Aleksandra Piłsudska

From PILSUDSKI (1941) by Aleksandra Piłsudska

The beginning of 1920 saw improvements in some aspects of the national situation and increased difficulties in others. The army had gained in strength and experience. A uniform system of training had been established, urgently needed arms had been brought from France. But the winter had been hard, unemployment had risen, and even Paderewski's liberality of ideas had not prevent friction in the Government. The dispute with the Czechs was still at a deadlock; Germany, consumed with bitterness over the Treaty of Versailles and the disposal of Danzig and the Corridor, but unable to strike back at the Allies, was concentrating all her venom against Poland. The Bolsheviks were winning the battle in diplomacy. An extensive and efficient propaganda campaign which they launched against Poland was already having disastrous effects among Allied statesmen. The Socialist Press in England was attacking Pilsudski and clamouring for support for the Russian workers; the phrase "Polish imperialism" had been coined, and even the most moderately inclined politicians were beginning to hint that the Poles were being unreasonable.

The Russians, following up their diplomatic success, decided to put themselves in a still more favourable light with the Allies and made Poland a peace offer, although they were concentrating a large force at the Polish frontier. It was rejected, and for that rejection Poland has been severely criticized. The Allied Supreme Council adopted an admonitory tone, which they no doubt felt to be justified. Europe was sick of the very name of war. The other nations had ceased to fight, why could not Poland lay down her arms? Various motives were attributed to Pilsudski, principally that of pride, which was absurd. Unlike Hitler and Mussolini, he was utterly devoid of personal ambition, had no wish to see himself in the role of a world conqueror, and no thought of extravagant territorial claims. All he wanted was to win back for Poland that which had been taken from her. But he had another deeper reason. His fear and distrust of Bolshevism, which he believed would destroy any state in which it took root. He emphasized his convictions in an interview which he gave to the correspondent of an English newspaper in the hope that it might promote a better understanding of Poland. . . .

"I think that the methods which have made Russian Socialism a policy of terrorism and the total destruction of social life would be unthinkable in civilized countries" . . . he said . . . "Ask the Socialists of Great Britain whether they wold like to have Lenin and Zinoviev reorganize their Government for them [ . . . ]

PILSUDSKI : A Biography by his Wife,
by Aleksandra Piłsudska (with Jennifer Ellis).
New York : Dodd, Mead 1941, pp. 295-6.

Bibliographic, http://melvyl.cdlib.org

Author Piłsudska, Aleksandra, 1882- Title Wspomnienia / Aleksandra Piłsudska. Publisher Warszawa : Instytut Prasy i Wydawnictw "Novum", 1989. Description 279 p., [24] p. of plates : ill. ; 24 cm. Note Includes bibliographical references.

Author Piłsudska, Aleksandra, 1882- Title Wspomnienia / Aleksandra Pi�sudska. Publisher Londyn : Instytut J�zefa Pi�sudskiego, 1985. Description 390 p. : ill. ; 22 cm. ISBN 0948019018 Note "Wspomnienia przynosz� fascynuj�cy obraz dzia�alno�ci i osobowo�ci J�zefa Piłsudskiego"--p. following t.p. Library has no. 308 of 1000 copies printed. Note Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Author Pilsudska, Aleksandra Szczerbinska Title Pilsudski [by] Alexandra Pilsudska Publisher New York, Arno Press, 1971 Description 352 p. map, port. 24 cm Series Eastern Europe collection ISBN 0405027710 Language English Note Reprint of the 1941 ed "Written in collaboration with Mrs. Jennifer Ellis."

Author Piłsudska, Aleksandra, 1882- Title Wspomnienia / Aleksandra Pilsudska. Publisher London : Gryf Publications, 1960. Description 383 p. : ill. ; 22 cm. Note Includes indexes.

Author Piłsudska, Aleksandra, 1882- Title Pilsudski, a biography / by his wife, Alexandra Pilsudska. Publisher New York : Dodd, Mead, 1941. Description 352 p. : port. ; 23 cm. Language English Note London edition (Hurst & Blackett) has title: Memoirs of madame Pilsudski.