Poland: A History by Adam Zamoyski

I recently completed Poland: A History by Adam Zamoyski which had been sitting on my bookshelf for a while now. The title should give you a pretty good hint at what this one is about, basically it’s an overview of the history of the Polish people and Polish state from around the tenth century up to the end of the Lech Walesa period following the Soviet collapse.   
 
And for those of you who have been reading Polish history for a while now, this might be a book you have come across before in a different guise. Zamoysky originally published this back in 1987 as The Polish Way, although this is a revised and updated edition which re-evaluates Poland’s past with a "fresh eye." Basically, we have a general extension of the time covered as the book now includes more about post-Soviet developments. So, if you have already read The Polish Way, then be forewarned. I haven’t read The Polish Way, so I am not sure how different it actually is.

Right out of the gate, I want to say that I really enjoyed this one. It is the first time I have read a history of Poland in the form of a single, comprehensive volume. In the past, my knowledge of Poland has come from other works on other subjects. For example, Poland figures into histories of Europe, the world wars, the Soviet Union, etc.  And so, this is a great single source on Poland that really gives you a good background in its development from its historical beginnings until the turn of the last century.

And I have to be honest, the history of Poland and the Polish people is absolutely fascinating, albeit tragic in many ways. The book gets into Poland’s formation in the medieval period, with the earliest rulers who started to put lands together and build the original holdings that would develop into the modern state. And like much of medieval Europe, growth was uneven, battles failed, lands lost.

Some of the themes of Polish history also emerged in the medieval period, such as the conflict with the Teutonic Knights and the Germans and the conflict with Muscovy and the Russians. Form the earliest time, Poland’s position in eastern Europe shaped and potentially prevented Poland from me as great as it might have been.

While there is significant discussion about the political history of Poland, Zamozky is at his best when discussing the cultural developments of Poland, the development of a unique democratic and libertarian approach to dealing with its Kings, its general inclusivity and tolerance to other cultures, as well as its very early advances in education through the foundation of some of the earliest centres of learning.

Of course, the most tragic and violent times for Poland were during the twentieth century when Poland was occupied by the Nazi’s and then the Communists. The resilience and survival of Poland as a nation is nothing short of miraculous. 

Overall, I found this a very sympathetic portrayal of Poland’s history and a beautifully written history. If you are interested in Polish history or even the history of eastern Europe, I think this one would be a great choice.   

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Publication date: Feb 10 2004   | Publisher: Vintage    | Page Count:  464

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