Wiktor Poliszczuk
Encyclopedia
Wiktor Poliszczuk was a Polish-Ukrainian-Canadian politologist specialising in the history of political thought (a Canadian citizen of Polish-Ukrainian descent), who wrote about the Polish-Ukrainian relations
during World War II
and issues relating to the emergence of Ukrainian nationalism
in the 20th century resulting in a campaign of ethnic cleansing
. Poliszczuk's work has been criticized by several Polish, Canadian, American, and Ukrainian historians, but also acknowledged for his Polish-Ukrainian reconciliation effort.
(then in the Second Polish Republic
), into a family of Ukrainian father and Polish mother. He was raised as an Eastern Orthodox Christian
. When he was a child Wiktor, his mother and two sisters were deported to Kazakh SSR
by the Soviet authorities (in April 1940). His father (an ethnic Ukrainian who had served as government official in interwar Poland) was executed by the Soviets. After World War II his family resettled in Dnipropetrovsk
and in 1946 moved to Poland following Polish-Soviet repatriation agreement, to re-unite with the family of his aunt. In Poland Poliszczuk graduated from the Pedagogical Liceum and worked as a teacher. Later he studied law at the Wrocław University, and political science
at the University of Silesia in Katowice, where he obtained a PhD
(his doctoral thesis was about the ideology of Ukrainian nationalism
). He worked as an attorney
in the People's Republic of Poland
. In 1981 during the time of martial law in Poland
he emigrated to Canada. He lived in Toronto
until his death in November 2008.
as well as the theory and practice of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army activities. His on-line biography does not list any affiliations with a Canadian university. His two books were translated into English-language books are self-published.
Wiktor Poliszczuk was criticised as biased against OUN-UPA and nonscientific by several historians. Polish historian Rafał Wnuk of the Institute of National Remembrance
in Lublin categorized Poliszczuk's work as belonging to the "nonscientific" tradition along with the authors who are "neither scientific nor objective". Although Poliszczuk was described by Wnuk as a "left-wing democrat" (quotes provided by Wnuk), he was said by Wnuk to have used the same jargon and to have reached the same concluisions as the Polish national nonscientific writers. Ukrainian academic Yaroslav Isayevich of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine called Poliszczuk an "expert practitioner of anti-Ukrainian hysteria." Canadian historian David Marples described Poliszczuk's work as detailed, although taking the form of a polemic similar to the views regarding UPA from the Soviet perspective to which Poliszczuk's work can be added. Poliszczuk fully supported Operation Vistula, the forced deportation of 140,000 ethnic Ukrainians from eastern Poland. He claimed that this action was undertaken in order to fight the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. Poliszczuk's specific argument was described as a "blatant" mistake by Yale historian and specialist Timothy Snyder
. In an interview published by the Warsaw-based Ukrainian newspaper Our Word, Polish historian Ryszard Torzecki
dismissed Poliszczuk as an "NKVD prosecutor" and a person unworthy of discussion.
Ukrainian nationalist historians also condemned Poliszczuk's works. Volodomyr Serhiichuk from Ukraine published an entire book in response to his writing, defending OUN-UPA and emphasizing the Polish community's alleged collaboration with the Germans and with the Bolsheviks. Poliszczuk was a "left-wing democrat" who fully supported Operation Vistula, wrote Rafal Wnuk (referring to the forced deportation of the Ukrainian community from eastern Poland after the assassination of Communist minister
Karol Świerczewski
there); however, any attempts at his classification "using a national key" (i.e. Motyka) would be the least convincing.
Wiktor Poliszczuk was the author of over 200 papers, books and scientific publications, scientific articles, polemics, reviews, and press releases written in English, Ukrainian and Polish, including five large volumes bearing the title Integral Ukrainian nationalism as a variant of fascism (Toronto, 2003). His two books were translated into English-language. In his writing, Poliszczuk clearly separates the issues of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and the Ukrainian nation, stating that the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
was based on terror. He explores the sources of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists' actions as based on the theories of Dmytro Dontsov
. On April 16, 2009, Wiktor Poliszczuk received posthumously the „Polonia Mater Nostra Est” award.
Polish-Ukrainian relations
Polish-Ukrainian relations were established soon after Ukraine gained independence from the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. They have been improving since, with Poland and Ukraine forming a strong strategic partnership...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and issues relating to the emergence of Ukrainian nationalism
Ukrainian nationalism
Ukrainian nationalism refers to the Ukrainian version of nationalism.Although the current Ukrainian state emerged fairly recently, some historians, such as Mykhailo Hrushevskyi, Orest Subtelny and Paul Magosci have cited the medieval state of Kievan Rus' as an early precedents of specifically...
in the 20th century resulting in a campaign of ethnic cleansing
Massacres of Poles in Volhynia
The Massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia were part of an ethnic cleansing operation carried out by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army West in the Nazi occupied regions of the Eastern Galicia , and UPA North in Volhynia , beginning in March 1943 and lasting until the end of...
. Poliszczuk's work has been criticized by several Polish, Canadian, American, and Ukrainian historians, but also acknowledged for his Polish-Ukrainian reconciliation effort.
Biography
Poliszczuk was born in DubnoDubno
Dubno is a city located on the Ikva River in the Rivne Oblast of western Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of Dubno Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast...
(then in the Second Polish Republic
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
), into a family of Ukrainian father and Polish mother. He was raised as an Eastern Orthodox Christian
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
. When he was a child Wiktor, his mother and two sisters were deported to Kazakh SSR
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
by the Soviet authorities (in April 1940). His father (an ethnic Ukrainian who had served as government official in interwar Poland) was executed by the Soviets. After World War II his family resettled in Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk or Dnepropetrovsk formerly Yekaterinoslav is Ukraine's third largest city with one million inhabitants. It is located southeast of Ukraine's capital Kiev on the Dnieper River, in the south-central region of the country...
and in 1946 moved to Poland following Polish-Soviet repatriation agreement, to re-unite with the family of his aunt. In Poland Poliszczuk graduated from the Pedagogical Liceum and worked as a teacher. Later he studied law at the Wrocław University, and political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at the University of Silesia in Katowice, where he obtained a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
(his doctoral thesis was about the ideology of Ukrainian nationalism
Ukrainian nationalism
Ukrainian nationalism refers to the Ukrainian version of nationalism.Although the current Ukrainian state emerged fairly recently, some historians, such as Mykhailo Hrushevskyi, Orest Subtelny and Paul Magosci have cited the medieval state of Kievan Rus' as an early precedents of specifically...
). He worked as an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in the People's Republic of Poland
People's Republic of Poland
The People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...
. In 1981 during the time of martial law in Poland
Martial law in Poland
Martial law in Poland refers to the period of time from December 13, 1981 to July 22, 1983, when the authoritarian government of the People's Republic of Poland drastically restricted normal life by introducing martial law in an attempt to crush political opposition to it. Thousands of opposition...
he emigrated to Canada. He lived in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
until his death in November 2008.
Work
Poliszczuk's research and his extensive writing were devoted to the anatomy of bolshevism, theory and practice of national rights in the former Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
as well as the theory and practice of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists is a Ukrainian political organization which as a movement originally was created in 1929 in Western Ukraine . The OUN accepted violence as an acceptable tool in the fight against foreign and domestic enemies particularly Poland and Russia...
and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army activities. His on-line biography does not list any affiliations with a Canadian university. His two books were translated into English-language books are self-published.
Wiktor Poliszczuk was criticised as biased against OUN-UPA and nonscientific by several historians. Polish historian Rafał Wnuk of the Institute of National Remembrance
Institute of National Remembrance
Institute of National Remembrance — Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation is a Polish government-affiliated research institute with lustration prerogatives and prosecution powers founded by specific legislation. It specialises in the legal and historical sciences and...
in Lublin categorized Poliszczuk's work as belonging to the "nonscientific" tradition along with the authors who are "neither scientific nor objective". Although Poliszczuk was described by Wnuk as a "left-wing democrat" (quotes provided by Wnuk), he was said by Wnuk to have used the same jargon and to have reached the same concluisions as the Polish national nonscientific writers. Ukrainian academic Yaroslav Isayevich of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine called Poliszczuk an "expert practitioner of anti-Ukrainian hysteria." Canadian historian David Marples described Poliszczuk's work as detailed, although taking the form of a polemic similar to the views regarding UPA from the Soviet perspective to which Poliszczuk's work can be added. Poliszczuk fully supported Operation Vistula, the forced deportation of 140,000 ethnic Ukrainians from eastern Poland. He claimed that this action was undertaken in order to fight the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. Poliszczuk's specific argument was described as a "blatant" mistake by Yale historian and specialist Timothy Snyder
Timothy Snyder
Timothy D. Snyder is an American professor of history at Yale University, specializing in the history of Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the Holocaust...
. In an interview published by the Warsaw-based Ukrainian newspaper Our Word, Polish historian Ryszard Torzecki
Ryszard Torzecki
Ryszard Torzecki was a Polish historian, specializing in the Polish-Ukrainian relations. He was a member of the Institute of History of the Polish Academy of Sciences and in the 1990s he served as one of the experts to the Polish parliament with regards to the Polish-Ukrainian relations...
dismissed Poliszczuk as an "NKVD prosecutor" and a person unworthy of discussion.
Ukrainian nationalist historians also condemned Poliszczuk's works. Volodomyr Serhiichuk from Ukraine published an entire book in response to his writing, defending OUN-UPA and emphasizing the Polish community's alleged collaboration with the Germans and with the Bolsheviks. Poliszczuk was a "left-wing democrat" who fully supported Operation Vistula, wrote Rafal Wnuk (referring to the forced deportation of the Ukrainian community from eastern Poland after the assassination of Communist minister
Defence minister
A defence minister is a person in a cabinet position in charge of a Ministry of Defence, which regulates the armed forces in some sovereign nations...
Karol Świerczewski
Karol Swierczewski
Karol Wacław Świerczewski was a Pole who became a Soviet military officer and a general. He served as a general in the service of the Soviet Union, Republican Spain, and the Soviet sponsored Polish Provisional Government of National Unity after World War II.- Life :Karol Świerczewski grew up in...
there); however, any attempts at his classification "using a national key" (i.e. Motyka) would be the least convincing.
Wiktor Poliszczuk was the author of over 200 papers, books and scientific publications, scientific articles, polemics, reviews, and press releases written in English, Ukrainian and Polish, including five large volumes bearing the title Integral Ukrainian nationalism as a variant of fascism (Toronto, 2003). His two books were translated into English-language. In his writing, Poliszczuk clearly separates the issues of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and the Ukrainian nation, stating that the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists is a Ukrainian political organization which as a movement originally was created in 1929 in Western Ukraine . The OUN accepted violence as an acceptable tool in the fight against foreign and domestic enemies particularly Poland and Russia...
was based on terror. He explores the sources of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists' actions as based on the theories of Dmytro Dontsov
Dmytro Dontsov
Dmytro Ivanovych Dontsov was a Ukrainian nationalist writer, publisher, journalist and political thinker whose radical ideas were a major influence on the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists.-Biography:...
. On April 16, 2009, Wiktor Poliszczuk received posthumously the „Polonia Mater Nostra Est” award.
Publications
"Legal and political assessment of the OUN and UPA, Toronto, 1997, 173 pages, ISBN 0-9699444-4-6 http://worldcat.org/search?q=0969944446&qt=owc_search "Bitter truth": The criminality of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), the testimony of a Ukrainian, 403 pages, ISBN 0-9699444-9-7 http://worldcat.org/search?q=0969944497&qt=owc_search "Dowody zbrodni OUN i UPA" (Proofs of OUN and UPA's crimes) "Gorzka prawda" (Bitter truth) "Ideologia nacjonalizmu ukraińskiego" (Ideology of Ukrainian nationalism) "Apokalipsa według Wiktora Ukrainca" (Apocalipse according to a greater Ukrainian) "Fałszowanie historii najnowszej Ukrainy" (Falsifying of the modern history of Ukraine) "Ocena polityczna i prawna OUN i UPA" (Political and legal judgement of OUN and UPA) "Akcja Wisła - próba oceny" (Action Vistula - an attempt to evaluate) "Zginęli z rąk ukraińskich" (They died from Ukrainian hands) "Pojęcie integralnego nacjonalizmu ukraińskiego" (Notion of the integral Ukrainian nationalism) "Ukraińskie ofiary OUN-UPA" (Ukrainian victims of OUN-UPA)parts available online in English "Integralny nacjonalizm ukraiński jako odmiana faszyzmu" (Integral Ukrainian nationalism as a variety of fascism)External links
Wiktor Poliszczuk bio- Lemkos' Tragedy by Wiktor Poliszczuk