Armenia–Poland relations

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Armenian-Polish relations
Map indicating locations of Armenia and Poland

Armenia
Poland

Foreign relations exist between Armenia and Poland.

Historical relations[]

The Armenian Cathedral of Lwów in former eastern Poland (now Lviv) was for centuries the most important Armenian church in Poland

Historic contacts between Armenians and Poles date back to the Middle Ages. Since the 14th century, Armenians settled in the Kingdom of Poland, forming the historically significant Armenian-Polish community.[1] Several vibrant Polish-Armenian communities existed especially in former southeastern Poland, including the cities of Lwów, Stanisławów, Buczacz and Kuty.[2] Numerous remnants of the community can still be found both in Poland and in former Polish eastern territories. The most known such sites include the Armenian Cathedral of Lwów (now Lviv) and the Renaissance Armenian Houses in Zamość. Polish merchants visited Armenia since the 16th century.[3] In the 17th century, Polish King John III Sobieski planned to liberate Armenia from Ottoman rule, but his death thwarted these plans.[4]

After the Partitions of Poland carried out by Austria, Prussia and Russia in 1772–1795, and the annexation of Eastern Armenia by Russia in 1828, many Poles were either deported as political prisoners from the Russian Partition of Poland to Russian-controlled Armenian lands or were sent there after being conscripted to the Russian Army.[5] Approximately 5,000 Poles lived in Armenia in the late 19th and early 20th century.[4] Notable Polish communities existed in the cities of Yerevan, Gyumri, Kars and Ardahan.[4]

Józef Pomiankowski, an ethnic Polish marshal of the Austrian Army (and later Polish General after the re-establishment of independent Poland), was one of the earliest figures to discover the intention of the Young Turks to exterminate the Armenians, and the Armenian genocide was strongly condemned by Józef himself.[6] It was the tragic massacre that Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin coined the word "genocide" in 1943.

Prior to the genocide, the Armenians were well-perceived by the Polish population, and several Polish famous figures have Armenian root, notably poets Juliusz Słowacki and Zbigniew Herbert.[2]

Both Armenia and Poland regained independence in 1918. Poles were repatriated from Armenia to Poland since 1918.[7] Polish navy officer Stanisław Korwin-Pawłowski started the creation of the Armenian Navy and founded a training center for the Armenian Navy.[7] Both countries were shortly afterwards invaded by Soviet Russia. Poland successfully repelled the Russian invasion and secured its independence, but Armenia was conquered, which made it impossible to establish official diplomatic relations between the nations.

Diplomatic relations[]

Poland has recognized the Armenian genocide.[8] At the height of the Cold War, both countries were communist states under Soviet domination as the Polish People's Republic and the Armenian SSR.

Polish companies like Lubawa SA also cooperate with the Armenian government. Lubawa-Armenia and the Armenian ministry of defense successfully set up a military industry enterprise, capable of supplying ballistic vests and helmets, vehicle decoys, and tents to the Armenian Armed Forces, and opening the gateway for Polish companies to assist in getting access to Eurasian markets.

Armenian Catholic Holy Trinity church in Gliwice, Poland

Armenia's main import from Poland are cherries.[9]

Poland and Poles are viewed positively in Armenia, mainly due to close historic relations.[7]

In 2017, the Senate of Poland adopted a resolution commemorating the 650th anniversary of the foundation of the Polish-Armenian community and expressed gratitude for its contribution to Polish culture and history.[10]

In June 2020, Poland donated medical items, such as face masks, face shields and hand and face sanitizers, to Armenia, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Armenia.[11] In June 2021, Poland donated medical supplies to Armenia to help fight the pandemic,[12] and in November 2021, Poland donated over 200,000 COVID-19 vaccines to Armenia.[13]

Ramil Safarov[]

The glorification of Ramil Safarov, who had murdered Armenian military personnel Gurgen Margaryan, had been criticized in Poland, and Poland also had some reservations toward Hungary, a long time traditional ally of Poland, for the releasing of Ramil Safarov.[14]

Karabakh conflict[]

Poland has refrained from taking side and had instead urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to find the way to solve the problem.[14] Following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenians in Poland demonstrated in Warsaw demanding Polish President Andrzej Duda to take a firmer hand against Turkey and Azerbaijan.[15] In April 2021, Poland sent 3 tons of humanitarian aid to Armenia for the displaced citizens of Artsakh residing in Armenia.[16]

Resident diplomatic missions[]

  • Embassy of Armenia in Warsaw

  • Embassy of Poland in Yerevan

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "The First Large Emigration of the Armenians". Armenica.org. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  2. ^ a b "W cieniu Araratu. Część pierwsza: Opowieść o Armenii".
  3. ^ Chodubski, Andrzej (2009). "O Polakach w Armenii i Azerbejdżanie w XIX i na początku XX wieku". Studia Polonijne (in Polish). Lublin. 30: 137. ISSN 0137-5210.
  4. ^ a b c Chodubski, p. 138
  5. ^ Chodubski, p. 132
  6. ^ https://fatsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Guenter-Lewy-The-Armenian-Massacres-in-Ottoman-Salt-Lake-City-University-of-Utah-Press-2005.pdf
  7. ^ a b c Chodubski, p. 141
  8. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-04-02. Retrieved 2007-01-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ Fresh Tomatoes in Poland[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ "Poland". Diaspora.gov.am. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  11. ^ "Plane carrying medical items departs from Poland to Armenia". ARMENPRESS Armenian News Agency. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  12. ^ "Poland sends medical supplies to Armenia". ARMENPRESS Armenian News Agency. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  13. ^ "Poland donates over 200 thousand doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Armenia". ARMENPRESS Armenian News Agency. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Arminfo: Zdzislaw Raczynski: Poland cannot recognize independence of Nagorno Karabakh until Armenia does it". arminfo.info. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  15. ^ "Representatives of Armenian community of Poland holds march in support of Karabakh, ceasefire".
  16. ^ "Poland sends 3 tons of humanitarian aid to Artsakh's displaced citizens". ARMENPRESS Armenian News Agency. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  17. ^ Katarzyna Marchwicka. "Otwarcie Konsulatu Honorowego Republiki Armenii w Łodzi". Urząd Miasta Łodzi (in Polish). Retrieved 3 April 2021.

External links[]

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