Spotkanie z Adolfem Hitlerem. Nieznany epizod z życia prezydenta Bydgoszczy Leona Barciszewskiego

Abstrakt

Biographies of Leon Barciszewski and numerous publications dedicated to him, released to date, did not mention participation of this last prewar mayor of Bydgoszcz in the communal congress that took place in Nazi Germany on the eve of the Berlin Olympic Games, in June 1936. During the congress, some of its members were invited by chancellor Adolf Hitler. During that meeting, the Polish delegation was represented by Mayors of Bydgoszcz and Grudziądz - Barciszewski and Józef Włodek. The official report on the congress, featured in the newspaper “Samorząd Miejski,” includes a mention that Leon Barciszewski spoke on behalf of Poland during the congress. Several days later, a journalist of the popular daily “Ilustrowany Kuryer Codzienny” revealed in his article the inside story of the stay of the Polish delegation at the congress. He claimed that the delegation was not at all prepared to give a speech, but it was saved by Barciszewski, who gave a good and reasonable speech, since he appeared to be an excellent expert on German affairs and communal issues.