[lbo-talk] "Hetmen"

[Peter Lavelle]

The best description of a "Hetman" can be found in
Czeslaw Milosz's book the "Captive Mind." The book is
a Cold War icon. I took a class with him. He said to
me once, "Peter, your Polish language skills are
great, but you don't like Polish poetry, do you?" I
replied, "I am not smart enough to understand your
poems. I do understand your "Hetman" concept, though."
He laughed and said, "Finally a young American who
understands the deadend of state socialism."

I lived in fear of the man. I said that it must be a
great honor to be Noble Prize winner. He agreed, "I
get my own special parking space here at Cal for it -
better than the prize itself!"    

 

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