Some Polish Cultural and Educational Organizations in Czechoslovakia (since 1920)

Abstract

The article constitutes a part of a larger work that is presently being prepared. Therefore, it discusses only three most important Polish organizations in Czechoslovakia: The Educational Society, the Polish Cultural and Educational Association, the Society of Polish Teachers. Their aim was to develop and spread the Polish education and culture as well as to maintain the national identity of the Polish minority in Czechoslovakia.

The Educational Society was in charge of schools, nursery schools and teachers. Moreover, apart form school itself, the Educational Society organized many other cultural and educational actions such as: festivals, educational courses, self-education, theatre and song groups. The Educational Society had been active till the second world war. Finally, it was replaced by the Polish Cultural and Educational Association in 1947, though many attempts had been made to reactivate the Educational Society till 1952.

The Polish Cultural and Educational Association is the only existing voluntary social and cultural organization of the Polish ethnic group with the seat in Czeski Cieszyn. It belongs to the National Front of Czechoslovakia and participates in Polish-Czechoslovak cooperation. Apart from its purely cultural and educational character, the Association performs also important political functions.

The Society of Polish Teachers was founded in 1921. Its members mainly focused on didactic, professional and educational problems. .

All the discussed organizations contributed a lot to maintaining the national identity and tradition of the Polish inhabitants who still feel themselves Poles.