Great Polish Research Articles

Obłęd (‘madness’) as seen by the four great Polish bards. The lexemes obłęd and obłąkanie, and their derivatives in texts by Adam Mickiewicz, Juliusz Słowacki, Zygmunt Krasiński, and Cyprian Norwid

In the history of the Polish language, the words obłęd (‘madness’) and obłąkanie (‘insanity’) are etymologically associated with wandering. In the 19th century, these meanings were still alive; at the same time, meanings related to the mental sphere were also forming. In the literature of Romanticism, one can see elements that correspond to the content of the word obłęd used as a term in modern psychiatry. These include, first of all, the structure of delusions that accompany a compact, integrated personality. This is how we can interpret, for instance, the usage of the word in Mickiewicz’s translation of The Dream (the same is true, of course, also for Byron’s original), as well as in Czarne kwiaty by Norwid. Among the noteworthy linguistic facts associated with the studied words in the 19th century is their cognitive ambivalence: on the one hand, madness was associated with special cognitive abilities, on the other, stigmatization of the mentally ill was apparent. Finally, the progressive (also in the Modernist period) increase in the number of uses of these words can be observed, which is likely due to the growing interest in the human psyche in art and its study in medicine.

The Lithuanianisation of Adam Mickiewicz

In this article, I analyse the cultural practices applied by Lithuanian interwar intellectuals seeking to Lithuanianise the great Polish romantic poet Adam Mickiewicz. Mickiewicz was born to a family of Polish-speaking nobles in a predominantly Belarusian part of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Because his historically themed works had an impact on the Lithuanian national movement, Lithuanian intellectuals sought ways to attribute Mickiewicz to Lithuanian culture.
 Mickiewicz, who wrote in Polish, was a stalwart Polish-Lithuanian patriot. As this was in conflict with ethnocultural Lithuanian nationalism, interwar defenders of Mickiewicz’s attribution to Lithuanian literature looked for additional arguments supporting the poet’s Lithuanianness. In this article, I explore two ways that Mickiewicz was Lithuanianised: through a myth surrounding his ethnic origins and by introducing distortions into Lithuanian translations of the poet’s works.
 From the end of the nineteenth century, Lithuanians generally saw their local nobility as ‘Polonised Lithuanians’. This view applied to Mickiewicz as well. Without having any factual evidence to support it, the interwar Lithuanian philosopher Stasys Šalkauskis sought to convince readers that Mickiewicz was descended from the Rimvydas clan. Another means of Lithuanianising Mickiewicz was through ideologically motivated editing and distorting translations of his works into Lithuanian. The most striking example of this was a 1927 anthology of the poet’s works compiled by Lithuanian literary historian Mykolas Biržiška.

For I Do Not Know How to Act: Tadeusz Kantor and the Reality of Theatre

This paper presents a discussion, in honour of the late Ari Hirvonen, of the reality of theatre, the space of the tragic and the ethical condition. It engages critically with Hirvonen’s work, as he would demand it, and in doing so it considers the distinctive thinking about theatrical reality in the work of the great Polish artist and theatre director Tadeusz Kantor.

S. Moniuszko's Songs for High Voices and Multi-Genre Palette of their Stylish Expression

The purpose of the research is to trace the Biedermeier background of the expressiveness of S. Moniuszko's Songs in their borderline to the musical realism-verism of the middle of the 19th century, using the example of the songs for high voice from the collection "Pieśni wybrane", 1, na głos wysoki (Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne: Kraków, 1972), which timbre-register corresponds to the lyric soprano of the author of this essay. The methodological basis is the intonation approach of the school of B. Asafyev in Ukraine, represented, among other things, by the works of O. Markova, O. Muravska, Yu. Oleinikova, other authors, in which the basic method of analysis is stylistic comparative, musicological holistic analysis with hermeneutic approaches, as well as the historical-biographical method from the perspective of the "intellectual biography" of the subject of the study. The scientific novelty of the work is determined by the author's primacy of unfolding the stylistic vision of Moniuszko's Songs on its Biedermeier basis in relation to the nascent method of musical realism-verism. Also innovative is the analysis of the named Songs from the perspective of the stated stylistic interpretation of the expressiveness of the works of the great Polish composer. Conclusions. The 12 analysed Songs by S. Moniuszko within the stylistic Biedermeier attribution demonstrated the breadth of identifying signs of a small form – from monologue-serenades, three-strophe type bar-form to the "minimalism" of genre couplets. This gives birth to Biedermeier's characteristic combination of high Europeanism and demonstratively simplified "provincialisms" (the latter due to the genre of Kraków and Mazurka). The compensability of the parts of the voice and the piano gives the sound of the vocal-instrumental model of the madrigal-motet, which became one of the means of revealing the realism of life's "polyphony" (see the madrigal genre in the French lyric opera of S. Gounod) together with frank folkloristic findings that indicative of the aesthetics of musical realism of the middle of the 19th century.
 Keywords: song genre, musical genre, style in music, Biedermeier, realism-verism.

Банахово пространство и русско-украинско-польские связи (на примере моей биографии)

The article is one of the last reflections of the outstanding mathematician, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Viktor Nikolaevich Maslov, who passed away in August 2023. In it, in a free manner, the motives of personal biography are combined and easily turn into wise judgments about acute social conflicts of our time, it is shown that the real history of people and events found compromises and mutual understanding between seemingly irreconcilable ideas and positions. The Polish roots of his biography in his worldview are surprisingly linked to the proximity of the mathematical ideas of the Banach space of the great Polish mathematician Stefan Banach with the indexes of his name, with the friendship and cooperation of Polish and Russian scientists. Social-democratic family traditions on the maternal and paternal lines are perfectly combined with patriotic service to the state and are imprinted with vivid examples. He contrasts one – sided ideas about Ukrainian nationalism with the experience of such a politician as Makhno, who was merciless even to the slightest manifestations of anti-Semitism, but most importantly, this is opposed by the unity of the origin of languages and the interweaving of cultural ties. The author expresses his belief in the international potential of socialist ideas, which is poorly used in solving modern social conflicts, in particular, in Ukraine, which he, as a person with Cossack roots, experiences with particular acuteness.

Piłsudski, Wielka Wojna i stosunki polsko-czechosłowackie do 1935 roku

Few people had such a significant impact on the Polish-Czechoslovak relations in the interwar period as the longtime leader of the Second Republic, the leader and politician Józef Klemens Pilsudski. Until now, in scientific and popular literature there prevails an opinion – in fact a correct one – that this great Polish leader did not believe in the sustainability of the Czechoslovak state formed after World War I and was very reluctant towards the leaders of the Czechoslovak Republic, especially Edvard Beneš. This opinion was founded in the interwar period, and was, in fact, confirmed in later memoirs and studies of the Polish-Czechoslovak relations, however, is somewhat exaggerated and “demonized” in the context of contacts between Poland and Czechoslovakia in the interwar period.

Captive Minds and Civil Dialogue: A Reflection on Catholic Universities in the Post-Dobbs Era

Discourse about abortion within the Catholic community - not to mention the broader world - is broken. There are a number of reasons for this but one is surely the way that ideological forces have captured the minds of intellectuals. In his 1951 classic, The Captive Mind, the great Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz examined the phenomenon of Polish artists surrendering their creativity to the demands of Stalinist socialist realism. The book has endured because Milosz’s powerful insights transcended his own time. Indeed, those insights can be drawn on as cautionary notes and wise suggestions for how to approach discourse on abortion at Catholic universities in our own day. This essay identifies the ideological pitfalls of the present: Catholic absolutism, postmodern identity cancel culture, Trumpian lies, and more. The essay also draws on Milosz to suggest that the following could aid Catholic universities as they ponder how to talk about contemporary Catholic challenges around law and abortion. Universities should beware of the distorting effects of their affluence; reject the notion of one Catholic legal solution to abortion; and turn to the artists and poets.

Austrian Bureaucrats and Polish Revolutionaries as Allies? Czartoryski, Galicia, and Plans for a Future Polish Uprising 1831-1846

ABSTRACT This article investigates the debates of the Hôtel Lambert, the constitutional monarchist wing of the Great Polish Emigration, led by Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, about the Austrian rule in Galicia, with a specific focus on the question of the position of Austrian bureaucracy in plans for the future Polish uprising. From the Hôtel Lambert’s point of view, Galicia was an integral part of a restored independent Polish state. Discussions about its strategic position and the role of its inhabitants were a critical part of plans for the future uprising. The local Austrian bureaucracy was also among those groups who were, therefore, debated. The article concludes that although Czartoryski shared the generally accepted negative image of the bureaucracy in his pre-emigration writings, once in Paris all plans for the uprising emphasized the importance of maintaining the functioning administration. Consequently, according to the Hôtel Lambert’s plans, bureaucrats in Galicia (and in the Prussian and Russian partitions as well) would play one of the crucial roles during the Polish insurrection. Either voluntarily, receiving benefits like promotion, or by force, under the direct supervision of insurgents. In that case, they would be later released from the service and expelled from the country. 1 1 Several of the arguments presented in this article had been previously discussed in the author’s study, “Z kolonizátorov asimilovaní, z nepriateľov spojenci: Germanizácia Haliče z pohl’adu Adama Jerzyho Czartoryského a Hôtel Lambert 1830 – 1846 [From Colonizers to those who Were Assimilated, from Enemies to Allies: Germanization of Galicia through the Eyes of Adam Jerzy Czartoryski and Hôtel Lambert 1830 –1846]. In Dlhá cesta od monarchie k republike : zmeny režimov, myslenia a životného štšlu na Slovensku a v strednej Eurôpe od polovice 19. do polovice 20. storočia. Jubileum Dušana Kováča. - Bratislava : HistorickÝ ústav SAV : Veda, vydavate’stvo SAV, 2021, p. 65-82. ISBN 978-80-224-1921-5.

«PIESEK PRZYDOROŻNНY» ТА «ABECADŁO» ЧЕСЛАВА МІЛОША ЯК КАРТИНА ХХ СТОЛІТТЯ

The article aims to study the poetics evolution of a great Polish poet and prose writer, Nobel prize winner Czesław Miłosz towards a fundamentally new comprehensive literary form: from “Piesek Przydrożny” (“Roadside Dog” 1997) to “Abecadło” (“Milosz`s ABC`s” 1997) and “Inne Abecadło” (“A Further Alphabet” 1998). The purpose stimulates the usage of the analytical, hermeneutics and receptive methodology, as well as textual analysis. It is stressed that the years of this work publication indicate the writerєі success in his determined search for a form that would be capable, containing immense life material, countless events, lives and artistic-philosophical reflections, to create the picture of the 20th century. The paper highlights why “Piesek Przydrożny” does not meet any requirements for containing the unlimited number of life facts within a text. We’ve noted the organizing function of Piesek in the system of a fictional unity. Moving freely, Piesek made it possible for Miłosz to create a certain series of philosophical pieces (“Ubóstwo wyobraźni”, “Wzniosłość”, “Pieśń dziadowsku”, “Со upadek”, “Powieść”, “Gombrowicz”, “Polski literat”) and several tragic essays – “Ojcowskie kłopoty”, “Zmartwienia historyka” and others. It is proven that while the form of this book contains a variety of material, it still cannot give Miłosz the absolute freedom he was striving for. The writer was determined to find the form which would, according to him, “allow for much freedom”, “not pursue beauty but just register facts”. Considering Е. Brazgovskaya’s findings, the productivity of the alphabet (аbecadło) is proved. The paper expresses the idea that one can treat the alphabet (аbecadło) as a kind of a memoir genre. The innovative structure of “Abecadło”, consisting of essays-novels, is analyzed. The article traces the associative connections which cement 200 essays into a single entity, creating the image of the epoch.

The Un-Polish Poland, 1989 and the Illusion of Regained Historical Continuity

The Un-Polish Poland, 1989 and the Illusion of Regained Historical Continuity

On the Need for Practical Knowledge of Slavic Languages, or Pre-War Polish Language Textbooks for the Czechs

The paper presents an excerpt from the ongoing research of the beginnings of teaching Polish in Czechia. Its main focus is to analyse two textbooks for learning Polish by Iza Šaunová, designed for Czech students and published in the 1930s. The first one is called Polština pro každého (Prague 1930), the second – Mluvnice jazyka polského (Prague 1934), written by Šaunová together with a great Polish Slavicist, T. Lehr-Spławiński. The paper discusses both the structure of analysed publications, the contents, as well as applied teaching methods. Presented textbooks and their authors thus provide insight not only into the history of teaching Polish in Czechia, but also into the Czech and Polish relations in the pre-war times.

EDUCATION IN LIQUID SOCIETY

This article analyzes, from the perspective of the great Polish sociologist and philosopher, Zigmunt Bauman, Education in contemporary Society, which features characteristics of a liquid society. In order to address the challenges faced by teachers and how such liquidity influences the school environment, the theme of education in liquid society was chosen because it manifests itself as a current and innovative theme for contemporary reflection on teaching practice. Methodologically based on a qualitative and interpretive research approach, the study focused the analysis on reflections on studies of the aforementioned theorist, and on socio-emotional macrocompetencies.

Gaia as Solaris: An Alternative Default Evolutionary Trajectory.

Now that we know that Earth-like planets are ubiquitous in the universe, as well as that most of them are much older than the Earth, it is justified to ask to what extent evolutionary outcomes on other such planets are similar, or indeed commensurable, to the outcomes we perceive around us. In order to assess the degree of specialty or mediocrity of our trajectory of biospheric evolution, we need to take into account recent advances in theoretical astrobiology, in particular (i) establishing the history of habitable planets' formation in the Galaxy, and (ii) understanding the crucial importance of "Gaian" feedback loops and temporal windows for the interaction of early life with its physical environment. Hereby we consider an alternative macroevolutionary pathway that may result in tight functional integration of all sub-planetary ecosystems, eventually giving rise to a true superorganism at the biospheric level. The blueprint for a possible outcome of this scenario has been masterfully provided by the great Polish novelist Stanisław Lem in his 1961 novel Solaris. In fact, Solaris offers such a persuasive and powerful case for an "extremely strong" Gaia hypothesis that it is, arguably, high time to investigate it in a discursive astrobiological and philosophical context. In addition to novel predictions in the domain of potentially detectable biosignatures, some additional cognitive and heuristic benefits of studying such extreme cases of functional integration are briefly discussed.

Fryderyk Chopin w literaturze francuskiej: od figury romantycznej do ikony popkultury

The reception of Chopin and his music in French literature follows the rhythm of the changes in the European intellectual and aesthetic climates. George Sand recorded in her memoirs the image of a romantic genius par excellence, a dark, torn and complicated soul. The decadent and symbolist poetry, best exemplified by Maurice Rollinat, presents a portrait ofa blood-spitting neurasthenic, a soulmate of the poet. Marcel Proust paints the image of an elegant dandy and exquisite artist, while the first part of the twentieth century is dominated by the neoromantic vision of Chopin as a great Polish patriot; this theme is perfectly illustrated by the poems of Anna de Noailles and Edmond Rostand. André Gide presents a radicallynew view of Chopin’s music, seeing the Polish composer as a neoclassicist pianist. Contemporary literature and art go on to dress Chopin in jeans, eagerly turning him into a mass culture hero.

A document in the context of the studying national minorities conditions in the ukrainian state (april – december 1918)

The purpose of the article is based on the documents, the main trends in the policy of Hetman P.Skoropadsky and his government towards national minorities have been analyzed. Methodology. In termsof preparing the research, methods of analysis, comparison, analogy, generalization, structuring were used.As well as methods of Document Science, Archival Science. The scientific novelty is due to the fact that forthe first time analysis was made on the basis of a documentary array of the main policy trends in relation tonational minorities of the Hetmanate; the reasons for the repeal of the Law on National-Personal Autonomyand the abolition of national ministries in Russian, Jewish and Polish affairs were clarified. In all the studieddocuments (Missive Letter to All Ukrainian People, Law on Elections of Provincial and County ZemstvoCouncillors, Order on Internal Relations in the Ukrainian Army), the emphasis was made on the loyalty ofcitizens to the Ukrainian State, not on their ethnic origin, and on the tolerant attitude of the state towardsboth the national and religious feelings of citizens. Admission to higher educational establishments was alsodemocratic in the Ukrainian state. Based not on ethnic but on territorial-state principles, the Hetmanatedid not see the point in the existence of national ministries established by the Ukrainian Central Rada, butthere was its general understanding of the national minorities’ needs and, thus, it often responded to theirrequests. Considerable attention has been paid to the coverage of cultural and educational activities ofnational minorities. Conclusions. Having analyzed the national policy of the Hetmanateon on the basis ofthe documents, we found out that despite some uncertainty it was moderate and did not lead to interethnicconflicts. By repealing the Law on National Personal Autonomy and National Ministries in Great Russian,Jewish, and Polish Affairs, Hetman P. Skoropadsky, and his government were guided by the territorial-stateprinciple, according to which all citizens of the state were equal, regardless of their nationality and religion.Meanwhile, there was some sufficient support, including financial one, for the national and cultural revival ofnational minorities.Keywords: document, national minorities, national and personal autonomy, Hetmanate, rights, interethnicrelations, cultural and educational policy.

Moldova's Relations with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the Second Half of the 14th Century – Beginning of the 15th Century (until the Treaty of Lublau in 1412)

In the middle and second half of the 14th century, significant territorial changes took place in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. The old political structures, which by that time had outlived their usefulness, were replaced by new ones: the revived Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Moldavian principality. These changes took place in a fierce struggle, with confrontations on the battlefield giving way to confrontations on the diplomatic front. In addition to the above-mentioned political formations, the Hungarian king also had an important place in this struggle. Louis the Great of Anjou at one time united the Hungarian and Polish crown into his own hands, after the death of Casimir the Great Polish king who had no male offspring. The Moldovan rulers took advantage of the international political conjuncture in this space, who skillfully conducted their foreign policy based on the principle of the balance of power. First, the problem of heredity in Poland and then in the Hungarian kingdom itself undoubtedly contributed to the strengthening of a still very young state that appeared in the middle of the 14th century, first as a Hungarian march, and which was tasked with moving eastward, and then as an independent state. However, at that time, every political entity had a suzerain, which gave him the right to exist. Vasal addiction varied from case to case. In turn, when such an opportunity arose, the Moldovan rulers could change their overlords based on political interest. In this, they used the strength and power of the Lithuanian princes. At first, being in allied relations with the Koriatovichs, the Moldovan rulers strengthened their state, and then, by the will of fate, they developed friendly relations with Vitovt / Alexander and tried not to spoil relations with him, participating in those planned through the Grand Duke of Lithuania. A special test for the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was the war with the Teutonic Order, which broke out in 1409. The Moldavian soldiers again took part in the Battle of Grunwald in 1410. However, the problem was that the Teutons were supported by the Hungarian king, Sigismund of Luxembourg, who wanted to return the Hungarian influence in Moldova. Thus, the Moldavian principality was drawn into the tangle of international relations in this area where the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was of great importance.

Pastoral Conversion According to Franciszek Blachnicki in the Context of the Vatican’s Instruction on Parishes in the Service of Evangelization (29 June 2020)

Endowed with an in-depth and insightful analysis of the Church’s reality and the charism of reading the signs of the times, one of the greatest Polish pastoralists, founder of the Light-Life Movement, Fr. Franciszek Blachnicki (21 March 1921–27 February 1987) insistently postulated making the “Copernican turn” in the Church’s saving ministry. On the hundredth anniversary of his birth, it is worth looking at the guiding principles of the Congregation for Clergy Pastoral conversion of the parish community in the service of the Church’s evangelizing mission (29 June 2020) and analyze to what extent Blachnicki’s concept of pastoral conversion regarding the renewal of the parish is still valid and estimate whether it can still be an inspiration in pastoral discussions on the realization of the Church hic et nunc.

Vasyl Sukhomlynskyi as a representative of Ukrainian and Polish pedagogical relations

This paper is devoted to the contribution of the Ukrainian-Polish pedagogical relations towards the improvement in the quality of modern education, building a common European home. Its author proves that past experiences play an important role in thorough understanding of contemporary processes and interpreting previous achievements in the contemporary intercultural pedagogical space., The figure of Vasyl Sukhomlynskyi, a Ukrainian pedagogue, and his creative heritage as well as his relations with the Polish colleagues in the 50s and 60s of 20th century serve as an example. The influence of Janusz Korczak, the famous Polish educator, on his outlook are also stressed. The further development of the Ukrainian-Polish relations and the mutual influences over the next decades are described. This paper constitutes an analysis of the popularisation of his ideas by the greatest Polish teachers and researchers, such as Tadeusz Wiloсh, Aleksander Lewin, Wincenty Okoń, Marian Bybluk, or Bogusław Sliwerski. The personalistic approach is emphasized, allowing for consideration of mutual processes in the light of particular individuals’ destiny and their educational heritage as an intercultural space component.

Od Trylogii do Chłopów. Strategie reżyserskie współczesnych inscenizatorów „wielkiej powieści”

The great Polish novel is a staging task willingly undertaken by directors. The term ‘great novel’ means a novel in the epic type. The essence of its theatrical potential is already determined by its volume – it is undoubtedly a tempting challenge for the director. Equally inspiring are the basic features of an epic itself – a wide, panoramic spectrum of the community, embedded in the discourse of breakthrough, solstice of ideas, values, and identity identifications. The text discusses five source clues leading to the stage adaptations of the ‘great novel’ – the idea of post-dramatic nature, the issue of theatrical adaptation of a literary work, the issue of the so-called ‘indecency’, the formula of engaged theater and the problem of confrontation between reading the novel with the perceptual order of theatrical staging. The second part of the text presents the producer’s strategies used in two, especially important novels staged in recent years – the Trilogy, directed by Jan Klata and Peasant Farmers directed by Krzysztof Garbaczewski.

Benedict Hesse’s Teaching on Conjugal Abstinence

This article focuses on conjugal abstinence in the teaching of the great Polish theologian, Benedict Hesse, who lived and worked in Cracow during the fifteenth century. In his work Commentary on the Gospel of St. Matthew, Hesse focuses his discussion on chastity and conjugal abstinence in the context of several other subjects, including: the superiority of virginity over marriage; the superiority of virginal chastity over conjugal abstinence; the issue of assessing the pleasure of conjugal sexual intercourse; matters pertaining to modesty of the spouses and their exterior appearance; as well as castration for the Kingdom of Heaven. The issues that Hesse raises in relation to chastity and conjugal abstinence might bring a smile to a contemporary reader’s face, since they seem mostly anecdotal and basic. This article is not a complete and systematic lecture on conjugal abstinence.