A Long Long Time Ago And Essentially True

A Long, Long Time Ago & Essentially True explores the changing political climate in Poland from the dual perspective of events in 1939 and 1992. The novel’s protagonist experiences an identity crisis as she tries to decide what to do with her life. Her struggle mirrors the identity crisis of Poland itself during the pivotal years of the early 1990s. While this story might fit easily into the larger category of novels depicting the devastating consequences of war, Poland’s location makes its struggle for identity especially poignant. Geographically, Poland is situated at the very center of Europe and forms a dividing line between the ideologies of the East and West. It has sometimes been called the crossroads of Europe because armies intent on conquest must pass through its borders to reach their ultimate destination. Consequently, the Polish population has been chronically subjected to conflict and outside interference.

While Poland has existed as a nation since the 10th century and was once the largest country in Europe, its geographic location leaves it vulnerable to attack from both East and West. The earliest significant incursion from the East was the Mongol (Tatar) onslaught of the 13th century. The Teutonic Knights attacked from the West in the 14th and 15th centuries, attempting to claim part of Poland’s territory. Invasions then followed from Russia, the Ottoman Empire, and Sweden. Poland disappeared from the world map entirely from 1795 to 1918, when it was divided among the more aggressive surrounding kingdoms of Russia, Prussia, and Austria. The mid-20th century was especially difficult for the country after Hitler and Stalin formed a secret nonaggression pact in 1939. They partitioned Poland yet again, and each dictator agreed not to meddle in the other’s activities beyond the dividing line that ran through the center of the country. When Hitler attacked Russia during World War II, the communists sided with the Allies and drew Poland behind the Iron Curtain until the Cold War’s end.

Given that authoritarian cultures surround the country on all sides, Poland has exhibited surprisingly liberal tendencies in its politics and culture. The Jagiellonian University in Kraków, established in the 14th century, is one of the oldest in the world. While still known as the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania, the country ratified a constitution in 1791 that dissolved its hereditary monarchy in favor of an elected ruler. It was the first European country to do so. Polish liberalism and its arts community were forced underground during the years of communist rule but began to resurface after 1991. This is one of the two historical periods covered in the novel, and it captures the exhilaration of freedom along with the confusion of claiming a national identity after so many years of foreign ideological domination. Some speculate that decades of authoritarianism intensified the country’s intrinsic liberal proclivities. Pasulka’s novel was written in 2009, shortly before Poland again fell under the sway of far-right political leaders. Fortunately, the country’s most recent elections reasserted a democratic government, and the novel’s hopes for a brighter future might yet be fulfilled.