Malecki. It sounds like a Polish name, don’t you think? I’ve been told
it’s also an Arabic name. It may not end with the typical "ski" that most
people would expect, but other than Polish, what else could it be? It might
be Russian, Prussian, or even Austrian. Actually, the name "Malecki" may
very well be a combination of all three, although I don’t think that I’ll
ever know for certain. As a result of Poland’s turbulent history, in which
parts of Poland were conquered by both German and Russian soldiers, Poles
may never know if their ancestors were purely Polish. Rather, it’s likely
that their ancestors have German and Russian blood in them. Sadly, thus
is the fate of all of Poland. Scholars refer to Poland’s search identity
as the "Polish question." With a history of foreign invasion and control,
the "Polish question" is as much about a nation’s desire for independence
as it is a people’s search for identity.
As Polish independence deteriorated, so too did a people’s sense of identity. There is a period in Poland’s history, from 1795 to 1914, that has come to be known as "the captivity." During these one hundred and twenty years, a united Polish state was nonexistent as Poles were forced to live under the control of three separate alien governments. The Russians, Prussians, and Austrians not only assumed control of Polish lands, but in assimilating Polish youth and making them unaware of their rich heritage, destroyed Polish nationalism as well (Schmitt, 49). Poles emigrated to the United States not only to escape political persecution and economic hardships, but to find an answer to the "Polish question."
Initially, the "Polish question" referred to Poland’s independence. In eighteenth-century Europe, superpower such as Germany and Russia often assumed control of other countries, forcing assimilation upon the conquered states. Despite being a nation of approximately 10 million people and possessing the ability to exist as an independent state, the partitioning powers deprived Poland of her independence: "The nineteenth century, the era of the industrial revolution and of the victory of capitalism, was for Poland an age of oppression" (Gieysztor et al, 337). During a period of time when other European nations were flourishing, Poland was held back by its German and Russian oppressors. From 1815 to 1837, Poland began to feel the pressure of Germanization and it wouldn’t be long before Russia would begin to turn up the heat as well. Thus, many Poles, including my great-grandfather, attempted to find an answer to the "Polish question" by trying their luck in the United States.
Before the mass exodus of Poles to the United States during the late 1800’s, Poland was actually a nation to be reckoned with. By 1795, the population of Poland had almost reached 14 million. This meant that Res Publica, a commonwealth otherwise known as the Kingdom of Poland, had the fourth highest population in Europe at the time (Wandycz, 3). During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Poland experienced its Golden Age as the reign of Casmir the Great set things in motion for the growth and prosperity of Polish cities. "Poland at that period was, in every respect, superior to northern and eastern Europe and kept pace with the West not only from the point of view of economic development and political power, but also in the field of scholarly achievement, arts and literature" (Gieysztor et al, 146). Ironically, during its Golden Age, Poland possessed many of the qualities that characterize the United States. As religious persecution swept through Western Europe during the sixteenth century, Poland became a haven for religious, political, and economic refugees. By the turn of the twentieth century, however, Poland’s role was reversed as many Poles emigrated to the United States in order to escape the religious, political, and economic strife created by the presence of Germany and Russia.
In the 1500’s, Polish began to replace Latin as the official language of the Polish commonwealth and along with it, a Polish national culture began to take shape (Gieysztor et al, 171-172). "The Commonwealth of this time still drew upon the splendid traditions of the Renaissance and even seemed to continue them, conducting an expansionist foreign policy and extending the country’s dominions." Poland’s conquests in eastern Europe, culminating with the signing of the treaty of Polanowo in 1643, caused the growth of Polish lands from 815,000 square kilometers in 1569 to almost one million square kilometers (Gieysztor et al, 180). How could a nation that had once covered almost a million square kilometers and been the fourth most populous nation in Europe with power enough to rival that of almost any other European nation disappear from the map of Europe?
Poland’s history from 1648 to 1795 begins to paint a picture of Poland as a nation slowly having its memory erased. Res Publica’s fall from grace began in 1648 when the Cossacks of the Ukraine revolted against the Commonwealth, which caused a bloody war and lasted for several years, ended with territorial losses to Russia" (Szczepanki, 12). The Cossack revolt seemed to give other European countries the green light to invade Poland. Over the course of the next fifty years, Sweeden, Turkey, and the Muscovites all invaded Poland in the hopes of gaining some Polish lands as the Cossacks did. Although Poland was able to fend off their attackers, the invasions caused "tremendous destruction and economic loss" (Szczepanski, 12). Unable to recover from the devastation left by the invasions, Poland entered its dark age. Suffering from internal anarchy and the decay of all institutions, Poland eventually relinquished control of its empire, or rather what was left of it, to Russia and Prussia. "In 1772, the first partition of Poland was signed between Prussia and Russia, with Austria also permitted to share the spoils" (Szczepanski, 12).
Poland would not give up its land and independence easily, however. "The first partition of 1772, brought a revival on a greater scale as the spirit of indifference was shaken" (Wytrawl, 14). On May 3, 1791, the Polish Parliament adopted a constitution designed to reform its educational and political structure. The constitution itself was molded after the Constitution of the United States. After seeing the success of a democracy within the U.S., Poland hoped that through its reforms, it would be able to reestablish itself as a power in Europe and, consequently, be able to win back its original lands lost in 1772. Refusing to be challenged, however, Russia invaded Poland in 1792. One of the many reasons behind the Russian onslaught, was the fear of Poland becoming as powerful as the United States. Thus, after defeating Poland in the war, Russia imposed the second partition of Poland in 1793. Again, however, Poland refused to give in as a national uprising led by Tadeusz Kosciuszko took shape in 1794. "In spite of the many valiant attempts and struggles of men like Kosciuszko and others, Poland finally overrun by its hostile neighbors and the third partition, which erased Poland from the map of Europe, followed in 1795" (Wytrawl, 15). This third and final partition of Poland began the 120-year period known as "the captivity."
"After the last rebellion in the early 1860’s partitioned Poland was not again aroused to revolution, but rather to expatriation. With hopes of an independent Poland sent glimmering after the defeat of France by Prussia, uncounted hundreds of Polish aristocrats, political exiles and even peasants, desirous of improving their economic condition, made their way to America" (Wytrwal, 78). The vast emigration of Poles to the United States after 1870 came about as a result of poor economic conditions caused mainly by overpopulation and backward agricultural methods. Agriculture in Poland was on such a poor level that it failed to provide enough food for the peasants. The amount of land actually owned by the peasants proved insufficient to handle Poland’s growing population. Symbolically, people who chose to stay in Poland were giving up their hope for a better future. After dealing with countless invasions, internal disarray, and having their land divided up between Russia, Prussia, and Austria, the people of Poland were not about to give up their hope for independence and a sense of identity that Poland had not experienced since its Golden age in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. My great-grandfather was one of the many Poles that emigrated to the United States at the turn of the century.
Before 1880, less than 1% of all immigrants in the United States were Polish. A census done in 1905 shows that Poles, at 102,137, were right behind Italians and Hebrews in numbers immigrated to the United States (Latane, 285-286). By 1920, the community of Polish-Americans was approximately three million. Fifty years later, when the baby boomers were in full stride, that number had almost doubled. "The great period of Polish immigration began in 1880 and lasted until the change in U.S. immigration law in 1924. These immigrants have been characterized as being approximately 90 percent peasant, about 1/3 of them illiterate people who looked to the church, and the parish priest in particular, for community leadership, guidance in their lives, and support in social, family, and spiritual matters. As they settled in New York they quickly established parishes, built churches and schools, and developed a network of parish societies" (Jurewicz, 5).
One of the distinguishing cultural characteristics of Poland was its "recognition of the Roman Catholic religion as a supreme value" (Szczepanski, 149). Christianity has been practiced in Poland since 966, when it became the official religion of the nation. By uniting the people under a common denomination, Christianity played a significant role in the initial consolidation of the Polish State. Even during the three partitions, in which the views of Orthodox Russia and Protestant Prussia were forced upon the Poles, the heart of Poland remained Roman Catholic. While Polish children were being taught Russian, German, and Austrian customs, Christianity became one of the few things Poles could identify themselves with. In this way, Christianity most likely played a significant role in the preservation of Polish nationalism while keeping alive a nation’s hope for independence. Thus, in America, the Roman Catholic Church served as a source of identity for Polish immigrants.
Stanislaw Malecki, my great-grandfather on my father’s side of the family, was one of the many Poles to immigrate to the United States during the first wave of Polish immigration that began in 1880. Living in Galicia, a town just outside of the Russian border that was created during the partitioning of Poland, Stanislaw and the rest of the Malecki family felt the full brunt of Russian influence. Galicia itself was actually Russian by name. After invading in 1792, Russia renamed most of the Polish cities under its control. Although it does not exist on the map of Poland today, Galicia would have been found near Warsaw. In 1886, at the age of four, Stanislaw came to the United States with his father, Thaddeus Malecki. Leaving the rest of their family behind in search of a better life, Stanislaw and Thaddeus settled in the Boston area. Thaddeus, who was among the working class in Poland, most likely managing land for Polish nobility, sought work in the factories of Boston. Living near the big city, Stanislaw learned the English language. Thaddeus, however, spoke only Polish, which greatly hindered his adaptation to life in America. In 1893, Thaddeus took his son back to Poland.
Although his reasons remain a mystery, Thaddeus’ decision to move back to Poland was probably based upon a combination of many factors. One such factor, discrimination, was experienced in some way by almost all immigrants. Thaddeus and Stanislaw came to the United States during a time when labor unions such as the American Federation of Labor were on the rise. Many American workers resented the presence of immigrants for fear that the immigrants would take jobs that were meant for American citizens. Very often, immigrants would ruin the collective bargaining efforts of American labor unions because they were willing to work under almost any condition, usually for less pay. Caught between American and Polish culture, Thaddeus moved back to Galicia where he stayed with his family until his death. At the age of eleven, however, Stanislaw was just beginning to feel the influence of the Russian presence in Poland.
During the period of Russian control, Poles were often forced into the military around the age of seventeen. In order to avoid being pressed into the Russian army, Stanislaw went back to the United States by himself in 1899. My great-grandfather knew there was no life for him in Poland, especially if he would have to serve in the military. When Stanislaw left Poland, emigration was a matter of economic life and death for most Poles. This time around, Stanislaw settled in Schenectady, New York, where he would live until his death in 1937. With new companies such as General Electric and the American Locomotive Company on the rise, Schenectady must have looked attractive in the eyes of many immigrants, including Stanislaw. My great-grandfather actually worked for the American Locomotive Company, where he was a group leader and bookkeeper. According to Joseph Malecki, Stanislaw’s son and my great-uncle, Schenectady consisted of ethnic neighborhoods. In their search for a common identity, Poles in America often settled near one another. Eventually, Polish colonies, also known as Polonia, began to emerge in cities across the United States. Even today, the children and grandchildren of the first immigrant settlers still live in or near Schenectady. I, myself, am no different as I still reside in Schenectady and live only fifteen minutes away from my great-uncle. In fact, when I’m not at Iona College, I see my great-uncle Joe at 4:00 mass almost every Saturday. Through my research I’ve come to realize that my Polish heritage, along with the influence of Christianity, has had a significant impact on my life.
On Eastern Avenue in Schenectady, the steeples of St. Mary’s and St. John the Evangelist churches rise high above the rest of the buildings. With his own bare hands, my great-grandfather, Stanislaw, aided in the construction of St. Mary’s parish. After its completion in 1908, Stanislaw served as a collector for the St. Mary’s religious community. Over seventy years later, on October 5th, 1980, I was baptized Alexander Steven Malecki in the same church that my great-grandfather had helped build years before. Many times, such as in the case of my great-grandfather, building a church topped the list of priorities for new immigrants. The local church often served as a haven for many Poles, from which they could then, as a community, adapt to life in America. Most of the Roman Catholic churches in Schenectady are predominantly Polish, and St. Mary’s is no exception, demonstrating that the cultural characteristics that defined Poland throughout its history have remained the same over the years. Even inside St. Mary’s church, the inscriptions underneath the different Stations of the Cross are written in Polish. When the St. Mary’s Church Choir sings during the Midnight Mass at Christmas, over half of the program is in Polish. Although the Roman Catholic Church has played a significant role in my Polish heritage, I’ve learned a great deal about my Polish identity at home as well.
In the Malecki household, my Polish heritage is present in the food we eat, the music we listen to, and the friends we entertain. Every so often, when the table is set, Polish dishes such as pierogi and golabki grace our plates. Like his father before him, my father makes Polish sausage, or kielbasa at least once a year. On any given Sunday, it would not be uncommon to see my father listening to the "Polka Spotlight Show" on the radio. During birthday celebrations, after the traditionally American "Happy Birthday" has been sung, the Polish rendition of "Sto lat" is not far behind.
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Szczepanski, Jan. Polish Society. New York: Random House, 1970.
Wandycz, Piotr S. The Lands of Partitioned Poland, 1795-1918.
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Wynot, Jr., Edward D. Polish Politics in Transition. Athens: Unversity of Georgia Press, 1974.
Wytrwal, Joseph A. America’s Polish Heritage. Detriot: Endurance Press, 1961.
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