Abstract
According to the semiotic approach to culture adopted by the author, the nation should be distinguished not only from the state and society but from national culture as well, even though the nation is a community of shared values and symbols. The symbolic culture encoded in enduring means of communication can transgress political and national frontiers. Its elements may be evaluated in part irrespective of the relations and attitudes to the national source of their origin.
The neighbourhood of nations gives rise to numerous conflicts of interest. The history of Germany and Poland serves as an example of this. However, even violent practical conflicts do not preclude the transmission of the symbolic culture beyond national frontiers. This is illustrated by the example of the attitudes of Polish intellectuals toward German culture during the last war. Results of opinion polls are also discussed. The author concludes that a symbolic culture cannot resolve practical conflicts of interests nor remove fears originating in such conflicts, but its influence can prevent the totalisation of conflicts and open a way to mutual understanding.
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