Pieter,
I have this book but I received it just a month ago and I did not really have a time to read it thought. Adam Zamoyski - I was always interested what his background is - he is definitively one of the descendant of this aristocratic family and.... this is what I am afraid of while reading the book. I am afraid that it is a bit colored towards showing Polish aristocracy better than it was.
Jaga,
I understand your problem from my family background point of view.
In heated family debates my mother always defends Polish interests
and so aristocracy, while my father can be really critical towards
parts of the Polish history, and especially the role of the Schlachtza
and Magnata nobility and so Polish aristocracy.
The instability of the Polish landtag and the feodal relations between
the landlords and the peasants in the Poland of before the 20th
century. That many of them lived a decadent cultural life in Warsaw
while they left the administration of their lands to local (jewish)
supervisors, and not always put Polands interests first.
But that is my fathers vision. My mother has a sort of Romantic,
idealistic and also nostalgic or melancholic view on the old Polish
aristocracy and the Polish intelligentsia, which she called people
with refined manners, sophistication, etiquette, a diplomatic and
cultural tradition (supporters of the arts and sciences),
and people who take care of Polish interests in Europe, Russia
and the West (America).
I know that she is not objective, because first she has a Polish
past, secondly her father and uncles belonged to the class
of the Schlachtza, and friends of the family had schlachtza and
Magnata backgrounds to. But she herself and her mothers
family did not live in a aristocratic environment.
So I had to read about Polish history myself to get an objective
picture, because of my fathers overcritical view and my mothers
Polish patriotism. She was raised patriotic in Poland and finds
it hard to critisize Poland, Polish history and present day Poland.
I am used to a critical point of view, because of my own walk
of life and do not idealise Poland, Polish aristocracy and culture.
I see Poland as an integral part of European history and the
Polish aristocracy very linked to France, Italy, Bohemia,
England, America, Russia and Germany.
The Polish aristocracy is cosmopolitan, multi-lingual,
a diaspora community, and so spread over Poland and abroad.
I hope that you find the curage to read Zamoyski's book and
see the content of it through your own objectivist vision.
You probably know as a Pole of origine, what is true and what
is idealized. I am curious about your opinion after you read
the book.
Pieter
Gardenmoma,
What is your opinion about the book, since you often use it
for reference. I would like to read it some time if I can find
it in my Arnhem library or bookstore.
Pieter