Witold Pilecki’s report titled “The Issue of the Young Generation of Poland”

The Issue of the Young Generation of Poland. Appreciating the importance of this issue in the life of the Polish Nation, special attention has to be devoted to it and while working among local communities, all available means should be applied to realize the assumed plan. The Polish youth, together with the entire Nation, lives through a moral and spiritual crisis, being at the same time in a miserable health state. The crisis has created the conditions in which the Polish youth is growing up. Young people have encountered harsh realities of life and ruthless fight for existence too early; they have grown up and are growing up too early. The mass participation of young people in the resistance activities against the Germans, on the one hand, strengthened their national identity, on the other hand, however, it deeply devastated their ethical and moral concepts, as well as their ideological attitudes. Apart from that, a large part of the youth, as well as of the adults have so much exhausted their strength in several years’ combat with the Germans that all former conceptions, ideals or moral and patriotic imperatives fall on deaf ears in their case. The youth, who used to be described as full of energy and sacred emotions, is in its mass a community of a far lower temperature of these feelings and emotions. This state of affairs is well illustrated by the results of studies conducted in this area. One of the touchstones in this field was the response of young activists to our instruction entitled “To the Youth Activists”. A few dozen activists from student and high school communities responded. The respondents did not belong to any of the fractions of the communist mono-party. 40% of these activists judged the thoughts expressed in the instruction “To the Youth Activists” as “unrealistic mysticism which has been one of the principal reasons for the collapse of the Polish State.” Other 45% described the ideas as “unrealistic mysticism they are fed up with, and it is high time to get away with it.” 10% of the respondents underlined the appropriateness of some thoughts. Only 5% (mostly scouts) thought it necessary to apply the instruction in everyday activities and found the principles it included fundamental. This is the evidence not so much degeneration of patriotic feelings among the young people as of their significant ideological transformation. Everything that is abstract and distant from fulfilling current everyday needs, that concerns something more than people’s physiological needs, that requires sacrifices is regarded as “unrealistic mysticism”. In considering any problem, any matter, young people invariably ask the same question: What will I get from it?” They want to see the immediate results of every act, as quickly as possible and – of course – in a tangible form. The ability to put one’s egoism aside, altruistic attitudes, are almost entirely disappearing. Similar results were obtained while surveying active members of youth /political/ groups. Survey questions: 1/ The aim of human life. 2/ The sense of starting up a family. 3/ The role of a woman in society. 4/ Why do I want to finish studies? 5/ The importance of work in human life. The questions were responded to by: a/ 5 University students. b/ 5 students of the Polytechnic. c/ 5 students of Schools of Commerce. d/ 10 students of various higher education institutions. e/ 10 students of vocational secondary schools. f/ 10 students of high schools. Question 1: The responses were: 3 – to obtain knowledge; 10 – to obtain position and power. 14 – to have a good life by obtaining material resources and position; 5 – to accumulate as many emotional experiences as possible; 3 – to establish one’s own enterprise; 1 – love; 7 – no precise objective; and only 1 – reaching perfection through good deeds, 1 – reaching perfection and happiness. Question 2: /37 people responded/ Only one response was: “Striving to perfection through mutual upbringing”. The remaining respondents saw the sense in starting up a family either in providing the married coupe with good conditions of work and existence – 8, or in fulfilling one’s “natural rights” in marriage – 29. Question 3: 4 respondents: “Identical as that of a man”; 30 – the role of wife and mother; 3 – a companion in man’s life; 10 – no answer at all. Question 4: 29 responses: getting a professional position; 5 – gaining knowledge and position; 3 – gaining knowledge; - 3 – to have broader horizons and to elevate one’s intellectual level; 5 – no precise objective. Question 5: