Władysławas wielhorskis (1885–1967) – istorikas, politologas, visuomenės veikėjas
Władysław Wielhorski (1885–1967) – Historian, Political Scientist And Public Figure

Summary/Abstract: The paper introduces the reader to life and work of Władysław Wielhorski – Polish historian, political scientist, researcher of Lithuanian history and culture, and director of the School of Political Sciences in Vilnius. During the First World War, he lived in Balčiai (Samogitia), in 1921–1924 – in Kaunas and in 1924–1940 – in Vilnius. While residing in Kaunas, he was an active member of the Polish community. He frequently commented on the anti-Polish policy undertaken by the Lithuanian government and therefore was forced to leave Lithuania in 1924. Once he moved to Vilnius, Wielhorski defended his habilitation thesis at the Stefan Batory University. During 1931–1939, he was the appointed head of the School of Political Sciences. In 1935–1939, he was a member of Sejm of Poland. Wielhorski’s activities in Vilnius were interrupted with the outbreak of WW2. At the end of 1939, he lost his job and soon was arrested by the Soviet regime and imprisoned in Vilnius. In 1941, he was deported to Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod), soon released from prison and began working at the Polish representation in Kuibyshev (now Samara). In 1942, he moved to England and worked for various institutions and organisations of Polish Diaspora. During his emigration, Wielhorski continued to research Lithuanian history and culture as well as relations between Lithuania and Poland. In 1947, he published a monograph on the history of Lithuanian–Polish relations and later he authored a study on the influence of Lithuanians, Poles and Byelorussians on the culture of the Lithuanian Grand Duchy. The study was published in the scientific journal of Polish Diaspora “Alma Mater Vilnensis”. These publications contributed to dissemination of knowledge about Lithuania and provided students of the University of Polish Diaspora with better understanding of the history and culture of their homeland.

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