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Abstract:
Jerzy Giedroyc’s interest in the issue of national minorities was the result of his experience before 1939. This issue was covered in about 40% of all the commentaries published in emigrational journals Kultura (Culture) and Zeszyty Historyczne. In his series of articles titled Notatki Redaktora (Editor’s Notes), Giedroyc was very critical about the politics towards minorities. Therefore, he suggested particular policy solutions concerning education, cultural activities, freedom of religion and cultivation of minorities’ heritage. Many of his remarks were focused on Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus and Germany, and can be perceived as another proof of the significance of Giedroyc’s Culture’s East and West program. The article consists of examples of important quotations from the Editor’s Notes and Giedroyc’s personal archive, all of which picture the style as well as the logic of discourse on how harmful stereotypes and historical burden can be to the rational politics towards minorities (e.g. mutual fears of neo-imperialism). Emigrational chronicles are also analyzed in the article as a source of information for war refugees of various nationalities in Europe, North and South America.
