DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.23229#0048
CHOPIN AMONG ARTISTS AND SCHOLARS
Romantics were right [...], the Classicists eulogised this little kingdom
granted them out of charity, unaware that it was no longer a sensible co-
venant that was at stake at all, or carefully measured concessions. Again,
like in the year 1795, existence itself was at stake - that is, everything
was"89.
In concluding these remarks on the history of Frederick Chopin's home-
land, it is worth noting that a sense of threat from Russia was always
present in Poland, and some attempts were even made to subdue the
giant country. In 1611 the Polish army captured Moscow, but was able
to maintain its hold on the city for only a year (the expulsion of the Polish
army from the Kremlin in November 1612 is still celebrated in Russia as a
state holiday)90. The 18th century witnessed Poland's defeat in the battle
for a firm position in Europe followed by its annihilation. After the fall of the
November Uprising in 1831, Poland had again lost the sovereignty it had
partially regained in the Napoleonic Wars. The country did not return to
the map of Europe until 1918.
Cultural achievements
of the Congress Kingdom
and Chopin's successes
in Warsaw
Giving us an insight into the social life of the wealthy city, Jetowicki
marvelled in his memoirs: "Never have I seen so many beautiful wo-
men as in Warsaw. The Saxon Garden, the Krasihski Garden, the
avenues are full of people [...], and they are all off to Bielany for Whitsun-
day. From the castle, an unbroken chain of carriages leads through Zdro-
je, Fawory, over the Vistula, all the way to Bielany"91. There is no doubt that
the fifteen years of the Congress Kingdom brought about the considera-
ble development of Warsaw. It was the time to attain the goals and expand
the ideas of the Polish Enlightenment conceived before 1795. Among tho-
se plans which became a reality was the establishment in Warsaw of a Uni-
versity and a School of Fine Arts. It was made possible thanks to a gro-
up of outstanding Poles of that era, among them Stanistaw Kostka Potocki
and Stanistaw Staszic (1755-1826) (fig. 36), as well as other representatives
of Warsaw's intellectual elite. They put forward the concept of an institution
of higher education, which, luckily, proved acceptable to Alexander I. The
process of the creation of the University which later became Chopin's alma Fig. 36. Portrait of Stanistaw Staszic, engraving, af-
mater will be discussed in the next chapter, but it needs to be pointed out ter 1826, MHW. In the time of Congress Kingdom
here that the first two faculties of the University were founded already in the Staszic became one of the key-figures in Polish
years 1808-1809, thus in the time of the Duchy of Warsaw. cultural and scientific life of Warsaw. His funeral in
The capital city was growing together with its University92 (fig. 37). Nu- February 1826 was a huge patriotic manifestation
merous monumental edifices were erected: the Grand Theatre, the buil- in which took part also Frederick Chopin.
47
Romantics were right [...], the Classicists eulogised this little kingdom
granted them out of charity, unaware that it was no longer a sensible co-
venant that was at stake at all, or carefully measured concessions. Again,
like in the year 1795, existence itself was at stake - that is, everything
was"89.
In concluding these remarks on the history of Frederick Chopin's home-
land, it is worth noting that a sense of threat from Russia was always
present in Poland, and some attempts were even made to subdue the
giant country. In 1611 the Polish army captured Moscow, but was able
to maintain its hold on the city for only a year (the expulsion of the Polish
army from the Kremlin in November 1612 is still celebrated in Russia as a
state holiday)90. The 18th century witnessed Poland's defeat in the battle
for a firm position in Europe followed by its annihilation. After the fall of the
November Uprising in 1831, Poland had again lost the sovereignty it had
partially regained in the Napoleonic Wars. The country did not return to
the map of Europe until 1918.
Cultural achievements
of the Congress Kingdom
and Chopin's successes
in Warsaw
Giving us an insight into the social life of the wealthy city, Jetowicki
marvelled in his memoirs: "Never have I seen so many beautiful wo-
men as in Warsaw. The Saxon Garden, the Krasihski Garden, the
avenues are full of people [...], and they are all off to Bielany for Whitsun-
day. From the castle, an unbroken chain of carriages leads through Zdro-
je, Fawory, over the Vistula, all the way to Bielany"91. There is no doubt that
the fifteen years of the Congress Kingdom brought about the considera-
ble development of Warsaw. It was the time to attain the goals and expand
the ideas of the Polish Enlightenment conceived before 1795. Among tho-
se plans which became a reality was the establishment in Warsaw of a Uni-
versity and a School of Fine Arts. It was made possible thanks to a gro-
up of outstanding Poles of that era, among them Stanistaw Kostka Potocki
and Stanistaw Staszic (1755-1826) (fig. 36), as well as other representatives
of Warsaw's intellectual elite. They put forward the concept of an institution
of higher education, which, luckily, proved acceptable to Alexander I. The
process of the creation of the University which later became Chopin's alma Fig. 36. Portrait of Stanistaw Staszic, engraving, af-
mater will be discussed in the next chapter, but it needs to be pointed out ter 1826, MHW. In the time of Congress Kingdom
here that the first two faculties of the University were founded already in the Staszic became one of the key-figures in Polish
years 1808-1809, thus in the time of the Duchy of Warsaw. cultural and scientific life of Warsaw. His funeral in
The capital city was growing together with its University92 (fig. 37). Nu- February 1826 was a huge patriotic manifestation
merous monumental edifices were erected: the Grand Theatre, the buil- in which took part also Frederick Chopin.
47