The Family in the Second Polish Republic – The Main Dangers of Diseases

The period between 1918 and 1939 is extremely important not for Poland but also for Polish families of that period. After about 150 years of partitions the families could again live and bring up their children in an independent and free country. The times were judged and described in different ways in the past. From 1945 until the changes of the economic mode originated in 1989 the times were very negatively perceived by the imposed government of that period. Within the last, almost thirty years, in newspapers those events were presented sometimes too positively. The time passing and new publications describing social life of whose who lived ninety or a hundred years ago allow to  explore in deep and diversify the scope of the research. The issues are also meaningful for contemporary families. They concern extremely important problems – for instance, bringing up and educating the forthcoming generations while preserving traditions and respecting the things which had already been achieved. Obviously, the difficult or  controversial issues should not be avoided at any stage of the discussion. One of the elements connected with education are health and illness issues concerning also the recent past. The defeat of the imperialist countries after World War I was used by Polish society. With the support of the victorious allies Poland was reborn as an independent, sovereign country. In spite of the fact that our country formally did not participate in warfare of 1914–1918 still it became the area of fi erce battles and fighting. Within the first years of the young country until the end of the Third Silesian Uprising in spring 1921, the situation constantly worsened. This period was extremely difficult for the society. One of the most frequently problems that the families had to face were massive infectious illness outbreaks (for instance,  typhoid fever, smallpox or cholera) or social illness outbreaks, like tuberculosis or venereal diseases. Only in 1920s did the negative health situation of the families improve. The great world economic crisis which started in 1929 and finished in Poland after five years impaired the issues connected with health of general public. Because of financial problems the activity of, for example, school health care system activity was limited. The last two years of the Second Polish Republic brought an improvement of the situation as far as health issues are concerned. Infant mortality rate was decreasing. The net of health centers developed and there were the centers responsible for the mother and child health care, school hygiene and the control of the most dangerous social diseases – tuberculosis, trachoma, venereal diseases. Immunization of the youngest was introduced to a bigger scale. The number of doctors educated at five Polish universities increased and the health state of the society improved. The discussions concerning the improvement of health care system continued. The disputes also referred to the school medicine which was better organized at that time.

It is possible to claim that by presenting the above issues the important elements from family life in the Second Polish Republic will be reminded but also some conclusions concerning contemporary period can be drawn.

The period between 1918 and 1939 is extremely important not for Poland but also for Polish families of that period. After about 150 years of partitions the families could again live and bring up their children in an independent and free country. The times were judged and described in different ways in the past. From 1945 until the changes of the economic mode originated in 1989 the times were very negatively perceived by the imposed government of that period. Within the last, almost thirty years, in newspapers those events were presented sometimes too positively. The time passing and new publications describing social life of whose who lived ninety or a hundred years ago allow to  explore in deep and diversify the scope of the research. The issues are also meaningful for contemporary families. They concern extremely important problems – for instance, bringing up and educating the forthcoming generations while preserving traditions and respecting the things which had already been achieved. Obviously, the difficult or  controversial issues should not be avoided at any stage of the discussion. One of the elements connected with education are health and illness issues concerning also the recent past. The defeat of the imperialist countries after World War I was used by Polish society. With the support of the victorious allies Poland was reborn as an independent, sovereign country. In spite of the fact that our country formally did not participate in warfare of 1914–1918 still it became the area of fi erce battles and fighting. Within the first years of the young country until the end of the Third Silesian Uprising in spring 1921, the situation constantly worsened. This period was extremely difficult for the society. One of the most frequently problems that the families had to face were massive infectious illness outbreaks (for instance,  typhoid fever, smallpox or cholera) or social illness outbreaks, like tuberculosis or venereal diseases. Only in 1920s did the negative health situation of the families improve. The great world economic crisis which started in 1929 and finished in Poland after five years impaired the issues connected with health of general public. Because of financial problems the activity of, for example, school health care system activity was limited. The last two years of the Second Polish Republic brought an improvement of the situation as far as health issues are concerned. Infant mortality rate was decreasing. The net of health centers developed and there were the centers responsible for the mother and child health care, school hygiene and the control of the most dangerous social diseases – tuberculosis, trachoma, venereal diseases. Immunization of the youngest was introduced to a bigger scale. The number of doctors educated at five Polish universities increased and the health state of the society improved. The discussions concerning the improvement of health care system continued. The disputes also referred to the school medicine which was better organized at that time.

It is possible to claim that by presenting the above issues the important elements from family life in the Second Polish Republic will be reminded but also some conclusions concerning contemporary period can be drawn.