Andrzej Synowiec

The aim of this article is to showcase the complex problem of the attitude of Catholic Church, and specifically its clergy, to the Polish uprisings in the 19th century. Ludwik Łętowski was a member of the Senate of the Republic of Cracow, who first strongly supported the November Uprising – this “historical mission of Poles,” – and then, as an auxiliary bishop of Cracow, strongly opposed the Cracow Uprising, which he called a “comic brawl.” Łętowski also criticized the January Uprising. It is difficult to unequivocally assess the attitude of the Catholic Church to the Polish national uprisings. It can certainly be said that the clergy in the Polish lands were involved in great national events and tried not to stand aside. Łętowski was a man of paradoxes, which was also reflected in his attitude to Polish uprisings in the 19th century. The attitude of the Polish clergy and its role in the 19th-century struggles for independence have not yet been exhaustively discussed in historiography, and the example of Łętowski does not allow to make simple generalizations.

Kazimierz Stołyhwo (1880-1966) was an outstanding Polish anthropologist. On November 6, 1939, together with other professors of the Jagiellonian University, he was arrested by the Germans during the “Sonderaktion Krakau”, and then transported to the concentration camp in Sachsenhausen. Stołyhwo described his camp and wartime experiences in detail in a little-known, but valuable publication In captivity of the NSDAP. Biographical Summary in the Period from September 1, 1939 to January 18, 1945 (Kraków 1946). During this difficult time, he proved to be a righteous and uncompromising man. Sick and exhausted, he was finally released from the camp on April 23, 1940 – it was the result of pressure from European politicians and scientists. After the war, Stołyhwo  continued to work at the Jagiellonian University.

The text presents the establishment circumstances of the first nationwide research and development institution for the tobacco industry. The need to create such an institution dealing with workings of the broadly understood tobacco industry was felt from the beginning of tobacco cultivation in Poland, and especially after the regaining of the independence. After World War II, the matter became even more urgent due to the fact that the cultivation of tobacco was of great importance for the Polish economy and the consumption of tobacco products was constantly growing. It is difficult to talk about a modern tobacco industry without a specialized research and development facility with qualified personnel of scientists and appropriate laboratories. Long-term discussions as to the form and manner of organization of said facility were crowned with the establishment of the Central Scientific and Research Institute of the Tobacco Industry in 1951. It was intended to then later be replaced with the Tobacco Industry Institute, but instead, the Tobacco Industry Research and Control Laboratory was first established in 1954 and in 1956 it was transformed into the Central Tobacco Industry Laboratory with its seat first in Warsaw and then in Cracow-Czyżyny (until 2004).

Stefan Pachnowski as an Active Member of the Association of Polish Cities in 1927–1935

Stefan Pachnowski (1892–1943) was a lawyer, local government activist, president of Włocławek and in the years 1927–1935 an active member of the Association of Polish Cities (Związek Miast Polskich). Since 1927 he was among the representatives of the Management and the Executive Committee of the Association (Zarząd i Komisja Wykonawcza Związku) where he was involved in various initiatives.
One of the most essential fields of his work were questions related to newly introduced building regulations. He presided over a special commission of real estate assessors in the Association of Polish Cities; they were working on the elaboration of a model project of local construction and police regulations, which were released in 1930. He was a keen supporter of the revitalisation of building and housing activities in Polish towns. As president of Włocławek he oriented his efforts towards the construction of small condominiums for the working people. He used to present his views and ideas at the reunions of the Association of Polish Cities.
Since the very beginning of his membership in the Association, Pachnowski manifested avid interest in the improvement of the cities’ finances and, consequently, he became a member of the Financial Committee (Komisja Finansowa) within the Association. In the field of its interests there were among others: the revival of economic activity and the reduction of unemployment. In 1933 the institution of the Labour Fund (Fundusz Pracy) was established and the Association of Polish Cities was a strong supporter of its policies. Pachnowski himself encouraged the cooperation between the two bodies. In 1934, when his presidency of Włocławek was concluded, he engaged himself in the activity of the Labour Fund.
With utmost care Pachnowski examined the legislation of local governments in the Second Republic of Poland and participated in the elaboration of local government law on behalf of the Association of Polish Cities. The law was promulgated on 22nd March 1933 but was not enthusiastically received by the members of the Association. That event gave rise to animated discussions about local government legislation and Pachnowski’s voice was among the most prominent ones in that discourse.
The Association of Polish Cities delegated Pachnowski to the National Committee of Local Governments (Państwowa Rada Samorządowa). He also represented the Association within the Committee of Municipal Loan and Donation Fund (Komisja Komunalnego Funduszu Pożyczkowo-Zapomogowego). In 1931 he was appointed to the Electricity Committee (Komisja Elektryczna), and, towards the end of his activity, during the 13th convention in 1935, he joined the Verification Committee (Komisja Weryfikacyjna) which, on the basis of discussions and documentation provided by the Association office, elaborated proposals to be presented at the Association reunion.