Harcerska służba dziecku w latach 1939–1944 w Lublinie
Scouting Service to Children’s Aid in 1939–1944 in Lublin

Summary/Abstract: The article presents the work of Girl Scouts in aid of children in Lublin in the years 1939–1944. Caring for children was one of the scouting commitments which stemmed from the organization’s mission, under- stood as helping others, especially in the face of war. Taking up the topic of scouting service in children’s aid helps to draw attention to the aspect of supporting the civilians by the scouting community, which re- mained mostly in the shadow of more spectacular military service and was important for the protection of the life, health and psyche of the youngest victims of war. The analysis of the problem was based on the accounts of Lublin Girl Scouts, written down for the purpose of preserving the memory of the war events. The memoirs deposited in the KUL Library become a part- ly-modified elements of the studies on history of Lublin’s female scouts. After verifying the content of the printed messages with the unpublished version, the article recreates in a problem-chronological arrangement the participation of Girl Scouts in childcare in the years 1939–1944 in the form of interim, institutional and commemorative help. In the obtained image of scouting service for children, both a scheme of planned actions in case of war, as well as a number of unique solutions caused by the needs of the moment were identified. These are testimo- ny to the scouts’ dedication, which can inspire the continuation of the scouting spirit to face the challenges of the present day.

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