Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski has presented the Foreign Minister’s Best History Book Prize to the awardees. From over 50 submitted publications, the Book Prize Committee selected books and authors in two categories: “Best foreign-language publication on Polish history” and “Best Polish-language publication on the history of Polish diplomacy.”

A group of men and women holding diplomas for their participation in the contest for the best history book stands in front of the MFA press wall.

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski welcomed the attendees with a quote from Ignacy Jan Paderewski: “Throughout our history flows a stream of humanity, generosity, and tolerance—so broad, so powerful, and so pure that it would be—at best—futile to seek anything similar in the history of any other European country.” He also emphasised that understanding history is key to presenting one’s interests in a global polyphony of competing narratives.

First prize for the best foreign-language publication on Polish history went to Clare Mulley for her book Agent Zo. The Untold Story of Fearless Resistance Fighter Elżbieta Zawacka, dedicated to General Elżbieta Zawacka, the only woman among the Silent Unseen. Accepting the award, the author stressed how important it is for her to uncover the history of Poland’s resistance movement and the women involved in it. Such stories are still little known to foreign readers.

First prize in the category “Best Polish-language publication on the history of Polish diplomacy” was awarded to Patrycja Grzebyk, Bartłomiej Krzan, and Karolina Wierczyńska for their book Polski dorobek w zakresie międzynarodowego prawa karnego w latach 1918–2018 [Polish contributions to international criminal law in 1918–2018]. It describes the forgotten achievements of outstanding Polish lawyers who, right after World War I, laid the foundations for prosecuting crimes against humanity and whose work served as a model for judges during the Nuremberg Trials.

In the category “Best foreign-language publication on Polish history,” second prize went to Katarzyna Nowak for Kingdom of Barracks. Polish Displaced Persons in Allied-Occupied Germany and Austria, and third prize to Anthony Sharwood of Australia for Kościuszko. The Incredible Life of the Man Behind the Mountain. Honourable mentions were awarded to Oliver Zajac of Slovakia for Hôtel Lambert and the Austrian Empire, 1831–1846. The Political Discourse and Activities of Adam Jerzy Czartoryski; Daniel Filip of Romania for Un deceniu zbuciumat. România şi criza regimului comunist din Polonia în anii ’80 [A turbulent decade. Romania and the crisis of the communist regime in Poland in the 1980s]; and Ayano Kobayashi of Japan for her reportage on Janina Lewandowska, Janina in the Katyn Forest.

In the category of books on the history of Polish diplomacy, second prize went to Professor Jacek Tebinka for Polskie dokumenty dyplomatyczne 1943 [Polish diplomatic documents 1943], while Ambassador Ryszard Stemplowski received an honourable mention for Dzienniki ambasadora. Londyn 1994 i 1995 [Ambassador’s diaries. London 1994 and 1995].

Congratulations once again to all the prize winners!