M. B. B. Biskupski holds the S. A. Blejwas Endowed Chair in Polish History at Central Connecticut State University, USA.

Preface

Introduction

1 The Formative Years, 1888-1914

2 The World War, 1914-1918

3 From Europe to Mexico

4 "I got religion"

5 The War Begins

6 First Steps towards Federation: the Czech Frustration

7 A Wider Federation

8 Retinger and Polish-Soviet Relations

9 The Collapse of Poland's International Position

10 Retinger's Most Controversial Episode: the Mission to Poland, 1944

11 "In twenty years Europe will be united, together with Poland." Retinger and the Federal Movement in European History

12 Retinger and the Building of a United Europe

13 The Congress of Europe, 1948

14 The Bilderbergs

15 Conclusions

Bibliography

The New York Times said of Józef Hieronim Retinger that he was on intimate terms with most leading statesmen of the Western World, including presidents of the United States. He has been repeatedly acknowledged as one of the principle architects of the movement for European unity after the World War II, and one of the outstanding creative political influences of the post war period. He has also been credited with being the dark master behind the so-called "Bilderberg Group," described variously as an organization of idealistic internationalists, and a malevolent global conspiracy.
Before that, Retinger involved himself in intelligence activities during World War II and, given the covert and semi-covert nature of many of his activities, it is little wonder that no biography has appeared about him. This book draws on a broad range of international archives to rectify that.