This week, in a reversal of roles, Notes from Poland editor-at-large Stanley Bill is in the podcast hot seat, speaking about the life and politics of Lech and Jarosław Kaczyński in an interview with Tom Leeman, a researcher based in London. This conversation was recorded jointly with Leeman’s podcast, The Hated and the Dead, which features discussions of the most influential contemporary political figures from across the world. Recent episodes cover Angela Merkel, Viktor Orban, Xi Jinping,...

This week, Notes from Poland editor-at-large Stanley Bill talks about the Polish government's war reparations claims of approximately $1.3 trillion against Germany with Arkadiusz Mularczyk, an MP from ruling party PiS and chair of the Parliamentary Group for the Estimation of the Amount of Compensation due to Poland from Germany for Damage Caused during the Second World War. They discuss the substance and politics of the compensation claims, Germany’s response, controversy over Jewish...

This week, Notes from Poland editor-at-large Stanley Bill talks with Paweł Jabłoński, Poland's deputy foreign minister, about Russia's war on Ukraine and its ramifications for Poland. They discuss what Poland is currently doing to help Ukraine, a new proposal to send NATO peacekeepers into the embattled country, energy sanctions, and the unfolding refugee crisis. Also take a look at our previous interview with the deputy foreign minister on the conflict between Poland and the EU over rule of...

This week, in a special episode, Notes from Poland editor-at-large Stanley Bill talks to internationally-acclaimed film director and screenwriter Agnieszka Holland. They discuss the role of art in times of crisis, the burdens of history and politics, and Holland's cosmopolitan experience working in different countries and languages. The conversation originally took place as a live online event as part of the XV Congress of Polish Student Societies in the UK, of which Notes from Poland is a...

This week, Notes from Poland editor-at-large Stanley Bill talks with John Scott-Railton, senior researcher at Toronto-based Citizen Lab, whose work has recently uncovered the use of spyware to hack the phones of individuals connected with Poland’s opposition. They discuss the details of Citizen Lab's key findings, how the team does its work, and what it might mean for Polish democracy and the fairness of elections. Also check out our previous podcast about the migrant crisis on Poland's...

This week, Notes from Poland editor-at-large Stanley Bill talks with Mateusz Wodziński, a Polish citizen reporting on the current migration crisis from his home inside the restricted zone on Poland’s border with Belarus. They discuss what the crisis looks like on the ground, the challenges faced by migrants in the forest, the state of emergency declared by Poland's government, and the danger of a humanitarian disaster. Mateusz Wodziński, known on social media as Exen, is a wildlife...

This week, Notes from Poland editor-at-large Stanley Bill talks with journalist and political commentator Marcin Makowski about the latest developments in Polish politics. They discuss Poland’s continuing confrontation with the European Union over rule of law, the internal machinations of the ruling coalition, and Donald Tusk’s effect on the opposition. Marcin Makowski is a journalist and opinion writer for Wirtualna Polska, and a commentator appearing regularly on TVN24 and other outlets in...

This week, Notes from Poland editor-at-large Stanley Bill talks with legal expert Anna Wójcik about Poland’s ongoing conflict with the European Union. They discuss the latest controversies over rule of law in Poland, the possibility of punitive action from the European Commission, and the chances of Polexit. Anna Wójcik is a researcher at the Institute of Legal Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, and also a co-founder and editor of the website “ruleoflaw.pl”. Also check out...

This week, in a reversal of roles, Notes from Poland editor-at-large Stanley Bill is in the podcast hot seat, giving a range of his own perspectives on Polish politics in an interview with Fabian Eiden, based in Heidelberg, Germany. The conversation was recorded for the Committee on Constitutional affairs of the 93rd International Session of the European Youth Parliament, taking place this July in Warsaw. Stanley Bill agreed to give his views for the delegates on the state of Polish...

This week, Notes from Poland editor-at-large Stanley Bill talks with one of the leaders of the Civic Coalition, Barbara Nowacka, about the current crisis of Poland's opposition. They discuss the troubles of the Civic Coalition, conflict with the Left, the government’s post-pandemic recovery plan, and the fate of the Women’s Strike. Also check out our previous interview with deputy foreign minister Paweł Jabłoński on rule of law. Producer: Sebastian Leśniewski Support the show...

In the sixth part of our Brief History of Poland series, Notes from Poland editor-at-large Stanley Bill looks at the eighteenth-century decline and fall of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, covering the period between 1697 and 1795. He examines the Saxon kings, the descent into political disorder, the Enlightenment and reform, Hasidic Judaism, the Constitution of the Third of May, and the three partitions that wiped the Commonwealth from the map of Europe. The Brief History of Poland series...

The fifth episode of our history series looks at Polish-Russian wars, Sarmatian culture, uprising in Ukraine, and conflict with the Turks.

Stanley Bill talks to former Polish finance minister Leszek Balcerowicz about PiS's social spending, rule of law, and the opposition.

he fourth episode of our history series looks at the last Jagiellonian kings, religious diversity and tolerance, and the Polish Renaissance.

Stanley Bill talks with Poland's deputy foreign minister Paweł Jabłoński about controversies over rule of law and the EU budget.

Stanley Bill talks with feminist activist Agnieszka Graff about the mass protests against the recent abortion ruling in Poland.

Stanley Bill talks to political scientist Ben Stanley about the recent crisis in Poland's ruling coalition and the government reshuffle.

Stanley Bill talks to Agnieszka Romaszewska-Guzy, head of Belsat TV, about the Belarusian protests, Poland's interests, and Russian intervention.

The third episode of our history series examines the Jagiellonian dynasty, the Polish-Lithuanian union, and the growing freedom of the nobility.

Stanley Bill talks to political scientist Ben Stanley about the candidates' prospects, the controversies, and the scenarios for after the election.

This week, Notes from Poland editor-at-large Stanley Bill talks to Ben Stanley, an expert on Polish politics based in Warsaw, about the upcoming presidential electionsThey discuss the prospects of the two front runners, the controversies over "LGBT...

The second episode of our history series examines medieval Poland, the Teutonic Knights, the reign of Kazimierz the Great, and the oldest known Polish song.

In the latest Notes from Poland podcast, our editor-at-large Stanley Bill talks to contributing writer Juliette Bretan, who is an expert on Polish popular culture of the 1920s and 1930s.They discuss the music, cinema, stars and broader history of the...

This week, Notes from Poland editor-at-large Stanley Bill talks to Marcin Makowski, journalist at Do Rzeczy weekly magazine and the Wirtualna Polska online news portal. They discuss the controversies over Poland's upcoming presidential elections amid...