| Abstract: | The aim of this thesis is to present the collection of Cieszyn’s Polish prints in the
Bogumił Rudolf Tschammer Library and Archive, published to 1918, as the evidence of the
process of Cieszyn Silesia cultural development. The collection also demonstrates the
formation of cultural identity among Silesian Lutheran community members.
The thesis consists of six chapters. Firstly, the author describes historical, social and
cultural circumstances which influenced Cieszyn Silesian protestant community, indicating
the most valuable aspects as faith, family, language, tradition. All these aspects which were
passed from one generation to the next in certain environment formed the basis for cultural
activity of this religious group. Then the content of the Polish literature from Cieszyn is
analyzed and this analysis demonstrates the formation of ideological awareness and the
mentality of its creators, the development of local educational and cultural movement, the
contest between diverse national, religious and political influences.
Moreover the provenance of the prints, which has also been researched, provides
information about readers and book collectors in Cieszyn Silesia. It has given a broader
impression involving interest in books and reading culture in this region, intellectual and
spiritual culture of every single person whose books are in this collection. Detailed research of
the Tschammer Library allows to present this group of documents not only as the evidence of
Polish book culture and religious, educational, intellectual, political, literary and musical
culture of the Evangelical community in Cieszyn Silesia, but also as a collection of prints
which functions and cultural meaning go beyond religion, as the resource of information
about the development of Cieszyn Silesian culture in connection with its multicultural and
multi-faith environment. |