Działalność oświatowa polskich towarzystw na Górnym Śląsku na przełomie XIX i XX stulecia
The Educational Activity of Polish Societies in Upper Silesia at the Turn of the 19th and the 20th Centuries

Summary/Abstract: At the turn of the 19th and the 20th centuries in Upper Silesia, the development of Polish organizations began. The Polish-speaking population inhabiting the region were deprived of the possibility of being educated in their mother tongue. Therefore, the socio-cultural organizations undertook actions to compensate for the lack of Polish schools, as well as ones which were meant to revive the feeling of national belonging among the native inhabitants of the region. In the period between 1899 and 1914 there were over 200 of them and their main objective was to defend and preserve the Polish character in the areas inhabited by the Polish-speaking population. It was realized through popularizing knowledge and inspiring various forms of cultural and educational work. The particularly popular actions comprised lectures, which were run by all the Polish organizations, as well as courses of the Polish language. Attention should also be paid to the concern for the development of readership among the Polish population, which manifested itself in setting up Polish libraries in various places of Opole Silesia. The young preferred to take part in activities of amateur theatres which – in the winter season – staged different plays. Excursions to Krakow and Częstochowa were organized, while community parties were held during the carnival season and in this way German influences were opposed. The article presents some of the organizations and forms of their cultural and educational work.

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