Kolonia wygnańców. Bydgoszczanie z Kresów Wschodnich 1920-1939

Abstrakt

For the residents of the Eastern Borderlands, who in the early 1920s arrived in Bydgoszcz, the city was not their dreamland, but after the tragedies brought by World War I and the Revolution in Russia it offered a roof over head. When on January 20, 1920, the Polish authorities took over Bydgoszcz, it was followed by the exodus of its German population. The supply of apartments started to exceed the demand, which led to a significant drop in their prices, making Bydgoszcz one of the cheapest cities in Poland. It facilitated settling of people coming from the Eastern Borderlands who were deprived o f their homeland. The city attracted many landowners who had years of experience in social and political work. Thanks to exiles, Bydgoszcz gained many graduates from recognized European universities - officials, lawyers, teachers, and physicians. They expanded the small group of Bydgoszcz intelligentsia. Having these residents in mind, the Boys’ Grammar School for the Exiles from the Eastern Borderlands was established along with the Eastern Borderland Dormitory. In addition, the Association of the Poles from the Eastem Borderlands was founded. This organization was assisting the elderly, sick, inadequate, and students. Former residents of the Eastern Borderlands of the old Republic of Poland established a sizeable Eastern Borderland colony in Bydgoszcz, which had influenced the social image of the city. They paved the way for another great inflow of exiles from the East, who arrived here after 1945, when more lands disappeared from the map of Poland.