examine how the introduc- of the Center for Gender Studies at the Euro- ence, “Gender and Feminism under Post- tion of a market economy and a measure of pean Humanities University in Belarus and Communism,” to be held March 31-April 3 democratic political participation in some Magdalena Gawin of the Historical Institute on the Bloomington campus. Bill Johnston, post-socialist countries has changed the of the Polish Academy of Sciences. It will Director of the Polish Studies Center, has conditions of social and economic justice for consider the challenges of the transition from been working with David Ransel, Director women. communism, both to scholarship concerning of the Russian and East European Institute, The second panel, on “Representation,” women’s lives and gender roles in general. and Maria Bucur, Associate Professor in was organized by Johnston and includes Gawin, a social historian, focuses her the Department of History, to organize the Harriet Evans of the University of Westmin- research on racial thinking and eugenics in conference. Two scholars from Poland will ster, Agnieszka Graff of Warsaw University Poland in the second half of the 19th and be major participants in the conference. and Joyce Mushaben of the University of 20th centuries. Last year she published her The conference will focus on the Missouri. It will explore important themes dissertation, “Rasa I Nowoczesnosc: Histo- development of feminism and the impact of in cultural depictions of gender, particularly ria polskiego ruchu eugenicznicznego 1880- feminist theories on the reshaping of gender of women, in post-communist societies. 1953.” In addition to eugenics, she studies roles in public policies, representations, and Graff, an old friend of the Polish the history of the women’s movement and social and cultural practices. In addition to Studies Center, is Associate Professor of feminism in Poland. She has published the Polish Studies Center, the conference is literature and cultural and gender studies several articles on these issues, including supported by the Russian and East European at the American Studies Center. She is a works about the birth control movement in Institute, the Inner Asian and Uralic National graduate of Amherst College, Oxford and the inter-war period, the debate on the sexual Resource Center, the Center for the Study the Graduate School for Social Research in education of children in pre-war Poland, the of Global Change, the East Asian Studies Warsaw. Since the mid-1990s she has been impact of World War I on Polish morals and Center, the West European Studies Center, active in the Polish women’s movement, a customs. Her article on the first wave of the Office of International Programs, the participant in public debates on reproduc- Polish feminism is awaiting publication. Humanities Institute, and the University tive rights, women’s status in the context of The final session at the roundtable will Graduate School. Poland’s accession to the European Union, be an open discussion, which will integrate Ten prominent scholars from around the and relations between church and state. She the work presented in the preceding ses- world will speak at the conference. In three is a founding member of the Women’s 8th of sions and set directions and goals for future panels, the scholars will present position March Alliance. Her articles and polem- research. Its theme, “Private and Public statements in response to questions provided ics have appeared in Gazeta Wyborcza, Spheres,” will bring together many of the by panel coordinators. These materials Rzeczpospolita, and in women’s magazines issues raised in the other panels and more will be available electronically two weeks and feminist publications. Her book, Świat broadly engage questions of visibility and before the conference at http://www.indiana. bez kobiet, a collection of essays on gender the framing of women’s/gender problems edu/~reeiweb/events/roundtables.htm, so in Polish public life, was published in 2001. in both the realm of discourse and also of that the discussion can follow a roundtable She is a fellow of the Fulbright New Century policy making and activism. format. A commentator will initiate the Scholars Program, “Toward Equality: The This conference is part of IU’s annual discussion at each panel. Global Empowerment of Women,” work- “Roundtables on Post-communism,” which The first panel, consisting of Ransel, ing on the project, “Between Politics and in the past six years have examined compar- Katalin Fabian of Lafayette College, Elena poetics: Rhetorical Strategies of Modern atively the political left, social inequalities, Mezenntseva of the State University-Higher American Feminism.” nationalism and cultural dissent in Eastern School of Economics, and Miahela Miroiu The third panel, which will examine Europe, Russia and China since 1989. of the Romanian National School of Politi- “History and Myth” is composed of Bucur, cal Studies and Public Administration will Krassimira Daskalova of St. Kliment Polish Area Studies Publications at IU in 2004: Kathleen Cioffi and Bill Johnston, editors, The Other in Polish Theatre and Drama, Volume 14 of Indiana Slavic Studies, Bloomington, IN: Slavica Publishers.
Timothy J. Cooley, Making Music in the Tatras, (with CD) Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
Patrice M. Dabrowski, Commemorations and the Shaping of Modern Poland, Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
Sibelan Forrester, Magdalena J. Zaborowska, and Elena Gapova, Over the Wall/After the Fall: Post-Communist Cultures through an East-West Gaze, Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
Halina Goldberg, editor, The Age of Chopin: Interdisciplinary Inquiries, Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
Oscar E. Swan, A Grammar of Contemporary Polish, Bloomington, IN: Slavica Publishers. Received the AATSEEL Best Book in Linguistics Award in 2004.
Mirosław Żuławski, Opowieści mojej żony (Tales Told by My Wife), an advanced and intermediate Polish reader, edited and with a glossary by Oscar E. Swan, forthcoming from Slavica Publishers in 2005. 4 Polish Studies Center at Indiana University Reclaiming the Pałac, Letting the Palma Languish: A Report from the Streets of Warsaw By Karen Kovacik
November 30, 2004 On a more local note, a Berlin graduate The Ukrainian elections have domi- student stirred up contro- nated the headlines here for the last two versy by writing a thesis weeks. Gazeta Wyborcza included critical of Warsaw's complimentary orange ribbons in one many gated communities of its editions so Poles could show their - over 200, according to solidarity with Victor Yushchenko and the student's count - as his pro-Western, opposition party. Regu- opposed to Berlin, which lar protests have occurred in front of the contains only one. Angry Ukrainian Embassy on Szucha Street, and letters filled the pages even the notorious Palace of Culture in the of Wyborcza after this center of Warsaw, Stalin's dubious gift to article ran. A typical one the Poles, has been festooned with large read: "If Herr X can find orange banners. Take that, Putin! Swept up me an open neighbor- Karen Kovacik in this Free Ukraine enthusiasm, I bought hood in Warsaw that is free some cheap orange mittens on Aleje Jero- of graffiti and crime, I'd be happy to move Anna Mazenak, a self-proclaimed "sadist," zolimskie to demonstrate my own symbol- there. Until then, I'm staying put." has assigned us numerous debate topics ic support for our neighbors to the east. The large fake palm tree, in the rondo for tomorrow night's class. We must take And here's another way of talking at one of Warsaw's most prominent inter- positions on everything from child labor back to power: the Warsaw poetry slam sections (Aleje Jerozolimskie and Nowy to pornography use to the euthanizing of scene, after months of dormancy because Świat), has generated a fresh controversy stray dogs. Here's hoping you all will wish it couldn't find a hospitable home, is com- of its own. The creation of a local artist, me "Powodzenia." ing back to life in one of the Palace's cafés this palma was both panned and cel- on Thursday, December 16. Maybe all ebrated when it first appeared two years -Karen Kovacik, these goings on at the Palace help explain ago. Some saw it as a ridiculous emblem Associate Professor of English, IUPUI the findings of a recent poll. Warsaw resi- of globalized culture; others considered it dents under 30, when asked to name one a postmodern riposte to the former Com- ABOUT THE AUTHOR: thing about their city of which they were munist Party Headquarters, immediately Karen Kovacik is Associate Professor proud, overwhelmingly praised the archi- adjacent, which was reincarnated in the of English and Director of Creative Writing tecture, especially the Palace of Culture. 1990s as the Polish Stock Exchange. After at IUPUI. She is the recipient of a number of For the younger generation, it seems, the two years of enduring weather that no awards, including a guest fellowship at the Palace has become the Warsaw equivalent real palm could survive, the palma's fake University of Wisconsin’s Institute for Creative of Big Ben or the Eiffel Tower, devoid leaves had frayed and had to be removed. Writing, an Arts Council of Indianapolis of the totalitarian connotations that make The city of Warsaw had promised the artist older Poles shudder. it would maintain the sculpture through Creative Renewal Fellowship, and a Fulbright I'm here on a translation Fulbright, 2006, though now it appears there are no Research Grant to Poland. Her poems and and I got word of the slam scene by funds to replace the leaves. So the palma, stories have appeared in many journals, giving a talk on contemporary poetry at clotted with recent snow, is hovering like including Salmagundi, Chelsea, Glimmer the American Embassy, two weeks after a forlorn obelisk over tramcars bearing Train, Massachusetts Review, Indiana the U.S. presidential elections. On the McDonald's ads with the slogan: "I'm Review, and Crab Orchard Review. Her wall behind where I was to stand, I was lovin' it." translations of contemporary Polish poetry disconcerted to find large mugshots of After twenty years of struggle with can be found in The Lyric, American Poetry George Bush, Dick Cheney, and Colin the beautiful but notoriously difficult Review, West Branch, and Poetry East. In Powell. Could I somehow remove them, I Polish language, I signed myself up for 1999, a book of her poetry, Beyond the Velvet wondered, or cover them with my friend yet another course at Warsaw University's Curtain, winner of the Stan and Tom Wick Reineke's huge tie-dyed silk scarf? In the Polonicum. This time, by some miracle, Poetry Prize, was issued by Kent State, and a end, I simply chose to refer to the Gang of I tested into the highest level, where my Three satirically throughout my talk. The fellow students, except for Motoki from new collection, Metropolis Burning, is sweetest revenge. . . Japan, are all Slavs. Our teacher, Pani forthcoming from Cleveland State. Spring 2005 • Newsletter 5
A Letter from Ellie Valentine
Dear friends, I thought I might just send a note about my recent whereabouts and activities. And I thought you might enjoy this picture of the Polish support of the Orange Revolution in Ukraine. I am currently the Program Director of the USAID Armenia Legislative Strengthening Program. As some of you know, I had an opportunity to head a similar program from 1994-2002 in Ukraine - the Indiana University Parliamentary Development Program of Ukraine (also funded by USAID). I have been watching the events in Ukraine with awe and wonder -- and just a bit of pride. I truly believe that what we see happening today in Ukraine is a culmination of efforts of the past 15 years with so many sectors: the parliament, the courts, civil society, political parties, election reform, independent media development, anti- corruption. Many of these efforts have also benefited from lessons learned in Poland ten years earlier. This Christmas I had the privilege to be included in an election observation mission organized by the National Democratic Institute (NDI). One of the co-chairs of our delegation was Bronisław Geremek. It was truly an experience to see current events in Ukraine through the eyes of someone who was so central to the political, social and economic reform efforts which have resulted in Poland’s transformation over the past 25 years. I will remember with great fondness my Christmas in Kirovohrad (where I was deployed for the observation mission) where the newly opened Catholic Church was led by a Polish priest from Kalisz. My wishes as I broke the opłatek that evening with friends, was that people would have the strength in Ukraine, as in other emerging democracies, to accept their responsibilities as citizens of a democratic society and to sustain their will to have their voices heard and to hold their government -- once elected -- responsible and accountable. My very best wishes to all at (and formerly with) the IU Polish Studies Center. May we meet the challenges of the New Year 2005 with joy and vigor. Ellie Valentine ([email protected])
Ellie Valentine was Program Assistant at the Polish Studies Center from l985 to l989 and sent this letter and photograph in December after her recent visit to Ukraine.
The Polish flag on the streets of Kiev, December 2004, symbolizes Polish support for the Orange Revolution. 6 Polish Studies Center at Indiana University
A Letter from Kraków by Matthew Konieczny Polish Studies Center Greetings from Kraków! I am As a recipient of a Rotary Inter- Travel Grants writing this letter in the midst of my first national Ambassadorial Scholar, I have 2004-2005 holiday season in Poland. Though my obligations beyond my academic work wife, children and I certainly miss our and research goals. These opportunities family and friends during this time of year, have made my experience in Poland truly The faculty award recipient is the warmth of the ubiquitous Christmas unique. Most importantly, I am expected IUSB History Professor Dmitry celebrations and festivities throughout to serve as an Ambassador of Goodwill. I Shlapentokh. He will travel to the Kraków have made us feel welcome and have realized this somewhat vague charge Fourth International Napoleonic at home here. I have seen the main square in a number of ways. I have delivered Congress of the International Napo- in Kraków’s Old Town many times over speeches to various groups around Poland leonic Society in Dinard, France in the last several years. However, there is explaining my take on life in America and something very special about the atmo- specifically in Southern Indiana. This has July 2005. He will present his paper sphere here this time of year; dozens of led to some interesting exchanges about entitled “Napoleon and the Poles stalls are erected on the market square, current American policies. But I think I and the Image of Russians as an from which are offered various holiday can say—at the risk of being immodest—I Asiatic Threat.” crafts, grilled pierogi and kielbasa, and tra- have negotiated these issues in true ambas- ditional Galician mulled wine. For weeks sadorial form. Indeed, it is such personal The graduate student award recipi- before Christmas, nearly everyday, live interactions that have been a highpoint of music blends with the voices and laugh- my stay in Poland. ent is IUB History Doctoral Candi- ter of those gathered in the square. It is date, Anna Muller. She will travel hard not to feel a part of the tradition and to Poland to conduct preliminary celebration. research for her dissertation which This year I am studying at the will be a comparative study of the Department of Polish Philology at the social, cultural and political condi- Jagiellonian University in Kraków, thanks to a Rotary International Ambassadorial tions that women faced in Poland Scholarship. This award is a great honor and Czechoslovakia during the for me and an incredible opportunity. Stalinist period. This funding has enabled me to spend a year in Poland improving my Polish and beginning research on a project that I hope The Polish Studies Center Travel will evolve into my doctoral dissertation. Grants have been funded since Attending regular classes at Jagiellonian l996 through an endowment has been a challenge, but I have been donated by the improving steadily. Other students in the Polish Century Club of department have been indispensable to my progress in Polish. Several other students Indianapolis, Indiana. and I have organized English-Polish lan- Matthew Konieczny with his sons, Andrei, 5, and Anton, 7, in Krakow guage exchanges which have been among the most useful (and fun) of my academic My time in Kraków has been endeavors this year. The faculty and staff even more rewarding as I am able to share at the university have also been gracious it all with my wife and sons. This experi- Donations to support the work and helpful. Especially valuable to me has ence has certainly been an incredible one of the Polish Studies Center been my academic advisor, Prof. Michał for all of us. Though speaking no Polish Markowski, who, coincidently, was a previously, my oldest son is now attending can be made to: visiting professor at IU in 2002. a Polish school. The courage and good I am also very excited about humor with which he has approached Indiana University Foundation some encouraging leads I have discovered this challenge has been an inspiration to Polish Studies Center in the Jagiellonian libraries and archives me. My wife, as well, has embraced life related to a research project I had outlined in Poland, and I am envious of the speed Account 32-CC00-038 before leaving for Poland. If all goes well with which she has picked up Polish. This PO Box 500 what I had originally conceived as a pre- entire experience has proven so positive Bloomington, Indiana 47402 liminary feasibility study could actually that we have no doubt that this year will become a much more significant first step not be our last long-term stay in Poland. in my dissertation research. Spring 2005 • Newsletter 7
Antony Polonsky Visits IU by Angela White Antony Polonsky, Albert Abramson of Constitutional Government, The Little Neighbors have often been negative, he Professor of Holocaust Studies at the United Dictators: The History of Eastern Europe suggests the dialogue and investigations States Holocaust Memorial Museum and since 1918, and The Great Powers and the resulting from its publication represent an Brandeis University presented a lecture Polish Question, 1941-45 and is the editor of important process of reckoning with Polish on March 26, 2004 entitled “Poles, Jews, the series Polin: Studies in Polish Jewry and Polish-Jewish experiences during World and the Problems of a Divided Memory.” In his lecture, Professor Polonsky War II. The natural process of coming to Professor Polonsky is one of the most described the controversies resulting from terms with the role Poles may have played distinguished scholars of Polish, Polish- the publication of Jan Gross’s contentious in the destruction of the Polish-Jewish Jewish, and Holocaust history in the world. book Neighbors: the Destruction of the community was halted by the communist He is the author of numerous volumes on Jewish Community in Jedwabne, Poland system, which downplayed the victimization East European and Polish history, including published in Polish (2000) and in English of Jews during the Holocaust. Politics in Independent Poland: The Crisis (2001). Although Polish reactions to In addition to his lecture, Professor Polonsky also hosted a graduate student workshop with two of his articles on the Professor Antony Polish-Jewish poet Julian Tuwim as the basis for discussion. Under Polonsky’s Polonsky (left) guidance, students analyzed Tuwim’s Bal w conversing with Bill Operze and literary polemics centering on Johnston, Director the conflict between Polish-Jewish writers and Polish nationalists who rejected Jewish of the Polish Studies participation in Polish culture. Center, at a Polonsky’s vast knowledge of Polish- reception in Jewish history, combined with his engaging commentary, wit, and personal acquaintance Polonsky’s honor with the main actors in the field of Polish- in March, 2004, in Jewish relations resulted in a thoroughly Bloomington. enjoyable educational experience.
(Note: Antony Polonsky edited, with Joanna Michlic, The Neighbors Respond: The Controversy over the Jedwabne Massacre in Poland, Princeton University Press, 2003.) The Warsaw Village Band makes a splash at Bloomington Lotus Festival The Warsaw Village Band (Kapela ze Wsi Warszawa) Look for their new CD, Uprooting, which was released in came to Bloomington in September as part of the annual Lotus October 2004. All of their Lotus Festival fans sincerely hope World Music Festival, with sponsorship from the Polish Studies that they will return to Bloomington very soon. –JBC Center. A large crowd enjoyed meeting the band at a lunch (The Warsaw Village Band website is at www.wvb.terra.pl) reception held at the Center. Even before hearing them in concert, many of us knew that this was a young, innovative band that collected traditional music from village musicians in Poland and added their own hardcore, techno twist, the mixture of old and new that their name suggests. We also knew they had revived traditional instruments such as the suka fiddle, and that the women had mastered the biały głos, the white voice singing style of the village women they had met. We had also listened to their current CD, People’s Spring, which had won them the BBC 2004 World Music Award for best newcomer. But in spite of knowing this background, the sheer energy and complex intensity of their music was a stunning surprise and made fans of crowds of festival goers, who filled and surrounded the outdoor tent venue in downtown Bloomington. The Warsaw Village Band in Bloomington 8 Polish Studies Center at Indiana University Paczkowski Speaks about Post-communist Poland by Anna Muller
Andrzej Paczkowski, a leading Institute, which was created in 1998 as place since the round table negotiations, Polish historian, visited Indiana University a commission for the investigation of which symbolize the fall of communism in at the beginning of April, 2004 to give two crimes against the Polish Nation. The 1989. A bibliography of English-language lectures organized by the Polish Studies professor also discussed the internal works, prepared by Padraic Kenney, Center and the Russian and East European workings of the IPN and the scope of their makes this account a fundamental book Institute, and to meet with students and activities, which includes investigating for anyone who attempts to understand faculty interested in Polish history and new cases, gathering archival materials, the remarkable course of Polish twentieth- the current changes century history. taking place in Despite his very full schedule, Poland. A historian Professor Paczkowski also found time to at the Institute for meet with faculty and graduate students Political Studies at and walk around Bloomington and the the Polish Academy campus. The professor, interested in of Science and educational systems, discussed with us a member of the the intricacies regarding student life in governing board of America, its similarities and differences Warsaw’s Institute to the Polish and more generally East for National European systems. Some of us consciously Remembrance, directed the conversation towards the Andrzej Paczkowski complexities of East European history as it is also the author gave us an opportunity to test our research and co-author of interests against the Professor’s unique many books and knowledge of the subject, of archival articles, including resources, and of the internal workings of The Black Book Polish history. Professor Andrzej Paczkowski (left) speaking with IUB history of Communism: professor Marci Shore and PSC director, Bill Johnston. Crimes, Terror, Repression. Thank you to the following people At Indiana University, and supporting Polish public education for donating books and materials in Paczkowski gave two lectures that by disseminating - through lectures, Polish and for Polish cultural artifacts attracted large audiences of students and conferences and exhibitions - facts and folk art objects: faculty. The first lecture, “The Fate of concerning recent Polish history. During Intellectuals under Post-communism,” the interesting discussion initiated by Amy Goldenberg allowed Paczkowski to dwell on the the lecture, the IPN’s significant and challenges that intellectuals have to face still unique role in East Europe was Douglas Hofstadter in post-communist Poland stemming highlighted. Jan and Wanda Jaworowski from the social, political, and cultural After the lecture, the professor Margaret MacDuffie transformation that Poland went signed his book The Spring will be ours: Mary Mcgann through after 1989. His presentation of Poland and the Poles from Occupation to Charles G. Robertson Jr. the institutional changes in the Polish Freedom, (Pennsylvania State University John Synowiec system of higher education, including Press, 2003, translated by Jane Cave) the appearance of private schools, which was first published in Poland in Thank you to the following people the economical challenges, and the 1995 and has been translated into several for financial contributions: introduction of new elements into the languages. The book focuses on Polish curriculum, stirred the interest of the history, from the outbreak of World War Marlena & Roman Frackowski audience and the lecture evolved into a II in 1939, through the communist rule, Harriet P. Irsay very interesting discussion. to 1989, when unfruitful attempts to Matthew L. Lillich In his next lecture, “Reckoning reform the communist system from within Maria M. Lillich-Michalczyk with the Communist Past: The Case of gave way to its total transformation. Poland,” Paczkowski presented several The English edition of the book was Janet Magnuson issues, amongst them the activities supplemented by an introductory chapter Helen D. Morrissey undertaken by the Institute for National on Poland’s twenty years of independence Anna K. Nabelek Remembrance. During the lecture we prior to 1939 and an extensive postscript Felix Smigiel learned details about the origins of the investigating the changes that have taken Spring 2005 • Newsletter 9
FACULTY NEWS Jack Bielasiak (IUB Political Science)was National Identity, and the Majufes,” at Burning, is forthcoming from Cleveland selected to be the Fulbright Distinguished the13th Biennial International Conference State. (See her article and one of her Chair in Central, East European and Rus- on Nineteenth-Century Music, University translations on pages 4 &5) sian Studies at Warsaw University for the of Durham, in June. Marci Shore (IUB History) signed a fall 2004 semester. Grzegorz Jankowicz (IUB Slavics) was contract with Yale University Press in Małgorzata Čavar (IUB Linguistics) awarded the Kosciuszko Foundation August 2004 for her book manuscript defended her doctoral dissertation, Teaching Fellowship for this academic Caviar and Ashes: A Warsaw Generation’s Palatalization in Polish: an Interaction year. His article “W tych antologiach” Life and Death in Marxism, 1918-1968. of Articulatory and Perceptual Factor, in about anthologies of Polish poetry in Caviar and Ashes won the Fraenkel Prize May 2004 at the University of Potsdam, English translations appeared in Literatura in Contemporary History for 2004. Her Germany. Her article “Perceptual factors na Swiecie No. 11-12 (winter 2004). article “Children of the Revolution: in the emergence of prepalatal affricates He was co-organizer of “A Celebration Communism, Zionism, and the Berman in Polish” was published in Ohio State of Work and Life of Czesław Miłosz” Brothers” appeared in Jewish Social University Working Papers in Slavic (September 2004) and “A Gombrowicz Studies vol. 10, no. 3 (spring/summer Linguistics. In 2004 she gave presentations Centenary Celebration” (November 2004) 2004). In November 2004 she presented at the Poznań Linguistic Meeting in Poland at IU. During the latter he presented the the paper “When God Died: Slavoj Žižek and at the Mid-continental Workshop on lecture “The Return to Gombrowicz.” He on Modernity and Revolution in Eastern Phonology in Evanston, Illinois. is currently editing an anthology of essays Europe” at the workshop, “Modernity and Halina Goldberg (IUB Music) edited the devoted to the literary work of Maurice Its Disciplines” at the School of Oriental book The Age of Chopin: Interdisciplinary Blanchot that will be published by Zielona and African Studies in London. She also Inquiries, Bloomington: Indiana Univer- Sowa Press this spring. gave a lecture at the School of Slavonic sity Press, 2004, which also included her Owen Johnson (IUB Journalism and His- and East European Studies in London, article “‘Remembering that tale of grief’: tory) visited Warsaw University in March “A Funeral for Futurism: Or, How the the Prophetic Voice in Chopin’s Music.” In and spoke on media coverage of terrorism Polish Avant-Garde Found Its Way to December 2004 she participated in a panel in the US to a comparative media class Marxism in the 1920s.” At the Institut discussion, “Sounds as Identity Symbols: at the Institute of Journalism; spoke on für die Wissenschaften vom Menschen The Potential for a ‘Musical Turn’ in the media and politics to a group of journal- seminar Series “Europe or the Globe?” in Study of Modern Eastern Europe,” at the ists from “failed democracies,” Center Vienna she presented “Once Upon a Time, American Association for the Advance- for East European Studies; and spoke on in a Café Called Ziemiańska: Making ment of Slavic Studies National Meeting, media and transition in Eastern Europe to Choices and Coming to Marxism in Boston. She also presented a conference a class studying Transition in East Central Interwar Poland.” paper, “The Dancing Jew: Assimilation, Europe, Center for East European Studies. Bill Johnston (IUB Applied Linguistics) STUDENT NEWS SPEA participating in Warsaw’s had a busy year. He published three trans- Jamie Ferguson (IUB Comparative Lit- Public Policy Course lations--Magdalena Tulli’s Dreams and erature) received the College of Arts and Stones (Archipelago Books), and Witold Sciences Dissertation Year Grant for the For the second year, IU’s School of Gombrowicz’s Polish Memories (Yale 2004-2005 academic year and the Green- Public and Environmental Affairs University Press) and Bacacay (Archi- berg Albee Fellowship. (SPEA) will be working with the pelago Books). He is currently spending Matthew Konieczny (IUB History and National School of Administration the spring semester at the Jagiellonian REEI) is currently at Jagiellonian Univer- in Warsaw to deliver 3 days of its University in Kraków, where he will be sity in Kraków on a Rotary Foundation 4 week intensive course in Euro- working on two translation projects: Mag- Ambassadorial Scholarship where he is pean Union Public Policy. Indiana dalena Tulli’s latest book Parts of Speech conducting research for his doctoral dis- University will have 22 graduate (Tryby), and Stefan Zeromski’s The Com- sertation. (See his article on page 6.) students participating from SPEA, ing Spring (Przedwiosnie), for which he the Russian and East European In- has received a National Endowment for Coffee and Tea Hour stitute, and West European Studies. the Arts Fellowship. Spring Semester 2005 The Warsaw program will be held Karen Kovacik (IUPUI English) is a Thursdays, 4:30-6:00 pm June 5 - 8. For more information, 2004-2005 Fulbright Research Grant re- contact Charles Bonser, SPEA’s cipient and is spending the year in Warsaw at the Polish Studies Center Program Director. translating current Polish poetry. A new 1217 E. Atwater, Bloomingon collection of her own poetry, Metropolis 10 Polish Studies Center at Indiana University
ALUMNI NEWS Anna M. Cienciala (Ph.D. History and Kinga Skrętkowicz- REEI 1962), professor emeritus at the Ferguson (left) University of Kansas, participated in a graduate roundtable discussion, “The Warsaw Upris- assistant at the Polish Studies ing: A Historical Appraisal,” at the annual Center and visiting AAASS meeting in Boston in December. scholar Magdalena Amy Goldenberg (IUB Folklore) de- Żuradzka lead fended her dissertation “Polish Amber Art” the singing of in the Spring of 2004. In November, she Polish carols at presented the paper “Art, Politics and the annual potluck Religion Encased in Amber: The Amber Christmas Party for Altar in Gdansk, Poland” at the friends of the Polish Studies Center. American Folklore Society annual conference. Call for Papers Barbara Hicks (Ph.D. Political Sci- VISITING SCHOLARS TO IU ence and REEI Certificate 1992), teaches TRANSLATING EASTERN EUROPE: courses in Russia, Central and Eastern Eu- Zofia Fabiańska (Associate Professor of ART, POLITICS, AND IDENTITY IN rope, the European Union, the Collapse of Musicology, Jagiellonian University) met TRANSLATED LITERATURE Communism, and Women After Commu- with musicologists at IU in order to ex- plore possible common projects between nism, as well as a cross-regional seminar in September 30-October 2, 2005 Transitions to Democracy, at New College, their institutions, and she did research on the tonal language of the Italian music in the Honors College of Florida, in Sarasota. Papers are invited for an interdisciplin- the late 16th and early 17th centuries. She Her research specialization is in Eastern ary conference that will explore the role Europe, and she’s currently working on a was in Bloomington for three weeks in played by translated literature in the evo- book about how transnational influences November and December. lution of literary traditions and national affect the role of social movements as Grzegorz Marzec (Doctoral Candidate, identities in Eastern Europe and Russia, channels of citizen participation in the new Warsaw University) spent the fall 2004 as well as ways in which the West has democracies of Eastern Europe. semester pursuing research for his disser- imagined the “other” Europe tation, “Historiography as Hermeneutics: David Mason (Ph.D. Political Science On the Writings by Jarosław Marek Rym- The conference will also host a work- and REEI Certificate 1977), who first kiewicz.” While at IU he was affiliated shop on translating literature, sponsored started writing books on Poland, and then with the Department of Philosophy. by the Department of Slavic Languages on Eastern Europe, has now published and Literatures of the Ohio State Uni- Jadwiga Paja-Stach (Professor of Musi- a short history of all of Europe which, versity, to be conducted by Marian cology, Jagiellonian University) spent 4 however, includes many nuggets on Po- Schwartz, and a reading of translated weeks in June and July at the IU School land! Revolutionary Europe 1789-1989: literary works, sponsored by the Polish of Music, researching Polish émigré com- Liberty, Equality, Solidarity (Rowman and Studies Center of Indiana University at posers who settled in the USA in the 20th Littlefield, 2005) Bloomington. century, especially Wiktor Łabuński, in Nathan Wood (IUB History) defended his preparation for her book on Polish music The keynote speaker will be Clare dissertation in June 2004, “Becoming of the 20th century. Cavanaugh of Northwestern University. Metropolitan: Cracow’s popular press an Magdalena Żuradzka (Doctoral Candi- the representation of modern urban life, The conference will be held at the date, Jagiellonian University) did research 1900-1915”. He is currently a postdoc- Blackwell Center on the main campus for her dissertation on madrigali concer- toral scholar of modern European of the Ohio State University tati in northern Italy, during her stay in history at the University of Nevada, Reno. in Columbus, Ohio. Bloomington from October to February. Being at IU allowed her to consult with Interested scholars and literary transla- the chair of the Department of Musicol- tors should submit paper proposals of ogy, Dr. Massimo Ossi, an authority on no more than 500 words and a curricu- Italian madrigals. She also graciously lum vitae by 15 March 2005 to: Brian volunteered to accompany, on piano, the James Baer, MCLS, 109 Satterfield singing of Polish carols at our annual Hall, Kent State University, Kent, OH Christmas party. 44242 (email: [email protected]). Spring 2005 • Newsletter 11 Polish Studies Center Events • Spring Semester 2005
Polish Film Series: Thursday, February 17:
Thursday, February 24:
Thursday, March 3:
All showings will be at 7:00 pm in Swain Hall East, Room 105, on the IU Bloomington Campus All films are in Polish with English subtitles. Free and open to the public.
Conference: March 31- April 3 IU Roundtable: Gender and Feminism under Post-communism:
Sponsored by the Russian and East European Institute, the Polish Studies Center, the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center, the Center for the Study of Global Change, the East Asian Studies Center, the West European Studies Center, the Office of International Programs, the Humanities Institute, and the University Graduate School.
Lectures: February 15
March 25
Poetry Reading: April 21
Details of all events will be updated at www.indiana.edu/~polishst Polish Studies Center Indiana University 1217 E. Atwater Avenue Bloomington, IN 47401
Indiana University Roundtables on Post-Communism Presents: Acting Director GENDER AND FEMINISM UNDER POST-COMMUNISM Owen V. Johnson An International Conference March 31- April 3, 2005 Administrative Assistant The conference will focus on the development of feminism and the impact of femi- Joan Chamberlin nist theories on the reshaping of gender roles in public policies, representations, and social and cultural practices in Eastern Europe, Russia, and China since 1989.
Graduate Assistant Sponsored by the Russian and East European Institute, the Polish Kinga Skrętkowicz-Ferguson Studies Center, the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center, the Center for the Study of Global Change, the East Asian Studies Center, the West European Stud- ies Center, the Office of International Programs, the Humanities Institute, and the Library Assistant University Graduate School.
Urszula Knepper The conference will bring to campus ten prominent international scholars who will speak on four panels: “Economic and Social Justice Issues,” “Representations,” Phone: 812-855-1507 “History and Myth,” and “Public and Private Spheres.” Fax: 812-855-0207 Faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students, as well as the public at large are encouraged to attend www.indiana.edu/~polishst See the conference web site: www.indiana.edu/~reeiweb/events/2005/roundtables05.htm