JAN KAROL VENDE. PRVI AMBASADOR NARODNE REPUBLIKE POLJSKE U JUGOSLAVIJI

Paweł Wawryszuk, JAN KAROL VENDE. PRVI AMBASADOR NARODNE REPUBLIKE POLJSKE U JUGOSLAVIJI

DOI: 10.29362/2350.waw.147-158

Jan Karol Vende (1910–1986) bio je pisac, diplomata i političar. Svoju karijeru je započeo rano, već kao mladić, kada se angažovao u omladinskim organizacijama uglavnom u levičarskom pogledu, čak i komunističkom, kojima je zajedničko to što stoje u opoziciji prema sanacijinim vladama. Rat ga je zatekao u prestonici, a sudbina ga je bacila na terene okupirane od strane Sovjetskog Saveza, gde je dobio zaduženje prema obrazovanju i kvalifikacijama – mesto urednika u poljskojezičkim komunističkim izdanjima. Nakon izbijanja nemačko-sovjetskog rata pobegao je na istok, gde je postao oficir vojske formirane pod zastavom poljskih komunista – i član Saveza poljskih patriota. Zahvaljujući predratnim delatnostima u Demokratskom savezu, postao je jedan od reaktivatora te predratne stranke, pa je u njeno ime bio na vladinim pozicijama vezanim uglavnom za kulturu. Godine 1945. imenovan je za ambasadora Poljske u Beogradu na pet godina, gde je njegov glavni zadatak bio formiranje ustanove od temelja, što je uspeo da uradi uprkos zanemarivanju od strane uprave MSZ u Varšavi. Njegova misija kao ambasadora nije bila laka ne samo zbog nedostatka podrške vlade, nego uglavnom zbog političkog konflikta, do kojeg je došlo između vlade Jugoslavije i država komunističkog opredeljenja. Mada je vršio pre svega instrukcije iz Varšave, njegova delatnost se ograničavala više do neophodnog minimuma, koji nije izlazio izvan opšte atmosfere kritike prema jugoslavenskom režimu. Osim diplomatske delatnosti, Vendovo srce je verovatno uvek bilo u književnosti. Sam pisac je bio aktivni kritičar, čovek poznat u umetničkom društvu. Više od 25 godina bio je deo parlamentarnog života Narodne Poljske (bio je član komisije spoljnih poslova ili kulture). Mnogostruko je odlikovan visokim državnim ordenima. Ostao je političar, veran narodnoj vladi, iako je svakako imao umerena gledanja.

 

Paweł Wawryszuk, JAN KAROL WENDE. FIRST AMBASSADOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND IN YUGOSLAVIA

Jan Karol Wende (1910-1986) was a writer, diplomat and politician. He began his career early. As a lad he involved himself in an activity in youth – mostly left-winged and communist – organizations, which were in opposition to Polish “sanacja” government. When the II WW broke out, Wende was in Warsaw. Later went to Polish lands occupied by Soviet Union, where used to work according to his qualifications as an editor in Polish-language newspaper (“Soviet voice” – “Głos Radziecki”). After Germany attacked Soviet Union, he evacuated to the east, where became an officer in army formed by Polish communists. Became a member of the Union of Polish Patriots (Związek Patriotów Polskich). Due to his activity in Democratic Party (Stronnictwo Demokratyczne) before war, Wende became one of the reactivator of that party. As a deputy to the new parliament, was a vice-minister of culture. In 1945 Wende received a nomination to be an ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Democratic, Federative Yugoslavia (DFJ). At the beginning, main goal of his mission was to organize a diplomatic outpost from the scratch. And he was successful, even though Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn’t pay enough attention to Yugoslavia at the moment, comparing to situation in other Polish embassies. Wende’s mission as an ambassador was not easy not only because of lack of proper government support, but of the political conflict, which broke out between Yugoslav authorities and the communist countries. Although the diplomat was following carefully the instructions coming from Warsaw, his actions were limited to the necessary minimum, not going beyond the general atmosphere of the anti-Yugoslav regime’s campaign. Besides diplomacy, Wende’s heart seems to remained with literature. He wrote, was an active critic, a person known in the artistic circles. For over 25 years he was involved in the parliamentary life of Poland, was a member of, for example, committees on Foreign Affairs, Culture. He was awarded many times with high state orders. Remained a loyal politician to the people’s power, although he certainly represented moderate views.