Hi, I’m Matthias. I am a businessman from Poland. The country you perhaps heard about in the context of the so-called Polish Death Camps. I am a Catholic as well, which perhaps is no surprise to you, as you surely know that John Paul II was Polish, and my Homeland is still one of the most Catholic countries in the world. I am contacting you, because something wrong is going on. It’s much worse than you might think. Would you spare me a moment? This might be a long story…
Stereotypes
Some time ago, I met wonderful people from the United States – from Montana, to be precise. Great men – father and son, both businessmen. We met during the „Max Retreat” in Rome that I organised, and which were attended by card. Raymond Leo Burke. The things I heard from my new American friends, got me thinking. I did not realise the fact that Poland might be so important for the Americans.
Of course you might know some stereoptypes about us. We know them and there is something you should know about us. See below:
The last bastion
OK, let’s talk about my American friends. They see it as follows: On one hand, we have more and more depraved Western world. On the other hand – the Eastern world, not much better. And somewhere in-between there are two interesting countries: Poland and Hungary – the last flash of light giving hope that we can still turn back the course of events; that we can still change the direction the entire world goes towards – straying away from the Christian heritage.
For my American friends, Poland is the last bastion of Catholicism, the last bastion of faith, and therefore … perhaps the last bastion of the classic Western values. Something I have been pointing out for some time now – seeing how the Western world strays away from its own heritage, it is easier for me to conclude that being Polish today is simply being European. Poland is semper fidelis at the same time. Poles can always be relied upon, even if in a certain point is history, there was no such thing as Polish country on the map.
I have thought over what my American friends said and … I have realised that there really was something in it. Poland is a country with great, magnificent history, full of heroes and brave actions, many of which decided over the fate of the entire world.
What would have happened if Poland had not stopped the spread of the Bolshevik revolution on the West? And we have to point out that Poland fought the Polish-Bolshevik war (1919-1921) after the end of the I World War, after which… it gained independence after 123 long years! Would you believe? And we won, my great-grandparents drove the Soviets out!
How would the II World War have ended if Polish aviators from the famous 303 Squadron had not acted heroically during the Battle of Britain?
What would have happened if Polish mathematicians had not broken the Enigma code?
In fact, our story during the II World War was veeeery interesting:
Not to mention that if in 1683, John III Sobieski had not stopped the Turks near Vienna, the entire Western world would have probably not survived until I or II World War, conqued by the Muslims. See what happened to Constantinople after 1453. Although … wait a minute … this scenario is being realised right now, but it is good to spare a couple of centuries 😉
A great overview of our history longer than few dozens of years after the 1939 can be found in the following video, I strongly recommend:
Last chance?
I don’t like to find problems. I focus on finding solutions. And of course, sometimes things are hopeless – and you really can do nothing about it. Certain things simply have to be written off. For every businessman, it is their bread and butter.
I am worried, however, that if the world crosses a certain barrier, there will be no turning back. And then what? We are not going to write that „investment” off, right? Rather, it is the „investment” that will write us off – our values, all that really matters for us.
Recently, we can witness many events with Poland in the centre of attention. The country that was one of the main victims of the II World War – first attacked by the Nazi Germany and a moment later – by the Soviets – must defend itself against the accusations of participating in the Holocaust or of fascism and anti-Semitism.
It is hard not to have an impression that the attacks against Poland are more than an arch-interesting coincidence. You don’t have to have much imagination to consider it as an organised procedure. A procedure that is more and more clearly connected with financial claims… And it is hard to fight against several enemies at a time. Nec Hercules contra plures – as the Ancient Romans said. – Even Hercules cannoc combat several enemies.
Truth
Fighting is in progress. Poland consistently holds its opinion. The truth is on our side.
It is us, Poles, who, as the only ones, did not form a government collaborating with the Third Reich.
It is us, Poles, who, when the Germans intended to create Polish Waffen SS, as in every conquered country, provided 0 (in words: zero) volunteers.
It is us, Poles, who formed the Polish Underground State, which systemically helped the Jews and liquidated everyone who helped the Germans in extermination, regardless of the nationality.
It is us, Poles, who, constantly, from the very beginning, informed the Western World about what Germans did on our territories that were always called Paradis Iudaeorum, i.e. the Jewish Paradise. First, Captain Witold Pilecki let himself be captured and transported to Auschwitz, where he wrote his famous Report and started the camp’s resistance movement, and then was transported by Jan Karski across the Atlantic to be presented before the highest authorities in the USA. Unfortunately… nobody cared then.
As a reward, after the War we were subject to Soviet supervision, and as the only ally, we lost more than a half of our territory and people… the Ancient defined it as Phyrric victory. The phrase is even more adequate thae now we are being attacked in such an absurd way.
What would happen to the world if the last bastion of the classic Western values is defeated? Could we not ask – what is the truth, if even those who were considered as the bastion of Catholicism, who were considered as victims, turned out to be cruel offenders? What is faith and Church is those who said Polonia Semper Fidelis turned out to be depraved and failed their own neighbours in a decisive moment?
That is why I think that we are in a decisive moment in the history. A moment when nihilism clashes with the world of universal values.
The Last of the Mohican’s Syndrome.
When in 2010 I was forming the first Business Association in Poland, I had a single goal – to associate Catholic and conservative businessmen in order for them to populate the lists of the top-100 richest people and by that change the world. I noticed something threatening – that although there are many businessmen of that kind, they do not see one another. Almost every one of whom I met personally, was suffering from the „Last of the Mohicans’ Syndrome”.
This is how I called the phenomenon. It consists of the fact that a Catholic businessman is convinced that s/he is the only or one of the few good men in their industry, and for sure – the only one who prays, attends Church and knows the difference between „Communion” and „Communism”. This is a great paradox in a country where the majority of the Society declares being Catholic. I do not have to explain why the „Last of the Mohicans’ Syndrome”, i.e. atomisation, is our biggest enemy?
With every year, the community of Business Associations is gathering more and more Catholic and conservative businessmen. Most fostunately – these are small, medium, big and even very big businessmen. But that’s just the beginning. Beginning – because with more and more contacts abroad, I am discovering how much the Last of the Mohicans’ Syndrome is present practically throughout the world!
What are we fighting over right now?
The conversation with my American friends in Rome made me realise that it is not enough to build friendship between Catholic businessmen from all over the world; it is not enough to copperatie in the field of business; it is not enough to meet from time to time, e.g. during the Max Retreat in Rome, inspired by Saint Maximilian Kolbe:
The conversation with my American friends made me realise that we need a physical place in the world that, in every aspect, will serve our mission – that we need a country whose foundation are the classic values of the Western world.
Poland for years has been considered as a symbol of Catholicism, particularily from the pontificate of John Paul II. Making Poland look bad may be considered as a signal that nihilist approach to life is actually correct. And if the last bastion of Catholicism in Europe was the place of gigantic suffering of the innocent, not only because of the fact that they lived on its territory, but also because of the killing intent of the natives … this means that the values that are embodied by catholicism, are worth nothing. The one attacked by ricochet is the Church, who, as the first one protested via pope Pio XII and his encyclical Mit brennender Sorge, aimed against Hitlerism.
That is what the fighting is for. On one hand, there is the nihilism spreading all over the world. On the other – there is Christianitas. Reconstructing it still is possible. And the natural beginning of the reconstruction is the place for whom it is innate. Perhaps this was what Jesus had meant while telling Saint Faustyna that Poland was going to be the source of the spark that would spread throughout the world.
Are the Catholic businessmen supposed to stand side by side and fight?
Changing the world, even if we are not thinking about it, is the core of what we do as businessmen, providing clients with better and better goods and services. In case of the world-wide known brands, there is no doubt that they are changing the world – they create the lifestyle, attitudes, and the image of their users.
In Business Associations we do both things. One goal is to develop our Members and their companies and to create bigger and bigger opportunities. The second goal is to change the world into a place where the Catholic and conservative businessmen would not suffer from the „Last of the Mohicans’ Syndrome” into a place where Catholic and conservative businessmen dispose of the resources with which they can have an impact on every aspect of life, with the politicians and with the laws they create.
I dream of widespread cooperation between Catholic and conservative businessmen from all over the world, whose centre – heart – would be Poland. Will Business Associations join Catholic and conservative businessmen from all over the world? I don’t know. This does not depend on me only. I can guarantee, however, that I will make every effort for this to happen.
If you want to help me … share this post with your friends, leave a comment or contact me at: m.gnyszka@towarzystwabiznesowe.pl. I will contact you as soon as possible and we will talk about how to fight for a good reputation of Poland in the world, and, above all, about what to do so that the list of 100 richest Poles could include righteous and value-appreciating businessmen that will stand with a call: Instaurare omnia in Christo.
Best regards –
Maciej Gnyszka