For centuries, Poles were part of the history of Wrocław, the capital city of Silesia. That did not change, even when its borders and its nationality did. For a long time, you could still hear Polish being spoken on the city’s streets and in the surrounding villages. However, the situation changed around the turn of the 18th and 19th century: The Polish-speaking population began to adapt and the German language, which was taught in schools and used by the authorities, gradually replaced the Polish language. But Wrocław retained its appeal as a centre of economic and cultural life and the city’s appeal increased as it enjoyed significant development in the 19th century. More and more Poles came from Wielkopolska, Upper Silesia and Pomerania to the metropolis on the banks of the Oder. For many generations of Poles, the Friedrich Wilhelm University in Silesia, which was founded in 1811, was the place where they received their education. After the Polish state was founded in 1918, the situation for the Poles changed radically. Some of them decided to live inside the new Polish borders and left Wrocław. A Polish consulate was opened in Wrocław. After the war, the Polish secular and church organisations resumed their work in the city. The Union of Poles in Germany, whose branch was established in the city in 1923, played a key role in organisational life. The outbreak of the Second World War, the arrest of Polish activists and the seizure of Polish property brought the history of Poles in Breslau to an end.
Mediathek Sorted
Memorial plaque in Wrocław
Memorial plaque in Wrocław
Memorial plaque for Wojciech Cybulski and Władysław Nehring
St. Martin's Church (Kościół św. Marcina) in Wrocław
Memorial plaque in Wrocław
Memorial plaque in Wrocław
Memorial plaque for Wojciech Cybulski and Władysław Nehring
St. Martin's Church (Kościół św. Marcina) in Wrocław
St. Martin's Church (Kościół św. Marcina) in Wrocław, next to it the monument to Pope John XXIII
St. Martin's Church (Kościół św. Marcina) in Wrocław
St. Martin's Church (Kościół św. Marcina) in Wrocław
Memorial plaque with the "Truths of Poles under the Rodło Sign".
St. Martin's Church (Kościół św. Marcina) in Wrocław, next to it the monument to Pope John XXIII
St. Martin's Church (Kościół św. Marcina) in Wrocław
St. Martin's Church (Kościół św. Marcina) in Wrocław
Memorial plaque with the "Truths of Poles under the Rodło Sign".
Die Gedenktafel wurde 1983 gestiftet durch die Gesellschaft "Towarzystwo Miłośników Wrocławia"
St. Martin's Church (Kościół św. Marcina) in Wrocław
View of the St. Martin's Church (Kościół św. Marcina) in Wrocław
View of the St. Martin's Church (Kościół św. Marcina) in Wrocław
Die Gedenktafel wurde 1983 gestiftet durch die Gesellschaft "Towarzystwo Miłośników Wrocławia"
St. Martin's Church (Kościół św. Marcina) in Wrocław
View of the St. Martin's Church (Kościół św. Marcina) in Wrocław
View of the St. Martin's Church (Kościół św. Marcina) in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Öffentliche Ausstellung über die Polonia in Breslau
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Öffentliche Ausstellung über die Polonia in Breslau
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
Exhibition in public space about the Polonia in Wrocław
The memorial plaque for Edmund Bojanowski
The memorial plaque for Jan Evangelista Purkyne
The Plaque for Wojciech Korfanty
The Plaque for Wojciech Korfanty
The memorial plaque for Edmund Bojanowski
The memorial plaque for Jan Evangelista Purkyne
The Plaque for Wojciech Korfanty
The Plaque for Wojciech Korfanty
The plaque commemorates the Polish students who fought in the January uprising
The plaque commemorates the Polish students who fought in the January uprising
The main building of the University of Wrocław
The main building of the University of Wrocław
The plaque commemorates the Polish students who fought in the January uprising
The plaque commemorates the Polish students who fought in the January uprising
The main building of the University of Wrocław
The main building of the University of Wrocław
The fencing fountain
The street "Ulica Biskupia" in Wrocław
University of Wrocław
The plaque commemorates the concert by Fryderyk Chopin in Wrocław
The fencing fountain
The street "Ulica Biskupia" in Wrocław
University of Wrocław
The plaque commemorates the concert by Fryderyk Chopin in Wrocław
The plaque the concert by Fryderyk Chopin in Wrocław
Monument to Fryderyk Chopin in Wrocław
Monument to Fryderyk Chopin in Wrocław
Monument to Fryderyk Chopin in Wrocław
The plaque the concert by Fryderyk Chopin in Wrocław
In the second half of the 19th century, the Poles’ social activity in Wrocław increased. Different types of organisation were established. The Association of Polish Industrialists was founded in 1868. Its members were craftsmen, merchants and other people associated with providing services. As well as aiming to achieve a better exchange of information between industry representatives, national challenges were also faced. Lectures and academies were organised. The association had 70 members and formed its own welfare fund.
“The Association of Polish Industrialists in Wrocław is a real blessing for our fellow countrymen", wrote the popular Beuthen newspaper ‘Der Katholik’ in 1881. “The society has a beautiful reading room, holds pedagogical talks, Polish theatre performances and others.”
Ludwik Adamczewski (1863-1952), a tailor from Poznań, came to the city as president..
A choral society called “Harmonia” and a fund for mutual aid were set up in the city. The Polish Catholic Society (1890), the “Lutnia" choral society, the Trading Company and the St. Anna Women’s Association were founded at the end of the 19th century. The latter was established by Aurelia Żychlińska, Jadwiga Kamińska and Jadwiga Jarochowska. They organised social gatherings and talks as well as Polish courses. J. Kaminska also founded the Society of Popular Readers. It had a library containing around 6,000 volumes.
The gymnastics club “Sokół” was established in 1894 and the Volksbank in 1904.
Many events were held in the restaurant at Neue Gasse / Nowa 18; the nearby restaurant “Eldorado and Casino” was also used. The owner of the former was Jan Kwaczewski, also a Pole.
For centuries, Poles were part of the history of Wrocław, the capital city of Silesia.
In the 19th century, Wrocław was on the travel itinerary of many well known Poles. The young composer and pianist Frederic Chopin (1810–1849) came here a number of times.
Selmar Cerini (real name Salomo Izich-ha-Kohen Steifmann) was born into an orthodox Jewish Polish family on 15th December 1860 in Wólka near Warschau, at the time part of the Russian partition sector....
