Życie codzienne żołnierzy garnizonu lwowskiego w okresie międzywojennym

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Życie codzienne żołnierzy garnizonu lwowskiego w okresie międzywojennym

Journal Title: Przegląd Wschodni - Year 2016, Vol 14, Issue 54

Abstract

Although the history of the Polish Army during the Second Polish Republic has had numerous research works devoted to it, not much research has been devoted to specific garrisons of the Polish Army during the inter-war period, with only a few having received sufficient attention. The Lwów Garrison is one of those still awaiting thorough study. The article encompasses a limited number of selected questions concerning the functioning of the Lwów Garrison during the inter-war period. As suggested in the title, the main area of focus is the everyday life of soldiers serving in units stationed in Lwów during the inter-war period. The goal is to reveal all aspects related to service and life in the Lwów Garrison during the Second Polish Republic. The work is divided into two parts, with the first relating to service life and the second concerning everyday recreation. The first part extends to all military infrastructure created and developed during the Second Polish Republic. It also indicates the number and type of units located in the city, as well as which buildings they occupied. In order to more fully illustrate Lwów as the largest garrison in Eastern Lesser Poland, the demographic, economic and cultural potential of the city is also presented. This is a result of the fact that this potential decidedly caused military service in Lwów to be more attractive than in other cities and highly desirable. The first part of the work concludes with a summary of the shape and nature of service activities or, in other words, the rigours of daily soldierly life. The second part of the analysis is dedicated to everyday recreation and other activities. A number of areas are explored, including educational and didactic activities, the functioning of libraries, theatres and theatre groups, as well as orchestras and choirs, mess halls and chapels. These functions were not only intended to vary everyday life, but also to serve as opportunities for personal growth, to promote education, as well as to develop interests and hobbies. The development of sports, and by the same token healthy rivalry, comprised an extremely important aspect of army life. In the final part of this section, state holidays, as well as other celebrations which soldiers took part in, are introduced. Their importance was not to be underestimated in the building of esprit de corps and morale, and involved instilling a strict code of honourable conduct, as well as feelings of dignity and pride to serve in a military force with a gloried past. The above-mentioned points were not only intended to help soldiers identify with their individual unit and garrison, but also (and perhaps mainly) to develop patriotic and civic values. The everyday life of soldiers in the Lwów Garrison was uniquely colourful. The diversity of opportunities provided by life in Lwów meant that in their free time, nearly every soldier was able to find some form of recreation or activity matching their predispositions or fancy. It is also worth underlining the overwhelming attention and care for the everyday needs of Polish soldiers provided by the authorities until the final days of the Second Republic of Poland. This is attested to by the numerous investment projects begun, but which, unfortunately, were left uncompleted or never handed over for use before the outbreak of war.

Authors and Affiliations

Adam Adrian Ostanek

Keywords

Lwów garnizon Wojsko Polskie

EP ID EP323415
DOI -
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