90 Years of the Polish Anthropological Society and Anthropological Review: a Success Story
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Maria Kaczmarek Polish Anthropological Society and Anthropological Review ANTHROPOLOGICAL REVIEW • Vol. 79 (2), 97–113 (2016) 90 years of the Polish Anthropological Society and Anthropological Review: a success story Maria Kaczmarek1,2 1Polish Anthropological Society 2Department of Human Biological Development, Institute of Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland Foundation of the Polish Studies, Mathematics, and Life Sciences Anthropological Society and Forestry (www.amu.edu.pl). at the University of Poznań The following years saw a rapid de- velopment of the University, foundation The history of the Polish Anthropolog- of new faculties and recruitment of dis- ical Society (PTA)1 has been associated tinguished scientists and scholars who with the University of Poznań, an aca- raised its prestige. A department of an- demic institution founded in 1919, when thropology was then established to con- Poland gained independence after a long duct studies in biology. An offer to head period of foreign subordination. The the department was given to Prof. Jan first official opening of an academic year Czekanowski, the most distinguished presided by the rector, Prof. Heliodor Polish anthropologist of that time. But Święcicki, elected from among profes- he declined as he had just set up a de- sors of a multi-course Faculty of Phi- partment of anthropology in Lviv and losophy, was held on 7 May 1919. The did not want to leave that establishment. University began providing courses in Therefore, Prof. Jan Gabriel Grochma- Law and Economics, Medicine, Human licki, a zoologist, was appointed curator and held the post until the academic year 1935/1936 (Malinowski 2008). Among professors invited by rector 1 The abbreviation PTA will be used throughout the entire paper as a name for the Polish An- Heliodor Święcicki was Adam Wrzosek, thropological Society. a pathologist, historian of medicine, Editorial DOI: 10.1515/anre-2016-0009 © 2016 Polish Anthropological Society 98 Maria Kaczmarek Fig. 1. The so-called Święcicki Bench, a monument situated in front of Collegium Minus commem- orating Professor Heliodor Święcicki, the first rector of Poznań University. Photo Author. and anthropologist who agreed to leave Warsaw and move to Poznań. In his ap- pointment decree, he reserved the right to organise an Anthropology Unit and Fig. 2. Professor Adam Wrzosek founder of the Polish Anthropological Society. Source http:// arranged for anthropology to be obliga- www.google.pl. torily taught to students of medicine. In 1920, on the initiative of Prof. Wrzosek, tion of the Polish Anthropological Socie- founder and first dean of the Faculty of ty. The founding meeting took place on Medicine, an Anthropology Unit was 12 November 1925 attended by Michał established under that Faculty. First lec- Ćwirko-Godycki, Maria Grossmannów- tures in anthropology were given in the na, Anna Gruszecka, Prof. Ignacy Hoff- academic year 1921/1922 for all students man, Prof. Wincenty Jezierski, Prof. of medicine, and the Anthropology Unit, Witold Kapuściński, Prof. Adam Kar- apart from its teaching activities, became wowski, Bohdan Lipiński, Romuald Ma- a centre of extensive scientific studies in tuszewski, student of Medicine Józef Me- the area of developmental and medical dem, Włodzimierz Missiuro, Prof. Leon anthropology2. Padlewski, Prof. Romuald Wierzbicki Prof. Wrzosek, following the example and Prof. Adam Wodziczko. Additionally, of Anthropological Commission found- before the founding meeting was held, ed in 1873 at the Krakow Academy of the following professors of the Universi- Learning and the Paris-based Polish An- ty of Poznań, who could not attend the thropological and Ethnographical Society meeting, declared their membership: established in 1878 initiated the founda- Prof. Stefan Błachowski, Prof. Antoni Jakubski, Prof. Józef Kostrzewski and 2 For more details on Prof. Wrzosek’s scientific Prof. Stanisław Runge3. The participants achievements, please see the article by Andrzej Malinowski in the series Profiles of Distin- guished Academics “Adam Jan Wrzosek (1875– 3 See Foundation of the Polish Anthropological 1965)” PTA Bulletin no. 14, 2014, pp. 9–17. Ac- Society published in Przegląd Antropologiczny cess: www.ptantropologiczne.pl tab Biuletyny. 1926, 1(1), 50–1. Polish Anthropological Society and Anthropological Review 99 Fig. 3. The first Management Board of the Polish Anthropological Society elected in 1925 for a period of three years. Designed by Author. adopted a statute inspired by the stat- 1926). That aim has been pursued from ute of the Polish Prehistoric Society and the very beginning of the Society’s activi- elected a Management Board for a period ty up to present. The new revision of the of three years. The Board consisted of the statute describes that aim in more detail: following members: Prof. Adam Wrzosek “The primary objective of the Polish An- as president, Prof. Adam Wodziczko as thropological Society, as it continues the deputy president, Włodzimierz Missiuro progressive traditions of the Polish sci- as secretary and treasurer, and Dr. Michał entific and scholarly thought, is to dis- Ćwirko-Godycki as deputy secretary and seminate knowledge of anthropology” treasurer. The members also decided for (Wrzosek 1926). Przegląd Antropologiczny to be an official The mission has been fulfilled by scientific journal of the Polish Anthropo- holding symposia and conferences; co- logical Society with Prof. Wrzosek as its operation with scientific and research in- first editor-in-chief (Anthropological Re- stitutions, universities and other scientif- view 1926; Malinowski 2008, 2014). ic societies both from Poland and abroad; The first statute of the Polish Anthro- keeping and providing access to library pological Society read as follows: “The resources; publishing activity; conduct- aim of the Society is to contribute to the ing research and supporting the Society’s development of anthropology” (Wrzosek members in their research work; raising 100 Maria Kaczmarek public awareness of scientific achieve- discussion panels; as well as activities ments and disseminating knowledge by aimed to reinforce the community ties informing scientific community of and in- and building scientific partnership and viting them to conferences, symposia and friendship between the Society members. Past developments and present status of the Polish Anthropological Society In the following years, the PTA member- ship systematically increased as the So- ciety was joined by almost all Polish an- thropologists, as well as representatives of related disciplines and individuals in- terested in anthropology. In 1928, PTA had 51 members. In 1931 the number al- most tripled to reach 131. The PTA activ- ities were interrupted by the World War Two and resumed after the war was over. In 1948, the PTA membership was 73, in 1976, 214, and in 2003, 280 (Malinowski 1986, Kornafel 2004, Krenz-Niedbała and Nowak 2005). As the number of members increased, PTA affiliated branched were established at academic institutions. Throughout its history, PTA branches have operated in Białymstok, Gdańsk, Krakow includ- ing Kiele, Lublin, Łódź, Opole including Częstochowa, Poznań, Szczecin, Toruń, Warsaw and Wrocław (Kornafel 2004). Nowadays, the PTA consists of 284 members in ten branches. Bydgoszcz, Gdańsk, Kielce, Kraków, Łódź, Po- znań, Rzeszów, Szczecin, Warszawa and Wrocław4. The Society governing bodies include: General Assembly, Main Board (executive authority) and Audit Commission5. The 4 For details regarding particular branches and their statutory authorities, see PTA website, Fig. 4. First statute of the Polish Anthropological tab Oddziały http://www.ptantropologiczne.pl. Association published in the first issue of Prze- 5 See PTA Statute available at the PTA website: gląd Antropologiczny in 1926. http://www.ptantropologiczne.pl. Polish Anthropological Society and Anthropological Review 101 Fig. 5. Polish Anthropological Society: network of branches across Poland in 2015. Designed by Author. Main Board is presided by the President. After the Polish Academy of Scienc- That position was held consecutively by: es (PAN) was established in 1951, one Prof. Adam Wrzosek (1925–1952), Prof. of its first scientific committees – PAN Jan Mydlarski (1952–1956), Prof. Tade- Committee of Anthropology – emerged usz Dzierżykray-Rogalski (1956–1984), from the PTA (Malinowski and Wolański Prof. Andrzej Malinowski (1984–1987), 1985). The Polish Anthropological Soci- Prof. Paweł Bergman (1987–1999), Prof. ety cooperates with the PAN Committee Danuta Kornafel (1999–2007), Prof. Ma- of Anthropology, including in consulting ria Kaczmarek (2007–2015). The current issues of relevance for anthropologists President, Prof. Krzysztof Szostek was and their field of study. elected for the period 2016–2019. Jubilee congresses held to commem- Up to 1952, the PTA was seated in orate the Society’s important anniversa- Poznań only. In the following years, the ries marked the milestones of the PTA’s seat changed with the location of the history. In November 1956, the Jubilee Main Board. In 1952–1956 the Society Polish Anthropology 100th Anniversary was based in Wrocław, in 1956–1963, Congress took place in Krakow to cele- Białystok, and in 1963–2000, Warsaw. brate the 100th anniversary of the first Then Wrocław again in 2000–2007. Since lectures in anthropology given at the Jag- 2007, the PTA Main Board has been seat- iellonian University by Prof. Józef Majer. ed at the Adam Mickiewicz University