Karin Friedrich

The Other Prussia in this work is better known in the West as West Prussia which became the Polish Corridor between the 2 World Wars. It has had other names like Eastern Pomerania and Pomerelia, land of the Kashubians, but for over 300 years it was known as Royal Prussia, distinguishing it from Ducal Prussia which was better known as East Prussia, or just Prussia. Royal Prussia was the result of the revolt of Prussian burghers against their Teutonic Order masters between 1454 and 1466. Prussia was divided into two regions - the wealthier and more urbanised west became part of the Polish Kingdom as Royal Prussia and the east was renamed Ducal Prussia and was made a vassal of the Polish Kingdom.

Karin Friedrich argues that Royal Prussia had a distinct identity, that it was neither German or Polish, and defined itself in terms of its rights and privileges. It had its own Diet and it was urban based. It recognised its German origins only in the sense that the German culture carried the basis of their identity. It also was very conscious that it was the underlying political principles of the Polish Kingdom, and later of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, that allowed Royal Prussia to maintain its distinct identity.

Even though they did not like the Polish Szlachta, and their attempts to undermine Royal Prussia's rights and privileges, they remained exceedingly loyal to the PLC, defying the Swedish invaders in the 17th century and criticising those who sought to undermine it. Ironically, in the 18th century the Royal Prussians became staunch opponents of attempts to reform the corrupt practices of the Liberum Veto and the Confederation which were weakening Poland, as these practices allowed them to maintain their own rights and privileges.

Karin uses this history to explore the processes of identity formation and transformation, examining how history was used to create myths to support current political practices, and how changing circumstances forced new interpretations and creation of new myths.

The major myth Karin dispels is that of a continuity of a singular Prussian identity steeped in German culture and anti-Polish. A bit of time was spent on how the Prussian identity known in modern times was developed by the Hohenzollerns, establishing its absolute rule in Ducal Prussia and through propaganda slowly blurring the historical distinctions of the two Prussias. The singular Prussia of the 19th century was not one desired by the Royal Prussians, but the only option left them as the PLC collapsed as an indepedent state:

"When in 1793 Hohenzollern troops entered Danzig and Thorn, the Prussian burghers of the Sarmatian republic had only one option - to forget that they had been free citizens of the Polish crown, in order to become obedient subjects of the Prussian king."

This is a well researched and well-argued book. It was also a delight to read.… (mais)