Romuald Mieczkowski: Young people do not want to be a part of a national minority group, they want to be normal

 “They will not respect us, unless we will be important. When Polish people will be professors, people of success, the talks will be different. In the meantime we are excluded from many aspects of the life in Lithuania,” says Romuald Mieczkowski, a writer, a poet, a publicist and an editor of the “Znad Wilii” magazine (celebrating 25 years in the media) when talking to zw.lt.

Małgorzata Kozicz, zw.lt: “Znad Wilii” magazine, a quarterly was created 25 years ago. How is it possible that such a magazine, not really a mass reading, is still popular?  

Romuald Mieczkowski: If you are doing something, you need to know for whom you are doing it. It is not possible to make the whole world happy. Media in Vilnius are quite specific, diverse and similar at the same time. Their main focus is mainly on Polish matters, on fight for something. It is very good that we are active. However, the cultural aura is left either to amateur movement or just left alone. So nor young nor old man can print more ambitious essay or review in Polish, not to mention a poem, a reproduction of a painting and many more. There are no scientific magazines where works on sociology or results of some researches could be published. It is easy to complain that the situation is bad, but we need to know why.

Despite those difficulties, I would like to change the proportions in looking at the world. I think that the successes of Poles in Lithuania are not promoted enough. Our media are focused on the small, always the same, “common” receiver, on closed problems, while written word, as we know well, is able to exceed many limits. Therefore it is good when editors editing similar magazines focuse their attention not only on local problems but also are aware that not only national minorities of Lithuania are reading their magazines. They talk to people of Poland, America and wherever Poles or the observers of their achievements live.

Does it work with “Znad Wilii”?

As the magazine is subscribed by German and English libraries, the libraries of the USA, Canada and many others I guess that they have people who speak Polish and engage themselves in these issues. When I look back at our achievements I think we should be glad that we develop culture – we dance, we sing, but sometimes a problem arises when we are trying to assess it. It is better to do it in the context of Polish culture and to set ourselves a high target. That is why it is important that the magazine will be available also in Poland, in libraries and scientific centers abroad. On the other hand, this magazine is still niche, for those who are interested in the region, a key to which is Lithuania. For those who are writing their theses, who are investigating Polish-Lithuanian relations and other aspects of social transformations as far as national minorities achievements go.

You have mentioned the assessment of the actions undertaken in Vilnius. How is Vilnius assessed when it is looked back at from Warsaw? 

The problem is when the middle or the lower offer is represented abroad as our main achievement. To be more clear. Like in sport, in cultural life there are also different leagues and each person needs to choose who is that person’s authority. There is an elite and others are trying to catch up. If they are not able to catch up they are working in their own circle. The problem is when the middle or the lower offer is represented abroad as our main achievement. In such case hierarchy of values falls, as well as our inward evaluation because we think that this is all so cool, familiar and beautiful while in Polish or Polish community context it is not that simple. In other words, there is devaluation. In Lithuania modern Polish culture is barely known. We are stuck in the XIX century pattern of presenting culture. To be clear: I love folklore as a fundament on which something else can be built and from which different things can be shaped. It is important to keep balance. As Krzysztof Zanussi, often visiting Lithuania says, it is all about the respect for the “higher level”.

Isn’t it a way to preserve one’s national identity?

The problems will be solved when we will have more educated people to present them. I have been interested in the situation of national minorities in different countries for years. I came to a conclusion that Poles all over the world have similar problems though they are mostly politician’s domain. Meanwhile in the region of Vilnius all of them are lump together, and their authors are left aside. I would like to change it and invite the Polish of Lithuania and from the East to demonstrate what we have. It was one of the reasons of creating “Znad Wilii” magazine. As far as political actions concerning the creation go, in 1989, two years before Lithuania restored its independence, Czesław Okińczyc was the instigator while I was responsible for editing and production, the shape of the magazine.  We want all the Polish to be partners, not people who should have something in common because of political reasons. I myself have problems with correct spelling but I do not feel discriminated. I respect Lithuanian people, I have many Lithuanian friends . It is not the problem. They will not respect us if we will not be important. When the Polish will be professors, famous creators, people of success, the talks will be different. In the meantime we are excluded from many aspects of the life in Lithuania and this is our choice and our wish.

Is there a chance that the new generation of creative people will change that?

The youth of the region of Vilnius “have it”. I think that the achievements of Joanna Moro or Ewelina Saszenko and other artists, including writers, are not sufficiently promoted. Such people should be singled out as people of the year, they should be known in our society. We should come to young people presenting modern approach. Young people do not want to be a part of a national minority group, they want to be normal. We should wisely teach them about multiculturalism, also presenting the heritage of Grand Duchy of Lithuania. We should promote young people’s achievements, so that we had more to admire – not only Mickiewicz or Miłosz. Let our youth cross the borders. People are free, let them be successful wherever they want. If they will succeed they will do more good for this country than 100 politicians can.