Title pages and table of content

Bees, known to be an important factor of a human environment since the Palaeolithic era, due to their increasing value for the economy became significant subject of scientific interest in ancient Greece and Rome. Researches and analysis related to their diseases played an important role within this area. Ancient authors knew at least a few possible causes of the diseases of bees, described symptoms and were trying to suggest a cure. They underlined importance of a hygiene within bee yards. Unfortunately deeper evaluation of their writings leads to a conclusion, that their knowledge was somewhat obsolete and therefore a fully successful treatments couldn’t be developed in the time they lived.

In the years 68—69 AD coin issues appeared that, apart from ROMA RENASCENS or ROMA RESVRGENS legend, depicted the fighting/struggling Roma and the Roma bringing victory, and then the very goddess lifted by the emperor. All of it alluded to the events that transpired during “the year of the four emperors” (68—69). The issuers, that is, Galba, Vitellius, and Vespasian appropriated the legend about the Roma renascent and resurgent to the situation occuring within the state. The motif, presented by the said emperors, featured themselves as leaders deeply involved in the fate of Rome, which — due to progressing civil war — was thrown into chaos, as did the entire Roman Empire, and that naturally affected detrimentally the City’s image. Therefore, in the numismatic images, Galba and Vitellius faught (oftentimes shoulder to shoulder with Roma herself), and the goddess depicted was to bring about the victory to them. Emperor Vespasian pushed the imagery considerably further, aligning Roma’s image with the durability of his power, since this emperor’s coins presented the goddess as a woman whom he was helping to emerge from recent misfortunes. Thus, he could symbolically appear to his people as a defender and restitutor that would restore the state to its former glory.

The notion of triumphal ceremonies in the Byzantine Empire is well known thanks to a book by Michael McCormick entitled Eternal Victory. Triumphal Rulership in Late Antiquity, Byzantium and the Early Medieval West. Therein, the scholar mainly focuses on the ceremonies which were officiated during the early and middle Byzantium, while omitting — much to the detriment of his consideration, the period of the Nicene Empire and the empire ruled by the Palaiologos. M. McCormick chiefly tries to unveil to what extent the Byzantine ceremonies drew upon the heritage of Antiquity, and therefore he mostly foregoes their development during the Komnenoi dynasty period. He supported his choice arguing that the scope of societal changes that occurred during the early medieval times in Byzantium translated into the formula and ideological message of the ceremonies in question. In the light of the mentioned premises it would be eligible to ask about the form of triumphal ceremonies in the Byzantine Empire in exile in the Asia Minor, that is, in the Nicene Empire. The present article aims at verifying the record thereof written by the epoch’s (i.e., of the Empire in exilio) most renown chronicler — George Akropolites. Particularly, to examine his chronicle’s usefulness as a source of knowledge on the Nicene triumphal ceremonies. The analysis concentrates upon the two events described by the said author, namely: the celebration stemming from the annexation of Thessaloniki in 1246 by John III Vatatzes and Michael VIII Palaiologos’s official installation in Constantinople of 1261 regained from the Romans.

In the year 1646, Władysław IV’s plans regarding Turkish campaign, hitherto devised in secret, leaked to the public opinion, which in turn compelled the monarch to convene the Sejm (the national diet). In September 1646 the majority of the pre-Sejm dietines decided against the aggressive war with Turkey. The noblemen assembled condemned the military conscription instigated without seeking the Sejm’s approval as well as issuing litterae inscriptionis stipendii (the letters allowing and detailing conscription) bearing the royal peacetime seal. The Mazovian dietines, as opposed to the majority of the remaining ones, were of a less negative standpoint towards the King’s plans and did not undermine the royal authority of Władysław IV. Some of the instructions given by the dietines rendered the discussion about the war during the national assembly admissible, while other suggested the method of waging war. Also, a number of dietines condoned the levying of taxes in the event of state borders being threatened. Therefore it seems a foregone conclusion that the noblemen of Mazovia, contrary the remainder of this estate, assumed during the period in question a more loyalist attitude.

Der Beitrag befasst sich mit der vom Teschener Gelehrten und ehemaligen Jesuiten Leopold Jan Szersznik (1747—1814) verfassten und im Jahre 1810 veröffentlichten Enzyklopädie Nachrichten von Schriftstellern und Künstlern aus dem Teschener Fürstenthum. Auf 220 Seiten enthält sie bibliografische Stichworte, welche den 109 mit Teschener Region verbundenen Persönlichkeiten gewidmet sind. Darunter befinden sich nicht nur ausschließlich eingeborene Teschener, sondern auch Personen, die sich in Teschen niedergelassen haben und sich erst später am Leben des Gebiets aktiv beteiligten. Bei deren Auswahl waren für L. J. Szersznik weder die Konfession und die Sprache, in der der Gelehrte seine Arbeiten veröffentlichte, noch wissenschaftliche Disziplin, die er betätigte wichtig. In seinem Werk befinden sich Theologen, Prediger, Philosophen, Naturforscher, Ärzte, Historiker, Schriftsteller, Künstler, Juristen und andere, in der Zahl auch schreibunkundige Gelehrte. Die Enzyklopädie sollte bisherige Errungenschaften der Region und deren Entwicklung näherbringen und aufzeigen, dass Teschenr Land kein intellektuelles Ödland ist. In dem Beitrag werden die grafische Seite des Werkes und seine Genese geschildert. Der Verfasser analysiert ausgewählte Stichworte und die Aufnahme der Nachrichten von Schriftstellern und Künstlern aus dem Teschener Fürstenthum von den Lesern.

Interesting peregrination descriptions from the second half of the 18th century, allowing to discuss the travellers’ attitude towards the sacred sphere appeared to be Itinerarium Romanum by Stanisław Dominik Kleczewski, Definitory of the Ruthenian Province, and Diarium itineris Remigii Zawadzki Roman pro capitulo Generali peregrinantis by Remigiusz Maciej Zawadzki, Bishop-Protector of the Greater Poland Province. Both the friars during their journeys to the Eternal City seized their chance to visit numerous places of religious worship, such as: Padova, Assisi, or Loreto, which doubtlessly translated into leaving by them many records of seeking deeper contact with God. One of the testimonies to functioning in the area of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of the Franciscan monastery families, including the Reformati, were the foreign peregrinations, particularly to Italy and Spanish cities. The fundamental source material that documented this form of mobility of both friars and secular persons, are the reports from the journeys undertaken.

The monastery of the Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit located in Łąki Panny Maryi near Głogówek was funded in 1388 by Władysław, the Duke of Opole. The monastery had numerous wyderkaf records (from German der Wiederkauf ‘repurchasing, buying back’), which played a significant part in the monastery economy. However, the revenue stemming from the said source were not always timely. Therefore, the members of the order frequently had to deal with financial difficulties. Of the major importance for the monastery in Łąki were, apart from wyderkaf records: the financial support from the order’s superiors, propination laws, rents from subordinates, and lease. Among the expanses, in turn, the greatest involved taxation, especially high under the Prussian rule, and the Brethren’s costs of living. When it comes to financial balance sheet, the monastery usually yielded profit: the greatest over the years 1736—1739 and 1801—1803, and the lowest in the years 1728—1731. The monastery also struggles with financial deficit. During the period 1731—1739 it underwent a deep crisis. The aforementioned allows to conclude that their financial situation was hardly stable and the ratio of revenues to expenses was determined by many factors, amongst them circumstances of nature, warfare, and most of all the fiscal policy lead by the Prussian state.

Wiktoryna Bakałowiczowa (1835—1874) was an outstanding actress of Teatr Rozmaitości in Warsaw. Unsurpassed in her performances as lyrical and “naively” comedic roles, she also excelled as a character actress. From the 1860s onwards she found her competitor in Helena Modrzejewska, as a major star of Teatr Rzomaitości. Bakałowiczowa’s legend was created in critical and memoire writing by such people as: Władysław Bogusławski, Władysław Krogulski, Józef Kotarbiński, Adam Grzymała-Siedlecki, and Jan Lorentowicz. Another artist active at Teatr Rozmaitości was Bakałowiczowa’s brother — an actor and a director Władysław Szymanowski (1840, 1841, 1842 or 1843—1917).

The presented biographical sketch concisely depicts the decisive events of the life and professional activity of Prince Brig. Gen. Konstanty Drucki‑Lubecki. He was a member of princely house whose property included among others the Porochońsk estate. His thorough education was obtained at the Imperial Alexander Lyceum in Saint Petersburg. During the years 1918—1920 he played an active part as a member of the military in regaining Polish independence. The said process having been completed, he took a position of both cavalry commander and military lecturer, among others at the Central Cavalry School in Grudziądz and the Higher Military School in Warsaw. In 1939, as a commander the Vilnius Cavalry Brigade, he fought in the Polish September Campaign. After he had been taken into custody by the Soviet secret services, he was incarcerated as a prisoner of war in Sambor. In 1940, following the decision/pursuant to the decision of the highest USSR authorities, he was sentenced to death and then executed, probably in Kiev. His body was buried in Bykivnia forest. Throughout many year after his death, his close ones, namely his wife, children and brother‑in‑law, attempted to reconstruct his fate. But it was not until the 1990s, after the Ukrainian authorities handed to Poland the so‑called Ukrainian Katyń List, that the circumstances of General’s death were partially uncovered. Surely, the Prince’s remains are located in Kiev‑Bykivnia, yet they have not been discovered thus far.

The article ponders an important question of Polish-Hungarian relations in the midst of Polish-Soviet war in 1920. First of all, it presents the wide scope of aid provided to Poland by the Hungarian state throughout the former country’s struggle for independence and securing its place on the map of the post-WWI Europe. Moreover, the article goes on to indicate the political aims and objectives pursued by Hungarians while supporting the fight and policies of the re-established Polish state. What constituted the crucial part thereof was supplying firearms and ammunition manufactured in Hungary along with the assistance during delivery process of the army materiel purchased by Poland in the western Europe, including weaponry, ammunition, and military equipment. The author of the article provides comprehensive data on the amount of military materiel supplied by Hungary to Poland, complementing it with information concerning the details of transporting it by railway through Hungarian and Romanian territory in 1920, and giving account of the role Hungarian volunteers played in the Polish Armed Forces as well as of attempts of implementing the Hungarian concept of close strategic alliance with Poland. The article also presents the geopolitical determinants that emphasize the essence and role of Hungarian aid granted/rendered to Poland.

The Neurode (Nowa Ruda) land is considered the oldest area of coalmining located within the borders of today’s Poland. First mentions about coal mines in the region come from municipal records of the year 1434. However, the mining industry thriving at the beginning of the 20th century there had to incur numerous accidents and underground disasters. The most tragic and extensive among them took place in 1941 when, as a results of natural gas explosion, 187 people lost their lives, including one English prisoner of war. The then Nazi German authorities managed to effectively “silence” any information spreading about the disaster. Yet, some press releases appeared in the printed media of the region. The article presents social consequences of losing by local families their breadwinners and the scope of material aid granted to widows and children of the miners who tragically perished. What stemmed from the death of the “Ruben” mine’s one-third of the underground crew were problems with effective exploration of the fossil fuel, as well as the need to fill the staff shortage with POWs. After many year, also the mystery of the Englishmen perished in 1941 has been solved; he was a young cannoneer Charles William (Chick) Page.

Apart form the Piłsudki-ites, the Polish government along with underground organizations in the Nazi German-occupied country (the former Second Polish Republic), voiced their criticism regarding the partition of Czechoslovakia previously performed by the Sanation government side by side with the Germans in 1938, resulting in the Polish seizure of Zaolzie. Nonetheless, there was no single political faction in Poland, including the communists, that would have conceded to returning Zaolzie unconditionally to Czechoslovakia after the war. Even though in this very case the Polish government was open to some concessions, those did not include re-establishing the pre-September 1938 state of affairs. Polish authorities declared readiness to negotiate bilaterally or proceed with a form of arbitration. Political groups in the country tended towards reaching an agreement with Czechoslovakia based on exchanging Zaolzie for Lower Silesia along with Lusatia. They also put forward a mutually-agreed equilibrium between Polish ethnicity and Czechoslovakian economic interest in Zaolzie. Had the Polish-Czechoslovakian agreement not been attained, they should have opted for a plebiscite.

Review of: [J. Bennett: Trajan optimus princeps. Życie i czasy. Tłum. M.N. Faszcza, M. Baranowski. Oświęcim 2017]

Review [Ojczyźnie naszej, Polsce, bądźmy wierni. Bitwa miechowska 17 lutego 1863 roku w relacjach uczestników powstania styczniowego i świadków zniszczenia miasta. Wybór i red. M. Słuszniak. Ilustr. M. Hołda. Miechów 2018]

Review [A. Applebaum: Czerwony głód. Tłum. B. Gadomska, W. Gadomska. Warszawa 2018]

Hitler - one-man dictatorship - review [P. Longerich: Hitler. Biografia. Przeł. M. Antkowiak. Warszawa 2017]

Review [A. Marczak: Festiwal Piosenki Radzieckiej w Zielonej Górze w latach 1962—1989. Łomianki 2017]

Review [Wydarzenia Marca 1968 roku w pamięci i edukacji historycznej. Red. A. Gołębiowska, M. Świder. Opole 2017]

Review [T. Maresz: Polska i Polacy w radzieckiej szkolnej narracji podręcznikowej. Bydgoszcz 2017]

Reply to the review article: T Srogosz, A. Stroynowski: "W sprawie wzorca osobowego szlachcica w Rzeczypospolitej w XVI i XVII wieku"[,,Wieki Stare i Nowe” 2017, t. 12 (17), s. 194—208]

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