Today we talk much about a united Europe, about a federation of states without borders, about a common economic market and a common culture. But in this process of unification nations want not to vanish, but to maintain their identity. This desire is by no means counter to, but in the interest of Europe in the process of its integration with itself and in the global context. Its welfare and comfort, its unified organizational and technical structures, its expanding free time and communications needs to be complemented by the diversity and vitality of the different ways of perceiving and feeling, by lively imagination, spontaneity and creativeness. This will be possible only if the distinct character of cultures is maintained both for great nations and small ethnic groups. In order to protect the future from colorless, monotonous uniformity, we cannot afford that even the tiniest ethnic group still existing within its boarders atrophy. Only if we preserve its cultural diversity will Europe and the world be vital and interesting.

Uniformity wearies and leads to death, but the beauty of diversity enchants, wings our steps, and stimulates our growth. Enlightened minds today are aware of this, and therefore the increasingly intensely promoted cause of a united Europe and a global community is accompanied by voices which ever more loudly raise the issue of the identity of particular nations and ethnic groups. Defending themselves against being dissolved in vast waters, they want to know more than hitherto about what they are, about their roots, about the direction they should take in their development. For self-awareness is a sign of maturity, not only of individuals, but of whole groups. Increasing interest in this subject is to be found not least in Poland.

What does it mean to be Polish? What is the essence of Polish identity? How is my individual reality intertwined with the reality referred to as Polish character, nationality or descent, as Polish culture, or as the Republic of Poland? Do I always have to be a Pole; and is it worth while to be a Pole?

How many times have these questions been posed! They have been posed over and over again in every epoch, for each generation formulates both questions of this kind and answers to them in their own way, based upon their own experiences and considerations. But in this diversity there are values which occur constantly, patterns of behavior which are always opportune and valid, events and monuments which evoke common respect, and a net of indispensable relations. All these features taken together form the quality of being a Pole. Even if it is difficult to answer immediately the question of what this quality is or what it means to be a Pole, we realize very well that to be a Pole means something different than being Japanese or French.

Generally we characterize the specificity of Polish values and culture by means of a description of ideas, beliefs, events, heroes, products of art and industrial achievements that took place within the area of the basin of Vistula, from the Carpathian mountains to the Baltic Sea, from Lithuania, Bielorussia and the Ukraine to Germany. The worst form of characterizing Poles is using stereotypes predominant in particular epochs, created most frequently by men of letters and by foreigners. This is often interesting material and helpful in explaining many problems, but most of the time such stereotyped descriptions are drastically subjective. For all stereotypes contain superficial judgments, based neither upon broader experience nor on deeper reflection. Worst of all, they arise from prejudice and emotional reactions. Hence they are not true, but the proverbial distorting mirror.

The texts included in this book characterize Polish identity by means of values. Values are the most essential element of any culture, and therefore also of Polish culture. Being the motive power of action and the basis of its evaluation, they are included in everything that happened in the past and that now exists in Polish society. Each chapter bespeaks one particular value or a set of interrelated values. They were chosen in the following way: From several dozen items determining Polish culture 25 values were selected which the authors considered to be the most representative. Then a double procedure was applied for their further selection: a) Among these 25 values those most often quoted by the authors of analyzed works were selected; b) The 25 values were presented to 56 `judges’ to choose those they considered most typical for the Polish culture and still relevant and valid. In this way a set of values was created which are acknowledged as fundamental for Polish culture: its core, axis and center. They constitute also the basic structure of this publication. The only values essential for the Polish culture not addressed here in a separate chapter are inner freedom, the personal sense of dignity, honor and individualism. These values are found throughout the whole work and find expression in particular chapters.

The set of values presented here as typical of Polish culture was shaped throughout the entire history of Polish society. They are inherent in its ideals, strivings, events, heroes, beliefs, laws, edifices, images of the past and visions of the future, in patterns of behavior, rituals and customs, in literary works, songs, proverbs, sayings and commonly repeated jokes; briefly in literally all products of culture.

This set of values is so important for Polish culture that none of them may be rejected; all of them taken together determine whether a particular element of an alien culture may be accepted by Poles. That, for instance, is what determins that the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, in spite of its utility for many institutions and its being a point of reference for everyone who arriving in Warsaw, still does not fit into its frame. Despite the fact that for forty years it has stood in the middle of the city, it is still an alien element, disapproved by Poles.

We hope that characterizing Polish identity and culture by means of its fundamental values renders most fully its specificity and distinctness in relation to other cultures, and at the same time brings us closer to an answer to the question: what does it mean to be a Pole? We hope also that this team effort may prove helpful in formulating the question of how to be a Pole today. Perhaps, too, it will contribute, as its authors desire, to shaping the kind of attitude towards Polish identity expressed by John Paul II in the homily during the Mass on Agrykola in Warsaw in 1991: "I love my Nation. I was not indifferent to its sufferings and to limitations on its sovereignty, to its oppression. Now I am also not indifferent to the new challenge of liberty we all must face?" It will be easier to proceed into the future and the components of Polish culture will be more beautiful and enriching for the others if we know what and who we are.