Commemorations and the shaping of modern Poland

"Patrice M. Dabrowski investigates the nation-building activities of Poles during the decades preceding World War I, when the stateless Poles were minorities within the empires of Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary. Could Poles maintain a sense of national identity, or would they become Germans, Austrians, or Russians? Dabrowski demonstrates that Poles availed themselves of the ability to celebrate anniversaries of past deeds and personages to strengthen their nation from within, providing a ground for a national discourse capable of unifying Poles across political boundaries and social and cultural differences. Public commemorations such as the jubilee of the writer Jozef Kraszewski, the bicentennial of the Relief of Vienna, the return to Poland of the remains of the poet Adam Mickiewicz, and centennials of major historical events are reconstructed here in detail. This work will appeal to all readers interested in nation-building, national identity, and public celebrations, in Eastern Europe and elsewhere."--BOOK JACKET.