“From the Heats by Nile to the Fire of Revolution by Vistula”. Izydor Kajetan Wysłouch (1869–1973) and His Social Activity

The paper reminds the profile of a respected religious reformer and social activist whose life was also connected to Egypt. From 1902 to 1904, due to ill-health, he visited Egypt twice as he required climatotherapy. At that time he stayed in Helwan, a popular resort near Cairo. During his treatment, he was probably residing in Wanda Bilińska’s guesthouse, where residents from the territories of former-day Poland met. The stay in Egypt made a huge impression on Wysłouch. An ample evidence of his fascination with heritage and monuments of ancient Egypt is the neatly published volume, issued soon after the author’s return to Poland, titled From the Land of Ruins (Warsaw 1906); what is also interesting is its graphic design, using Egyptian motives, created by Franciszek Siedlecki (1867–1934). The volume, containing the author’s reflections on existence and prose poetry, signals the state of his soul, which was filled with loneliness and bitter sadness. Its content also suggests that the author had visited most of the country, from the Giza Pyramid Complex to the city of Aswan. Egypt influenced him to such a great degree that he called the country his second homeland. He also took his pen-name “Szech” (ar. Sheikh) at that time. Having returned to his motherland, Wysłouch became a keen supporter of working-class protests (1905). He also strongly backed the reforms in the Ethical and Social Teachings of the Church; he published numerous brochures in which he described an utopian programme that would connect Christianity with Communism and Polish patriotism; he decided to leave Church in 1908. After Poland regained its independence in 1918, Wysłouch, as a public servant, played a vital role in organising and introducing the system of public disability pensions and retirement insurance in the reborn Poland.

„ОТ ЖАРЫ НАД НИЛОМ В ОГОНЬ РЕВОЛЮЦИИ НАД ВИСЛОЙ”. ИСИДОР КАЕТАН ВЫСЛОУХ (1869–1973) И ЕГО ОБЩЕСТВЕННАЯ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТЬ

Ключевые слова: Исидор Каетан Выслоух (1869–1937), католический модернизм в Польше 1900–1939, поляки в Египте 1900–1914

Напоминание о фигуре выдающегося религиозного реформатора и общественного деятеля, судьба которого также была связана с Египтом. В 1902–1904 годах из-за слабого здоровья он был вынужден дважды пройти климатическое лечение в Египте. Он отправился в Хелуан, фешенебельный курорт, расположенный недалеко от Каира. Во время лечения он, вероятно, останавливался в пансионате Ванды Билиньской, где собирались жители земель бывшей Польши. Пребывание в Египте произвело на Выслоуха большое впечатление. Ярким следом увлечения наследием Древнего Египта и его памятниками является старательно изданный вскоре после возвращения автора в Польшу том: Z krainy ruin <Из страны руин> (Варшава 1906); графическое оформление Францишка Седлецкого (1867–1934) также было выполнено в интересной манере с использованием египетских мотивов. Том рассуждений и поэтической прозы, содержащий экзистенциальные размышления автора, свидетельствует о состоянии его души в то время, наполненной чувством одиночества и трогательной печали. Содержание работы показывает, что автор довольно основательно объехал всю страну, от пирамид в Гизе до Асуана. Египет произвел на него большое впечатление, даже назвал его своей второй родиной. Именно тогда он принял термин „Szech” <Шейх> (ар. Sheikh) в качестве своего литературного псевдонима. Вернувшись в Польшу, Выслоух стал стойким сторонником рабочих протестов (1905 г.). Он также был решительным сторонником реформ в моральной и социальной доктрине Костёла; в многочисленных брошюрах он разработал утопическую программу, в которой пытался соединить христианство с социализмом и польским патриотизмом; покинул Костёл в 1908 году. После восстановления независимости Польши в 1918 году Выслоух в качестве государственного служащего сыграл важную роль в организации и внедрении системы всеобщего страхования по иивалидности и пенсионного страхования в возрожденной Польше.

The paper reminds the profile of a respected religious reformer and social activist whose life was also connected to Egypt. From 1902 to 1904, due to ill-health, he visited Egypt twice as he required climatotherapy. At that time he stayed in Helwan, a popular resort near Cairo. During his treatment, he was probably residing in Wanda Bilińska’s guesthouse, where residents from the territories of former-day Poland met. The stay in Egypt made a huge impression on Wysłouch. An ample evidence of his fascination with heritage and monuments of ancient Egypt is the neatly published volume, issued soon after the author’s return to Poland, titled From the Land of Ruins (Warsaw 1906); what is also interesting is its graphic design, using Egyptian motives, created by Franciszek Siedlecki (1867–1934). The volume, containing the author’s reflections on existence and prose poetry, signals the state of his soul, which was filled with loneliness and bitter sadness. Its content also suggests that the author had visited most of the country, from the Giza Pyramid Complex to the city of Aswan. Egypt influenced him to such a great degree that he called the country his second homeland. He also took his pen-name “Szech” (ar. Sheikh) at that time. Having returned to his motherland, Wysłouch became a keen supporter of working-class protests (1905). He also strongly backed the reforms in the Ethical and Social Teachings of the Church; he published numerous brochures in which he described an utopian programme that would connect Christianity with Communism and Polish patriotism; he decided to leave Church in 1908. After Poland regained its independence in 1918, Wysłouch, as a public servant, played a vital role in organising and introducing the system of public disability pensions and retirement insurance in the reborn Poland.