Roman Wapinski
Encyclopedia
Prof. dr hab. Roman Wapiński (8 March 1931 - 14 May 2008) was a Polish
historian, lecturer at the University of Gdańsk. He specialized in the history of the Second Polish Republic
and right-wing National Democracy political camp, being the foremost historian of National Democracy. Wapiński was considered one of the foremost Polish historians.
Wapiński graduated in 1955 from the Department of History of the University of Warsaw
. All his later life he was however related to the city of Gdańsk
. Also thanks to his efforts, the University of Gdańsk was opened in 1970. Wapiński was an active member of the Polish United Workers' Party
, which helped him to accomplish many of his organizational efforts. He gained a professor degree in 1971. He received Doctor honoris causa from the University of Wrocław on 28 February 2001. Wapiński was since 2003 a member of the Polish Academy of Sciences
. In 1999-2002 he presided over its Committee of Historical Sciences.
He wrote about 400 scientific works and led about 270 graduation theses and 35 doctorates. He led graduation theses e.g. of Donald Tusk
, Arkadiusz Rybicki
or Wiesław Walendziak. Donald Tusk wrote his thesis about formation of the legend of Józef Piłsudski in the interwar press.
In his scientific works, Wapiński focused mostly on the Second Polish Republic
and the right-wing National Democracy political camp. His book Narodowa Demokracja 1893-1939: Ze studiów nad dziejami myśli nacjonalistycznej (National Democracy 1893-1939: From the Study of the History of Nationalist Thought), published in 1980, was a groundbreaking work on the National Democracy. Historian Szymon Rudnicki
pointed out that all contemporary works about National Democracy have their sources in Wapiński's book. The book is so far an ultimate work on the National Democratic ideology. In his later works, he focused on the political consciousness of Poles and their attitude towards the state. Wapiński also wrote several synthetic books about Polish political generations and the sociopolitical environment, in which they worked and shaped the Polish politics.
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...
historian, lecturer at the University of Gdańsk. He specialized in the history of the Second Polish Republic
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
and right-wing National Democracy political camp, being the foremost historian of National Democracy. Wapiński was considered one of the foremost Polish historians.
Wapiński graduated in 1955 from the Department of History of the University of Warsaw
University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw is the largest university in Poland and one of the most prestigious, ranked as best Polish university in 2010 and 2011...
. All his later life he was however related to the city of 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...
. Also thanks to his efforts, the University of Gdańsk was opened in 1970. Wapiński was an active member of the Polish United Workers' Party
Polish United Workers' Party
The Polish United Workers' Party was the Communist party which governed the People's Republic of Poland from 1948 to 1989. Ideologically it was based on the theories of Marxism-Leninism.- The Party's Program and Goals :...
, which helped him to accomplish many of his organizational efforts. He gained a professor degree in 1971. He received Doctor honoris causa from the University of Wrocław on 28 February 2001. Wapiński was since 2003 a member of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Polish Academy of Sciences
The Polish Academy of Sciences, headquartered in Warsaw, is one of two Polish institutions having the nature of an academy of sciences.-History:...
. In 1999-2002 he presided over its Committee of Historical Sciences.
He wrote about 400 scientific works and led about 270 graduation theses and 35 doctorates. He led graduation theses e.g. of Donald Tusk
Donald Tusk
Donald Franciszek Tusk is a Polish politician who has been Prime Minister of Poland since 2007. He was a co-founder and is chairman of the Civic Platform party....
, Arkadiusz Rybicki
Arkadiusz Rybicki
Arkadiusz Czesław Rybicki was a Polish politician.-Biography:Rybicki was born in Gdynia. In the 1980s he was active in the Solidarity movement...
or Wiesław Walendziak. Donald Tusk wrote his thesis about formation of the legend of Józef Piłsudski in the interwar press.
In his scientific works, Wapiński focused mostly on the Second Polish Republic
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
and the right-wing National Democracy political camp. His book Narodowa Demokracja 1893-1939: Ze studiów nad dziejami myśli nacjonalistycznej (National Democracy 1893-1939: From the Study of the History of Nationalist Thought), published in 1980, was a groundbreaking work on the National Democracy. Historian Szymon Rudnicki
Szymon Rudnicki
Prof. dr hab. Szymon Rudnicki is a Polish historian. He specializes in the history of the Second Polish Republic, right-wing political movements of that era, and the Polish-Jewish relations....
pointed out that all contemporary works about National Democracy have their sources in Wapiński's book. The book is so far an ultimate work on the National Democratic ideology. In his later works, he focused on the political consciousness of Poles and their attitude towards the state. Wapiński also wrote several synthetic books about Polish political generations and the sociopolitical environment, in which they worked and shaped the Polish politics.
Works
- Pierwsze lata władzy ludowej na Wybrzeżu Gdańskim (1970)
- Władysław Sikorski (1978, 1979, 1982)
- Narodowa Demokracja 1893-1939: Ze studiów nad dziejami myśli nacjonalistycznej (National Democracy 1893-1939: From the Study of the History of Nationalist Thought) (1980)
- Życie polityczne Pomorza w latach 1920-1939 (Political Life of Pomerania 1920-1939) (1983)
- Roman DmowskiRoman DmowskiRoman Stanisław Dmowski was a Polish politician, statesman, and chief ideologue and co-founder of the National Democracy political movement, which was one of the strongest political camps of interwar Poland.Though a controversial personality throughout his life, Dmowski was instrumental in...
(1988, 1989) - Świadomość polityczna w Drugiej Rzeczypospolitej (Political Consciousness in the Second Republic) (1991)
- Pokolenia Drugiej Rzeczypospolitej (Generations of the Second Republic) (1991)
- Polska i małe ojczyzny Polaków (Poland and Small Motherlands of Poles) (1994)
- Historia polskiej myśli politycznej XIX i XX wieku (History of Polish Political Thought of the XIX and XX Centuries) (1997)
- Ignacy Paderewski (1999)
- Polityka i politycy: O polskiej scenie politycznej XX wieku (Politics and Politicians: On Polish Political Scene of the XX Century) (2006)
External links
- Profile at Nauka Polska portal