Polish and Hungarian Historians Challenge Curriculum Changes Affecting National History

Polish and Hungarian Historians Voice Concerns Over Primary School Curriculum Changes

Several dozen historians from Poland and Hungary have signed a joint statement objecting to proposed revisions in Poland’s primary school history curriculum. The changes pertain to Polish–Hungarian relations and their historical context in early education.

The proposals, part of the core curriculum under consideration for Polish primary schools, were opened for preliminary consultation by the Ministry of National Education on February 12.

In a position paper from the Polish–Hungarian Historical Commission of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the authors argue that the draft amendments “in three places inappropriately harm Polish–Hungarian historical relations” by reframing the historical narrative in a manner they deem misleading.

The discussion centers on the 14th and 15th centuries, the reign of Stephen Báthory, and the anti-communist uprising in Hungary of 1956.

The proposed changes, if adopted, would have a notable impact on how Polish–Hungarian ties are presented in schools.

According to Dr. Miklós Mitrovits, a Polish teacher and historian who serves as secretary of the Polish–Hungarian Commission, the group felt compelled to speak out and share their formal position on the matter.

Mitrovits emphasized that the issue requires careful consideration and a clear standoff against any revision that could distort the historical relationship between Poland and Hungary.

The new core curriculum for grades 5 to 8 would require students to understand the broader context of the Soviet sphere of influence, including events in Hungary in 1956 and in Czechoslovakia in 1968.

In another objective, students would be tasked with describing the USSR’s policies toward Eastern Bloc nations by citing military interventions in Hungary and Czechoslovakia as examples.

Mitrovits notes that shifting the perspective on the anti-Soviet uprising in Hungary from a wider regional view to a strict focus on Soviet policy could be difficult to reconcile for educators and students alike.

The new program is expected to continue addressing Hungary’s uprising but within a different interpretive framework.

The emphasis would move away from Polish–Hungarian solidarity during and after the events in Hungary and toward an analysis of Soviet policy, the signatories contend.

Mitrovits argues that it is essential to also teach about the Kremlin’s strategy, but the broader story must include what happened in Poland and Hungary and how events in both countries influenced one another.

“The new project runs counter to the spirit of traditional Polish–Hungarian friendship and mutual understanding,” the signatories state. They acknowledge the ministry’s right to reform the curriculum but voice serious concerns about the proposed approach.

They stress that Polish–Hungarian historical ties are crucial not only for understanding the two nations’ histories but also for the broader regional context.

The statement was signed by 32 Hungarian and 32 Polish historians, among them Professors Andrzej Nowak, Marek Kornat, and Maciej Janowski, as well as Tomasz Pudłocki, Tadeusz Kopyś, former Polish Ambassador to Budapest Jerzy Snopek, and former President of the Institute of National Remembrance Łukasz Kamiński.

The initiative for presenting the position originated from the Hungarian side. The text of the statement was submitted to the Polish Embassy in Budapest to ensure formal channels of communication remain open.

tkwl/PAP

Additional coverage notes: commentary on historical discourse and public reactions in Poland and Hungary, reflecting on how memory and education intersect in conversations about past upheavals. Public readers may encounter varied perspectives on how history should be taught and remembered.

Source: wPolityce