A soldier, a police officer, a firefighter are professions that clearly involve the risk of loss of life and health. We are often full of admiration and gratitude for people who sacrifice themselves for our safety. Unfortunately, the number of high-risk professions has increased considerably in recent years. These include, among others, the profession of historian. A modern historian should be aware that for preaching the truth he may face a smear campaign in the press, abuse, false accusations and social exclusion. Many of them – a good researcher of the past must therefore be a strong, mentally durable, tough person – a “tough guy”.
However, a historian must above all be reliable and work hard to establish the truth. It should also be his job to strive for complete objectivity. It must be emphasized, however, that a completely objective history probably does not exist and that in practice the historian’s intention is to emulate the ideal in this field. In his reflections on this issue, Professor Wojciech Wrzesiński wrote:
The same research topic, studied from the same source by different historians, may not produce the same result. While maintaining the objective nature of individual research, each historian is influenced by his own system of values, emotions, his own sympathies and phobias. Due to such influences, conditions and limitations, despite conscious efforts, the objectivity of the historian becomes subjective.
The objective nature of the properly conducted historical research in the workshop does not detract from the historian’s subjective view of the past in its germ (Polityka a historia, “Odra”, no. 12, 2001).
The historian is therefore entitled, while striving for objectivity, to base himself on his own system of values. Recently, the renowned publishing house “Biały Kruk” has published the second volume of the textbook for secondary schools and technical colleges by Prof. Wojciech Roszkowski for the course History and Present (HiT), covering the years 1980-2015. The publication of the first part of the textbook, which covers the years 1945-1979, has already provoked numerous attacks on the book and its author. What was the professor not accused of… At the head of the terrible accusations were anti-Germanism and anti-EU! The only question that arises is how to describe the history of World War II, but also how to cover up crimes in post-war Germany, so as not to be accused of being anti-German? Or how do you characterize all these absurdities imposed on us by the European Union, with the ruinous carbon tax and short-distance electric cars forced upon us, not to be accused of being anti-EU?! After all, every textbook should contain real content! And what the professor writes is the most sincere truth!
Wojciech Roszkowski, who criticizes absurd ideologies targeting religion, man, family, homeland, society and core human values, was accused of “ideologizing the textbook”. The professor is on the side of normality and Christian morality. Wojciech Roszkowski’s wise reflection on the threats of the modern world has been called gibberish. And the historical truth presented in the book was described as propaganda. The result of this terrible campaign was the blocking of the book as a textbook. Frightened school principals and teachers, often afraid of violating the principles of political correctness, usually preferred, in my opinion, to choose a much worse, competitive textbook. However, the first volume of Wojciech Roszkowski’s textbook was sold out in large numbers. The values also attracted adult readers, and many parents and grandparents, concerned about their children’s patriotic upbringing, gave them a copy of this beautifully edited book. “History and Present” did not become a common textbook, but it became a legendary book, loved to buy and read. By whole families!
Several attacks on the newly released part II of the manual were not spared either. Numerous formulations, evaluations and opinions were clung to. It’s not even worth referring to these attacks. However, it must be emphasized that the second part retains all the qualities of the first part. The book consists of excellent, accurately written essays, which do not shy away from even the most difficult issues and problems. The layout of the book is very careful and the illustrations are excellent.
It is worth returning to the issue of objectivity, which I wrote about at the beginning. Professor Wojciech Roszkowski bases his textbook on the values he professes and according to which Polish youth should be brought up. Can you totally blame him? Shouldn’t young Poles be brought up in the spirit of Christian values: love of neighbor, love of fatherland, solidarity, truth, love of freedom, respect for other people, but also for culture and national tradition? These are things that should come naturally to all of us.
Professor Wojciech Roszkowski, instead of “light”, full of clichés and gibberish books that treat adolescents as preschoolers, gave us a serious and wise book. And he also treats the young reader seriously, because that is the only way to fruitful education and dialogue! I congratulate Wojciech Roszkowski – a wise professor who boldly preaches the truth. I also congratulate “White Raven” on another great publication!
Source: wPolityce