Polish outrage over Ukrainians celebrating the UPA would be far more convincing if Poland applied the same moral standard to its own history.

When Ukrainians say, “They fought for independence,” Poles correctly respond that fighting for independence does not erase massacres, ethnic nationalism or crimes against civilians.

Then 1 March arrives and Poland officially celebrates the “Cursed Soldiers.” Suddenly we are told that history is complicated, that they fought an oppressive regime, and that an entire movement cannot be judged by the crimes of individual commanders.

Interesting how quickly historical nuance appears when the perpetrators are ours.

Take Zygmunt Szendzielarz “Łupaszka.” His 5th Wilno Brigade carried out the retaliatory massacre at Dubingiai, killing Lithuanian civilians, including women and children. The fact that this followed an earlier Lithuanian massacre of Polish civilians provides historical context. It does not make killing civilians morally acceptable.

Then there is Romuald Rajs “Bury.” His NSZ unit burned Belarusian villages and killed dozens of people, predominantly members of the Belarusian Orthodox community. His legacy remains deeply controversial, yet he continues to be commemorated by parts of the Polish nationalist movement.

Józef Kuraś “Ogień” is another figure absorbed into the same heroic mythology despite serious accusations concerning violence against Jewish and Slovak civilians.

And then there is Samuel Willenberg.

Willenberg was a Polish Jew who survived Treblinka and then fought in the Warsaw Uprising. He remembered the Home Army unit he initially fought with positively and respected many of the men around him. But he also testified that several NSZ men threatened his liaison for being with a Jew and wanted to kill him. He became frightened enough to leave a unit he otherwise respected. Ironically Pilecki was in NSZ during uprising.

That distinction matters.

This isn’t an accusation against every Home Army soldier, every anti-communist partisan or everyone described today as a “Cursed Soldier.” These were different organizations, different people and different circumstances. Many anti-communist fighters were themselves genuine victims of Stalinist repression.

But that’s precisely why turning the “Cursed Soldiers” into one spotless collection of national heroes is dishonest.

And none of this makes the UPA’s crimes disappear.

The massacres of Polish civilians were real crimes. Ukraine should confront the uncomfortable parts of its nationalist history.

But Poland should be intellectually honest enough to do exactly the same thing.

That is what makes the current political exploitation of the UPA issue so cynical.

Historical memory is increasingly being dragged into present-day Polish politics, with nationalist and anti-Ukrainian movements discovering that historical resentment is a useful political weapon. Grzegorz Braun taking a hammer to a UPA memorial was an almost cartoonishly literal illustration of where that politics can lead.

Remembering Volhynia is not the problem. The victims deserve remembrance.

The problem is selectively excavating historical crimes when they can be used against Ukraine while demanding endless “historical context” whenever somebody points at crimes committed by Polish nationalists.

If the principle really is that national independence does not excuse murdering civilians, great.

Let’s apply it consistently.

Apply it to the UPA.

Apply it to Łupaszka.

Apply it to Bury.

Apply it to Ogień.

Apply it to the NSZ.

Don’t turn historical trauma into ammunition for today’s politics while sanitizing your own side of history.

The UPA and the Polish underground were not identical. They do not need to be identical for the hypocrisy to exist.

“They fought for independence” cannot be an unacceptable Ukrainian excuse while “they fought communism” functions as an acceptable Polish one.

Crimes against civilians don’t become acceptable because the perpetrators carried your flag.

Pick a standard and apply it consistently.

Hi friends in the subreddit! This song is so famous in China that most Chinese have ever sung it when they were kids. I recently learned that it is from Poland, however I found that there was almost no discussion about the origin of it under the Chinese version. So I want to kindly ask here: is it also popular in its homeland and do some Polish people know it is well-known in China?

An investigation is underway after an “unidentified” drone-like object fell to the ground in a town close to Poland’s border with Ukraine. 

The object was discovered at an uninhabited private property in the town of Lubaczów in Poland’s Podkarpackie region. 

Hello, I'm planning on traveling to Krakow for a Korn concert. I want to spend a few days in this city and explore it. I know that I can use google, but I want to hear people's opinions and experiences. Which places are worth the visit? Talking about museums, places to eat, overall some more niche sight seeing places. Also, I want to buy some better quality clothing, to thrift and buy something for my friend from antiques. Thank you all in advance!

Hellooo,
Me and my friends are visiting Warsaw for the weekend for a concert. Unfortunately it seems like the concert might be cancelled due to the artists health, so we will most likely be free the entire weekend..

We’re looking for recommendations on what to do and see :] we’re interested in visiting the genuine areas of the city, and to stay as far away as possible from the regular touristy streets… we don’t want any high end shopping or overpriced restaurants…

What are the best areas for local food and cafés, bars with weird/strange vibes, Soviet era buildings, shops that sell Polish crafts/handmade items? Where should we go if we want to party to compensate for the cancelled concert?

Any recommendations are appreciated🌹

Hi,

I'm planning to go to Warsaw either in 22/11-26/11 or 29/11-04/12.

I come from a very hot country (middle east). I know it would probably be cold, but I can't find a clear answer on what the weather would be like.

Does it usually rain at these dates? Do I need to bring a winter coat?

I'd love some help from you guys on this!

Hey guys, I’ve seen so many stunning photos and places on here that I got curious, so I’ve decided I’d like to make Poland a future trip. Since so many people here have visited many times, I’d love to hear from the pros 😁: what are the best places to visit in Poland? I’m looking for areas with great architecture, history, nature and activities to do.