K situaci polské menšiny na Těšínsku v České republice (minulost a současnost)
On the Situation of the Polish Minority in the Těšín Region in the Czech Republic (Past and Present)

Summary/Abstract: Těšín Silesia was historically a coherent region of about 2,300 km². Due to its location at the boundary between Polish and Czech ethnic groups, its history has been distinct at least since the late 13th century, when the administrative and legal unit of the Duchy of Těšín was established. In the following centuries, the region was colonized by German-speaking inhabitants and became a focus of interest for the members of the Houses of Luxembourg and Habsburg. Until 1918, it was part of Austrian Silesia, but during the 20th century, its state affiliation changed five more times. This article addresses not only these historical events that influenced the development of the region in question but focuses particularly on the current social and linguistic situation in the part of Těšín Silesia that has been continuously (with the exception of World War II) part of the former Czechoslovakia, and since 1993, the Czech Republic. The author outlines everyday bilingual practices in the area, as well as the factors that shape the specific nature of the Polish minority in the Czech Republic: minority education and organizations, a bilingual Catholic Church, and the social life of the Polish minority in general. Finally, the article presents a profile of a typical member of the Polish minority.

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