Italy–Poland relations


Italy–Poland relations are cultural and political relations between Italy and Poland. Due to strong connections between both, such as the Roman Catholic religion and historical similarities, many referred the relationship as Polish–Italian brotherhood.

Comparison

Historical and cultural relations

Middle ages

, member of the powerful Milanese House of Sforza, in 1518 became the second wife of Sigismund I the Old. Planning to give the Jagiello family financial independence, she succeeded in taking over the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1536-1546. She is also commonly credited with the introduction of salads and vegetables in Polish cuisine.
Renaissance in Poland started spreading in the 15th and 16th century. This was a result of Italian artists, merchants and thinkers who had come to Poland since the late 15th. Most of them came to Kraków, the Polish capital until 1611. Polish scientists and poets studied in Italy: Nicolaus Copernicus in Bologna, Witelo, Jan Kochanowski and Klemens Janicki at the University of Padua. Bernardo Morando designed Zamość, Tomaszów Lubelski and a number of buildings.

18th century

, known in Poland and Germany as Canaletto was a Venetian painter who painted 26 views of Warsaw, which were used in rebuilding the city after its near-complete destruction by German troops during World War II. Giacomo Casanova visited Poland in 1766, later Alessandro Cagliostro arrived.
Antonio Corazzi was an Italian architect who designed a number of buildings in Warsaw, including Staszic Palace and Teatr Wielki.

19th century

In the Napoleonic period, many Polish soldiers, officers and volunteers therefore emigrated, especially to Italy and to France, forming the Polish Legions, considered a Polish army in exile, under French command. Their Polish commanders included Jan Henryk Dąbrowski, Karol Kniaziewicz, Józef Wybicki and Antoni Amilkar Kosiński. It was then that the future Polish national anthem, Mazurek Dąbrowskiego, was created by Józef Wybicki, with words promising 'the return of the Polish army from Italy to Poland'. In tribute, the Italian anthem, Il Canto degli Italiani, mentioned about the Polish sacrifice against Austrian and Russian oppressions on Poles, "il sangue Polacco".
Parts of today's Poland and Italy belonged for long time to Austria-Hungary, being subject to the Crown of Saint Stephan. The Imperial Royal Austrian State Railways allowed to travel between Kraków and Trieste.
The Mickiewicz's Legion was a military unit formed in 1848 in Rome by one of the most notable Polish poets, Adam Mickiewicz, to take part in the liberation of Italy after the failure of the Greater Poland Uprising of 1848. After unsuccessfully pleading Pope Pius IX for support, Mickiewicz was joined in Milan by a military detachment of Polish emigrants, led by Mikolaj Kaminski. Growing to 120 members by June, the legion, commanded by Kaminski, engaged in several battles. They fought alongside others in Lombardy and on barricades of Genoa against the royalists, in the defence of the Roman Republic.
The Garibaldi Legion was a unit of Italian volunteers who fought for Polish independence in the January Uprising of 1863. The unit was named after the Italian revolutionary and nationalist Giuseppe Garibaldi, organized in Italy by his son Menotti Garibaldi and led by the general Francesco Nullo. Nullo arrived in Kraków from Italy in April 1863. The unit's first battle in Poland was at Podłęże on May 3, 1863 where it defeated a Russian force. Subsequently, it took part in the Battle of Krzykawka, where along with the French organized Zouaves of Death it suffered heavy casualties; Nullo was killed and his adjutant mortally wounded and died several days later. Francesco Nullo is considered an independence hero in both Italy and Poland.

20th century

In 1918, Italy was the first country in Europe to recognise Poland’s sovereignty. The Italian anthem and the Polish anthem bear mutual historical references, a unicum in the history of National anthems in the world.
Polish II Corps participated in the Italian Campaign. 11,379 men died, many of them buried at the Monte Cassino Polish War Cemetery or at Casamassima. Meanwhile, despite little contact between Italians and Poles throughout the war, the Italian Army was believed to be among the nicest toward Poles, and had never treated Poles brutal like the German counterparts. A group of Italian soldiers had even disobeyed from continue fighting, leading to mass executions of Italian soldiers in Poland, and this action has become a living symbol of strong Italian–Polish friendship.
, a Polish bugler plays the Hejnał mariacki, announcing the victory
Polish writer Gustaw Herling-Grudziński settled in Naples, where he married Lidia, a daughter of the philosopher Benedetto Croce. He also wrote for the Italian "Tempo presente" run by Nicola Chiaromonte and for various dailies and periodicals. His book A World Apart: Imprisonment in a Soviet Labor Camp During World War II was published in Italy only in 1958. Polish journal Kultura was originally published in Rome. Polish writer Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz has written several texts about Italy, among others a book "Italian Novellas" and libretto of King Roger, an opera by Karol Szymanowski.
Polish-Italian 1946 movie Wielka droga was the only uncensored Polish movie until 1989.
Polish comedy "Giuseppe in Warsaw" presents adventures of an Italian soldier in Nazi occupied Warsaw.
Polski Fiat was a Polish car brand. Fiat 508 was produced in Poland since 1932, Polski Fiat 125p since 1967, later also Fiat 126 and others. Lancia Ypsilon will be produced in Tychy.
In June–December 1966, Italian and Polish diplomats bore a joint effort to reach a compromise solution to the Vietnam War, thanks to the Italian ambassador in Saigon, Giovanni D'Orlandi, and his Polish counterpart, Janusz Lewandowski, in the so-called Operation Marigold. The Marigold peace efforts were supported by the Italian foreign minister Amintore Fanfani. The final compromise reached between D'Orlandi and Lewandowski in September included: free elections under international control before 2 years; a South Vietnam government including representatives of the extreme parts, and keeping to a policy of neutrality; a final withdrawal of the American troops. The peace efforts were halted by the reprise of the American bombing over Hanoi on 2 and 4 December 1966.
In 1978, the Pole Karol Wojtyla was elected as Catholic Pope, the first non-Italian pope since the 16th century.
Italian singers Farida, Drupi, Marco Antonelli, In-Grid have been popular in Poland, sometimes more than in Italy. Polish songwriter and singer Czesław Niemen performed in Italy in 1969 and 1970 participating in Cantagiro and producing several singles in Italian, e.g. "Arcobaleno".
is a Polish-Italian movie directed by Renzo Martinelli about the Battle of Vienna.

21st century

In 2003, both countries supported the Invasion of Iraq by a US-led coalition. Poland took part in the invasion operations, Italy only in the post-invasion occupation of Iraq.
In 2019, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini arrived in Warsaw to discuss a political alliance between the two nations ahead of the upcoming 2019 European Parliament election. This idea was met with "satisfaction" from Jarosław Kaczyński, Poland's ruling party leader.

Current foreign relations

List of Italian Ambassadors in Poland

Polish city/townItalian city/town
Andrychów, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Priverno, Lazio
Augustów, Podlaskie Voivodeship Porto Ceresio, Lombardy
Białogard, West Pomeranian Voivodeship Albano Laziale, Lazio
Bolesławiec, Lower Silesian Voivodeship Acuto, Lazio
Bydgoszcz, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Reggio Emilia, Emilia Romagna
Chojna, West Pomeranian Voivodeship Bellagio, Lombardy
Chorzów, Silesian Voivodeship Termoli, Molise
Czechowice-Dziedzice, Silesian Voivodeship Cortona, Tuscany
Częstochowa, Silesian Voivodeship Loreto, Marche
Dąbrowa Górnicza, Silesian Voivodeship Bergamo, Lombardy
Długołęka, Lower Silesian Voivodeship Fossano, Piedmont
Gdańsk, Pomeranian Voivodeship Palermo, Sicily
Gniezno, Greater Poland Voivodeship Anagni, Lazio
Gorzów Wielkopolski, Lubusz Voivodeship Teramo, Abruzzo
Gorzów Wielkopolski, Lubusz Voivodeship Cava de' Tirreni, Campania
Jawor, Lower Silesian Voivodeship Roseto degli Abruzzi, Abruzzo
Jelenia Góra, Lower Silesian Voivodeship Cervia, Emilia Romagna
Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Bisceglie, Apulia
Kołobrzeg, West Pomeranian Voivodeship Follonica, Tuscany
Koszalin, West Pomeranian Voivodeship Albano Laziale, Lazio
Kraków, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Rome, Lazio
Kraków, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Milan, Lombardy
Kraków, Lesser Poland Voivodesip Florence, Tuscany
Krosno, Subcarpathian Voivodeship Gualdo Tadino, Umbria
Łęczna, Lublin Voivodeship Treviolo, Lombardy
Łowicz, Łódź Voivodeship Saluzzo, Piedmont
Malbork, Pomeranian Voivodeship Offagna, Marche
Olkusz, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Bergamo, Lombardy
Opole, Opole Voivodeship Carrara, Tuscany
Ostrów Mazowiecka, Mazovian Voivodeship Brembate di Sopra, Lombardy
Ostrów Wielkopolski, Greater Poland Voivodeship Lecce, Apulia
Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, Holy Cross Voivodeship Pineto, Abruzzo
Oświęcim, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Arezzo, Tuscany
Oświęcim County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Catania, Sicily
Piotrków Trybunalski, Łódź Voivodeship Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Płock, Mazovian Voivodeship Forlì, Emilia Romagna
Prudnik, Opole Voivodeship San Giustino, Umbria
Ruda Śląska, Silesian Voivodeship Vibo Valentia, Calabria
Sandomierz, Holy Cross Voivodeship Volterra, Tuscany
Skawina, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Civitanova Marche, Marche
Sławno, West Pomeranian Voivodship Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige
Słupsk, Pomeranian Voivodeship Bari, Apulia
Szamotuły, Greater Poland Voivodeship Bruneck, Trentino-Alto Adige
Szczecin, West Pomeranian Voivodeship Bari, Apulia
Tarnów, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Casalmaggiore, Lombardy
Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Łódź Voivodeship Prato, Tuscany
Tychy, Silesian Voivodeship Cassino, Lazio
Wadowice, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Assisi, Umbria
Wadowice, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Canale d'Agordo, Veneto
Wadowice, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Pietrelcina, Campania
Wałbrzych, Lower Silesian Voivodeship Foggia, Apulia
Wieliczka, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Sesto Fiorentino, Tuscany
Zduńska Wola, Łódź Voivodeship Pietrasanta, Tuscany
Zielona Góra, Lubusz Voivodeship L'Aquila, Abruzzo
Zamość, Lublin Voivodeship Cassino', Lazio