Defence of a doctoral thesis on the intersection of linguistics, Jewish studies, textology and Holocaust history research by dr Monika Piechota
An excellent defence of an interdisciplinary doctoral thesis on the intersection of linguistics, Jewish studies, textology and Holocaust history research – written by dr Monika Piechota (College of Interdisciplinary Individual Studies, University of Wrocław).
1907–1941, Breslau
dr Willy Cohn – a doctor of history, a German, a Jew, a brilliant observer and chronicler of the city, keeping a diary in which he describes his everyday life in Breslau. What emerges from Cohn’s notes is a picture of the transformation of a society of science and culture, beautiful in spirit, into a brown fascist beast. And it all begins seemingly gently, someone stops bowing to someone, someone stops talking about someone, someone forbids someone to sit on a bench, someone forbids someone to cherish their beliefs and values, because the chief’s beliefs and values are the most important… it is he who determines what you have to think and what you have to believe…
29 November 1941, somewhere in occupied Lithuania
dr Willy Cohn – is murdered with his loved ones by followers of the brown beast. Cohn dies with the hope that he had nevertheless managed to save his diary – his spiritual testament.
11 May 2023, Wrocław
mgr Monika Piechota presents the result of her meticulous work of several years in the archives and libraries of Wrocław, Warsaw, Jerusalem and Berlin. The dissertation text is entitled: „Model ofiary w dzienniku pisanym w czasie wojny” (“The model of sacrifice in a diary written during the war”). One of the most experienced contemporary Polish linguists, an English linguist, cognitive scientist and philosopher of language – professor Tomasz P. Krzeszowski writes in his review of the text of Monika Piechota’s doctoral dissertation, and later repeats it publicly during the defence, ‘in this case the roles are reversed – here the reviewer becomes the student, and the teacher is the Author of the reviewed dissertation’. The second reviewer, professor Marcin Majewski, an extremely well-read polyglot and Hebraist from Krakow, adds that he ‘read this dissertation with a flush of excitement on his face and could not tear himself away from reading, because it reads like a thriller novel’.
The dissertation is unanimously, by secret ballot, recognised by the appointed Committee as outstanding – that is, summa cum laude!
23 May 2023, Univesity of Wrocław
The Council of the Scientific Discipline of Linguistics confers on Ms Monika Piechota the degree of Doctor of Humanities (with much deserved distinction!).
Dr Willy Cohn – can exclaim in accordance with Psalm 117: Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Dr Willy Cohn can sleep an eternal sleep – his hope of saving his spiritual testament was not in vain – his spiritual testament has gained another promising researcher, dr Monika Piechota. We wish her a speedy and equally successful habilitation, for she turns everything she touches into a fascinating narrative that fully meets the highest scientific standards.
Prof. Piotr Chruszczewski
