La politique culturelle de Stanislas Auguste de Pologne d'après ses Mémoires

Abstract

Fearing (rightly) he would be accused of the disappearance of his country, Stanislas Augustus, last king of Poland, took the precaution of writing Memoirs in which he presents his political role and that of his contemporaries. Even though it does not occupy a major role, culture is present in the Memoirs. Firstly in the King's portrait : his was a fine education ; he travelled in Europe ; he read widely, was proud of his library and proposed the plan of an encyclopaedic periodical to Formey ; he surrounded himself with artists and showed himself to be tolerant towards all religions. This cultural action extended from the drawing up of maps of Poland to the encouragement of industry and the improvement of the postal system. His chief commitment was to the commission for national education, very much a Ministry which centralised administration and standardised syllabuses. The King saw it as the best way of ensuring young men remained attached to their country and it was probably not without influence on the vibrant Polish nationalism of the nineteenth century.