Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Presidents are not Kings
Polish unity in the aftermath of the plane crash that wiped out much of its political establishment has been damaged by plans to bury the late President Kaczynski in Krakow's Wawel cathedral, an honor traditionally reserved for kings. Opponents of the Wawel burial might not be monarchists--in fact, they are more likely to be left-wing than right-wing--but they instinctively sense that burying a controversial politician among ancient kings & queens and more recent national heroes is not appropriate, and on this one point (if no other) their viewpoint makes sense. Politics may make strange bedfellows, but I would have to agree with the protesters; whatever Mr Kaczynski's merits, he was obviously not a king, and to elevate him posthumously to de facto royal status is disrespectful to the genuine kings of Poland's glorious past. It is the Organization of Polish Monarchists, not Mr. Kaczynski's republican Law & Justice party, that has the most authentically patriotic vision for Poland's future.
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3 comments:
Agreed. Though the plane crash was tragic (and a good reason why multiple high-ranking officials in a government shouldn't travel together), it is wrong to treat the president as a king, unless they honestly wish to start a new dynasty. I honestly don't know anything about the Polish throne and who, if anyone, would be the heir to it. It's just wrong, not to mention tacky.
I couldn't agree more.
To be fair, the basilica does not only house kings, but also saints and others considered heroes of Poland (generals, etc.). The question then is not whether the late president shouldn't be buried there on grounds of not being a king. Rather, the issue was on credentials.
As for the Polish throne, it could be a free for all between the different noble houses (those remaining anyway), or so I've heard.
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