Jarosław Rubacha
Prace Historyczne, Numer 150 (2), 2023, s. 263 - 281
https://doi.org/10.4467/20844069PH.23.016.17953The Balkan Front of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 in the publications of the Warsaw daily “Kurjer Warszawski”
The Russo-Turkish war of 1877–1878 is an important element of the international relations in the 19th century, which not only constituted the rivalry between great powers to expand or secure spheres of influence, but also brought about a significant transformation of the political map of the European continent in its south-eastern part. The war, waged under the banner of the “cross against the crescent” slogan, was perceived with optimism by the Balkan nations experiencing Turkish rule, nevertheless they interpreted the Berlin Treaty ending this conflict as an attempt to limit their national goals. These issues, important from the point of view of European politics, were closely followed by the only mass medium of the time – the press. One of the newspapers that commented on the war in the Balkans was the daily newspaper “Kurjer Warszawski” that was being published in Warsaw from 1821, whose editors did not limit themselves to presenting agency reports, but also made successful attempts to critically analyze the situation at that time. Therefore, the newspaper appears to us as an interesting source of information about the events taking place in the Balkans.
Jarosław Rubacha
Prace Historyczne, Numer 147 (2), 2020, s. 435 - 449
https://doi.org/10.4467/20844069PH.20.024.12478Last act of political cooperation of Slavs on the Balkans. Balkan alliance, 1912
The deep changes on the political map of the Balkan Peninsula, which followed after the Congress of Berlin in 1878, opened a new chapter in the relations between the nations inhabiting this region. Although the arbitrary decisions taken by the great powers increased the rivalry between the Balkan Slavs, the fact that most of the European territory of Turkey had been left within its borders undoubtedly encouraged the Bulgarians, Serbs, Montenegrins and Greeks to take measures aimed at mutual rapprochement and finding the ultimate solution to the so-called Turkish issue. Despite numerous problems, these ideas were implemented in 1912, through creating the Balkan League, but as it soon turned out, it was the last act of political cooperation between the Slav nations in Southeastern Europe.