Między Śląskiem a Wileńszczyzną
Between Silesia and the Vilnus Region

Contributor(s): Krystyna Heska-Kwaśniewicz (Editor), Joanna Januszewska-Jurkiewicz (Editor), Ewa Żurawska (Editor)
Subject(s): History, Cultural history, Social history
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Summary/Abstract: Between Silesia and the Vilnus Region includes 20 articles discussing similar fates shared by the Upper Silesia and the Vilnus Region, the cultural bonds between them, and their relationship during The Second Polish Republic period. The work emphasizes how common the values brought in by the inhabitants of the Vilnus Region and the Upper Silesia in 1922 were, when the borders of the Polish state were being formed and both of these regions (Silesia partially) belonged to it. These people shared the experience of borderlands of culture, religion and language, as well as attachment to the “closer” motherland. In both regions, religious and national identities overlapped. The authors remind us of the history and achievements of people belonging to these lands at various stages of their lives. They show how these who were forced out of the Vilnus Region after the Second World War contributed to the artistic, scientific and cultural life of Silesia, making it their new home.These topics are discussed by Anna Tokarska – in her studies on the presence of Vilnus publishers in the Upper Silesia, and Katarzyna Tałuć – in her work demonstrating how the topic of Vilnus was present in the Silesian press between 1918 and 1922. Also Tadeusz Bujnicki and Joanna Januszewska-Jurkiewicz write about the relationships between the press and literature of the two regions.In the interwar period, the scientific contacts, tourism and pilgrimages between the regions were on the rise – Silesian scouts travelled to different corners of the Vilnus Region, young people from Vilnus visited the industrial Silesia. The relationships between the scouts from these lands are discussed by Krystyna Heska-Kwaśniewicz, and Waldemar Wołkanowski describes the general sports relationships.Anna Mroczek writes about the cult of the Virgin Mary, characteristic for both regions.The personal relationships between inhabitants of Silesia and the Vilnus Region are presented in a few articles. Aleksandra Pethe analyses the aftermath of Gustaw Morcinek’s travel to Vilnus. Andrzej Linert focuses on the participation of the theatre society linked to Vilnus in the Upper Silesia plebiscite. Grażyna Golik-Szarawarska describes the novel achievements of the Vilnus theatre.Joanna Januszewska-Jurkiewicz and Katarzyna Luksa discuss the visit of Józef Piłsudski, the Chief of State in the Upper Silesia. Silesian tropes of Czesław Miłosz are presented by Anna Szawerna-Dyrszka, in the article she analyses the reception of the writer’s work in the context of his personal relationships with the cultural centers between Katowice and Cieszyn. Maja Drzazga-Lech writes about the reception of Stanisław Moniuszko’s work in the Upper Silesia with the quickly developing music life in the region as background.The personal exchange between Silesia and the Vilnus Region played an important part in shaping the relationship between the two regions.Silesian scholars contributed to the development of the Stefan Batory University. Krzystof Nowak presents in his article the profile of doctor Kornel Michejda from Cieszyn, who is one of the founders of the Chair of the Department of Surgery at that University. Henryka Ilgiewicz writes about Erwin Koschmieder, who was a professor of Slavic language studies there. The authors highlight the fact that after the Second World War, when the borders shifted to west and millions of expatriates had to move, the bonds between these two cultures tightened.This topic is treated by Dorota Sula, and she takes as an example an event described by Halina Dudała – how the members of the Order of Visitation Sisters from Vilnus had to relocate to Siemianowice.The examples discussed in the book present biographies of people from Vilnus who settled in the Upper Silesia and how they participated in the life of local communities.Jan Rauch, Krzysztof Brożek, Norbert Prudel in their article Doctors from Vilnus and their contribution to founding and development of the Silesian Medical Academy focus on scientists from Stefan Batory University who came to Silesia when the borders shifted, and how they created foundation of the Silesian Medical Academy – the first academy of this kind in the region.Grażyna Darłak writes about profesor Leon Markiewicz, the co-creator of music life in Silesia.The article by Marek Piechota – Silesian Polish teachers in Vilnus presents the memories of the University of Silesia delegates who participated in a few international scientific conferences organized by the Polish University in Vilnus. It highlights the importance of collaboration and relationships with scientists and artists born in Vilnus.The scientists from Vilnus who have contributed to the development of the University of Silesia are presented in the article of Lucyna Sadzikowska.Mieczysław Dobkowski introduces a photographer from Vilnus, Jan Bułhak, who captured silesian landscape in his work.The authors consider their reflections to be an inspiration for further systematical examination of how the scientists affiliated with the Silesian academic society have contributed to the development and continuation of ideas born in Vilnus.

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