In 1931, Polish politican Roman Dmowski wrote:
There is no human force capable of preventing Ukraine, once it is torn away from Russia and transformed into an independent country, from becoming a destination for con-men from all over the world who are unwelcome in their own countries, capitalists, capital-seekers, business organizers, technicians and merchants, speculators and schemers, thugs and pimps: Germans, French, Belgians, Italians and Americans would find assistance by local or nearby Russians, Poles, Armenians, Greeks, and the most numerous and important of all, the Jews. It would be a veritable League of Nations of sorts. This elemental force, with the participation of the cleverest and most business-savvy Ukrainians, will become the country’s leadership elite. It would be a most remarkable elite, since no other country could boast such a rich collection of international low-life.
Ukraine would become an abscess on Europe’s body; and people who dream of establishing a cultured, healthy, and powerful Ukrainian nation that could mature in its own state would quickly realize that, instead of a state of their own they have gotten an international corporation and instead of healthy development only rapidly progressing rot and decay.
Those who believe that, given Ukraine’s geographic location, its size, and the state of the Ukrainian element, its spiritual and material resources, and the role the Ukrainian question plays in the global economy and politics, it could be otherwise has no imagination whatsoever.
The Ukrainian question has various promoters, both in Ukraine and abroad. There are many among the latter who know perfectly well what they are aiming at. But there are also those who view the question of tearing Ukraine away from Russia in a most optimistic manner. Those naive ones would be best served by keeping their hands off Ukraine.
[from Post-War World and Poland]
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3 comments:
Linh, Well, I must say your photos from Ukraine perfectly illustrate the above comments. I'm really glad you visited there and shared your observations. This was already happening when we visited in 2002 - big luxury mafia-style cars whizzing by us on the highway on the way to Odessa, expensive restaurants and clubs for those who had come to grab as much as they could. But we could only imagine the further degradation of the economy since that time and the effect that the recent overthrow of the government has had. Thanks.
It is a shame didn't have the time, or possibly the option, to visit east Ukraine, to see the destruction laid on it by the 'most remarkable elite, since no other country could boast such a rich collection of international low-life' that currently loots Ukraine.
what extraordinary prescience from 1931, to the detail - great catch and a respectful bow to Mr. Roman Dmowski, the Polish politician who wrote these thoughts down
"It's Perestroika all over again!"
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