Polish teachers in Eastern Galicia under the nazi occupation (1941 - 1944)

Abstract

The aim of the research is to analyze the social situation of Polish teachers in Eastern Galicia during the Nazi occupation (1941 – 1944). The research methodology is based on the principles of historicism, system-formation, scientific character, verification, the author’s objectivity, moderated narrative constructivism, and the use of general scientific (analysis, synthesis, generalization) and specially-historical (historical-genetic, historical-typological, historical-systemic, etc.) methods. The scientific novelty. The number of Polish teachers, their social and financial situation in Eastern Galicia during the years of Nazi occupation is being explored for the first time in this article. Conclusions. Thus, the number of Polish teachers in Eastern Galicia was inferior to the Ukrainian ones, however, some time even increased quantitatively, reaching peak numbers in late 1942. Subsequently, due to the closure of schools and difficult material conditions, its number decreased. The financial situation of the teacher was extremely unsatisfactory – his salary varied within 200 zł. that by that time, in the conditions of inflation, high cost and curtailment of trade, was absolutely insufficient to provide even basic human needs in food, clothing and housing. Despite difficult economic and political circumstances, Polish teachers took an active part in the activities of the Polish underground (in the system of «secret training»), the struggle against the Nazi regime, in particular saving the Galician Jews from genocide.