Asymmetry of warfare, or more often asymmetric warfare, is an issue often referred to in descriptions of contemporary political and military relations affecting the state. It is even presented as an entity threatened by these hostilities. Meanwhile, these acts are a form of an armed conflict in which opposing sides have different military potentials. One of the potentials is the power of the state. We must wonder then how the state uses it. Is it not an entity who uses it in a way disproportionate to the situation of conflict? The paper argues that a contemporary state is not without sin and it is not just that it is not able to protect its interests from asymmetric threats. Warfare still is, which many forget, the basis for hostilities (war). In the author’s understanding (erroneous perhaps?) asymmetry does not only occur at the level of war, but it also happens in its key dimension – warfare. It has emerged not only through the change in the status of the fighting party, but also through the time of warfare and using the warfare terrain.

The halved heroism: some reflections on autobiographism in Mario Rigoni Stern’s Il sergente nella neve

this article aims to analyse the image that the writer Mario Rigoni Stern wants to give of himself as a soldier abandoned to his fate during the disastrous Russian campaign of 1942-1943. Hence, this paper begins by mentioning the importance of autobiographism in neorealist literature after World War II. In the first part of the article, works by Paul Ricœur, Philippe Lejeune, Ivan tassi, and Maria Anna Mariani will be considered in order to emphasise that, in autobiographical books, the writer “builds”, “transforms”, his or her own image according to a specific ideology. Following this premise, the analysis of Il sergente nella neve, according to the contemporary theories of autobiography, aims to highlight the image that the writer wants to give of himself as a soldier, an image simultaneously humanised and heroised. In fact, in his own humanity, Rigoni Stern’s hero tragically takes on an epic dimension. thus, it can be concluded that the inhuman effort of a man who is leftalone in front of a hostile nature and a powerful enemy creates a new example of the epic hero. Furthermore, the self-image modelled in this text is presented as an individual who is fighting not only for his own survival, but also for the survival of his companions. He is a leader to follow and a reference point, a soldier who does not fight for a political cause, but for greater values, like friendship, love, or honour.

By sabre, pen and... stethoscope! Gen. Stefan Hubicki in the border war for Second Polish Republic in the years 1918–1920

The results of historical research sometimes need updating – especially if some valuable new historical resources turn up. This is often the case of 20th century history, where iconographic materials are important, which are being gradually submitted for publication by families. This way valuable information can be revealed about, for example, the hero of this article. Stefan Hubicki is an extremely interesting person – a soldier by choice, a publicist by temper, a doctor by profession. He was a versatilely gifted, openminded man, descended from a family of strong independence traditions. It was at the beginning of 20th century when he was imprisoned by tsarism for subversive activity. During the Great War in the Russian army and later in Polish military formations, he employed all his talents to the effort of rebuilding the independent Polish Republic. He was fighting as a soldier, then as a French intelligence agent in Bolshevik Russia, then working as a publicist and politician in Polish National Committee in Paris. Since spring 1919, back in Poland, in frontlines of border wars he helped soldiers as the chief of sanitary service. For his service he received the highest military medal of honour Virtuti Militari. In meantime his personal life rolled on in the background – highly complicated, because he was in danger of being convicted for bigamy. He was a colourful person, rising above the limitations of his era. Despite of his inconspicuous looks and average height he possessed a leadership charisma.