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Keywords: the Borderland World; Medieval German Mystics; Połock; Kresy; Hegels; theoretischen Philosophie
More...Keywords: the Borderland World; Medieval German Mystics; Połock; Kresy; Hegels; theoretischen Philosophie
More...Keywords: inteligencja polska;; Maciej Jankowski; Historia: globalna; powszechna; europocentryczna?; Andrzej Chwalba; Bohater; spisek; śmierć; Maria Janion; różne dyskursy śmierci; żałoba; polityka równowagi sił; dzieje Anglii; Karol Irzykowski
More...Keywords: Polish Catholic Church; Władysław Gomułka; Address of Polish Bishops of 1965; Polish People’s Republic (PRL); Licheń; Stefan Wyszyński; Oborniki
More...Keywords: modernism; novel
Although literary historians hardly ever appreciate the stage in the history of Polish literature which took place towards the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, this variation of the genre opens a new period, is an initial, preparatory phase in modern novel development.
More...Keywords: Czesław Miłosz; Czesław Miłosz’s essay “Russia"; Adam Mickiewicz; Adam Mickiewicz’s “Forefathers’ Eve Part III"; das Unheimliche
he objective of the article is an analysis of Czesław Miłosz’s essay “Russia (Rosja)” taking into consideration its most important pre-text, Adam Mickiewicz’s “Item (Ustęp)” to “Forefathers’ Eve Part III (Dziady, część III).” The starting point of Miłosz’s text is a contrastive comparison of Polish (or European) and Russian culture and mentality. The communicative situation outlined in this manner is a reflection of Polish-Russian political state of affairs at the time of the essay’s composition which can be described as a “double-bind” arrangement. The subject of the piece by Miłosz adopts in this arrangement the role of a victim, at the same time identifying itself with its national community, while Russia performs the role of an oppressor. In psychiatric descriptions of double bind the preservation of the persecutor’s negative image is necessary for the victim to retain its internal integrity. The essay’s subject is therefore trying to fulfil its role referring to negative stereotype about Russia, and in this stereotype is looking for an explanation for its own “obsession” about the country. On the other hand, Miłosz in “Russia” carries out a kind of literary psychoanalysis which offers possibilities of going beyond the uncompromising polarisation of the Poles and the Russians. Indicating the Gnostic roots of Russian culture, the poet forms bases of metadiscourse about Russia since cultural heterodoxy is by no means only Russian phenomenon. It is rather the reverse: Gnostic influences are seen in European culture with a naked eye, especially in the 20th century. As a result of this psychoanalytical process, Russia is manifest in Miłosz’s essay as an embodiment of Freud’s “the uncanny” (“das Unheimliche”). According to Sigmund Freud, “the uncanny” terrifies us not because it is alien but contrary to that, because it is a part of “our” which we have denied and for that reason it causes fear. This truth, however, is unpronounced by the essay’s subject and in Miłosz’s piece it remains somewhat hidden in the shadow of stereotypical images about Russia.
More...Keywords: tradition; modernity; Jewish community - Poland; Jewish past - Poland
The article presents transformations of the Jewish society in Polish Republic of the 2nd part of the 18th century. Jewish administrative institutions underwent evident crisis, first of all – financial, but also the one associated with decreasing authority of local administration. There appeared two new trends, the Jewish Orthodox Church and the Jewish Progressive One, striking at traditional institutions and elites. Administrative-treasury reforms made by the Parliament in 1764 brought serious changes for the Jewish population, whereas the reform of the Jews was on the agenda of political press and the subject of the Four-Year Parliament. The difficult half-century resulted in the Partition of Polish Republic, dividing the Jewish population between three neighboring countries.
More...Keywords: Klimontów; the Dominicans; archive; parish; monastery; inventory; catalogue
The parish in Klimontów (Diocese of Sandomierz) has an archive, which stores various documents concerning the history of this institution. The materials from this archive were rarely used by historians. Only the ones who dealt with regional history were interested in the above mentioned materials. A parish priest from Klimontów Wawrzyniec Kukliński (1828-1912) published the content of the most important documents in the years 1909-1911. This content was the basis for writing an amateur treatise on the history of the town, where in 1626 the parish was erected. From the beginning of the twentieth century, the documentation stored at the parish church was damaged, some materials were lost. The author therefore undertook the effort to professionally organize the archival materials that are stored in the parish of Klimontów. Two fonds: Documents of the Roman Catholic Parish in Klimontów (documents since 1626) and Parish registers of Klimontów (since 1667) are connected with the parish office. These two fonds were divided into individual archival units, mainly based on chronological criteria. Apart from the materials closely related to the activities of the parish, the archive includes an incomplete collection of the documents which belonged to the monastery of the Dominicans in Klimontów. That collection was brought to the parish archive in unclear circumstances, possibly just after the dissolution of the monastery in 1901. It is a closed fond, which includes diverse documents from the years 1418-1863. It should be noted that this fold also contains a significant number of documents relating to the salaries of the parish in Olbierzowice, the patronage of which was granted to the monastery of the Dominicans under Jan Zbigniew Ossoliński’s foundation privilege of 1613.The parish archive also includes the books which are the remnants of the once prosperous parish library.
More...Keywords: Jan Paweł Kaczkowski; Jean Paul d'Ardeschah; Polish-German cultural transfer; German-Belgian cultur transfer
The territories that were occupied during the First World War by the Central Powers are rarely described in the categories of unique spaces of cultural exchange. However, archive materials recently rendered available offer a description and research of transnational cultural mobility between the years 1914–1918. The present article presents an example of a practical realisation of the Great War global intellectual history. An illustration of it is the activity of Jan Paweł Kaczkowski (pen name Jean Paul d’Ardeschah) in the field of Polish-German and German-Belgian cultural transfer. Kaczkowski’s work served as a starting point for, first of all, the analysis of the place occupied by minor European literatures on the German book market and, second of all, to construct a general model presenting the function of literary field in the time of war.
More...Keywords: Cistercians; Ląd; monastery; dissolution; Commission of the Kalisz Province; Central Religious Authorities of the Kingdom of Poland
The end of the centuries-long history of the Cistercian Abbey in Ląd, founded around mid-12th century, was brought about by the partitions of Poland. On 30 June 1818 Pope Pius VII issued the bull Ex imposita Nobis, introducing a new diocesan division in the Congress Kingdom, thus adapting the administrative structure of the Church to that of the state and taking into account a proposal by the Government Commission for Religious Denominations and Public Enlightenment to dissolve some monasteries with their endowments in order to improve the living conditions of the secular clergy. The Archbishop of Warsaw, Franciszek Skarbek-Malczewski signed the dissolution decree on 17 April 1819. The Church retained only small estates which served as endowments for parishes and monasteries; income from the Church property taken over by the Kingdom’s treasury was the basis of the so-called General Religious Fund from which salaries of the clergy were paid, for example. The victims of the 1819 dissolution included all monastic houses of the Cistercians. Documents for the study of the Ląd Cistercians from the predissolution period and after the proclamation of the 1819 decree have been preserved in the Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw in two fonds: Central Religious Authorities of the Kingdom of Poland (CRAKP) and the Commission of the Kalisz Province (CKP). The records in the CRAKP fonds comprise three units with documents from 1819 (no. 802), 1833–1858 (no. 801) and 1835 (no. 803). The file no. 802 contains the oldest documents relating to the dissolution of the Ląd Abbey and associated directly with Primate Malczewski’s decree, including a copy of the decree. The CKP fonds comprises five volumes of records dealing with the funds of the dissolved Cistercian Monastery and Abbey in Ląd from 1810–1850. The material in question can be divided into several problem groups: 1. documents associated with the introduction of the dissolution, e.g. protocols and reports of the commissioners sent to Ląd; 2. records relating to the condition of the church and monastery buildings; 3. records relating to monastics still associated with the Ląd monastery, living there or providing their pastoral services in nearby parishes; 4. cases involving the monastery’s debtors and concerning property-secured loans, payment of commissions in arrears or recovery of sums lent. In 1850 the Ląd monastery passed to the Capuchins, an event that opened a new era in its history. However, the documents kept in the Central Archives of Historical Records and relating to that period, which ended with another dissolution, in 1864, require a separate analysis.
More...Keywords: new millennium; cardinal Stefan Wyszynski; faithfulness to God
In his teaching, apart from many other issues, Cardinal Wyszyński pointed out to the tasks facet by Poland in the new millennium, basing on the entire history of the nation and on its relationship with Triune God, Mary and Church. These facts have an effect that the nation, as a community of free citizens, and a family of the families, may fully realise its existence, vocation and mission. Therefore, the duty of the nation and the state is to take the following tasks: faithfulness to God, Cross and Gospel, being united with the Church that leads the nation into the supernatural and onto a higher level of earthly life , care over people and families, love of the Motherland - understood broadly as care over the land, culture, history and love of the motherland that shall be loved as second after God. Caring over an order in personal and social life, facing threats, weaknesses and sin and being led by the teaching of the Gospel and of the Vatican II in building a new order. If Poland bases its future on these values, as was the case for over a thousand years starting from the baptism of Poland, we will be able to look at the future with hope.
More...Founding schools in the Polish lands under the rule of Tsarist Russia (1895– 1912) was restricted. The first secondary school in Czestochowa was established in 1862 during a temporary period of political thaw. This period occurred during the administration of Alexander Wielopolski – Pole who held the position of the governor during the reign of Tsar Alexander II. Defeat of the Poles in the January Insurrection (1863/1864) caused an increased Russians’ repressions. In 1986, the tsarist’s authorities liquidated the Polish secondary school. At this place, they were created Russian ‘pro-gymnasium’ in which the directors and the majority of teachers were Russians. As the language of instruction was introduced Russian and even Religion Education was taught in this language.
More...Keywords: Joseph Woelfl; piano; virtuosity; brillant style; Salzburg; Vienna; Warsaw; Paris; London
The present article constitutes an introduction to the artistic profile of Austrian composer and piano virtuoso Joseph Woelfl. This forgotten creative personality left an artistic legacy of instrumental music, stage works, numerous orchestral compositions, piano concertos, a concerto for piano and violin, and a chamber concerto. Beyond this, he wrote numerous other chamber works scored for various ensembles; but above all, he created an array of works for solo piano or two pianos, as well as piano pieces of pedagogical character.The artist was born on 24 December 1773 in Salzburg, where he began his musical education. In 1790, he left his hometown of Salzburg and, probably following in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s footsteps, set out for Vienna. He did not remain there long, however, because in 1791, he was accepted for service to Prince Michał Kleofas Ogiński in Warsaw. The pianist-composer returned to Vienna probably ca 1795. He set out on his next conquest of European cities in 1799. This period of tours lasted until 1801. At this time he visited, among other cities, Prague, Leipzig, Berlin, Hamburg and Dresden. In 1801, he arrived in Paris, where he spent the next four years of his life. In 1805, he left the French capital and set out for London, where he remained until his death. He passed away on 21 May 1812.In his intensive artistic career, Joseph Woelfl devoted himself mainly to piano performance and composition; beyond this, he also engaged in pedagogical activity. His abundant artistic output is nearly forgotten today, so it is worthwhile to remind a broader audience of this distinguished figure.
More...Keywords: Polish philosophy; contemporary philosophy; national philosophy;
The article presents the approximate condition of the philosophy in Poland. The article consist of three parts. In the first part are discussed preliminary remarks (literature of the problem, institutional determinants, polish philosophical language, the criteria for separating of the Polish philosophy). The main discussed problems in second part are: main trends of the Polish philosophy (socio-political philosophy, polish humanism, the philosophy of natural sciences, philosophy connected with religion and formal logic). In the third part presents the tradition adapting the ideas of the European philosophical culture onto the Polish ground.
More...Keywords: Polish historiography; Polish humanities; South Slavs; Yugoslavia; relations between Poles and South Slavs; second half of 19th century;
This paper presents an overview of the research topics that have appeared in Polish humanities since 1989 concerning the second half of the 19th c. history of the nations and countries which went on to create the Yugoslavian state after 1918. The period we chose is 1848 to 1908.
More...Keywords: research,protection;cultural heritage;material heritage;non-material heritage
The article aims at a reconstruction of tendencies present within the field of research and protection of cultural heritage in past centuries. Currently two types of cultural heritage are distinguished in scientific papers and legal documents (pertaining also to the operations of UNESCO). These are: material heritage (movable and immovable monuments) and non-material heritage (languages, customs, ceremonies and rituals, performing arts, as well as knowledge and skills of particular communities, groups or individuals). In 19th century due to an adverse political situation, Polish cultural heritage was at an exceptional risk of falling into oblivion. Items of material heritage were destroyed or plundered and non-material heritage underwent violent transformations, among others, as a result of dominance of educational institutions of partitioning powers and disruption of past spatial relations between particular areas of the Republic of Poland. Poles, both in the country and abroad, opposed those negative processes. They took pains to develop collections of books, national relics and works of art (later on also elements of folk culture), draw up inventories of movable and immovable monuments, as well as publish (in separate publication and periodicals) literary works and scientific papers vital for Polish national identity. Also elements of living culture were the objects of documentation processes.In the twentieth century Polish heritage suffered great losses (mainly due to robberies and war damage). However, this period was also marked by great creative undertakings. Two times, after WWI and WWII, organisational structures of institutions devoted to research, museums and libraries (which collected, recorded and studied heritage), and education (which prepared an appropriate educational personnel) were developed. It was also a time of impressive increase in the knowledge and level of understanding of Polish culture. The awareness of a great loss instilled in Poles a conviction that what was saved from the national wealth left behind for us by our ancestors is of immense value.
More...Keywords: nostalgia; memory; nationalism; Russian Empire; Kingdom of Poland
This article analyses the nationalization process among the Ruthenian population of Chełm Region in the period after the January Uprising. From the 1850s, Russian intellectuals of the Slavophile and Pan-Slavic orientation began to perceive the eastern frontier of the Kingdom of Poland as indigenously Russian land. These areas, as a result of the Brest union, were for a few centuries strongly influenced by Polish culture and the Roman Catholic Church. The Russian authorities sought to build Russian national and Orthodox religious consciousness among the local Ruthenian people using tools (lieux de mémoire) such as museums, newspapers and apologetics, both scientific and popular, directed towards both schools and the common people. Further tools included the celebration of state and church anniversaries, the erection of monuments, and the renovation of churches in the Byzantine style. Most of these lieux de mémoire were created, invented, or reworked to serve the nation-state. This “Nostalgic experience” was a way of shaping and directing historical consciousness. Russian national State was thus conceived, establishing and legitimating itself as a great regenerative process founded on, and made of, memory. The ideology of government-supporting intellectuals and clergy in the borderlands of the empire can be defined as primordialism, according to which the nation is defined as a group based on a perpetual community of origin, religion and morality, as well as attachment to the land of fathers. The practice of such periphery nationalism differed significantly from the famous doctrine of official nationality, formulated by Sergey Uvarov in the 1830s. Nationalist concerns from the borderlands were one of the factors that led to the evolution of the St. Petersburg elite’s policy towards nationalization of the Romanov Empire.
More...Keywords: Pauline fathers; order of monks; Leśniów; Włodawa; monastic economy; Catholic church;
One of the most important institutions of the Polish Pauline Province in the 18th and 19th centuries was the monastery in Leśna in Podlasie (Podlachia). It was founded in 1726 by the village owner, Władysław Jan Michałowski. After the Third Partition in 1795, Leśna became part of Western Galicia, from 1809 it was part of the Duchy of Warsaw, and from 1815 to 1918 part of the Kingdom of Poland under the rule of Russian Tsars. The monastery was dissolved in 1864.The monastery received a very large endowment. Until 1795 it owned 16 villages, but as a result of the Third Partition, the Pauline Fathers lost most of their property to the Russian treasury. Until the end of its existence, it owned only 4 villages. The acreage of the monastic land in the 18th century amounted to 4907 morgens, and after 1795 it was only 842.50 morgen (82.83% less than before). Such a large endowment meant that the monastery in Leśna was financially the best secured convent in the Polish Pauline Province, second only to Jasna Góra.The Paulines in Leśna sowed the greatest quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, and they also grew Tartary buckwheat, peas, millet, buckwheat, and flax. The level of crop production was heavily influenced by military operations that took place in the area of the monastery. At that time, there occurred threats to life and health, as well as numerous lootings carried out by marching armies, e.g., over the years 1812 to 1813 and 1831. Most of the crops were expended on sowing and consumption in the monastery, while in the 19th century part of the harvest was sold on the local market. The 19th century also seems to have witnessed an improvement in the farming culture, resulting in increased productivity. The monastic estates bred oxen and horses as beasts of burden, as well as dairy cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, and bees. Animal husbandry was primarily intended for satisfying their own needs. Non-agricultural economy, namely milling industry, propination (exercising local alcohol monopoly), and brick production played an important role in the economic operations of the monastery. On the basis of the preserved, incomplete archival materials, it has been established that the biggest income was obtained from lease rents, interest on special contracts for the purchase of profits from lease rents, as well as from bank deposits, and the repayment of mortgage bonds. The most substantial amounts were spent on construction and renovation works, taxes, salaries for servants and on the upkeep of monks. The financial situation of the monastery was unstable, but the monastery in Leśna supported itself without any external help, with a single exception being an assistance of the provincial authorities which happened only once, in the 1930s.
More...Keywords: occupation law; international law; occupation; humanitarian law; state,use of force; armed intervention
Following the end of the cold war, the incidence of statebuilding interventions has visibly increased in the case of dysfunctional (failed) states. Today, such interventionism in a good faith promotes liberal values and is believed to be in line with international legal regimes that makes it distinctive from neo-imperial politics. Even if state-building does not generally refer to regular warfare, it often takes analogous forms to occupation, which was codified in jus in bello at the beginning of the XXth century. While the occupation law requires occupants to maintain status quo on the occupying territory (article 43 of Hague Regulations), armed state-building is transformative by definition that seems to undermine conservative provisions of the former. The article presents traditional criteria for occupation in the Hague and Geneva conventions as well as prospects and limitations of its refinement (jus post bellum). In theory, such a redefinition could launch the formulation of the statebuilding regime, which aims to reduce deficits or double-standards in international state-building by focusing on the interests of local stakeholders of transformative projects. Hence, the Author addresses three interlocking issues: occupation within state-building, the occupation law and state-building, and transformative occupation as state-building.
More...Keywords: water as symbolic; semantic narrative; places of remembrance; sacred objects; habitation architecture
In this article, we will show the diversity of architectonic solutions that include water in the permanent structure of the object, which offers its prominent material and symbolic role. The method used for this research is the inquiry and the analysis of contemporary sacral things in which water plays the role of prima materiel. The research will use the author's narrative method to analysed the architecture of meaning. This study of the architectonic piece will be led through five deliberate and narrative aspects, exploring the author's intention – location, creation date, and narration, among others -project ideas. After a previous search, the project was selected as an example of meaningful objects. The objects are divided into four groups of signifiers: artificial landscape, ecological stream, memory space, and axiomatic medium. The research aimed to show that water as crematoria in meaningful objects does not only have a functional role, it also has a symbolic meaning. The current state of knowledge indicates that, at present, there are no scientific publications that analyse 'water' as an element of parametria. The water in architecture usually is analysed in practical and technical aspects; the semantic part of the project is generally excluded. The question will be studied using projects or finished objects in contemporary sacral architecture.
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