Polskie postrzeganie Litwy i Litwinów w latach 1985-1995

ENThe contemporary Polish image of Lithuania and Lithuanians was primarily shaped by the nineteenth-century literary tradition. In the first half of the 20th century, it gained a new shade due to the emergence of the conflict with the so-called Kaunas Lithuania. However, the experiences of that time, the conflict during World War II, and the legacy of the Polish People’s Republic did not change the entrenched perceptions. It was only in the mid-1980s that Polish public opinion began to show a broader interest in issues concerning its eastern neighbours, including Lithuanian matters. This resulted in numerous publications, including scholarly works. In 1988–1989, attention increasingly focused on the activities of the Lithuanian Movement for Perestroika, known as Sąjūdis. After the political breakthrough of 1989, Poland almost openly supported Sąjūdis in its efforts to restore Lithuania’s independence. In the Polish media, particularly ‘Gazeta Wyborcza’ became a promoter of this direction, also advocating for a change in Poles’ traditional, paternalistic attitude towards Lithuanians. Polish publications expressed solidarity with Lithuania struggling against the Soviet intervention in January 1991.Negative elements of the image emerged with the Lithuanian decision to dissolve the local councils in the Vilnius region, dominated by Poles. In 1992–1993, the deterioration of Polish-Lithuanian political relations was accompanied by the development of interpersonal contacts, resulting in reports and descriptions of Lithuania. However, the visits of Poles to this country initially mainly focused on Vilnius and the Vilnius region. The Polish media also observed political life in Lithuania. Based on Lithuanian experiences, attempts were made to describe the phenomenon of the so-called Lithuanian syndrome, i.e., the changes initiated by the victory of the post-communist formation in free elections. In 1993–1995, there was a dominant expectation for a breakthrough in bilateral relations. Great hopes were particularly associated with the work on the Polish-Lithuanian intergovernmental treaty, which was finally concluded in April 1994.