PolishOrigins(TM) Forum

Re: Where there is bread, there is one's fatherland ....

Ute — Thu Feb 13, 2014 4:20 pm

Author: Ute

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 4:20 pm

Thank you, Henryk. I'm glad it WASN'T true for Polish Americans! Although some may consider it only realistic, I was shocked by the 'coldness' of de Crèvecœur's statement.

Re: Where there is bread, there is one's fatherland ....

Henryk — Thu Feb 13, 2014 2:58 pm

Author: Henryk

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 2:58 pm

Not true for Polish Americans.
Some examples for Polish Americans:
=creation of Haller's Army with many Polish Americans joining to free Poland.
=formation of Polish National Church when Irish bishops prevented Polish churches and services.
=formation of Polish parochial schools with one half instruction in Polish language.
=multitude of Polish halls maintaining Polish language and culture.
=Polish language newspapers maintaining a community.
=many Polish Americans married Polish Americans .

Where there is bread, there is one's fatherland ....

Ute — Thu Feb 13, 2014 6:20 am

Author: Ute

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 6:20 am

Some years ago I bought a book entitled "The American Heritage Dictionary" at a fleemarket. I just had another look at it when I straightened up my book shelf. Among others, it cites the 'Letters from an American Farmer' by St. John de Crèvecœur (a Norman-French immigrant and the eponym of St. Johnsbury, Vermont). An electronic edition is available online now at http://mith.umd.edu/eada/html/display.php?docs=crevecoeur_letters.xml
See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Hector_St._John_de_Cr%C3%A8vec%C5%93ur

Interesting read for those interested in the subject of emigration and attachment to the 'old country', in particular from p. 29 on: 'LETTER III. WHAT IS AN AMERICAN. On p. 32, for example, he writes:

"What attachment can a poor European emigrant have for a country where he had nothing? The knowledge of the language, the love of a few kindred as poor as himself, were the only cords that tied him: his country is now that which gives him land, bread, protection, and consequence: Ubi panis ibi patria [where there is bread, there is one's fatherland] is the motto of all emigrants. "

Source: J. Hector St. John Crèvecoeur, Letters from an American Farmer. Edited by W. P. Trent and Ludwig Lewisohn. New York: Duffield, 1904.

Just for consideration (and discussion ...?)