Background - 05.06.2025 - 09:00
After six preparatory sessions for the course “Poland between Europhilia and post-traumatic sovereignty”, the seven-day study trip began last week in Wrocław, a city with a rich and multi-layered history - from its Slavic foundation to the time under Austrian and German rule to the Polish city after 1945.
The city tours were led by the participating students. They presented the architectural heritage, characterised by waterways and bridges, which have earned Wrocław the nickname “Venice of the North”. At the Centrum Historii Zajezdnia, the group deepened their knowledge of the population exchange since the 1940s and the urban changes after 1945. An informative discussion led by Prof. Rafał Riedel and Prof. Anna Pacześniak shed light on Poland's paradoxical attitude towards Europe, which oscillates between Euroscepticism and Euroenthusiasm.
In Krakow, also known as the “Royal City of Poland”, the students gave a vivid account of the city's glorious past as the country's medieval and early modern capital. They showed how Krakow has gained in importance to this day through the combination of tradition and modernity. Alicja Malewska, assistant professor at Ignatianum University, offered valuable insight into Poland's growing importance within the EU and NATO. She emphasised the country's steady economic growth and its central role on Europe's Eastern Flank.
Later in the tour, the group visited the socialist planned city of Nowa Huta, which was originally conceived as the embodiment of Stalinist neoclassicism and socialist ideals. The students emphasised the district's later role as the cradle of protest movements, including the church building campaign of the 1950s and the significant support for “Solidarność” in the 1980s, making it a place of resistance.
After arriving in Warsaw, the group met Dr Bruno Surdel from the European Centre of the University of Warsaw, who skilfully placed the current presidential elections in their historical and political context. He emphasised that the hard-fought election results would have a profound impact on Poland's political development. Warsaw itself, which was badly destroyed by German troops during the Second World War and later rebuilt at great expense, is a living symbol of the country's resilience and renewal, despite the visible scars of its turbulent past.
The next day, the programme included a comprehensive tour of the historical and modern campus of the University of Warsaw. The group was accompanied by colleagues Anna Jorroch and Grażyna Strzelecka from the Institute of German Studies and their students. They gave detailed presentations in German, demonstrating their linguistic and cultural commitment. Highlights included a visit to the impressive university library, whose roof displays a botanical collection, and the new buildings equipped for academic and social meetings. After crossing the Vistula into the historic Praga district, the participants experienced a different side of the Warsaw cityscape. These impressions were rounded off with a traditional lunch in a “milk bar” from the communist era.
On the last day, the programme included an impressive visit to the POLIN Museum on the history of Polish Jews and the adjoining memorial to the heroes of the Warsaw ghetto. The latter is known for the gesture of reconciliation made by German Chancellor Willy Brandt in 1970, and the group deepened their understanding of Poland's complex Jewish heritage under the guidance of a dedicated museum guide. In the afternoon, Prof Anton Saifullayeu and his colleagues Olga Zaharova and Vlad Kobets from iSANS provided an in-depth analysis of Poland's relations with Belarus and Ukraine. They emphasised the geopolitical challenges that will be influenced by the upcoming election results in Poland.
The subsequent presidential elections last Sunday ended with a narrow victory for Karol Nawrocki, who was supported by the nationalist Law and Justice party (PiS), against the pro-European incumbent Rafał Trzaskowski. The narrow margin underlined Poland's deep internal divisions - a recurring theme throughout the excursion. Following Nawrocki's victory, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced a vote of confidence in parliament - a risky move reminiscent of the dissolution of parliament by French President Macron following his setbacks in the European elections. Although this could strengthen the unity of the coalition, the manoeuvre also harbours the risk of destabilising the already fragile governing coalition. Even a successful vote of confidence does not solve the problem of the presidential vetoes, which require a parliamentary majority of 60% to be overruled - more than Tusk's current coalition strength.
Looking back on the excursion, the participating students, many of whom initially had only limited knowledge of Poland and whose self-confession was partly characterised by common stereotypes, changed their views considerably. At the end of the seminar, they recognised Poland's remarkable success in overcoming the post-socialist transformations and its dynamic role in today's Europe. They gained a more differentiated, well-founded view of this complex country.
Prof Ulrich Schmid is Professor of Eastern European Studies at the University of St.Gallen. Dr Yves Partschefeld is Managing Director of the School of Humanities and Social Science (SHSS-HSG) and Lecturer for Eastern European History.
Professor of East European Studies
Executive Director SHSS-HSG
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