Źródła konfliktu litewsko-polskiego

Abstract

Since 1918, when both Poland and Lithania regained their independence, the relations between the two countries have been difficult. This article is devoted to an analysis of the sources of the problem. Firstly, the article describes the influence of geopolitical and cultural factors on the relations between the two states, focusing especially on their dissimilarities. To simplify the problem, whereas the roots of Polish culture are grounded in the values, which were brought to the Polish soil by the Catholic Church and West European societies, the Lithuanian culture derives from elements of Byzathine culture, the heritage of Ruthenian and Asian tribes and the remains of the Baltic culture. An important, or perhaps even the most significant, contribution to Lithuanian culture was made by Poland. Secondly, the article analyses the causes for bad relations between the countries during the interwar period. The main source and the symbol of the conflict was Vilnius. Before and in the beginning of the war between Germany and Poland, Lithuania remained neutral, according to the declarations made beforehand. However, when the Soviet Russia invaded Poland, the Lithuanian government took actions that de iure caused Lithuania to lose its neutral stance. During the World War II, the bone of contention – Vilnius – was under occupation for five times subsequently, and, as a result, the relations between the Polish and the Lithuanian became extremely bad. Moreover, after the war the Soviet government used those differences as a tool for realising political goals in dealings with both the Polish nationals living in Lithuania and the Lithuanian. After Lithuania regained independence, the status of the Polish minority in Lithuania was at the core of the conflict. The Lithuanian continue to highlight conflict situations, which rarely ore based on true problems, while at the same time blaming Poland for all of the disputable matters, and imparting historical context on every controversy.