The Protestant minorities in Silesia
Streszczenie
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.
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