11th UWr Conference in Southern Wielkopolska
The 11th All-Poland Scientific Conference ‘Local Jewish Community’ took place in Ostrów Wielkopolski on 16 November 2023. This is already a permanent academic event prepared for 11 years by the Centre for the Studies of South Great Poland Jews’ History Culture. This laboratory of the Institute of Classical, Mediterranean and Oriental Studies is an example of successful academic-local cooperation, which over all these years, while fulfilling its statutory duties, has been promoting the University of Wrocław in this area in an excellent way. The papers submitted have to a large extent portrayed the attitude of the Polish and German populations towards the Jews, sometimes revealing infamous pages from our common history.
The inauguration ceremony was attended not only by the authorities of Ostrów Wielkopolski, but also by the mayors of other cities cooperating with the Centre, as well as county authorities, councillors of both the voivodeship and individual towns in Greater Poland. It should be noted on this occasion that the staff of the Institute of Classical, Mediterranean and Oriental Studies have for nearly 20 years been providing unpaid technical assistance for various local investments and scientific and educational events (including the reconstruction of matzevot, the construction of lapidaries, the reading of inscriptions) not only in Ostrów, where the Centre operates, but also in other towns in southern Wielkopolska. On that day, the gathering in the Ostrów synagogue of such a large audience was stimulated not only by the conference, but also by the awarding of the badge of honour “For services to the Wielkopolska region” to dr Krzysztof Morta by the Marshal of the Wielkopolska region, Marek Woźniak. Krzysztof Morta received this award not only for organising cyclical nationwide conferences devoted to local ethnic and religious communities, but also for putting into practice part of his theoretical research into the culture, architecture and history of the region. The centre not only conducts scientific activities, but also creates many local events. This time it initiated the creation of a commemorative mural dedicated to Moritz Landé, the builder of the Ostrów synagogue. A descendant of the builder, Bettina Landé -Tegeist, arrived from France for the unveiling of the mural and also as one of the conference speakers. After an inaugural lecture by dr Krzysztof Morta, ‘The Bible in the epitaphs of Ostrów matzevot’, a guidebook entitled ‘Śladami ostrowskich Żydów’ by Jarosław Biernaczyk and Krzysztof Morta, which has been published for a few days, was also presented.
Łukasz Krzyszczuk
Secretary of the National Scientific Conference
“Local Jewish Community”
Translated by Bartłomiej Dłubak (student of English Studies at the University of Wrocław) as part of the translation practice.
