Aleksander Majkowski
Encyclopedia
Aleksander Majkowski was a Kashubian
writer, poet, journalist, editor, activist, and physician. He was the most important figure in the Kashubian movement before World War II
. He was the editor of "Gryf" (The Griffin
) and author of the greatest Kashubian novel Żëcé i przigodë Remusa ("The Life and Adventures of Remus"), and The History of the Kashubs.
(then Berent, West Prussia
), the eldest child of two sisters and three brothers. In Kościerzyna
, he completed primary school (Volksschule) and in 1885-90 attended a German
progymnasium. He was given a scholarship of Towarzystwo Pomocy Naukowej (Society of Educational Aid), based in Chełmno (then Culm). In 1891, he began his education in gymnasium in Chojnice
, living in a convent
there. Also there, he became acquainted with Polish
literature and history. In 1895, he earned his matriculation
certificate. At first, he meant to study theology
and become a priest, but instead he enrolled at the Berlin University and in 1897, began studying medicine. In Berlin
, he became involved in social activities; for example, he gave lectures for Poles who lived there.
's monument in Warsaw
and was reminded of his Slavic
identity. In 1899, he published his poem Pielgrzymka Wejherowska ("The Wejherowo
Pilgrimage") and satire Jak w Koscérznie koscelnygo obrele, abo Pięc kawalerów a jedna jedyno brutka ("How in Kościerzyna
they chose the sacristan or Five bridegrooms and only one bride").
In 1900, Majkowski moved to Greifswald
(an old Slavonic town Gryfia) to continue his studies. There, intrigued by the history of the area, he got involved in the agenda of an early Polish socialist organization called Zet, and a local student society called "Adelphia". Because he also tried to establish his own political organization, in 1901, he was relegated from the university. Later on, he moved to Munich
to continue his studies there. Aside from regular curriculum, he carried on with his earlier established cultural interests and worked for Towarzystwo Studentów Polaków (Society of Polish Students) and founded the “Vistula” society. In 1903, he finally completed his studies and moved to Zurich
, Switzerland
, where he wrote his doctoral dissertation on blood cells in plumbism. In September 1904, he defended his Medical Doctor (MD) degree and, at the end of the year, returned to Kashubia
. In Gdańsk
, he fulfilled his year-long medical practicum at a local hospital. With immense energy, he decided to get involved in the cultural and social activities in the area.
Gazette") and its supplement "Drużba. Pismo dlö polscich Kaszubów" ("Friendship. Magazine for Polish Kashubs"). Meanwhile in Poznań
, he published a selection of his Kashubian language
poems Spiewe i frantówci ("Songs and merry verses"). At that time, he also prepared the re-editions of Hieronim Derdowski’s poems Jasiek z Knieji ("Johnny from Knieja", i.e., the forest) and Kaszubi pod Widnem ("The Kashubs near Widno"). In 1906, he returned to his native Kościerzyna
, where he opened a private practice while continuing his involvement in the cultural and social spheres, e.g. in a venture "Dom Kaszubski" ("The Kashubian House") and Towarzystwo Czytelni Polskiej (Polish Reading Room Society) that he had set up. He is also actively involved in Towarzystwo Wyborcze (Electional Society), Towarzystwo Śpiewacze (Singing Society) "Halka", and Związek Młodych Kupców (Young Merchants' Union). During this time, he cooperated with Izydor Gulgowski, Friedrich Lorentz, and the German Verein für Kaschubische Volkskunde (Society for Kashubian Folk Studies). While studying the folklore of the region, he did not forsake publishing in Gazeta Gdańska.
Between 1908-12, Majkowski continued to publish in Kościerzyna
and, starting in 1911 in Gdańsk
, a monthly entitled "Gryf. Pismo dla spraw kaszubskich" ("Griffin
. Magazine for the Kashubian issues"). Concurrently, he initiated other Kashubian cultural and political programs and began gathering Kashubian intelligentsia around himself. In parallel, he took part in many cultural activities that promote Cassubia
. He immortalized the Black Griffin as the emblem of the Kashubians
. The Kashubian Griffin became the symbol of the strength and steadfastness of the Kashubian people also in Canada
.
He organized a Kashubian-Pomeranian exhibition, singlehandedly writing all of the supporting printed material for it. However, not only did he write a lot, but also he travelled extensively, taking many pictures. As a pedagogist, he remained in consistent touch with students; encouraging them to explore Cassubia
; he offered himself as a tour guide
. In early 1912, he finally settled in Sopot
, continuing to work as a physician until 1921.
-based Towarzystwo Młodokaszubów (The Society of Young Kashubians
), established for "the cultural, economical and political development of Cassubia
". In September of the following year, he instituted the Kashubian-Pomeranian Museum in Sopot
, including the adjacent society, and wrote a guide to Cassubia
called Zdroje Raduni ("The Radunia River's Wells"). Recognized for his accomplishments, he sadly encountered opposition from some local social activists and the Catholic Church. Fortunately, he managed to win a defamation court case posed by a catholic magazine “Pielgrzym” (The Pilgrim).
, Romania
and France
. During the war, he wrote a diary, sketched for Kashubia
's history, and two novels: Pomorzanie ("The Pomeranians
", unfinished) and Żëcé i przigodë Remusa ("The Life and Adventures of Remus").
, became politically active, and participated in some military activities taking place in the area. During the same year, he also become a member of Rada Ludowa (The People's Council). A year later, in Gdańsk
, he set up Koło Demokratyczne (Democratic Circle), became chief editor of "Dziennik Gdański" ("The Gdańsk
Daily"), and continued teaching at a local folk university. For his military efforts, he earned the rank of captain of the Polish Army, and was later promoted to colonel. In 1920, he sat on the board of the commission responsible for establishing the Polish-German borders and in Rada Pomorska - Towarzystwo Ochrony Polskości na Pomorzu (Pomeranian Council - Society for the Protection of Polish Interests in Pomerania
) as its head. For the next two years, he resided in Grudziądz
, though he traveled extensively throughout Poland
. In Grudziądz
, he met his future wife, Aleksandra Starzyńska. Also there, he organized the Exhibition of Fine Arts, having Pomeranian artists in mind, which was officially opened on June 7, 1921, by the head of Poland
, Marshall Józef Piłsudski.
In the coming years, Majkowski continued his political and cultural activities aimed at promoting Cassubia
and Kashubian culture. He established a drama theater in Toruń
, become a leader of Stowarzyszenie Artystów Pomorskich (Society of Pomeranian Artists) based in Grudziądz
, and a chief editor of a magazine called "Pomorzanin" ("The Pomeranian") – all this between 1921 and 1923. In addition, during this time he resumed publishing "Gryf", and continued to write, collaborating with various periodicals and radio in Toruń
. In "Gryf", he also published the first chapters of his book Żëcé i przigodë Remusa.
, Aleksander Majkowski marries Aleksandra Komorowska (former name: Starzyńska, 1891–1982). The newlywed couple settled in Kartuzy
, in a villa called “Erem” (The Hermitage). They paranted four children: Damroka (1922–1979), Mestwin (1924–1944), Barbara (1928–1983) and Witosława (1929–1955). Somehow, in his free time, Majkowski managed to collect stamps and postcards, read detective stories, and go mushroom picking.
, he worked as a physician in a number of places, mainly at the railroad clinics, often volunteering to help people in need, but without neglecting his writing. Attending to his patients on the country side, he kept collecting samples of folklore artifacts and photographs the life of the Kashubs. For his commitment to "social work in Pomerania
", Majkowski received the Officer's Cross of the Order of Poland's Restitution, from President Stanisław Wojciechowski in April 1923. A year later, he published his Przewodnik po Szwajcarji Kaszubskiej ("A Guide to the so-called Kashubian Switzerland") and, in 1925, a single issue of "Gryf". Shortly thereafter, he endured yet another round of criticism in being accused of separatism
, bolshevism, immorality, crimes, and bad influence on society at large.
, personal failures and health problems, Aleksander Majkowski retracted from public life and concentrated on literary work. He patronized the actions of Aleksander Labuda and Jan Trepczyk
- young Kashubian activists, who in 1929 establish Zrzeszenie Regionalne Kaszubów (Kashubian Regional Union) in Kartuzy
, with Majkowski as its head. Later, he fruitfully and with dedication collaborated with the associated magazine "Zrzesz Kaszëbskô" ("Kashubian Union"). Soon Majkowski also joins Polski Związek Zachodni (Polish Union of the West) and collaborates with Instytut Bałtycki (The Baltic Institute). For his tireless efforts, in 1930, he received The Golden Cross of Merit, one of the most prestigious awards of the Republic of Poland.
Although a member of the board of editors of the revived "Gryf" since October 1931, he did not return to a full time journalism until 1934. In October 1935, he publishes the first part of his three-part novel Żëcé i przigodë Remusa. He was awarded The Silver Literary Laurel (Srebrny Wawrzyn Literacki) by Polska Akademia Literatury (The Polish Academy of Literature). Meanwhile, in his villa, he organized a folklore exhibition and tries to cure his fatigued health by taking repetitive trips to various spas.
1936 and 1937 were busy years for Majkowski. He worked on Gramatyka kaszubska ("The Kashubian Grammar", incomplete) and Historia Kaszubów ("The History of the Kashubs"). He put a lot of effort into his guide to Kashubia
and adapted his satire Jak w Koscérznie koscelnygo obrele... for the theatre under a new title of "Strachë i zrękovjinë" ("Fears and Engagements"). All along, he wrote extensively for the press.
of a heart failure and was ceremonially buried four days later in Kartuzy
. His coffin was assisted by the railroad workers and the young Kashubian activists who vowed to continue the work he has started.
A few months after Majkowski’s death, his Historia Kaszubów and the entire novel Żëcé i przigodë Remusa are published. After the war, his novel reappeared on a few occasions and in 1964, Lech Bądkowski
translates it into Polish. The novel Żëcé i przigodë Remusa has been very important for Kashubian literature. Historia Kaszubów (with foreword by Gerard Labuda) was published also with the majority of Majkowski’s literary works and their fragments being printed or reprinted. Amongst them, his recollections, letters and the war diary were jointly published under a title of Pamiętnik z wojny europejskiej roku 1914 ("The Diary from the European War of the Year 1914").
texts into Kashubian language
. Aleksander Majkowski is regarded as the leading figure in the Kashubian movement and the founder of its historic and intellectual
base. He captured a summary of the Kashubian cultural ideology
in the literary figure of Remus (not to be confused with the Roman mythological or the American literary figure of the same moniker). He tried to define Kashubian grammar and spelling, promoted protection of historical monuments and regional folklore, set up social and economical Kashubian-Pomeranian institutions, represented the Kashubs on the country's forum and the Slavonic scene. His multifaceted activity covered all sides of the social life of Cassubia
and still has impact. The personage of Majkowski is widely remembered and returns on numerous occasions. 2008 was declared Majkowski's year.
Kashubians
Kashubians/Kaszubians , also called Kashubs, Kashubes, Kaszubians, Kassubians or Cassubians, are a West Slavic ethnic group in Pomerelia, north-central Poland. Their settlement area is referred to as Kashubia ....
writer, poet, journalist, editor, activist, and physician. He was the most important figure in the Kashubian movement before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was the editor of "Gryf" (The Griffin
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...
) and author of the greatest Kashubian novel Żëcé i przigodë Remusa ("The Life and Adventures of Remus"), and The History of the Kashubs.
Early life
Aleksander Jan Alojzy Majkowski was born into a farming family on July 17, 1876, in KościerzynaKoscierzyna
Kościerzyna is a town in Kashubia in Gdańsk Pomerania region, northern Poland, with some 24,000 inhabitants. It has been the capital of Kościerzyna County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously it was in Gdańsk Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998...
(then Berent, West Prussia
West Prussia
West Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773–1824 and 1878–1919/20 which was created out of the earlier Polish province of Royal Prussia...
), the eldest child of two sisters and three brothers. In Kościerzyna
Koscierzyna
Kościerzyna is a town in Kashubia in Gdańsk Pomerania region, northern Poland, with some 24,000 inhabitants. It has been the capital of Kościerzyna County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously it was in Gdańsk Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998...
, he completed primary school (Volksschule) and in 1885-90 attended a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
progymnasium. He was given a scholarship of Towarzystwo Pomocy Naukowej (Society of Educational Aid), based in Chełmno (then Culm). In 1891, he began his education in gymnasium in Chojnice
Chojnice
Chojnice is a town in northern Poland with 39 670 inhabitants , near famous Tuchola Forest, Lake Charzykowskie and many other water reservoirs. It is the capital of the Chojnice County....
, living in a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
there. Also there, he became acquainted with Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
literature and history. In 1895, he earned his matriculation
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
certificate. At first, he meant to study theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and become a priest, but instead he enrolled at the Berlin University and in 1897, began studying medicine. In Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, he became involved in social activities; for example, he gave lectures for Poles who lived there.
Early influences
In 1898, he took part in the ceremony of the erection of Adam MickiewiczAdam Mickiewicz
Adam Bernard Mickiewicz ) was a Polish poet, publisher and political writer of the Romantic period. One of the primary representatives of the Polish Romanticism era, a national poet of Poland, he is seen as one of Poland's Three Bards and the greatest poet in all of Polish literature...
's monument in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
and was reminded of his Slavic
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
identity. In 1899, he published his poem Pielgrzymka Wejherowska ("The Wejherowo
Wejherowo
Wejherowo is a town in Gdańsk Pomerania, northern Poland, with 47,435 inhabitants . It has been the capital of Wejherowo County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously, it was a town in Gdańsk Voivodeship .-History:...
Pilgrimage") and satire Jak w Koscérznie koscelnygo obrele, abo Pięc kawalerów a jedna jedyno brutka ("How in Kościerzyna
Koscierzyna
Kościerzyna is a town in Kashubia in Gdańsk Pomerania region, northern Poland, with some 24,000 inhabitants. It has been the capital of Kościerzyna County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously it was in Gdańsk Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998...
they chose the sacristan or Five bridegrooms and only one bride").
In 1900, Majkowski moved to Greifswald
Greifswald
Greifswald , officially, the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald is a town in northeastern Germany. It is situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at an equal distance of about from Germany's two largest cities, Berlin and Hamburg. The town borders the Baltic Sea, and is crossed...
(an old Slavonic town Gryfia) to continue his studies. There, intrigued by the history of the area, he got involved in the agenda of an early Polish socialist organization called Zet, and a local student society called "Adelphia". Because he also tried to establish his own political organization, in 1901, he was relegated from the university. Later on, he moved to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
to continue his studies there. Aside from regular curriculum, he carried on with his earlier established cultural interests and worked for Towarzystwo Studentów Polaków (Society of Polish Students) and founded the “Vistula” society. In 1903, he finally completed his studies and moved to Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, where he wrote his doctoral dissertation on blood cells in plumbism. In September 1904, he defended his Medical Doctor (MD) degree and, at the end of the year, returned to Kashubia
Kashubia
Kashubia or Cassubia - is a language area in the historic Eastern Pomerania region of northwestern Poland. Located west of Gdańsk and the mouth of the Vistula river, it is inhabited by members of the Kashubian ethnic group....
. In Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
, he fulfilled his year-long medical practicum at a local hospital. With immense energy, he decided to get involved in the cultural and social activities in the area.
Professional career
In 1905, he accepted a position of chief editor of "Gazeta Gdańska" ("The GdańskGdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
Gazette") and its supplement "Drużba. Pismo dlö polscich Kaszubów" ("Friendship. Magazine for Polish Kashubs"). Meanwhile in Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, he published a selection of his Kashubian language
Kashubian language
Kashubian or Cassubian is one of the Lechitic languages, a subgroup of the Slavic languages....
poems Spiewe i frantówci ("Songs and merry verses"). At that time, he also prepared the re-editions of Hieronim Derdowski’s poems Jasiek z Knieji ("Johnny from Knieja", i.e., the forest) and Kaszubi pod Widnem ("The Kashubs near Widno"). In 1906, he returned to his native Kościerzyna
Koscierzyna
Kościerzyna is a town in Kashubia in Gdańsk Pomerania region, northern Poland, with some 24,000 inhabitants. It has been the capital of Kościerzyna County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously it was in Gdańsk Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998...
, where he opened a private practice while continuing his involvement in the cultural and social spheres, e.g. in a venture "Dom Kaszubski" ("The Kashubian House") and Towarzystwo Czytelni Polskiej (Polish Reading Room Society) that he had set up. He is also actively involved in Towarzystwo Wyborcze (Electional Society), Towarzystwo Śpiewacze (Singing Society) "Halka", and Związek Młodych Kupców (Young Merchants' Union). During this time, he cooperated with Izydor Gulgowski, Friedrich Lorentz, and the German Verein für Kaschubische Volkskunde (Society for Kashubian Folk Studies). While studying the folklore of the region, he did not forsake publishing in Gazeta Gdańska.
Between 1908-12, Majkowski continued to publish in Kościerzyna
Koscierzyna
Kościerzyna is a town in Kashubia in Gdańsk Pomerania region, northern Poland, with some 24,000 inhabitants. It has been the capital of Kościerzyna County in Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999; previously it was in Gdańsk Voivodeship from 1975 to 1998...
and, starting in 1911 in Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
, a monthly entitled "Gryf. Pismo dla spraw kaszubskich" ("Griffin
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...
. Magazine for the Kashubian issues"). Concurrently, he initiated other Kashubian cultural and political programs and began gathering Kashubian intelligentsia around himself. In parallel, he took part in many cultural activities that promote Cassubia
Cassubia
Cassubia is an anomalocaridid-like genus from the Early Cambrian of Poland....
. He immortalized the Black Griffin as the emblem of the Kashubians
Kashubians
Kashubians/Kaszubians , also called Kashubs, Kashubes, Kaszubians, Kassubians or Cassubians, are a West Slavic ethnic group in Pomerelia, north-central Poland. Their settlement area is referred to as Kashubia ....
. The Kashubian Griffin became the symbol of the strength and steadfastness of the Kashubian people also in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
He organized a Kashubian-Pomeranian exhibition, singlehandedly writing all of the supporting printed material for it. However, not only did he write a lot, but also he travelled extensively, taking many pictures. As a pedagogist, he remained in consistent touch with students; encouraging them to explore Cassubia
Cassubia
Cassubia is an anomalocaridid-like genus from the Early Cambrian of Poland....
; he offered himself as a tour guide
Tour guide
A tour guide provides assistance, information and cultural, historical and contemporary heritage interpretation to people on organized tours, individual clients, educational establishments, at religious and historical sites, museums, and at venues of other significant interest...
. In early 1912, he finally settled in Sopot
Sopot
Sopot is a seaside town in Eastern Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000....
, continuing to work as a physician until 1921.
Society of Young Kashubians
A capstone to years of efforts, in June 1912, Aleksander Majkowski managed to set up his GdańskGdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
-based Towarzystwo Młodokaszubów (The Society of Young Kashubians
Society of Young Kashubians
The Society of Young Kashubians was an association founded in 1912 in Gdańsk . Its leader was Dr. Aleksander Majkowski, a well-known Kashubian writer and poet. Apart from him, the members of Sociaty of Young Kashubians were Jan Karnowski and priest Leon Heyke...
), established for "the cultural, economical and political development of Cassubia
Cassubia
Cassubia is an anomalocaridid-like genus from the Early Cambrian of Poland....
". In September of the following year, he instituted the Kashubian-Pomeranian Museum in Sopot
Sopot
Sopot is a seaside town in Eastern Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000....
, including the adjacent society, and wrote a guide to Cassubia
Cassubia
Cassubia is an anomalocaridid-like genus from the Early Cambrian of Poland....
called Zdroje Raduni ("The Radunia River's Wells"). Recognized for his accomplishments, he sadly encountered opposition from some local social activists and the Catholic Church. Fortunately, he managed to win a defamation court case posed by a catholic magazine “Pielgrzym” (The Pilgrim).
Wartime activities
In August 1914, Majkowski was drafted into the Prussian Army, where he served as a physician in PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. During the war, he wrote a diary, sketched for Kashubia
Kashubia
Kashubia or Cassubia - is a language area in the historic Eastern Pomerania region of northwestern Poland. Located west of Gdańsk and the mouth of the Vistula river, it is inhabited by members of the Kashubian ethnic group....
's history, and two novels: Pomorzanie ("The Pomeranians
Pomeranians
The Pomeranians were a group of West Slavic tribes who lived along the shore of the Baltic Sea between the mouths of the Oder and Vistula Rivers...
", unfinished) and Żëcé i przigodë Remusa ("The Life and Adventures of Remus").
Return from the war
In July 1918, he returned to SopotSopot
Sopot is a seaside town in Eastern Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000....
, became politically active, and participated in some military activities taking place in the area. During the same year, he also become a member of Rada Ludowa (The People's Council). A year later, in Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
, he set up Koło Demokratyczne (Democratic Circle), became chief editor of "Dziennik Gdański" ("The Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
Daily"), and continued teaching at a local folk university. For his military efforts, he earned the rank of captain of the Polish Army, and was later promoted to colonel. In 1920, he sat on the board of the commission responsible for establishing the Polish-German borders and in Rada Pomorska - Towarzystwo Ochrony Polskości na Pomorzu (Pomeranian Council - Society for the Protection of Polish Interests in Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
) as its head. For the next two years, he resided in Grudziądz
Grudziadz
Grudziądz is a city in northern Poland on the Vistula River, with 96 042 inhabitants . Situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship , the city was previously in the Toruń Voivodeship .- History :-Early history:...
, though he traveled extensively throughout Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. In Grudziądz
Grudziadz
Grudziądz is a city in northern Poland on the Vistula River, with 96 042 inhabitants . Situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship , the city was previously in the Toruń Voivodeship .- History :-Early history:...
, he met his future wife, Aleksandra Starzyńska. Also there, he organized the Exhibition of Fine Arts, having Pomeranian artists in mind, which was officially opened on June 7, 1921, by the head of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Marshall Józef Piłsudski.
In the coming years, Majkowski continued his political and cultural activities aimed at promoting Cassubia
Cassubia
Cassubia is an anomalocaridid-like genus from the Early Cambrian of Poland....
and Kashubian culture. He established a drama theater in Toruń
Torun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
, become a leader of Stowarzyszenie Artystów Pomorskich (Society of Pomeranian Artists) based in Grudziądz
Grudziadz
Grudziądz is a city in northern Poland on the Vistula River, with 96 042 inhabitants . Situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship , the city was previously in the Toruń Voivodeship .- History :-Early history:...
, and a chief editor of a magazine called "Pomorzanin" ("The Pomeranian") – all this between 1921 and 1923. In addition, during this time he resumed publishing "Gryf", and continued to write, collaborating with various periodicals and radio in Toruń
Torun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
. In "Gryf", he also published the first chapters of his book Żëcé i przigodë Remusa.
Marriage
On October 6, 1921, in WarsawWarsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Aleksander Majkowski marries Aleksandra Komorowska (former name: Starzyńska, 1891–1982). The newlywed couple settled in Kartuzy
Kartuzy
Kartuzy is a town in the historic Eastern Pomerania region of northwestern Poland, located about west of Gdańsk with a population of 15,472...
, in a villa called “Erem” (The Hermitage). They paranted four children: Damroka (1922–1979), Mestwin (1924–1944), Barbara (1928–1983) and Witosława (1929–1955). Somehow, in his free time, Majkowski managed to collect stamps and postcards, read detective stories, and go mushroom picking.
Continued business activites
In KartuzyKartuzy
Kartuzy is a town in the historic Eastern Pomerania region of northwestern Poland, located about west of Gdańsk with a population of 15,472...
, he worked as a physician in a number of places, mainly at the railroad clinics, often volunteering to help people in need, but without neglecting his writing. Attending to his patients on the country side, he kept collecting samples of folklore artifacts and photographs the life of the Kashubs. For his commitment to "social work in Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
", Majkowski received the Officer's Cross of the Order of Poland's Restitution, from President Stanisław Wojciechowski in April 1923. A year later, he published his Przewodnik po Szwajcarji Kaszubskiej ("A Guide to the so-called Kashubian Switzerland") and, in 1925, a single issue of "Gryf". Shortly thereafter, he endured yet another round of criticism in being accused of separatism
Separatism
Separatism is the advocacy of a state of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender separation from the larger group. While it often refers to full political secession, separatist groups may seek nothing more than greater autonomy...
, bolshevism, immorality, crimes, and bad influence on society at large.
Withdrawal from public affairs
Due to recessionRecession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
, personal failures and health problems, Aleksander Majkowski retracted from public life and concentrated on literary work. He patronized the actions of Aleksander Labuda and Jan Trepczyk
Jan Trepczyk
Jan Trepczyk was one of the most accomplished Kashubian poets, and also a song writer, a Kashubian ideologist, lexicographer, and teacher...
- young Kashubian activists, who in 1929 establish Zrzeszenie Regionalne Kaszubów (Kashubian Regional Union) in Kartuzy
Kartuzy
Kartuzy is a town in the historic Eastern Pomerania region of northwestern Poland, located about west of Gdańsk with a population of 15,472...
, with Majkowski as its head. Later, he fruitfully and with dedication collaborated with the associated magazine "Zrzesz Kaszëbskô" ("Kashubian Union"). Soon Majkowski also joins Polski Związek Zachodni (Polish Union of the West) and collaborates with Instytut Bałtycki (The Baltic Institute). For his tireless efforts, in 1930, he received The Golden Cross of Merit, one of the most prestigious awards of the Republic of Poland.
Although a member of the board of editors of the revived "Gryf" since October 1931, he did not return to a full time journalism until 1934. In October 1935, he publishes the first part of his three-part novel Żëcé i przigodë Remusa. He was awarded The Silver Literary Laurel (Srebrny Wawrzyn Literacki) by Polska Akademia Literatury (The Polish Academy of Literature). Meanwhile, in his villa, he organized a folklore exhibition and tries to cure his fatigued health by taking repetitive trips to various spas.
1936 and 1937 were busy years for Majkowski. He worked on Gramatyka kaszubska ("The Kashubian Grammar", incomplete) and Historia Kaszubów ("The History of the Kashubs"). He put a lot of effort into his guide to Kashubia
Kashubia
Kashubia or Cassubia - is a language area in the historic Eastern Pomerania region of northwestern Poland. Located west of Gdańsk and the mouth of the Vistula river, it is inhabited by members of the Kashubian ethnic group....
and adapted his satire Jak w Koscérznie koscelnygo obrele... for the theatre under a new title of "Strachë i zrękovjinë" ("Fears and Engagements"). All along, he wrote extensively for the press.
Death
Aleksander Majkowski died on February 10, 1938 at the hospital in GdyniaGdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
of a heart failure and was ceremonially buried four days later in Kartuzy
Kartuzy
Kartuzy is a town in the historic Eastern Pomerania region of northwestern Poland, located about west of Gdańsk with a population of 15,472...
. His coffin was assisted by the railroad workers and the young Kashubian activists who vowed to continue the work he has started.
A few months after Majkowski’s death, his Historia Kaszubów and the entire novel Żëcé i przigodë Remusa are published. After the war, his novel reappeared on a few occasions and in 1964, Lech Bądkowski
Lech Bądkowski
Lech Bądkowski - Polish writer, journalist, publicist and Kashubian-Pomeranian activist, promoter of regional history and culture, co-founder and leader of the Kashubian-Pomeranian Association, opponent of the Communist rules in postwar Poland.-Early life:Lech Bądkowski was born Leszek Buntkowski...
translates it into Polish. The novel Żëcé i przigodë Remusa has been very important for Kashubian literature. Historia Kaszubów (with foreword by Gerard Labuda) was published also with the majority of Majkowski’s literary works and their fragments being printed or reprinted. Amongst them, his recollections, letters and the war diary were jointly published under a title of Pamiętnik z wojny europejskiej roku 1914 ("The Diary from the European War of the Year 1914").
Legacy
He was also a translator of GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
texts into Kashubian language
Kashubian language
Kashubian or Cassubian is one of the Lechitic languages, a subgroup of the Slavic languages....
. Aleksander Majkowski is regarded as the leading figure in the Kashubian movement and the founder of its historic and intellectual
Intellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
base. He captured a summary of the Kashubian cultural ideology
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
in the literary figure of Remus (not to be confused with the Roman mythological or the American literary figure of the same moniker). He tried to define Kashubian grammar and spelling, promoted protection of historical monuments and regional folklore, set up social and economical Kashubian-Pomeranian institutions, represented the Kashubs on the country's forum and the Slavonic scene. His multifaceted activity covered all sides of the social life of Cassubia
Cassubia
Cassubia is an anomalocaridid-like genus from the Early Cambrian of Poland....
and still has impact. The personage of Majkowski is widely remembered and returns on numerous occasions. 2008 was declared Majkowski's year.