Czech-Polish relations
Past and future
VÍT DOSTÁL
The Czech-Polish relationship has been a very
important one in building Central Europe’s
success. Václav Havel already understood
it in 1990. But the question is how much
of Havel’s belief in Poland’s contribution
is reflected in European politics today?“We also know, of course, that the Polish Solidarity movement, led by Lech Wałęsa,
was the first to find a peaceful and effective way to offer continuous resistance to
the totalitarian system. Nor will we forget that it was you, the Polish Senate and
the Sejm, who were the first – in the summer of last year – to condemn the shame-
ful invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Allow me therefore to use this occasion to
thank you and the entire Polish nation.”
Václav Havel speech in the Polish Sejm and Senate, January 25th 1990
Havel’s words (quoted above) expressed during his first visit to Poland as the
Czechoslovak president illustratively show the feelings of the re-established demo-
cratic Czechoslovakia about Poland. It also portrays how respectful and friendly
the Czech(oslovak)-Polish relations were since the beginning of 1990. Havel di-
vided his speech into two main parts. The first part was about the past. Not only
did he praise Poland for the Solidarity movement, “the marvellous personality of
the Pope [Poland has] given to the world” or the apology for the contribution to
the occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968, he also recalled the co-operation of the
Czechoslovak and Polish underground movements in 1970s and 80s.