Articles --> Conference 2001

Jerzy Szałygin

Association of Historic Monument Conservators, Warsaw

About Conference "Olęders and their heritage in Poland. History, condition, and conservation), Toruń, 11-13 October 2001"

I have the pleasure to present an electronic version of talks given during the conference organized by the Ośrodek Ochrony Zabytkowego Krajobrazu (Center for Historic Landscape Preservation), the Narodowa Instytucja Kultury (National Institute of Culture) in Warsaw, and the Muzeum Etnograficzne im. Marii Znamierowskiej-Prüfferowej (Maria Znamierowska-Prüfferowa Ethnographic Museum) in Toruń. The conference was organized as part of the governmental educational program Świadome Kształtowanie Krajobrazu Historycznego (Conscious Development of Historical Landscape) with the cooperation of the Park Krajobrazowy Doliny Dolnej Wisły (Landscape Park of the Lower Vistula Valley), and Towarzystwem Przyjaciół Muzeum Etnograficznego (Association of Friends of the Ethnographic Museum) in Toruń. The event was held under the honorable patronage of the ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Justus J. De Visser, and the marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorski voivodeship, Waldemar Achramowicz. The purpose of the conference was to provide a venue for the continuous exchange of ideas, opinions, and results of research between various institutions in order to create a comprehensive program of research, protection, and education. Among the participants were representatives from scientific, restoration specialist, and museum communities, who are involved in the subject of the Olęder colonization in Poland.

Although the Olęder colonization has been of great interest to numerous historians, which is reflected in the remarkable publications that await further popularization, there is currently no monographic study that presents the subject in a comprehensive way, describing all aspects of the colonization in the entire country. The reasons for this situation include a lack of cooperation between various communities involved in the subject and also between representatives of individual fields of science. After all, the Olęder heritage, as confirmed by the conference itself, in addition to history, art history, ethnography, and architecture, also includes linguistics, biology, botany, restoration, and other fields of knowledge. It was a great achievement of the conference organizers to gather representatives of so many fields of learning focused on our subject. The only field that was not represented was hydrology; I hope that in future we will be able to incorporate this perspective.

The conference was very professionally organized and took place in the Ethnographic Park, with full commitment for its success. The event was divided into two sections: during the first two days, the participants presented 23 talks and short communications (due to the high quality of the presentations, it is regrettable that each participant had only 20 minutes), the third day was devoted to a field trip to the area between Nowe and Chrystkowo, which was included in the Olęder colonization.

Unfortunately, texts of some presentations are unavailable (as of now, they have not been submitted to the event organizers); however, we will undertake to obtain them in future, as far as will be possible.

The following presentations were delivered during the conference (chronological order):

dr Andrzej Michałowski, Ośrodek Ochrony Zabytkowego Krajobrazu w Warszawie, Olęderskie krajobrazy dziedzictwa i ich znaczenie dla współczesności (Olęder heritage and its significance in the present day),

dr hab. Zbigniew Chodyła, UAM (Adam Mickiewicz University) in Poznań, Zarys osadnictwa olęderskiego w Polsce od XVI do XVIII w (An outline of the history of the Olęder colonization in Poland between the 16th and 17th centuries),

prof. dr hab. Andrzej Piątkowski, Zakład Historii Pomorza PAN (Department of History of Pomerania , Polish Academy of Science in Toruń), Fazy rozwojowe osadnictwa olęderskiego na obszarze posiadłości miasta Elbląga w XVI-XVIII w (Developmental stages of the Olęder colonization in the Elbląg town estates from the 16th to the 18th century),

mgr Wiesław Nowosad, Muzeum Etnograficzne (Ethnographic Museum) in Toruń, Osadnictwo olęderskie w dobrach szlacgty Prus Królewskich (The Olęder colonization in noble estates of Royal Prussia. Condition of source materials and opportunities for research).

dr Wanda Karkucińska, Biblioteka w Kórniku PAN (Kórnik Library, Polish Academy of Science), Osadnictwo olęderskie w dobrach klucza kórnickiego w czasach Teofili z Działyńskich Szołderskiej-Potulickiej (The Olęder settlements in Kórnik estates of Teofilia Szołdrskiej Potulickiej, birth name Działyński),

mgr Zofia Zierhofferowa, PAN w Krakowie, Nazwy osad olęderskich w Wielkopolsce (Names of Olęder settlements in Wielkopolska. Origins and changes),

dr Bogusław Szmygin, Politechnika Lubelska (Technological University) in Lublin, Dziedzictwo holenderskie na Żuławach - perspektywy ochrony (The Dutch heritage in Żuławy: the future of its conservation),

mgr Jerzy Domino, Wojewódzki Oddział Służby Ochrony Zabytków w Olsztynie, Delegatura w Elblągu (Elbląg branch of the Voivodeship Department of Historical Monument Protection) in Olsztyn, Domy podcieniowe na Żuławach Elbląskich i Wysoczyźnie Elbląskiej (Arcaded houses in Żuławy Elbląskie and Wysoczyzna Elbląska),

mgr Henryk Ratajczak, UMK (Nicolaus Copernicus University) in Torzuń, Problemy ochrony domów podcieniowych na Żuławach na dwóch wybranych przykładach (Issues related to conservation of arcaded houses in Żuławy based on two selected examples),

dr inż. arch. Bogna Lipińska, Politechnika Gdańska (Gdańsk Technological University), Kniewo i Karwieńskie Błota - współczesne przekształcenia wsi olęderskiej (Kniewskie Błota and Karwieńskie Błota: contemporary transformation of the Olęder villages),

mgr Ewa Gilewska, Muzeum Narodowe (National Museum) in Gdańsk, Kolekcja mebli olęderskich z Żuław w zbiorach Oddziału Etnografii Muzeum narodowego w Gdańsku (Olęder furniture from Żuławy in the collection of the Department of Ethnography, National Muzeum,

mgr Bolesław Klein, Klub Nowodworski (Nowodworski Club), Stowarzyszenie Miłośników Nowego Dworu Gdańskiego, Refleksje na tle II Zjazdu Mennonitów oraz udział Klubu Nowodworskiego w ochronie cmentarzy mennonickich (Reflections on the 1st and 2nd Mennonite Convention and participation of the Nowodworski Club in the protection of the Mennonite cemeteries),

mgr Roman Tubaja, Muzeum Etnograficzne (Ethnographic Museum) in Toruń, Stan architektury ludowej i problemy jej ochrony na obszrze Doliny Dolnej Wisły (The condition of rural architecture and its protection in the Lower Vistula Valley),

mgr Krzysztof Bartowski, Wojewódzki Ośrodek Kultury (Voivodeship Center of Culture) in Bydgoszcz, Stan zachowania krajobrazu kulturowego wzdłuż Wisły na terenie powiatu świeckiego i bydgoskiego (The condition of the cultural landscape in the Świecki and Bydgoski districts along the Vistula),

Piotr Bartkowiak, mgr Jarosław Pająkowski, Park Krajobrazowy Doliny Dolnej Wisły (Landscape Park of the Lower Vistula Valley), Świecie, Ocalone ślady osadnictwa olęderskiego w nadwiślańskim krajobrazie (na terenie Parku Krajobrazowego Doliny Dolnej Wisły) (Preserved relics of the Olęder colonization in the Vistula landscape (located in the Landscape Park of the Lower Vistula Valley),

mgr Emanuel Okoń, UMK (Nicolaus Copernicus University) in Torzuń, Budownictwo olęderskie nad środkową i dolną Wisłą - wybrane przykłady i rozwiązania (Olęder architecture in the Central and Lower Vistula; selected examples and solutions),

mgr Jarosław Pająkowski, Park Krajobrazowy Doliny Dolnej Wisły (Landscape Park of the Lower Vistula Valley, Świecie, Tradycja sadownictwa w Dolinie Dolnej Wisły (Traditions of orchard cultivation in the Lower Vistula Valley),

mgr Artur Trapszyc, Muzeum Etnograficzne (Ethnographic Museum) in Toruń, Olęderski wątek w szkutnictwie ludowym Dolnej Wisły (Olęder themes in regional boatbuilding in the Lower Vistula region),

dr Antoni Pelczyk, Muzeum Pierwszych Piastów (the Museum of the First Piasts) in Lednicy, Wpływ osadnictwa olęderskiego na krajobraz architektoniczny Wielkopolski Zachodniej (The impact of Olęder colonization on the architecture of Western Wielkopolska),

mgr Dorota Leśniewska, Wielkopolski Ośrodek Studiów i Ochrony Środowiska Kulturowego (Wielkopolski Center of Studies and Protection of the Cultural Environment in Poznań), Osadnictwo olęderskie na terenie projektowanego Cysterskiego Parku Kulturowego - Radojewo-Owińska (The Olęder colonization in the planned Cysterski Cultural Park - Radojewsko-Owińsska),

mgr Rafał Nadolny, Wojewódzki Oddział Służby Ochrony Zabytków (the Voivodeship Department of Historical Monument Protection) in Poznań, Boruja - ulicowa wieś olęderska (The linear Olęder village of Boruja),

mgr Jerzy Szałygin, Ośrodek Ochrony Zbiorów Publicznych (the Center for Public Records Protection) in Warsaw, Kolonizacja olęderska na Mazowszu. Układy ruralistyczne in typy architektury (The Olęder colonization in Mazowsze. Rural layouts and architectural types),

dr Paweł Fijałkowski, Żydowski Instytut Historyczny (Jewish Institute of History) in Warsaw, Mennonickie wspólnoty religijne na Mazowszu do 1945 r. Materialne ślady ich funkcjonowania (Mennonite religious communities in Mazowsze prior to 1945 and their material relics),

Marian Złonkiewicz, Zarząd Melioracji i Urządzeń Wodnych (Drainage and Water Facilities Management), Bydgoszcz, Reconstruction and modernization of flood protection systems in the Mątawa Valley

The above presentations, usually enriched with slide shows, were very interesting and were vigorously discussed not only in the back rooms, but also in the conference room. The Toruń conference was exceptional in that the participants were able to see for themselves the multiple facets of the Olęder colonization. Therefore, I would like to express my thanks to the organizers for the preparations and the planned release of a book containing the conference materials. I hope that its publication will have an impact on the actual conservation of the Olęder heritage in Poland.

At the same time, I would like to express my thanks to the director of the Maria Znamierowskiej-Prüfferowej Ethnographic Museum in Toruń, Roman Tubaja, for allowing us to publish the conference materials on our webpage.