The physical rebirth

Before World War I gymnastics, presented during collective performances, constituted the mostpopular sport. The first official football match played by the Poles in 1894 during the 2nd rally of„Sokół” („Falcon” Polish Gymnastic Society), lasted only 6 minutes – after that time it has been cancelled to make room for a gymnastic show. Gymnastics were considered an egalitarian sport, as it did not assume any specialisation, but rather harmonious bodily development. Even the eccentric writer Witkacy (that is Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz) seemed to accepted it begrudgingly in his book„Narcotics”: „sport, under the condition of being kept in its proper place, as opposite to being expanded to a ridiculous size of some priesthood, could at least support the physical rebirth without destroying the higher interests of the young healthy people by its peculiar kind of stupification”.

During the World War I, most of the „Sokół” members enlisted in the Polish Legions, usually joining the 2nd Brigade. This may be seen as the intended result of their character formation. In the post-war reality „Sokół” changed its goals, concentrating on sports and training several accomplished athletes, such as long distance runner Józef Noji. Also the influence of „Sokół” upon Polish scouting should not be underestimated. The resolutions of the 1st Scout’s Rally (Lwów, 24-25 march 1912) stated that only cooperation with „Sokół” will allow the Polish scouting movement to retain its pure form. Even to this day, Polish scouts’ greetings sound exactly the same as in „Sokół”.

Polish „Harcerstwo” (its name being derived from „harcerz”, a Polish word for a warrior participating in pre-battle one-on-one skirmishes) is a part of the scouting movement. One of its founders, Andrzej Małkowski, translated Baden Powell’s seminal „Scouting for boys”… as a punishment for coming late to the meetings of a secret patriotic organisation. He also coined a witty phrase, explaining the peculiarity of the Polish form of the movement: „harcerstwo is scouting plus independence”.

When Poland regained independence, Polish scouting had a couple of years’ worth of experience, accomplished leaders and glorious legacy, including defence of the city of Lwów during Polish-Ukrainian War (1918-1919). It was also internally divided. The divisions were caused by the administrative differences between the powers occupying Poland (not all of them considered Polish scouting to be legal). The political conflicts, chiefly between the supporters and the detractors of Józef Piłsudski, has also taken their toll.

Opposing political views were represented by the right-wing Sionists from Betar, a Jewish scouting organisation named after Joseph Trumpeldor, founded in Riga in 1923 by Vladimir (Ze’ew) Jabotinsky. Betar openly strove to prepare its members to fight for Palestine, organising military training, sometimes supported by the Polish government. Betar intended to raise „new Jews”, whose identity would include striving for the independent state. In its peak, Polish Betar boasted 60 000 members – approximately half of its worldwide membership.

In the last quarter of the XIXth century and the first half of the XXth regionalism constituted an important part of Polish identity. Its meaning, however, changed over time. In the beginning it has been patriotism in disguise; in the interwar period the regionalists worked ina much more favourable context of re-established Polish state. It can be said that they shaped its borders too. The fact that Zakopane and a part of the Tatra mountains belong to Poland is a direct consequence of the interest in the mountains and in culture of their inhabitants.

Creation of the Polish Sightseeing Society has been an unusual occurrence. In 1906, amidst the revolutionary turmoil, the tsarist Russia’s institutions allowed to form a society whose very name contained the word „Polish”. Moreover, it mixed promotion of tourism and education with strong patriotic undertones. Among the members of the society were such figures as historian and ethnographer Zygmunt Gloger, writer Stefan Żeromski or Benedykt Dybowski, traveller and naturalist best known from a detailed study of Baikal lake.

It is said that, already being an accomplished sailor, Zaruski decided to climb the slope of a Norwegian fjord. Later, when he moved to the mountain resort of Zakopane in order to help his ailing wife, he quickly became involved in the local tourism. His greatest mountaineering achievements came in winter, when he mixed climbing and skiing on dangerous routes. Here he recalls his winter route on skis to Kościelec in 1911: “The skis carried me like crazy, yet I still controlled them. After turning to the other side I was just about to swerve yet again, when one of my skis hit a clod of ice, and I descended into a rapid fall. Immediately, though, I started ice axe braking, holding the tool under my armpit”. Someone who has lived through such dangers, surely understood the importance of the mountain rescue.

The children in Lvów used to sing a song about not being able to play football on the playing field belonging to the Pogoń Club – since by doing so, they would risk being expelled by Mr Kuchar. This is a testimony of treating sports more and more seriously. After all, the playing field ceased to operate on first come, first served basis, and club members gained priority. As for Ludwik Kuchar, he was the owner of several cinemas in Galicia, who sponsored Pogoń Lwów at the beginning of its existence. Later on, in the interwar Poland, this club enjoyed a string of successes, including four victories in the Polish football championships.

Polish White Cross is a prime example of adopting to circumstances. Founded in New York in 1918, at first it helped Polish soldiers fighting in the occupant’s armies. Regaining independence, creation of the Polish Red Cross and the outbreak of the Polish-Soviet war led to a shift in priorities – the organisation started to cater for the refugees from the East. Peace has brought yet another change, and Polish White Cross embarked on a mission of reducing illiteracy in the Polish army. Their booklet thus summarises the speech of field marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły: „the occupants left us with a difficult legacy, that is with the large number of the illiterates, not only unable to read and write, but also not having the faintest idea of Poland, of its life, its former glory, its needs and future goals”.