Z dziejów walki o wiarę i polskość na Pomorzu Gdańskim pod zaborem pruskim II

Abstract

It was in the period of the springtide of nations (1848–1849) that the Polish population, gathered around the Catholic church of St. Joseph in Gdańsk (Danzig), lodged a petition with the bishop of Chełmno, A. Sedlag, demanding the introduction of more Polish sermons and songs into the divine services in the said church (see the article: „On the struggle for Religious Faith and National Consciousness in Pomerania under the Frussian Annexation”, „Studia Gdańskie Nr. 1 1973). After an interval of 35 years this action was taken up again, when in 1885 new petitions were put in and submitted to hishop Marwicz and his successor bishop Redner. Both petition of the years 1885 and 1887 as well as the correspondence between the Overpresident Ernthausen and the bishop of Chełmno Marwicz and Redner is discussed in the above article. Ernsthausen demanded in his correspondence the total elimination of Polish sermons in all churches of Gdańsk (Danzig) and of St. Adalbert. In his reply bishop Redner pointed out such a measure would be inadvisable and could not be put into operation, taking into account that a further neglect of the religious needs of the polish population and the total deprivation of Polish sermons, rare as they so far had been, might most unfavourably affect the morals of the Polish believers. Although in Gdańsk (Danzig) in the period 1850–1835 no petitions were put in and other national activities were rather not numerous though significant, the struggle of the Polish people against germanisation went on in various forms in many towns of the Danzig district like Chełmno, Pelplin, Toruń, Piaseczno and other smaller towns. We can say that at that time the Polish social life expanded and developed in spite of the strong resistance and restrictions put up by the Prussian authorities. Co-operatives, loan banks and similar economical institutions were established to strengthen the base of families, especially those with numerous children. Stress was put on religious and national education. The development of Sciences was also taken care of. The most actively engaged personality in national activities, particularly in education in the second part of the XIX-th century in Pomerania of Gdańsk (Danzig) was Ignacy Łyskowski. In the field of economics again distinguished himself Julian Kraziewicz, who founded in 1862 in Piaseczno the first „agricultural circle". lt was the first organisation of this kind not only in Pomerania but in Poland. This organisation contributed much to the improvement of the economic and social conditions of the Polish paesentry. In the field of sciences the most outstanding figurę was the priest St. Kujot, chairman of the scientific Society in Toruń. The Polish community in Pomerania of Gdańsk conducted also a widespread publication action. There were edited for instance: in Chełmno „Nadwiślanin" (1850—1866), in Toruń „Gazeta Toruńska" (from 1867), in Pelplin „Pielgrzym" (from 1869). The Polish press at that time was in character religious and patriotic. Special mention deserve the secret organisations of the Polish grammer-school youth, which laid stress on self-education in Polish history and literature. From these organisation came many distinguished personalities, engaged later in national activities. Ali these sings and stirrings of national activity around Gdańsk could not remain without influence on this town, and so in the last decades of the XIX-th century the intesity of Polish life in Gdańsk grew and reached finally the level of Pomerania, Major-Poland and Silesia. Such great activity of the Polish community, in which a very important part played the Polish clergy, alarmed the Prussian authorities, who justly perceived in it a threat for the Prussian state. In the years 1871–1887 raged the so-called „culture struggle" directed against the Catholic Church and the Polish society. This was the severest period of oppresion to the Polish people under Prussian annexation. But the stamina of the Polish people lasted it out and survived.