The last before the war Convention of Polish Geographers in Krakow. The Institute of Geography of the Jagiellonian University, 28–29 May 1939

Abstract

The last before the war, 8th Convention of Polish Geography Teachers, the only at that time nationwide forum for the exchange of geographical ideas, took place on 28–29 May 1939 at the Institute of Geography of the Jagiellonian University.
The organizer was the Polish Association of Geography Teachers chaired at that time by Professor Stanisław Pawłowski, the director of the Institute of Geography of the University of Poznan. Each convention had an extensive educational part, and all the events were accompanied by cartographic exhibitions and those featuring teaching aids. The main lecture under the title „Geography and national defence” was delivered by Professor S. Pawłowski. In it, he characterized in a comprehensive way Polish defensive conditions. Another speech at the plenary session concerned Cieszyn Silesia. It was delivered by Dr. Antoni Wrzosek, the deputy director of the Silesian Institute. The remaining part of the Convention was devoted to educational matters. Participants also had the opportunity to visit a specially prepared cartographic exhibition, and that featuring the latest teaching aids.
The Convention proceeded in a feverish atmosphere. Preparations for a probable war with Germany were under way everywhere. No one was expecting the attack of Stalin’s army and the occupation of part of the Polish territory by the Soviets. More and more often, patriotic feelings were publicly displayed. For many participants, the Krakow gathering was an occasion to meet friends and colleagues for the last time. Some speeches took on the character of a farewell. Three months later (exactly 94 days), the Second World War II broke out, and several days later Hitler’s aggression was followed by that of Stalin. The war brought martyrdom to a number of the Convention participants, both in German torture chambers and in the Soviet ones.