From May 6-8, the Polish-Ukrainian Historical Congress took place in Baranów Sandomierski, organized by the Juliusz Mieroszewski Centre and the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance. The event is significant because disputes over the shared history of Poland and Ukraine have become a source of social tension and, consequently, political conflict.
During the congress, historians from both countries debated topics ranging from the history of Poland and Ruthenia between the 10th century and the early modern era, through the emancipation movements and competing national projects of the 19th century, to questions of methodology and law. They also addressed the issues that provoke the strongest emotions not only among scholars, but among politicians and wider society: the events of the Second World War.
At the center of these discussions lies the Volhynia tragedy – using Ukrainian terminology – or the Volhynia massacre, according to the Polish narrative. For years, the unresolved issue fueled emotions among Poles and eventually became a political instrument. It is worth noting, however, that Ukraine has gradually been issuing more permits for searches and exhumations of murdered Polish civilians. Both these administrative decisions, backed by political will in Kyiv, and the congress itself are helping to defuse a ticking bomb.
The goal of the congress is not to establish a single shared version of history. “The point is to create a space for serious conversation between historians from Poland and Ukraine. Scholars dealing with periods from the early Middle Ages to the present had the opportunity to define what they agree on and what they do not. Above all, it is about finding a common language in which we can talk about history. In this way, we can try to defuse the bomb,” said Ernest Wyciszkiewicz, co-organizer of the congress and director of the Mieroszewski Centre during the event.
Memory, as a component of collective identity, cannot be identical for two different nations. Disagreements and disputes are not necessarily harmful.
“Historians should be involved in shaping public awareness and should not leave the field entirely to politicians. At the very least, they should encourage politicians to use calmer and more balanced language,” Wyciszkiewicz added.
The very fact that such a congress took place is already a positive sign for the ongoing dialogue. Finding a fully common language may ultimately prove impossible, as the historical narratives of both nations cannot be completely unified without undermining their distinct identities. Memory, as a component of collective identity, cannot be identical for two different nations. Disagreements and disputes are not necessarily harmful.
“Historians would like the subjects they study to remain within the framework of substantive scholarly debate, but that is impossible in the case of neighboring nations. On both sides of the border, history evokes strong public emotions, and politicians try to manage those emotions. That is why the social role of historians goes beyond research, as it also involves shaping public opinion. Before the event, there was a great deal of anxiety and fear about potential controversies. As we can see, however, the debates have been highly professional,” Wyciszkiewicz said.
One man’s loss is another man’s gain
It should come as no surprise that disputes over the difficult shared history of Poles and Ukrainians are a gift to Russia. Exacerbating divergent narratives of historical grievances fit perfectly into the Kremlin’s modus operandi. Russia does not necessarily need to invent problems; it is enough to pick an existing one and inflame it in order to weaken alliances and cooperation between states.
“Russia does not always create problems – it exploits those that already exist. To create a problem, one must generate social emotion. In the case of history, that emotion already exists. It only needs to be heated up. Antagonisms between Poland and Ukraine are immediately exploited in Moscow by the appropriate institutions. But we cannot simply shift responsibility onto the Kremlin, because that would mean absolving ourselves of responsibility. Solving Polish-Ukrainian problems is in our hands, including here at this congress. If we fail to do so, we will leave the field open to internal and external forces eager to exploit it,” Wyciszkiewicz said.
The congress – much like the continuing search and exhumation efforts, and the willingness to discuss difficult issues openly – helps reduce tensions and bring the two societies closer together. Public opinion research confirms this trend. As exhumation work progresses, Polish attitudes toward Ukraine have begun to improve after a significant and ongoing deterioration that had lasted since roughly 2023.
In addition to historians, the congress was attended by diplomats and politicians representing both governments. The future of historical relations – as well as their impact on social, economic, and defense cooperation – lies largely in their hands. Open, non-confrontational debate is always beneficial, especially on such sensitive topics. Polish security services have already warned that Polish-Ukrainian history could be exploited by Russia to fuel contemporary antagonisms between the two countries.
One encouraging sign from the congress was that all participants agreed on the need to continue search operations, exhumation work, and further historical research.