Content area
Full Text
ABSTRACT
The article surveys the question how the past of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Commonwealth of Both Nations is used in region's cross-border issues, and the question could it be the ideological basis for the idea of the Intermarium is raised. The analysis of the countries of the region revealed that these themes in Lithuania, Poland and Belarus are basicaly used for the creation of the identity of the societies, however in any country these topics of the past are not dominating, moreover in Ukraine the theme of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Commonwealth of Both Nations is in marginal position. The central position in the memory culture of these societies take the events of the 20th century. Obviously such secondory position of the understanding of the events of the past showed the commemoration of the anniversary of the Union of Lublin in Poland in 2009. The analysis of the historical research demonstrates different view. Evaluations of the historians in four countries do not differ so cardinally as it was before 1990. Such situation is as a signal that probably it is a time to think about the preparation of the general textbook for schoolchildren of four countries, or synthesis of the history.
Keywords: Memory culture, politics of history, historiography, The Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the union of Both Nations, the union of Lublin, the Constitution of May 3.
The concept of Intermarium as a political doctrine of the Polish state has been revived again at the beginning of the 21st century. The doctrine rests upon a desire to create a union of states in the area of the Adriatic, the Baltic and the Black Sea as a power that could serve its interests in competition with Russia, and perhaps even with older member states of the European Union. As it is well known, the doctrine itself developed in the early 20th century and is closely related to the figure of Marshal Józef Piłsudski, who alluded to the past in his schemes, with special emphasis on the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.1
The marshal's schemes could not be carried out before World War II. Are they likely to succeed in the 21st century? Let us leave those political ideas to politicians and...