The Protestant minorities in Silesia

Abstract

Silesia is a multicultural region that was influenced by Polish, German, Czech and Jewish elements. The cultural diversity results from intermingling of cultures of local communities and a specific competition or even confrontation that took place in this area throughout the history. Many times the rulers of Silesia changed: first the region belonged to Poland, than to Bohemia, Hungary, Bohemia again, Austria, Prussia, Germany (after the unification) to finally fall to Poland after 1945. One of characteristics of Silesia is its division into different historical and cultural territories. The Protestants living in the region have greatly added to its diversity. The exchange of population after the Second World War led to formation of a new, predominantly Catholic society in Silesia. The traces of Protestantism in the Silesian landscape, however, have not been completely erased. Likewise, the vestiges of other denominations have not disappeared: they still co-exist with older or more recent works of Polish, German, Czech, Italian, and Austrian architects. This is exemplified by the above mentioned Peace Churches as well as border and refuge churches – unknown in other part of Europe. Polishness has survived among Evangelicals on Wielkopolska-Silesia borderland, to great extent owing to German priests. It is shameful that these Poles, annoyed by new Polish settlers, decided to leave Poland after 1945 and emigrate to Germany. The same is true for other parts of Silesia.