Poland–Sweden relations

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Polish–Swedish relations
Map indicating locations of Poland and Sweden

Poland
Sweden
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of Poland, StockholmEmbassy of Sweden, Warsaw

Poland–Sweden relations are historical and bilateral relations between

OSCE, Council of the Baltic Sea States, HELCOM, Council of Europe and the World Trade Organization. There are over 90,000 Poles in Sweden and residents from both countries visit each other frequently. Sweden has given full support to Poland's membership of the European Union. Poland strongly supported Sweden's NATO
membership.

History

Main articles:
Polish–Swedish wars
Poland and Sweden formed a personal union under the rule of King Sigismund III Vasa in 1592–1599

Relations between the nations date back to the Middle Ages. In the medieval period, Poland and Sweden entered into alliances several times, incl. in 1315,[2] 1419[3] and 1454. In 1457, deposed King Charles VIII of Sweden was given refuge by Polish King Casimir IV Jagiellon, before he reclaimed the Swedish throne after his rival Christian I of Denmark was deposed from it in 1464. The Jagiellonian dynasty which ruled Poland from 1386 to 1596 was thought to have some Swedish ancestry and played a significant role in developing Poland into a major European power in the medieval days of Europe. One of Poland's most significant rulers, Sigismund III Vasa, was also partly Swedish through his father King John III of Sweden. Sigismund's mother was Polish Princess Catherine Jagiellon.[4] Under the rule of Sigismund III both countries formed the Polish–Swedish union, which encompassed most of the Baltic region, and from 1561 to 1722, the two countries shared a common border in Livonia.

At the same time, both Poland, as part of the

major conflicts between the two nations, challenging the power of each. Sweden invaded Poland several times, incl. in 1617, 1621, 1626, 1655 and 1701. The Swedish occupation of 1655–1660, known as the Swedish Deluge, had razed much of Poland after serious destructions by the Swedish invaders.[5] It was one of the two most destructive invasions and occupations in Polish history (alongside the German-Soviet invasion and occupation in World War II). The population of Poland decreased by up to 40%, several hundred villages were destroyed.[6] Swedish troops plundered countless heritage sights and art collections, and many Polish works of art and culture are still housed in Swedish museums and institutions today, as is the library of astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, robbed from Poland during the earlier Swedish invasions.[6] The weakening of Poland had been contributed by the brutal Swedish invasion.[5] The successful Polish defense of Jasna Góra against several times more numerous Swedish forces grew to become a symbol of resistance in Poland.[7] During the celebrations of the 350th anniversary of the battle in 2005, Ambassador of Sweden in Poland Tomas Bertelman apologized "for the suffering and destruction that the Swedish-led forces had caused in Poland".[7]

Siege of Jasna Góra (1655)

The rapprochement between the countries took place in the 1660s. Sweden saw Poland as a natural ally and tried to break its international isolation with Poland's help, but the developed distrust hindered the formation of a large Franco-Polish-Swedish alliance.[8] In the 1670s, the Swedes again attempted to forge such a large alliance against Brandenburg, and a Polish-Swedish alliance treaty was signed in Gdańsk in 1677.[9]

In the 18th century, the partitions of Poland awoke Swedish fear of suffering a similar fate at the hands of Russia, but after the Russo-Swedish war ended in 1790, successful Swedish diplomatic missions prevented such an outcome, however, Sweden, similarly to Poland, lost large territories in the east to Russia in 1721 and 1809.

Sweden was the main destination for many immigrants from partitioned Poland. In 1797, Polish national hero Tadeusz Kościuszko stayed in Stockholm and Gothenburg.[10]

During the Polish January Uprising of 1863–1864, various Swedish newspapers sympathized with the Poles, with some stating that Russia was a common enemy of Sweden and Poland.[11] On March 2, 1863, a pro-Polish rally was organized in Stockholm, attended by a number of Swedish parliamentarians, and funds were collected for arms for the Polish insurgents.[12] Over 30 committees of support for Poland were formed throughout Sweden.[13] In February and March 1863 the Polish case was discussed in the Swedish Parliament, with many voices of support for the Poles but also some sceptical voices.[14] No significant decisions were made. The Swedish government took a restrained stance, suggesting that Sweden could become more involved in helping Poland only alongside Western European powers such as Britain or France, therefore awaiting their decisions, whereas Swedish King Charles XV strongly supported Swedish involvement in the fight on the Polish side.[15] In March 1863 meetings between Polish envoys and Swedish parliamentarians took place in Sweden, but despite a very ceremonial reception, the Poles did not gain stronger support from the Swedish authorities.[16] In the spring of 1863, armed Polish volunteers from Western Europe assisted by foreigners of various nationalities attempted to reach partitioned Poland by sea via Sweden. Their expedition stopped on the island of Öland and in Malmö, where it was met with sympathy of the local Swedes.[17] The Swedish authorities, fearing Russia, were forced to put the Poles under arrest, so the Poles departed in May 1863 to attempt a naval landing near Klaipėda.[17] In the following months the Swedes continued to collect money to help the Polish insurgents.[18]

A notable advocate of close Polish-Swedish cooperation and alliance was Wawrzyniec Benzelstjerna Engeström, Polish poet and activist of partial Swedish ancestry.[19]

During both

Wilno, was secretly evacuated to Sweden by the Poles with the help of the Japanese (see Japan–Poland relations).[25]

Seat of the Polish Institute in Stockholm

In 1948, the Polish Veterans Association in Gothenburg was established by former Polish prisoners of Nazi German concentration camps, and in 1962 it was transformed into the Polish Cultural Association in Gothenburg.[26] In 1973, the Polish Institute in Stockholm was founded. In 1975, a memorial to the victims of the Katyn massacre was unveiled in Stockholm by the local Polish community.

In 2008,

General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on 26 May 2008[28] and inaugurated by the EU in Prague, Czech Republic on 7 May 2009.[29]

In July 2018, Poland sent 139 firefighters and 44 vehicles to Sweden, the largest such group from a foreign country to help extinguish the 2018 Sweden wildfires.[30] The Polish firefighters were warmly welcomed by the Swedish population en route to the fires,[30] and during the operation, they even saved the village of Kårböle from the fire.[31] In July 2022, Poland fully approved Sweden's application for NATO membership.[32]

Cooperation

Poland and Sweden have hosted the 2023 World Men's Handball Championship.

European Union

Sweden joined the EU in 1995. Poland joined the EU in 2004.

NATO

While Poland became a member of NATO in 1999, Sweden has been conditionally accepted in 2024.

Resident diplomatic missions

  • Embassy of Poland in Stockholm
    Embassy of Poland in Stockholm
  • Embassy of Sweden in Warsaw
    Embassy of Sweden in Warsaw

Honorary consulates

There are honorary consulates of Sweden in Kraków, Gdańsk, Katowice, Szczecin and Wrocław,[35] and an honorary consulate of Poland in Gothenburg.[36]

See also

References

  1. ^ Relations between Poland and Sweden over the centuries
  2. ^ "Wydarzenia z kalendarza historycznego: 27 czerwca 1315". chronologia.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  3. ISBN 978-90-04-15579-4
    .
  4. ^ "Sigismund III Vasa". Archived from the original on 1 January 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  5. ^ a b "The Swedish Deluge".
  6. ^ a b Adam Węgłowski. "Byli gorsi od Niemców i Armii Czerwonej. Jak Szwedzi złupili Polskę podczas Potopu?". Onet.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Szwecja przeprasza za potop". WP.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  8. ISSN 0037-7511
    .
  9. ^ Jonasson, pp. 238–240
  10. ^ "Göteborg Tablica Kościuszki" (in Polish). Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  11. ^ Kowalska-Postén, Leokadia (1977). "Stosunek sejmu, prasy i opinii politycznej w Szwecji do sprawy polskiej w 1863 r.". Przegląd Historyczny (in Polish). No. 68–4. pp. 661–662, 666.
  12. ^ Kowalska-Postén, pp. 663–664
  13. ^ Kowalska-Postén, p. 664
  14. ^ Kowalska-Postén, pp. 663, 665
  15. ^ Kowalska-Postén, pp. 666, 672
  16. ^ Kowalska-Postén, p. 667
  17. ^ a b Zieliński, Stanisław (1913). Bitwy i potyczki 1863-1864. Na podstawie materyałów drukowanych i rękopiśmiennych Muzeum Narodowego w Rapperswilu (in Polish). Rapperswil: Fundusz Wydawniczy Muzeum Narodowego w Rapperswilu. pp. 298–299.
  18. ^ Kowalska-Postén, p. 680
  19. ISSN 0035-9602
    .
  20. ISSN 0137-5377
    .
  21. ^ Chrzanowski, p. 25
  22. ^ Chrzanowski, pp. 26, 29–31, 33–34, 38
  23. ^ Chrzanowski, p. 40
  24. ^ Chrzanowski, p. 17
  25. ISSN 2084-7319
    .
  26. ^ "Polski Związek Kulturalny w Göteborgu" (in Polish). Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  27. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  28. ^ Poland takes on Russia with 'Eastern Partnership' proposal, The Daily Telegraph, 2008-05-25
  29. Guardian.co.uk
    , 2009-05-07
  30. ^ a b ""Dziękujemy!", "Jesteście bohaterami". Polscy strażacy ruszają do akcji gaszenia pożarów w Szwecji". RMF 24 (in Polish). Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  31. ^ "Polscy strażacy gaszący pożary w Szwecji wkrótce wrócą do kraju". TVP Info (in Polish). Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  32. ^ "Polish Sejm approves ratification of Finland, Sweden's NATO accession". www.tvpworld.com. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  33. ^ Embassy of Poland in Stockholm
  34. ^ "Embassy of Sweden in Warsaw". Archived from the original on 2018-02-08. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  35. ^ "Kontakt". Sweden Abroad (in Polish). Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  36. ^ "Konsulaty honorowe". Portal Gov.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 7 May 2022.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Poland–Sweden_relations&oldid=1219211332"