From soldiers of fortune into heroes of liberty: the early trans-Atlantic mythologization of Tadeusz Kościuszko and Kazimierz Pułaski

ENThis article examines the early mythologization of two Polish volunteers who fought in the American Revolutionary War: Kazimierz Pułaski and Tadeusz Kościuszko. By analysing hitherto unexplored contemporary press materials and by using an Atlantic World framework to reassess well known archival sources, the article traces the process through which both men became trans-Atlantic mythical figures. We demonstrate that the two Polish national heroes were incorporated into the American foundation myth as paragons of early republican national values. A close analysis of the mythologization of Kościuszko and Pułaski provides valuable comparative insights into the cultural and political history of the Atlantic World during the Age of Revolution and the early nineteenth century. By centering on Poland-Lithuania in this comparative analysis, the article challenges the normally-accepted geographical contours of the Atlantic World. Keywords: Casimir Pulaski/Kazimierz Pułaski, Tadeusz Kościuszko/Thaddeus Kosciuszko, mythologization, national heroes, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, American Revolutionary War, Atlantic cultural history. [From the publication]