Introduction: Migratory Streams in Europe and Poland

In this chapter, the author provides a brief history of the main migratory streams across Poland and Europe in general since the second half of the nineteenth century. In the last 150 years, there have been at least four intensive return migration streams to Poland: the homecoming of Polish peasants from the USA between the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth century, as depicted by Florian Znaniecki and William Thomas ([1920–1922] 1976). These returns were mainly conservative in character (a homecoming to the migrant’s village of origin). “returns of longing” from the USA after the First World War, when Poland gained independence from three occupiers (Russia, Germany, and the Austro-Hungarian empire). The returns were motivated by the patriotic desire to rebuild the independent country. “Ideological returns” from France and other European countries after the Second World War, motivated by a desire to support the communist regime in Poland. Post-accession returns, which took place in the last decade and involved those who migrated after Poland’s accession to the EU in 2004.