Ślązacy i kowboje. Glottodydaktyczny potencjał reportażu „Miasteczko Panna Maria. Ślązacy na Dzikim Zachodzie” Ewy Winnickiej
Silesians and Cowboys: The Glottodidactic Potential of Ewa Winnicka’s Reportage „Miasteczko Panna Maria. Ślązacy na Dzikim Zachodzie”

Summary/Abstract: Upper Silesia is a region with a complex cultural and national identity, shaped by frequent changes in state affiliation and the blending of Polish, German, and Czech traditions. The turbulent history of this region led many Silesians to emigrate in the 19th century, including to the United States of America. In her reportage Miasteczko Panna Maria. Ślązacy na Dzikim Zachodzie [The Town of Panna Maria. Silesians in the Wild West] (2024), Ewa Winnicka reconstructs this story, focusing on the fate of the inhabitants of the village of Płużnica Wielka in Upper Silesia, who arrived in America on December 3, 1854, seeking a new life. Her narrative places the Silesians’ experience in the broader context of the history of Texas, showing the Silesian-American character of the region and the ways emigrant identity was formed. Winnicka’s work also offers significant glottodidactic potential. The story of Silesian emigrants living in a multicultural environment can serve as engaging material for teaching Polish as a foreign language. Relevant excerpts from the reportage can be used to practice writing descriptive texts, following the rules of text composition proposed by Ewa Lipińska. The article aims both to introduce learners to the history of Silesian emigrants in Texas and to help them develop their written expression at an intermediate level.

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