The document summarizes the 2010 plane crash that killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski and many other prominent Polish officials. There was widespread speculation that Russia was involved in causing the crash. The crash had major political repercussions for Poland, including Lech's identical twin brother Jaroslaw winning elections and leading Poland in a more nationalist direction that is at odds with the European Union. The crash exacerbated Polish-Russian tensions and influenced Poland's future political course.

1. 2010 both welcomed and parted politicians. Wisconsin welcomed the
current governor, Scott Walker while Poland bereaved for their beloved president,
Lech Kaczynski. April 10th was the day that aerial visibility was inadequate, causing
ninety-six prominent members of government and military to crash meters shy of
the runway. The plane crash signifies more than just fatality, but the geopolitical and
societal repercussions stemming from it. These factors make it a crucial historical
event that has reshaped the Polish psyche (NPR, 2016).
Lech Kaczynski was flying to commemorate 22,000 lives that were taken by
the Katyn Massacre, in which Soviet secret police slaughtered Polish military
officials, lawyers, professors and priests (The Daily Beast, 2014). The crash sparked
immediate and widespread accusations. Headlines read: “Did Putin Blow Up the
Whole Polish Government in 2010?” while others read, “Will Poland ever uncover
the truth about the plane crash that killed its president?” These headlines are far
from innocuous remarks. It shook not only Poland but also surrounding nations as
the powerful Warsaw party went from living, to legacies. The presidential couple
was in fact, buried in the crypt of the Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow, a sacred place
reserved for royalty (Dorota Szeligowska, 2014).
The plane crash is congested with complexity. To dilute the density, the first
angle to approach is time. Two years preceding the crash, Lech publically verbalized
that Russian aggression in Georgia needed to cease. He remarked, “We are here to
take up the fight,” because his party fully knew that once Russia invaded Georgia, it
would move into Ukraine, the Baltics and possibly Poland (NPR.org, 2016). At that
point, Polish-Russian relations were abysmally low. By 2010, relations had warmed
causing 2010 to be flooded with concern and conjecture, would relations tighten
once again?
First of all, the plane crash was supposed to be a “forgive and forget” moment
for Poland and Russia. The commemoration signified the partial amends that Russia
made regarding the Hitler-Stalin Pact, however when the Russian-made airplane
went up in flames so did Polish-Russian relations. Unfortunately, the speech that
was contingent upon safe landing in Russia would include an exhortation to “work
for the sake of healing the Katyn wound,” and a recognition that “we, the Poles,
appreciate Russian activities in recent years” (Adam Easton, 2010). However,
needless to the say the plan plunged to smoke. In which, some equate with 9/11,
and the similar responses it yielded.
Past events perturbed Poland, producing a need for a morale booster. Poland
has experienced a history so invasive, subjugated, and diabolical, of course they
longed for the truth behind the crash. Was it deliberate, an act of terrorism?
However, rather than perpetually mourning, the public surprisingly responded with
“community, national identity, and above all, patriotism” (Adam Easton, 2010).
Again, aligning it with the 9/11 response. Although the nation was unified, one man

2. stood alone, and shaded in the color of black. Jaroslaw. He is the identical twin of
past president Lech.
Jaroslaw is another result of the crash. Polish reporters question, “Will
Poland Be the Next Chapter in the Political Crisis Plaguing Europe?” The Law and
Justice Party, in which Jaroslaw leads, won both presidential and parliamentary
elections. Skeptics believe this political act is what will destabilize Poland, but also,
“send shockwaves throughout the European Union as a whole” (Eric Frey, 2015).
Eric Frey, an Austrian political scientist recognizes that the core values that
the Law and Justice Party (PiS) has, is drastically out of alignment with the EU. The
PiS functions to preserve and protect the special values’ of Poland (Frey, 2015).
Gazeta Wyborcza, a respected journalist believes the party would put Poland in a
“Putin-style state”(The Guardian, 2014). With the Law and Justice Government
leaning away from Europe, it has been theorized that Poland-Russian relations will
begin to simmer again. Relations based on the thinking “nationalistic, xenophobic
and anti-liberal is the way forward (The Guardian, 2016).
This present day regression will directly exacerbate political relations, trade
agreements, and humanitarian efforts. Poland is sealing itself off from the EU, from
receiving refugees, and from trade with Russia. These responses partly if not wholly
are the result of the loss of a twin. With the death, came a frenzy of national identity,
tangled with distinct political ideologies. It makes one ponder, what is the future of
Poland? Time will tell, but partly by the identical twin of the lost Lech.

3. References
Cathcart, W. (April, 2014). Did Putin Blow UP the Whole Polish Government in 2010?
A Second Look. Http://www.thedailybeast.com
Domonoske, C. (February, 2016). A Tale of Twin Brothers: Poland’s Mourned Leader
And Lonely Mastermind. Http://www.npr.org
Easton, Adam. (April, 2010). Russia-Poland thaw grows from tragedy.
http://news.bbc.co.ukk
Radwanski, W. (December, 2015). Will Poland Be the Next Chapter in the Political
Crisis Plaguing Europe? http://sptnkne.ws/au9P
Szeligowska, D. (2014). Patriotism in Mourning. East European Politics & Societies,
28(3), 487-517. doi:10.1177/0888325414536609
Smith, A.D. (February, 2016) Will Poland ever uncover the truth about the plane crash
that killed its president? http://theguardian.com
BBC News. (April 2010). Polish President Lech Kaczynski dies in a plane crash.
http://bbc.co.uk