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Tags: History, Lang:en

Summary

The Commonwealth of Both Nations by Paweł Jasienica translated by A.T. Jordan
digital edition form 1987 edition

The Commonwealth of Both Nations (Poland and Lithuania) is the third volume of Paweł Jasienica's monumental history of Poland and its neighbors. The first, Piast Poland, described the birth of a nation and its growing pains, from the 10th to the 14th century. The second, Jagiellonian Poland, felt with the Polish-Lithuanian federation under the king of Poland. It was an era known as the Golden Age, which ended in 1572 with the death of King Zygmunt August, the last of the Jagiellonians.
The third volume covers the Silver Age, during which Commonwealth was ruled by elective kings, a Frenchman and a Hungarian, then by the Swedish House of Vasa. Its western border not far from Berlin and the eastern one close to Moscow, the Commonwealth stretched from Baltic Sea and was the largest state in Europe. Jasienica describes vividly a period of numerous wars and dazzling historic opportunities - such as the time when Polish armies won many victories and the vast territory of the Commonwealth expanded on the Ukraine. Yet there hubris of Greek tragedy seems to haunt that great and prosperous nation, as ominous symptoms of approaching decline coast a shadow over the future.
The Silver Age is almost a paradigm of our times: a major power with a democratic parliamentary government severely curtailing the executive, a peace loving public begrudging taxes for defense yet faced by weak nations ruled by ruthless despots patiently pushing definite strategic goals. The Picture is familiar.
The ultimate fate of Commonwealth offers a graphic demonstration of consequences of neglect of national security, absence of strategic goals and complacency in the face of steadily growing danger, based largely on overconfidence inspired by size alone. The Silver Age might interest not only students of the 17th century Europe, but also those concerned with the international situation in the last years of the 20th century.
Through historically accurate, Jasienica's works are not academic studies but historical essays in manner of Jacques Bainville, in which the author feels free to offer his own interpretation of events and pass judgments on the protagonists. This may br preferable to pretend objectivity and certainly makes more interesting reading. the five volume history of Poland by Jasienica had several printings of 100,000 copies each in Poland, which would be equivalent to a sale of about one and half million in the United States. Not bad for a serious scholarly work.

The American Institute of Polish Culture
Mrs Blanka A. Rosenstiel founded the The American Institute of Polish Culture (AIPC) in 1972 as a non-profit, non-sectarian, tax-exempt Florida Corporation. The aims of the Institute are twofold: first, to share with the American society the heritage of Poland, which has contributed to many ways to Western civilization; second, to promote the scientific and artistic endeavors of Polish-Americans.
The AIPC has translated and published more than 20 books, including the five volume history of Poland - "Saga of a Nation" by Paweł Jasienica and the rare "Accomplished Senator" by Warzynice Grzymała Goslicki (1530-1607). The annual magazine, Good News, is set to all members and distributed to interested parties during the year.
The Institute established the Harriet Orsay Scholarship and awards 10 to 15 grants each year to talented students, preferably of Polish decent. It also sponsors several students each year to take part in summer courses at universities in Poland. Each year, the Institute holds the International Polonaise Ball, which serves as fundraiser. There are annual Christmas and Easter parties for members and friends.
In 1998, the Institute led a fundraising campaign with the establishment of the Kościuszko Chair of Polish Studies at the University of Virginia, now at the Institute of World Politics Washington.

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