Reprint of Korfanty’s speech
made in the Prussian Landtag, 23 April 1913
(collection of the Silesian Library in Katowice)

Wojciech Korfanty’s statement
concerning his candidacy to the Parliament of the Republic of Poland, 1930
(collection of the National Archive in Katowice)

Reprint of Korfanty’s speech
of 19 January 1917 in the Prussian Landtag
(collection of the Silesian Library in Katowice)

Pro-Korfanty flyer
during the political fight in Warsaw at the end of 1918
(collection of the National Library)

Postcard depicting Polish MPs
for the Reichstag and Prussian Landtag, 1918
(collection of the Museum of the History of Katowice)

Photograph of Wojciech Korfanty
taken in Toni Schoen’s atelier in Bytom
(collection of the Muzeum Śląskie in Katowice)

Portrait of Wojciech Korfanty
at the beginning of his parliamentary career, atelier of Willi Lange from Katowice
(collection of the Museum of the History of Katowice)

Brochure with the slogan "Baczność! Chleb drożeje!"
(Attention! Bread is getting more expensive!) from 1901, created by Korfanty
(collection of the Silesian Library in Katowice)

Korfanty with an issue of Górnoślązak
as an MP of the Reichstag, 1903
(collection of The Municipal Museum in Chorzów)

Wojciech Korfanty’s MP card
as an MP of the Silesian Parliament of the third term, 1930
(collection of the Museum of the History of Katowice)

Wojciech Korfanty’s senator’s card
from his term in the Senate of the Republic of Poland, 1931
(collection of the Museum of the History of Katowice)

Postcard with representatives of Polish MPs
of the Reichstag of the twelfth term (1907-1912)
(collection of the Muzeum Czynu Powstańczego, Góra św. Anny)

Catholic Bloc’s election flyer
election to the Silesian Parliament and Senate of the Republic of Poland of the third term, 1930
(collection of the Museum of the History of Katowice)

Reprint of Wojciech Korfanty’s photograph
as an MP of the Reichstag from 1903, 1928
(collection of the Museum of the History of Katowice)

Meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate of the Republic of Poland
1 December 1932
(collection of The National Digital Archives)

Politics – action

Korfanty honed his political skills in the German Parliament, whose MP he became in 1903. It was a great success given that he had become known to the public merely two years earlier. Moreover, Korfanty’s political promotion dismantled the structure of the electorate of the German Catholic Centre Party, which had counted on Polish votes before. After the establishment of Silesian Voivodeship in 1922, the National Bloc that he supported received 33.5% of the votes in the election to the Silesian Parliament. However, the Silesian tribune was not so successful on the Polish political scene. The reasons for this may be attributed to the aversion expressed by the charismatic Józef Piłsudski, who was not willing to share power with this talented opposition activist. Korfanty’s biggest success came in 1923. The increasing inflation and its accompanying chaos in commercial and monetary relations led to social disturbances. In the tense situation, Prime Minister Wincenty Witos decided to reconstruct the cabinet. It included the proponents of confrontation, and also Wojciech Korfanty as Deputy Prime Minister, who was responsible, inter alia, for taking measures to prevent strikes.

Korfanty derided the lies of the ‘national philosophy’ that had its moral source in the will of the Piłsudski camp, which had governed the country since 1926. What he saw as evil was, above all, depriving the social system of moral law and stripping individuals of their inborn rights. He negated the building of the state based on a purely political construct, which became the domain of Sanation politicians. In his opinion, only the idea of a civic society in a democratic formula could ensure the harmonious development and well-being of both individual people and the community. He was an ardent proponent of the idea of corporatism, which could become a foundation for the reconstruction of the country into a self-governed democracy. He saw this system as a unique opportunity for Poland and a counterbalance to the post-May dictatorship with its preferred omnipotence of the state. However, he lost the fight. In September 1930, the Silesian Parliament was dissolved and Korfanty was arrested and imprisoned in the Brest Fortress. In 1935, he was once again at risk of being imprisoned. He was informed in confidence about the threat of detention and ultimately decided to leave the country.

Politics_action

Politics – action