Federalism in the History of Poland Federations for The free with the free, the equal with the equal East-Central Europe 19th Century: Let us be Europeans 1918-1952 The nineteenth century brought Wojciech Bogumi∏ Jastrz´bowski (1799-1882), Stefan Buszczyƒski (1821-1892), historian, political “Although the natural frontiers of each ethnopolis should be Federation plans conceived by The end of the first world war posed the problem of Euro- delineated as precisely as possible, international relations must pean security and borders, including those of the Polish state. a fundamental change in the naturalist, outstanding pedagogue, participant of the Novem- man of letters, and active participant of the January Uprising of Józef Pi∏sudski entailed a project ber Uprising of 1830-1831; under the impact of the bloody 1863; in a dissertation La décadence de l’Europe (1867) he not experience any obstacles. Free movement, free thought, A decree issued on September 1918 by the Soviet Council of T manner in which Polish battle of Olszynka Grochowska he wrote Traktat o wiecznym opposed the political system of Europe, criticising the materi- and free labour are the natural rights of all men. Hence it fol- F aiming at the protection of the People’s Commissars on the annulment of the partitions politicians and thinkers perceived przymierzu mi´dzy narodami ucywilizowanymi. Konstytuc- alism of the culture of the period and the decline of spiritual lows that all artificial political boundaries, all barriers ham- eastern frontiers of Poland and were not treaties drew attention to the status quo ante in the east, i.e. ja dla Europy (Treatise on Eternal Alliance among Civilized Allegory of the Polish-Lithuanian values. Buszczyƒski contrasted the European crisis with an ide- pering communication between men, the exchange of ideas, the frontiers from 1772, although, naturally, all parties were the question of federalism. The loss of their Nations. The Constitution for Europe, 1831). Union on a statue of the Union of Lublin al vision of a fraternal federal union of free nations. His work free industry and trade, such as: passports, customs, press directed against Russia as such but Russian well aware of the fundamental change of the situation in this P. Maliƒski own state at the end of the eighteenth century Jastrz´bowski accepted the premise that peace is the supreme met with interest among the French and German intellectuals prohibitions and such like, should be eliminated once and for imperialism (both “white” and “red”). region. The suspension by the victorious powers of decisions value of each man. Permanent peace in Europe can be based Fragment of a bas-relief from an obelisk in of the time. In 1916 a second edition was issued in Switzerland; all in the whole of Europe. Laisser marcher, laisser faire, relating to the eastern border of Poland while awaiting the became the reason why they concentrated only on the introduction and close observation by the nations Lublin, according to its publishers’ intention, it was to prepare the laisser passer [...].” The independence of Ukraine and Lithuania results of the Russian civil war and the restitution of “white of joint legal norms, to be contained in a European Constitu- which in 1826 was placed upon the initiative of ground for the construction of a post-war order in Europe. Russia”, envisaged as an important player on the European primarily on ways of regaining independence; Rany Europy. Fakta statystyczne z objaÊnieniami comprised an initial condition and a path tion. The equality of people comprising a nation – which he Stanis∏aw Staszic (a propagator of the idea of a scene, as well as the westwards advance of the encroaching Red thus, it inspired a search for a European etnograficznymi i dziejowymi, “Warta” 1884-1885 towards a federation with Poland. The failure Army, called for solutions that would safeguard Polish inde- envisaged as a community of language – is to be guaranteed unification of European nations) on the spot of (The Wounds of Europe. Statistical Facts with Ethnographic order that would contain a guaranteed place by national laws, while the equality of all European nations – a 16th-century obelisk, demolished by the tsarist and Historical Explanations, “Warta” 1884-1885) of this conception resulted from the negative pendence. In this situation, Józef Pi∏sudski, the Head of State, by European laws. National laws should be passed by a Sejm authorities. and his adherents supported by the Polish Socialist Party for a free Commonwealth. Such a chance was Many nineteenth-century Polish authors referred attitude of our neighbours and the configura- (Parliament), while European laws must be enacted by a Con- (PPS), the Polish Peasant Party-Liberation (PSL-Wyzwolenie) outright, although frequently in an idealised form, perceived in the construction of a federated gress composed of representatives of all nations, whose equal tion of inner forces. International relations and some of the conservatives, acknowledged that Poland was to the experiences of the Union of Lublin, and capable of opposing imperial Russia only in her capacity as the Europe. To this discussion its Polish numbers are to be elected by national Sejms. maintained that the historical association of proved to be just as relevant – the policy of The European Constitution defined the competences and prin- centre of a federation, linked predominantly with Lithuania Poland and Lithuania would be not only the and Ukraine. This conception, which undoubtedly referred to participants contributed the intellectual ciples of the functioning of the authorities, sanctions for vio- foundation of a future independent Republic but a preserving a balance of forces on the the tradition of the First Commonwealth and opposed the accomplishments of the earlier epochs, lating legal norms, and the basic rights and duties of the cit- model for a united Europe and, at the same time, Continent and the hopes harboured by the izens. The union was to be open to all states, including its basis. These motifs, which to an increasing incorporation programme proclaimed by the national camp and in particular the experiences of non-European ones, which would accept the established prin- extent thwarted Lithuanian aspirations for member states of the victorious coalition for (a majority in the Sejm), turned out to be unfeasible. Embark- ing upon the construction of her own state Lithuania decid- the Polish-Lithuanian union. ciples. In the Constitution Jastrz´bowski also included a rad- creating an independent state, remained present rebuilding Russia as their strategic partner. ical plan for disarmament and a defence coalition in the form in Polish thought up to the First World War. edly rejected any sort of a union with Poland, while Byeloruss- The authors whose works may be analysed within the context of an eternal alliance, at the same time postulating the cre- Soon it was to become apparent that the ian national consciousness was still embryonic, and the of federalism include renowned politicians, philosophers, ation of a common European army. He launched the idea of reconstruction of the Commonwealth in its old Ukrainians, passive during the offensive of 1920, regarded artists and men of science: Stanisław Staszic, Adam Jerzy educating the youth of Europe for life in peace, tolerance and formula was absolutely impossible. The world the Poles (vide the controversy concerning Eastern Galicia) Czartoryski, Adam Mickiewicz, Józef Maria Hoene-Wroƒski, friendship between the nations, and called for the abolition of emerging after the Versailles treaty made and not the Russians to be their main opponents. All attempts it necessary to seek other solutions. August Cieszkowski, Karol Libelt, Stanisław Worcell or Bolesław the death penalty. Finally, Jastrz´bowski wished to change all to create an independent Ukrainian state in the course of the Limanowski. Their texts are by no means uniform – some deal those national emblems, which contained symbols of violence. war against Bolshevik Russia (the convention signed on 21 with a concrete “federational” proposal while others treat Euro- April 1920 by Poland and the Ukrainian People’s Republic pean unification as a marginal motif. All share the conviction under S. Petlura, with the Polish Republic recognising Ukrain- that a new European order – regardless whether it was to be ian independence) collapsed in the face of the great offensive the outcome of political calculation, moral obligation or pure of the Red Army, halted in the forefields of Warsaw in August philosophy – must possess the nature of a variously compre- 1920. The idea of a reconstruction of the Polish state accord- hended federation and be built only by free nations. Each of ing to the principles of federalism ultimately failed after the the authors could endorse the appeal made by an unidentified Peace of Riga, which ended the war with Russia (18 March publicist in 1838: Being Poles we want to be something more, 1921) and destroyed chances for Ukraine as an independent let us be Europeans. state, and in the wake of the incorporation of Central Lithua- We present below two of the nineteenth-century authors: the nia in March 1922. characteristic traits of their achievements include either a nov- Allegory of Europe Józef Pi∏sudski was not an ideological federalist, and although el approach, as in the case of W. B. Jastrz´bowski, or a Dzieła Stanisława Staszica, Warszawa 1820 his vision proved unsuccessful, in the opinion of numerous favourable reception by their contemporaries (S. Buszczyƒski). Biblioteka Sejmowa historians it was only thanks to this vision that it became pos- All nations belonging to the eternal alliance in Europe sible to ensure – at least for a certain time – Poland’s secure are due equal allegiance to European laws. eastern frontier. The existence, independence and property of each nation shall be the object of the particular protection of European laws.