Daemen Students Explore Multicultural Galicia

Daemen students taking part in the study abroad program in Poland travelled from Warsaw to

Przemyśl on July 11. The next day, they travelled to Lviv (Ukraine), where they spent two days learning about the multicultural heritage of the city. This was evident everywhere as students (Elaina Murray, Leigh Alexander, and Daniella Milanese) explored the Old Town with Dr. Andrew Kier Wise (Chair, Department of History & Political Science; Director of the Polish Studies Program), and Dr. Tomasz Pudłocki (Institute of History, Jagiellonian University).



For example, a monument dedicated to the great Ukrainian poet and artist, Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861), is located at the city center along Prospekt Svobody (Freedom Avenue). The statue was erected in 1992, one year after Ukraine gained independence with the collapse of the Soviet Union.



Dr. Pudłocki with students near the Shevchenko monument

Not far away, on Mickiewicz Square, a monument to the Polish national poet (Adam Mickiewicz, 1798-1855) has stood there since 1904. At that time, Lviv was the capital of the province of Galicia (which included part of today's Ukraine and Poland) in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.




Dr. Pudłocki with students in front of the Mickiewicz monument

The architecture in Lviv reveals the layers of its long history. Below, students stand in front of a remnant of the medieval defensive wall.



L-R: Daniella, Dr. Wise, Leigh, and Elaina

Beneath the city, students toured cellars that have been used for a variety of purposes over the centuries -- as retreats for ascetic monks, for example -- and which today are open to the public.



L-R: Elaina, Daniella, and Leigh

Many of the buildings in the city center exemplify the important role that Lviv played during the years (1772-1918) when it was ruled by the Habsburg monarchy, with different architectural styles evident in government buildings and business centers from that era.



Street scene in Lviv

One of the architectural gems is the Lviv Opera House (below), built in the Neo-Renaissance style. It opened in 1901.
 

L-R: Leigh, Dr. Wise, Elaina, and Daniella

Also located in the Old Town, the Armenian Cathedral (see below) provides an example of architecture from an earlier period. The original structure was built in the 14th century.
 

Outside the Armenian Cathedral

Before returning to Poland, students stocked up on Ukrainian candies at the border (below).
 

L-R: Elaina, Daniella, and Leigh

Back in Przemyśl, students began fieldwork for their Service Learning course. This involves a mapping project to provide the precise location of graves in the Jewish Cemetery. This marks the second year that Dr. John Hartman has travelled to Poland to oversee Daemen students' work in the cemetery that his foundation (Remembrance and Reconciliation, Inc.) has restored and preserved over the past two decades.



L-R: Leigh, Elaina, Daniella, Heather, and Dr. John Hartman

The multicultural history of Przemyśl is evident in the iconography and commemorations related to World War I. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the war, and Przemyśl was the site of the third largest system of fortresses in Europe before the war. Consequently, the city was the site of a great deal of action along the eastern front.

One of the great literary works that deals with Galicia during World War I is the novel "The Good Soldier Svejk," written by the Czech author Jaroslav Hasek and published in 1923. Statues of Svejk can be found in several cities where the novel places him along the eastern front. Below, students are pictured with Svejk in Przemyśl .



L-R: Leigh, Heather, Svejk, Elaina, and Daniella

On July 18, students attended the opening of a new exhibit (see below) on World War I that opened in the National Museum in Przemyśl. The exhibit featured the role of Hungarians in the battles for the Przemyśl fortress during the war.



L-R: Daniella, Dr. Pudlocki, Leigh, Elaina, Dr. Hartman, and Dr. Wise

Daemen Students in Warsaw

After spending five days in Krakow, the study abroad group (Leigh Alexander, Daniella Milanese, Elaina Murray, and Heather Williams) travelled to Warsaw. During their four-day stay in the capital city, students attended lectures and toured important historical sites and museums: the Jewish ghetto established by the Germans during their occupation of the city in World War II; the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising; the Old Town that was rebuilt after World War II, and many other locations around the city.

Under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Kier Wise (Chair, Department of History & Political Science; Director of the Polish Studies Program), the students are engaged in a Think Tank project that is generously funded by the Office of Academic Affairs as approved by Dr. Michael Brogan, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College.

The Think Tank Project focuses on historical memory in Poland as it relates to the world wars. Students found that in Warsaw the public commemorations and monuments focus primarily on World War II, while there is comparatively little emphasis on World War I (despite the fact that this year marks the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the war that would make possible the creation of an independent Polish state).

Future blog reports will discuss student impressions from Przemyśl , Poland and Lviv, Ukraine. The final project report will compare the exhibitions and commemorations in various cities and analyze their implications for public memory in Poland -- and also Lviv, Ukraine -- as it relates to the world wars.

Lectures at the University of Warsaw were provided by Dr. Sławomir Józefowicz (pictured below with students at the University Gate and also in one of the lecture halls).





L-R: Heather, Daniella, Elaina, Leigh, & Dr. Józefowicz



Daemen students in lecture hall at the University

While at the University, students also enjoyed a tour of Kazimierzowski Palace, which was originally constructed in the 17th century. Over the centuries, the palace has undergone several reconstructions, most recently from 1945 to 1954 after it was bombed and burned during World War II.




The Golden Hall in Kazimierzowski Palace

The University continues to expand with new construction along the Vistula River. The rooftop garden at the new library offers a splendid view of the city.



Visiting the garden on the roof of the University library

On a warm summer day, students had an opportunity to visit the royal palace and gardens at Wilanów (see below).



L-R: Daniella, Leigh, Heather, and Elaina at Wilanów



Daniella feeding the ducks at Wilanów

Beautiful Łazienki Park in the heart of Warsaw (below) also provided a retreat from the heat.




L-R: Leigh, Elaina, Dr. Wise, Daniella, and Heather

The next blog report will focus on the student trip to Lviv, Ukraine, where students visited museums and enjoyed tours that focused on the extraordinarily rich multicultural history of Galicia.