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The Kosovo case was quite inspiring for us, the Kaszлbi who are better known for Europeans as the Kashubs. We are not actually Polish, we are just an ethnic group who live in North-Western Poland. Though Poles themselves don’t like to recall in mind what they’ve done to us, we’ve been aggrieved by them greatly one day. They better not even think that the Kashubs forgave them and got out of mind that Polish authority once virtually ousted so many of us from our homes after the WWII was over. Too many Kashubs were forced then to leave their natal lands between the Oder and the Vistula for Canada or the US. There are not so many of us in Poland right now but we have a strong mind to redress this historic injustice and reclaim what was taken from us by Polish authority! What is most grievous for us, the only actual thing we are able to do is being into tourism! We are just another entertainment for visitors of Greater Poland. As soon as people’s interest in Kashub culture recedes we will be washed-up! We don’t want this fate so we claim establishment of Kashub autonomous region in Poland so that we may preserve our history and culture here! I post it here because we need support of EU to make it done!
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Borcz, I have never heard of the Kashubs, but I have some sympathy for you. All over Europe there are many communities in the same position, with similar greivances against their "host country."
Rather than just concentrating on the Kashubs or the Kosovans (or the Basques, or the Bretons, or the Bavarians, or the Welsh...) I would like the EU to find a way of recognising and preserving all these communities. Perhaps all our current countries should be carved up into smaller autonomous regions?
I agree that tourism is not good enough. In these areas, a rich few make millions over summer, and then most people lived in poverty over the rest of the year :nonnon Nearly all young people have left to work elsewhere. Some towns are like ghost-towns over winter!
As Europe becomes more unified, more countries are going to find their individual culture, customs and language slipping away :-( I am not sure what the solution is, but I am certain that the issue needs to be discussed sooner rather than later!
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Back in June 2005 we Kashubs had an autonomous movement. The "Kaszubska Partia Narodowa". After a lots of talking in the media somehow the party didn't became activ. I've searched the exactly aims of the party but I didn't found them. Anyway I don't think that as long as the Kashubian language isn't known by more people then it is known now a kashubian autonomy won't have any chances. Maybe if the Silesian autonomy would succed we Kashubs would also become activ.
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We Kashubs should forget about an autonomy. It just causes unnecessary trouble and there is no need for it. We Kashubs don't get oppressed, we have the status as an ethnic minority, our language is recognized etc., etc. There is even a Kashubian nationality. In an ethnic way we Kashubs aren't Poles, though we are both "related" to Poles, we are both members of the "Slavic family", and of course we mixed very often with Poles and sometimes with Germans over the years. Actually I don't know any Kashub that doesn't has any Poles in his family. Anyway in an cultural way Kashubs are Poles, there is no way around.
Nie ma Kaszub bez Polonii, a bez Kaszub Polsci
