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TesocialworldofUpperSilesia
TetraditionalimageofSilesiannessestablishedinsubjectmatter
literatureconsistsof:cross-borderculturaldigusion,specifceconom-
icpast,distinctivedialectandanumberofethosfeaturesoftheUp-
perSilesiaworkerscommunities.Amongthem,attheveryheartthere
ispositivevalorisationofhardmanuallabour,religiousnessandstrong
socialcontrolmarkingthenormsofthelifeinamining(metallurgy,
factory,etc.)settlement.Telattermanifesteditselfindirectinter-
actionsbeingpartofextensivebondsofrelationshipandneighbour-
hood,alsooverlappingthevocationallifeconnectedwithlocalwork-
places,parishesandmunicipaldistricts:u[ł]livingincommunities
inhabitingworkplacehousingestatesrelatedtoasenseoffargreater
familiarityandattachment.Itwasbasedoncloseneighbourlyrela-
tionsandalmostfamilialwayoflifewithinparticularfamilokhouses.
Tisintimacytranslateditselfintomutualhelpandsupport,spending
timecollectively,mutuallypaidcasualvisits,collectivecelebration
ofholidaysandothereventsimportantforthecommunitymem-
bers,therulesandspiritofthecommunityincludedleavingthefront
doorunlocked,whichallowedotherresidentsofthehousetoenter
freely”(Mandrysz,2011:105).Rootedineverydayroutinethenorms
ofsociallifewereinfluencedbyadeep,generation-widebondwith
theworkplace-theindustrialcentrewhichhasshapeditsworkers’
livesmultidimensionally.
Overthecenturiestwoeconomicordershavedominatedinthe
Silesianlandscape:agrarianandindustrial.Teyjointlyshapedthe
peculiarplebeian-proletarianculturalcharacteroftheregion.Te
changethatoccurredaferWorldWarII,whentheleadersofthePol-
ishPeople’sRepublicdecidedtograntUpperSilesiaanexclusivelyin-
dustrialspecifcity,broughtaboutthebreakupofthetraditionalmod-
elofindigenouscommunities’functioning:utheregionwastreatedin
aspecialwaybythecommunistauthorities”(Wódz,K.,Wódz,J.,
2006:15).Tespecialtreatmentconsisted,ontheonehand,ofthe
factthattheauthoritiespaidattentiontothedevelopmentofthe
traditionalindustries(miningwasoneofthebasicbrancheson
whichthestateearnedhardcurrency),thusalsotothedevelopment
oftownslocatedintheregion,ontheotherhand,specialcarewas
takentomakethepoliticalcontroleliminateanymanifestationsof
theculturaldistinctnessoftheregion.Asaresult,therewasasitua-
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