Lenkų švietimas Rytų ir Pietryčių Lietuvoje: 1944 m. antra pusė–1947 m.
Education of the Poles in Eastern and Southeastern Lithuania: 1944 (the second half)–1947

Summary/Abstract: The article discusses the Polish educational situation in Eastern and Southeastern Lithuania in 1944–1947, reveals the attitudes of the Soviet power, of anti-Soviet and pro- Soviet Polish organizations towards the establishment and functioning of Polish schools as well as focuses on the factors which significantly influenced changes in this education. One of the major factors was the emigration of the Poles to Poland in 1944 – 1947; the emigration radically affected the Polish education as it altered school network, school structure and caused lack of teaching personnel; this situation, in its turn, facilitated the sovietization of this region. The author of the article draws the following conclusions: In 1944 – 1947, in Eastern and Southeastern Lithuania the Soviet power, with the aim to sovietize the Poles, local inhabitants of this region, facilitated the functioning of schools in which the language of instruction was Polish. The number of such schools alternated from 213 (in 1944) to 197 (1947). The main factor which brought about the essential changes in the education of the Poles was the emigration of the Poles to their homeland in 1944 – 1947; consequently, this process caused radical ethnic-demographic changes in the region. About 180 thousand people left for Poland, 20% of which were children and youths. About 1,300 Polish teachers, most of whom were qualified specialists, also emigrated to Poland. As a result, in Vilnius and surrounding districts the Polish school network had to be reorganized. The most drastic changes were felt in Vilnius, where, in the course of several years, the number of Russian schools (from four in 1944 to eleven in 1947) and mixed schools (from one to six) increased. Polish schools faced disastrous and long-term consequences because of the lack of qualified Polish teachers who emigrated – in most of schools the level of education markedly decreased while in others pupils were devoid of a possibility to be taught in their native tongue. Many teachers and students from Polish schools were under surveillance of the Soviet KGB because of their anti-Soviet activities or close relationships with Catholic priests. This was strongly felt in Vilnius schools, especially in the Polish Gymnasium, which was considered to be the centre of nationalism. Unfortunately, manifestations of nationalism were suppressed through personnel policy and repressive measures.

• Details
• Contents