Briefly on Esperanto

To understand circumstances and conditions under which Esperanto begun, one ought to know some of the history of Poland – the country and cultural background of Esperanto one need to know the most terrible to Poland times when birth of Esperanto had its place. Only then one can start to understand why it took seed so easily, mainly amongst the multi-religious, multicultural population of the occupied Polish Commonwealth.

Poland was overpowered and occupied then by three powerful enemy forces and wiped out from the political maps of the world. In consequence, first handbook of Esperanto could not be published in the original Polish version. It was refused right of publishing until Russian was completed and published as first. Next issues were: Polish, German and French. English version came to the world some time later, as translation from the German version, published for the first time by Irish Esperantist at Ireland. Policy of Russian and Prussian Empires co-occupying Poland together with an Austrian Empire was to suppress, humiliate and downgrade on every possible manner Polish language and culture and any of their achievements.

Esperanto appeared for the first time in July 26-Th 1887 at Warsaw, capital of Poland under the title: “International Language, by Dr-Esperanto”. Author of Esperanto, genius Polish amateur linguist, doctor of Ophthalmology, kept improving it over the years until the time of publication. Dr. Ludwik Zamanhof’s religious denomination was Jewish, as was at that time about 20% of Poles. He issued his “First Manual” under an author pseudonym, Dr. Esperanto…

As the result of partitioning, Poland was wiped out from maps of the political world for some 180 years. Warsaw-Principality of Poland -under total control of Russia – was all that was left of the great Commonwealth of Poland and Lithuania. Practically it was just some form of “mock-principality” under absolute control of the ruthlessly anti-Polish, harshly persecuting Polish language and culture Tsarist Russian and Prussian governors and generals, at their parts of the partitioned country. At the third part of the partition of Poland, one of the Imperial Austria, Polish universities and schools were, for some time yet, allowed using Polish. Polish culture and language were left alone there, although, not free.

Ludwik Lazarz Zamenhof (Ludvic Lazarus Zamenhof), known in Esperanto as, Ludoviko Lazaro Zamenhof and – Doktoro Esperanto, invented Esperanto and created also basics for an Esperanto movement as its social carrier. Later he gave-up all rights to it, giving it to the Humankind. Esperanto movement forms loose worldwide federation of people who learn and use it for their own purposes. As it grew, some organizations took over the other ones, the movement grew.