Displaced Histories: What Ukrainians in Poland Make of World War II after February 2022

• In Event: Taking Stock of Refugee Experiences: Ukrainians Abroad after the Russian Invasion

Abstract

With the millions of Ukrainians that have fled their country in the aftermath of the Russian full-scale invasion of February 2022, the history of Ukraine has also travelled beyond the country’s borders. Whereas Western Europe discovered Ukrainian history, Poland looks back at a long and complicated historical relationship with its neighbouring country. Moments of violent confrontation remain the most visible in present-day memory as the leaders in both countries instrumentalise this history for political gains. While it is known that Polish and Ukrainian politicians regularly clash over history, for instance during the anniversary of the Bloody Sunday in Volyn, which has continued since February 2022, much less is known about what ordinary people make of the country’s entangled history. In this paper, I focus on the views that ordinary Ukrainians in Poland have of the era of World War II, notably the role of Stepan Bandera and Polish-Ukrainian history, and how they assess their country’s multicultural history in a context of wartime. The research is based on eight focus group discussions conducted in Gdańsk and Lublin in the summer of 2024, as well as a survey which included more than 800 Ukrainians living in Poland.

Author

• Félix Krawatzek, ZOiS Berlin (Germany)