This book describes the Polish-French relations during the period of the Cold War, 1944-1989. It contains not only political issues, but also economic, cultural, scientific and educational relations. The text has widely focused on mutual contacts of both countries’ communist parties.

Dariusz Jarosz is Professor of History at the Institute of History of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw. He is specialized in the social history of Poland after 1945 and Poland’s relations with Western countries. Maria Pasztor is Professor at the Institute of International Relations at the University of Warsaw. She is specialized in Polish relations with Western countries (mainly France and Italy).

«La traduction en anglais de cet ouvrage, déjà considéré comme un classique en Pologne pour qui s'intéresse aux relations franco-polonaises à l'époque communiste, est bienvenue et permet à un public plus large de se familiariser avec une intéressante étude de cas de relations bilatérales entre deux pays liés par une tradition d'amitié que la guerre froide plaça de part et d'autre du rideau de fer.» (Audrey Kichelewski, Vingtième Siècle 1/2016)

Contents: The beginnings (1944-1947) – Deterioration (1948-1949) – The Apogee of Conflict (1949-1952) – Polish-French Relations and the «Thaw» (1953-1956) – Attempts to Revive Political Dialogue (1957-1964) – Poland and the French (1964-1970) – The New Opening and Détente (1970-1980) – Polish-French relations in the 1980s.