Po drugiej stronie Wisły. Zarys działalności politycznej mniejszości niemieckiej w powiecie świeckim w latach 1918–1926

Poland was one of the countries characterized by large groups of national and ethnic minorities. The German community in Pomerania was one of the largest national minorities. In the Polish territories, the German minority was characterized by a sense of individuality. Germans did not succumb to assimilation tendencies; instead, they strove to be economically independent from the Polish population. On the basis of the Treaty of Versailles, German citizens who lived permanently in the area subordinated to Poland after January 1st, 1908 could acquire Polish citizenship. The German population could also choose to leave Poland and go to Germany. This resulted in the exodus of the German minority, including Germans from the Świecie county. Despite emigration, unlike other national minorities, the Germans created numerous and thriving parties and various associations. In the Świecie there were the following: Vereinigung des Deutschen Volkstums in Polen (VddV), Deutschtumsbund zur Wahrung der Minderheitsrechte in Polen (Dtb) and Deutsche Vereinigung im Sejm und Senat für Posen, Netzegau und Pommerellen (DV). Dtb in the Świecie county was managed by pastor Paweł Heck and M.D. Artur Studziński, whereas in the town of Świecie – pastor Paweł Morgenroth. The activists attending the organization’s meetings stressed the need to maintain Germanness and create schools for German children. On May 11th, 1923, the Polish authorities dissolved Dtb, but the Germans continued their political activities in an organisation under the changed name – Deutsche Vereinigung im Sejm und Senat für Posen, Netzegau und Pommerellen – whose goal was to consolidate the entire German population.