Polska pieśń nabożna na Górnym Śląsku w ocenie Jana Kudery

Abstract

The article covers the issue of the Polish religious song raised by Jan Kudera in his pioneering work Polska pieśń nabożna na Górnym Śląsku (A Polish religious song in Upper Silesia), published under the pseudonym of Ksiądz (Reverend), Bytom, 1911. The first part of this work, concerning the history of the Polish religious song, provides documentation for the most important publications, i.e. a collection of songs with and without music published in Silesia in the 19lh and at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The author described and criticised the foundations of the song literature, functioning in the life of the Catholic Church in Upper Silesia. In the second part of his discussion, Kudera characterized the social, political, and cultural situation in Upper Silesia at that time. In the period of increasing Germanization he spoke in defence of the Polish religious song. He strongly emphasized the attachment of the Silesian people to the Polish song which was often recognized by its long origin and long-standing performing tradition. That is why it needed special protection and respect. The work of Jan Kudera will remain not only the evidence of his personal engagement in the issues concerning the maintenance of the language and Polish religious song, but an important piece of historical evidence and the source of knowledge of publishing traditions, musical, social and religious culture in Upper Silesia.