The Polish diaspora in the Alsace region. Photographed for posterity

After the collection had been handed over to the Archive of the Polish Catholic Mission (Archiwum Polskiej Misji Katolickiej, APMK) in France, Jean Chęciński also agreed to the public dissemination of the photographs. On 13 August 2021, he wrote: 

“As regards my private collection, I grant you permission to use all photographs and postcards that are now in your possession, together with the related signatures and explanations. (...) Furthermore, I shall attempt to find other documents relating to Polish immigration in the potash basin in Mulhouse and shall arrange for them to be forwarded to you.”[1]

 

The starting point: field research
 

During the course of a field research project conducted in 2020–2022, in which archive documents relating to the Polish community were acquired and protected, a large collection of photographs was discovered. On 16 June 2020, the Polish diaspora in Mulhouse-Rixheim provided the researchers with several photo albums, chronicles of local activities, correspondence, information brochures and various other materials, which documented the activities of the local community. One particularly important item among these documents is an album that not only records the religious activities of the Polish migrants, but also their attempts to keep alive their Polish culture and traditions in a foreign country. The materials acquired also comprise documents relating to the centenary year 2000, including a Golden Book, and numerous albums containing collections of letters, invoices, documents specifying the rules and regulations of Polonia organisations, and information brochures.

The history of the parish of Rixheim is of significant importance, as it is a valuable source of information about the religious and social life of the local Polish community. On 17 June 2020, a meeting was held of representatives of local Polish associations. Those present included Antoine Jurczyk, who donated a series of valuable documents for the archive. These were a commemorative brochure marking the 50th anniversary of the consecration of the Notre-Dame du Rosaire church, the logbook of the Sainte-Barbe association from Wittelsheim, and several photographs from the time when the first Poles arrived in the Alsace region. While they may be few in number, these photographs are of incalculable value as witnesses to the everyday life, culture and traditions of the Polish diaspora in the Bassin Potassique. The photographs are not just portraits of individual people, but also group shots taken at events and formal gatherings within the community. These visual documents enable us to get a feel of the atmosphere from times long gone and to gain a deeper understanding of how Polish migrants became integrated into the local community, while at the same time preserving their national heritage.[2]

On 6 July 2020, a meeting was held in the church hall of the Église Saint-Jean in Pulversheim, which turned out to be a turning point for research into the history of the Polish diaspora in the Alsace region. This was made possible thanks to the kind support of Mr Alfred Kałużyński, the chairman of the Alsace Polish cultural association (Polski Związek Kulturalny, PZK). The meeting was attended by representatives from local groups, historians and other individuals who had an interest in preserving the Polish heritage in the Bassin Potassique.[3]

At the meeting, Alfred Kałużyński presented a series of valuable documents to the archive, which contained important information about life among the Polish community. They included a Golden Book, which was created in 1983 to commemorate the visitation of families in the community through a copy of the image of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa, as well as numerous files with minutes of PZK meetings, sets of regulations and press reports on the activities of Polish folklore groups, choirs, boy scouts groups and the annual pilgrimages. In addition, Anna Senne, the chairwoman of the “Róża Leśna” choir, gave more valuable documents to the archive, including 17 photographs of various different events held by the Polish diaspora. The meeting was also attended by other well-known members of the local community, including Wiktor Krzemiński, chairman of the “Lutnia” choir, Prof. Jean Chęciński, a historian and chairman of the “Société d’histoire de Kingersheim” association, and Serge Buett, chairman of the “Polonia” music ensemble. Mr Buett presented a series of documents to the Polish Catholic Mission archive which included the set of regulations for the ensemble, documents relating to their performances, music CDs and digital materials on the gala organised to mark the 70th anniversary of the creation of the ensemble. Contact was also made with other people involved in the community: Tomasz Wiśniewski, the leader of the boy scouts and chairman of the Alsace scouts group, and Patrice Dudaczyk, chairman of the “Orzeł Biały” choir. The suggestion was also made to contact René Giovanetti, the former director of the local “mining archive”. Ultimately, one of the most important achievements of the field research project was the acquisition of photographs documenting the life of the Polish community in the Alsace region. They are a unique portrait of everyday life, the culture and the traditions of the Polish migrants. The events recorded in these photographs, such as choir performances, society meetings and events celebrating Polish national holidays, help us gain a better understanding of how the Polish diaspora became integrated into the local community, while at the same time preserving its own identity.

The field research in Pulversheim turned out to be an important step in the acquisition of documents about the Polish diaspora in the Alsace region. The materials collected during the course of the project, including photographs, documents and press articles, provide a valuable insight into the life of the Polish community in the Bassin Potassique. It is thanks to the efforts of the local associations and private individuals that these unique archive materials have been preserved.[4]

 

Photographs that illustrate the history of Polish emigration
 

As material records of life among the Polish diaspora, photographs form an important part of the archive stock of the Polish Catholic Mission in France. If we regard photographs as being witnesses to the past, then the documents surrounding the life of the Polish diaspora in the Alsace region and the story of the Polish migrants in the Bassin Potassique turn out to be a particularly interesting case. As a source of information, these images are of incalculable value. However, in-depth research that takes into account both their technical and historical value is yet to be conducted. Such an analysis of the photographs requires a differentiated methodological approach. With regard to the content, the images can be divided into five categories: artistic, reportage, documentation, scientific and family photographs. Each of these categories requires different research tools and an individual analytical approach. As a result, researchers always need to adjust their methods to the specific characteristics of the documents in question. The photographs, which document life among the Polish migrant community in the potash basin in the Alsace region, are a source of invaluable knowledge. However, in order to analyse these materials, researchers need not only a comprehensive knowledge of historical events, but also a certain sensibility with regard to the socio-cultural context. This enables us to understand how the identity of the Polish diaspora in the Alsace was developed and what challenges the local community faced when it came to integration.[5] 

The author of this article has also conducted a considerable number of studies on the importance of photographs of the Polish diaspora, the story of Polish emigration and Polish pastoral care abroad, the results of which have appeared in numerous publications.[6] 

 

The subjects of the photographs
 

The life of the Polish diaspora in France has been recorded in numerous photographs, which document the activities of Polish groups and associations. The story of how these groups originated and their spontaneous, truly dynamic development, are typical of quite a number of centres of Polish migration in France. The archive documents show that a number of factors contributed to their creation and development, particularly during the period immediately following immigration. The entirely unfamiliar surroundings, the lack of language skills, which made it harder to establish contact with the local population, combined with the large number of Poles living in France, all produced a need among the newcomers to join together with their fellow countrymen and create some semblance of home in the foreign environment. The associations also offered spiritual and practical support for all kinds of problems faced by the fresh arrivals in their new home. From this perspective, they were created in response to the very real, urgent social needs of the Polish diaspora. The Archive of the Polish Catholic Mission contains photographs of “patriotic-religious ceremonies” that took place among the Polish community in France. A separate set of images documents Polish districts and churches and chapels in France. Some of the photographs show sacred buildings.[7]

A further group of files included in the photographic documentation consists of images of Poles who emigrated to France after 1919 for economic reasons. After the end of the First World War, there was an urgent need for labourers in France, particularly in the mining sector. This led to a search for labourers from abroad, including from Poland, which had only recently become independent, and from Westphalia, where a large number of “Ruhr Poles” lived at the time. Sources show that many Poles answered the call to come and work in France. The archive documents contain the following account: “They packed their few belongings into a small wooden crate, went to confession before starting out on their long journey, said goodbye to their loved ones, and set off... They travelled to where there was work to be found with the idea of securing a living, earning a bit more money and returning to their homeland a few years later.”[8]

Anyone who is interested in photographs of the Polish community in France will be familiar with the name Kasimir Zgorecki (1904–1980). Here, one book in particular deserves attention, which was published by the Musée du Louvre-Lens following an exhibition of his work. In 1922, Kasimir Zgorecki, who was born in Recklinghausen in Westphalia, moved with his family from the Ruhr region to France in order to work in the Pas-de-Calais coal mining region. At that time, he was 18 years old. In 1924, he took over the photo studio run by his brother-in-law in Rouvroy and began to work among the Polish diaspora in northern France. He took on various different jobs, from passport photos to photographs of events and official functions within the Polish community. These photographs, which have only recently been rediscovered by the artist’s family, are a unique record of the life of the Polish diaspora.[9]

 

The Polish diaspora in the Alsace region in photographs – historical context
 

The story of the Polish migrants who settled in the potash basin (Bassin Potassique) in the Alsace region is a fascinating example of economic migration. For researchers in this field, photographs play a key role as a valuable source of historical knowledge. Although the images of the Polish diaspora in the Alsace are mainly group photos and genre scenes, they contain a wealth of interesting information. Analysis of these photographs should not be limited to superficial descriptions such as “a group of people standing in front of buildings”; rather, a historical interpretation is required. Otherwise, the photographs would simply be visual artefacts without any deeper meaning. For this reason, it is especially important that researchers and archivists attempt to understand the images in their historical context.

A large number of Poles decided to move to the Alsace region due to the hardships that they were suffering. Here, the recollections of the first migrants are particularly worth examining. Although they were provided with accommodation, the furnishings turned out to be very basic. Here is a short description by one migrant: “(...) two beds, a mattress, two blankets, a cupboard. In the kitchen, a small commode, a table, two chairs and a stool, a cast iron oven, 25 kilogrammes of coal and three logs of wood.” It is particularly interesting that the conditions in which they lived are described in such detail. The Polish migrants can remember everything very clearly, since for them, who literally arrived empty-handed, every detail was of great importance. The reports show that initially, they were given 25 Francs to cover their basic needs – “bread, salt and lard”. A former miner provides detailed information about the amounts of money they later received with the precision of an accountant: “These 25 Francs had to last from the 4th to the 15th every month. On the 15th, we were given an advance payment of 108 Francs...”[10]

The initial period after their arrival was particularly tough. The new tools and working methods, combined with the unfamiliar culture, presented huge challenges to the miners. They were required to perform their new tasks without any form of induction, and with just short, gruff orders in a language they didn’t understand.

The administration at the potassium plant introduced a wage deduction system for the maintenance of the miners’ houses. If a house showed no sign of damage after a year, the inhabitants were paid the money back. Despite having access to all the “achievements of civilisation” available at the time, the migrants’ lives were often anything but comfortable. The temperature in the mines was between 40 and 50 degrees Celsius, causing the miners to faint. At first, the greatest cause for concern among the miners was that they might suffer an accident. However, in time, their focus of attention turned to the challenge of continuing to work in the unbearable heat.[11] After the end of their shift, many Polish miners helped the local farmers with the potato, grain or hay harvest and in picking the grapes. There, they were particularly valued for their scything skills. They were often paid in kind, in the form of food to feed themselves and their families. During the crisis years in the 1930s, this additional source of income was particularly welcome.[12]

The economic crisis of the 1930s had a dramatic impact on the Polish diaspora. Thousands of migrants lost their jobs. From 1934–1935, there was a wave of mass migration back home to Poland. The behaviour of the French miners, who showed no interest in the plight of their Polish colleagues, and who in some cases were even happy at the prospect of purchasing the furniture they left behind at a cheap price, engendered a deep sense of isolation and disappointment.[13] 

Relations between the Polish immigrants and the French miners were often tense. The cultural and economic differences between them created a strong sense of rivalry. In the words of one Polish miner: “They already had ownership of their farms, while we were poor and had no choice.” It was only very rarely that friendships developed between Poles and the French, and mixed marriages were almost unheard of. Even on St. Barbara’s day, the only Alsatians who took part in the celebrations were those who were close friends with the Poles. When it came to relations between the Polish and French miners, the difference between “us” and “them” was palpable. There was a clear divide between the local population and the immigrants – those who were already part of Alsatian society and those who first had to battle to gain acceptance there. The older miners were often indifferent to the rejection and enmity they experienced. However, their families, particularly their wives and children, often suffered as a result. Conflicts with the French miners, who now formed a minority in the mines, were inevitable. The Polish miners were forced to perform the harshest tasks, and as a result, they tried to gain promotion in order to receive better wages for their work.[14] 

Integration into the working environment often took the form of “familiar irony”. One sign that someone had been accepted by the others was if they were given a nickname that also emphasised the individual nature of that particular person. One miner, for example, who had won a sheep in a lottery, was given the nickname “Bé”. Another, meanwhile, who was proud of having served in the Polish air force in 1919, became known as “Awiator”.[15] 

Knowledge of the language was key for forming relationships. Many Polish miners were unable to speak sufficient French even after living in France for many years. In the mines, they spoke mainly Polish or Alsatian; at the same time, many businesspeople even started learning Polish in order attract a Polish clientèle. This linguistic isolation made it harder to integrate, but at the same time, it also strengthened the sense of belonging within one’s own community.[16] In this respect, Polish-language newspapers played an important part in maintaining national identity. For many migrants, the Polish-language press served not just as a source of information, but also as a way of preserving their contact with Polish culture.[17]

Outside of work, life among the Polish migrants played out mainly in closed enclaves, with each nation living in its own separate “colony”. The only recorded exception is an Italian immigrant who settled in the Polish quarter. This social segregation was somewhat mitigated by religious practices, however, which acted as a kind of binding agent which held the Poles together in the foreign environment. Many miners drew strength, solace and the feeling of belonging from their Catholic faith, regular attendance of church mass and participation in pilgrimages. Saint Barbara, patron saint of the miners, was regarded as a constant companion, who ensured their safety. The Polish clergy not only played an important part in religious life, but also in the social fabric of the community. They acted as arbiters when conflicts arose, advised the members of the community on family matters, and organised life within the diaspora. In times of difficulty, they were invaluable and in everyday life, their authority contributed to the preservation of a harmonious community atmosphere. One of the most important events in the calendar was the annual pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Thierenbach. The pilgrimage was more than just a religious act, since it provided an opportunity to meet other Poles living throughout the Alsace and Lorraine regions. The joint festivities were also a manifestation of Polish identity, a harking back to their roots and a sense of connection to their homeland.[18]

 

Robert Czarnowski, September 2025

 

Bibliography
 

Archival resources

Archiwum Polskiej Misji Katolickiej we Francji

Zespół 50: Zbiór fotografii PMK we Francji

Zespół akt bieżący, Sprawozdanie z kwerendy terenowej 2020 r.

 

Printed materials

Zarządzenie nr 17 Naczelnego Dyrektora Archiwów Państwowych z dnia 30 czerwca 1969 r. w sprawie archiwalnego opracowania zasobu fotografii.

Decyzja nr 8 Naczelnego Dyrektora Archiwów Państwowych z dnia 24 kwietnia 2006 r. w sprawie wprowadzenia wskazówek metodycznych dotyczących zasad opracowania fotografii w archiwach państwowych.

Zarządzenie nr 7 Naczelnego Dyrektora Archiwów Państwowych z dnia 30 stycznia 2018 r.

Zarządzenie nr 7 Naczelnego Dyrektora Archiwów Państwowych z dnia 30 stycznia 2018 r. w sprawie ewidencjonowania zasobu archiwalnego w archiwach państwowych, § 6, p. 6.

Zarządzenie nr 34 Naczelnego Dyrektora Archiwów Państwowych z dnia 9 września 2019 r. w sprawie zasad porządkowania i inwentaryzacji dokumentacji fotograficznej w archiwach państwowych.

 

Studies

Czarnowski R., Fotografie Polonijne jako historyczne dziedzictwo archiwalne Polskiej Misji Katolickiej we Francji, „Archiwa, Biblioteki i Muzea Kościelne” 117 (2021), s. 29–48.

Czarnowski R., Archiwum Polskiej Misji Katolickiej w Paryżu, wyd. Bernardinum, Pelplin 2020.

Czarnowski R., Duszpasterstwo polskie we Francji i jego rola w podtrzymywaniu tożsamości narodowej w latach 1918–1939, w: XL Sesja Stałej Konferencji Muzeów, Archiwów i bibliotek Polskich na Zachodzie, Paryż/Warszawa 2019, s. 31–50.

Czarnowski R., Duszpasterstwo rodzin polskich we Francji w kontekście historyczno-pastoralnym, w: Budowanie więzi w małżeństwie i w rodzinie a emigracja. Teoria i praktyka, red. G. Koszałka, J. Młyński, wyd. Instytut Papieża Jana Pawła II, Warszawa 2018, s. 25–35.

Czarnowski R., Kardynał August Hlond jako protektor emigracji polskiej w źródłach epistolarnych Polskiej Misji Katolickiej we Francji (komentarz do edycji źródeł), w: W obronie duszy polskiej. Kardynał August Hlond jako opiekun duchowy emigracji polskiej w źródłach Polskiej Misji Katolickiej we Francji 1927–1948, wyd. Neriton, Warszawa 2023, s. 5–46.

Czarnowski R., Stulecie wspólnot polonijnych we Francji w dokumentacji Polskiej Misji Katolickiej, w: Materiały XLI Stałej Konferencji Muzeów, Archiwów i Bibliotek Polskich na Zachodzie. 100-lecie niepodległości Polski z perspektywy zbiorów i działalności instytucji zrzeszonych w MAB, red. Elżbieta Teresa Kowalska, Londyn/Warszawa 2023, s. 89–118.

Garçon G., Struktura Polskiej Misji Katolickiej w XX-ym wieku, w: 175-lecie Polskiej Misji Katolickiej we Francji. Akta kolokwiów, Paryż 2013, s. 48–76.

Raphaël F., Herberich-Marx G., Mémoires d’Exil. Mémoires de la «Colonie» chez les mineurs polonais du Bassin Potassique d’Alsace, „Revue des sciences sociales de la France de l’Est” 14 (1985), s. 39–60

Barzycka A., Fotografia jako źródło historyczne. Wybrane problemy, „Historyka. Studia metodologiczne” 36 (2006), s. 105–117.

Gut P., Nauki pomocnicze historii XIX i XX w. w warsztacie archiwisty, w: Archiwa bez granic. Pamiętnik VII Powszechnego Zjazdu Archiwistów Polskich, Kielce – 20–21 września 2017 r., red. W. Chorążyczewski, K. Stryjkowski, Warszawa 2019, s. 171–180.

Michałowska M., Miejsce fotografii-dokumentu w procesie historiograficznym, w: Foto-historia. Fotografia w przedstawianiu przeszłości, red. V. Julkowska, Poznań 2012, s. 13–26.

Skotarczak D., Co to jest historia wizualna?, w: Foto-historia. Fotografia w przedstawianiu przeszłości, s. 175–180.

Skotarczak D., Kilka uwag o historii wizualnej, „Klio Polska. Studia i Materiały z Dziejów Historiografii Polskiej” 8 (2016), s. 117–130.

Witek P., Metodologiczne problemy historii wizualnej, „Res Historica” 2014, nr 37, s. 157–176.