The Archives of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw contain hitherto unknown letters written by historians Aleksander (1916–1999) and Irena (1914–1999) Gieysztor in 1937–1939 to their professor Marceli Handelsman (1882–1945). The... more
The Archives of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw contain hitherto unknown letters written by historians Aleksander (1916–1999) and Irena (1914–1999) Gieysztor in 1937–1939 to their professor Marceli Handelsman (1882–1945). The article contains an edition of the letters together with an introduction presenting the relationship between the Gieysztors and Handelsman (both before and during the war). The letters could be divided into two thematic groups. The first seven letters and the last one (written between November 1937 to July 1938 and in August 1939) are devoted to Aleksander Gieysztor’s military service and activities related to the publication of his MA thesis. His fi ancé— Irena Czarnecka— was also involved in this latter venture. The second group is made up of twelve letters written by the couple from Paris between October 1938 and June 1939. The letters are an interesting contribution to the biography of Aleksander and Irena Gieysztor. They are a mine of information not only on their pre-war everyday life, but also reveal their then dilemmas, feelings, and thoughts. They also could be regarded as a contribution to the history of pre-war intelligentsia. Of special interest could be opinions (occasionally formulated expressis verbis, and sometimes vaguely) of the young university graduate about the hardship of the barrack life as well as the French and Polish scientifi c community in Paris on the verge of war. What is interesting is a changing mood of Parisian letters, in harmony with the international situation and impending war. The letters are also an expression of the Gieysztors’ great attachment and respect to their Master— Marceli Handelsman.
The article discusses the long lasting and manifold relations that Girolamo Arnaldi (1929-2016), an eminent Italian medievalist, maintained with Poland and Poles. The first two sections are dedicated to scholarly exchange with Polish... more
The article discusses the long lasting and manifold relations that Girolamo Arnaldi (1929-2016), an eminent Italian medievalist, maintained with Poland and Poles. The first two sections are dedicated to scholarly exchange with Polish historians (occasions for meeting, common initiatives, shared research interests, including a new approach towards medieval narrative sources). The last section addresses Arnaldi's support for human rights in communist Poland, in particular under martial law (1981-1983).
