Cross of Freedom and Solidarity for an employee of the University Library
We have the honor to inform the academic community of the University of Wroclaw that, at the request of the President of the Institute of National Remembrance, by the order of the President of the Republic of Poland No. 152/2024 on the award of decorations of 24 April 2024 for his merits in activities for the independence and sovereignty of Poland and respect for human rights in the Polish People’s Republic, dr Dariusz Przybytek, custodian in the Cartographic Collections Department of the University Library in Wrocław, was awarded the Cross of Freedom and Solidarity.
The decoration ceremony took place on 14 June 2024 in the Column Hall of the Lower Silesian Provincial Office in Wrocław.
On behalf of the President of the Republic of Poland, the decoration was presented to dr Dariusz Przybytek by the deputy president of the Institute of National Remembrance, dr hab. Krzysztof Szwagrzyk.
The attitude of our colleague at a time when acting for Freedom and Solidarity required courage fills us with pride.
We sincerely congratulate the Doctor on this exceptional award.
Management and staff of the University Library.
Dariusz Przybytek (b.1965) – Doctor of Humanities, historian-cartographer and curator of the cartographic collection of the University Library in Wrocław (since 2007).
Graduate of the University of Wrocław (1989/doctoral degree 1995) and private academy Multimedia Akademie Mainz in Germany (screen designer diploma – 2003). Author and editor of more than one hundred and seventy scientific and cartographic publications, mainly maps and historical atlases (printed and multimedia). Participant of many national and international scientific conferences, thematic exhibitions in the field of history and also cartography.
Since 2008, initiator and co-creator of the pioneering interdepartmental cartographic database GAIKK(Georeferenced Cartographic Inventory and Cataloging Application) at the University of Wrocław: https://gaikk.bu.uni.wroc.pl/
In 2023, an expert of the National Library Resource Commission of the National Library on old-print atlases.
Social activities:
– Since 2010 co-founder and until 2019 President of the Fundacja Zbaraż 2010 in Wrocław;
– Member of the NSZZ “Solidarity” of the University of Wrocław since 2009;
– Member of the “Polish Community” Association since 2007, and since 2012 Vice-President of the Board of the Lower Silesian Branch and member of the National Council of this organization in successive terms;
– Since 2001, member of the Association “Elterninitiative Pollingua e.V.” wiesbaden (2002-2003 and 2005-2006 chairman of the board of this organization);
– 1992-1999 member of KLD / UW (in 1993 run for election to the Polish Parliament);
– 1989 – two-month volunteer service in Kibbutz Gal-On, Israel as an UWr graduate student;
– 1984-1989 activity in the structures of the underground Solidarity of Lower Silesia (Legitimation of anti-communist opposition activist No. 17175 dated 24.07.2023 and the Cross of Freedom and Solidarity by decision of the President of the Republic of Poland dated 24.04.2024).
