Pamiętane i zapomniane elementy krajobrazu kulturowego nadpopradzkiej Łemkowszczyzny

Poprad River is the state border between Poland and Slovakia, over a distance of about 30 km. villages located On the polish side were once home to Lemkos. This Native-residents were displaced—mostly during Operation “Wisła” in 1947. The new settlers, coming from polish ethnographic groups, took over after the Lemkos their material heritage. They become the new cultural landscape architects. Greek Catholic churches were renamed Catholic churches. Wayside shrines and crosses were assimilated by the new local culture. Most of the old cemeteries met a different fate—the former location of burials are devastated and overgrown by wild plants. Past of some local villages in this region is very unique. For example Leluchów and Dubne were once inhabited by people called Wengrini / Uhryńcy. Their folk costumes were clearly distinguishable from the rest of Lemkos. In some villages people particularly care about local history associated with Lemkos e.g. resident form Wierchomla (led by local priest) took care of the renovation of damaged tombstones. When the work was completed, priest said: “this work … is … education for the younger generation that the graves of ancestors, regardless of origin, religion and sin and merit, deserves respect and reverence. This requires from us God’s fourth commandment.”