Published: 2026-10-26

The Life and Experiences of Marian Morelowski, professor at Stefan Batory University, in occupied Vilnius, 1939-1946

Piotr Chabiera Profil ORCID autora Piotr Chabiera
Saeculum Christianum. Historical Writings
Section: Rozprawy i Artykuły
DOI https://doi.org/10.21697/sc.2026.33.1.15

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the fate of Professor Marian Morelowski, an art historian at Stefan Batory University in Vilnius, during the years 1939–1946, a period marked by Soviet, Lithuanian, and German occupation. The aim of the study is to present the situation of the Vilnius intelligentsia and the academic community of Stefan Batory University under conditions of war, repression, and the forced liquidation of Polish scientific institutions. Particular attention is devoted to Morelowski's teaching and underground activities, his involvement in the protection of historical monuments, clandestine education, assistance provided to students, members of the Polish intelligentsia, and participants in the resistance movement. The article also depicts everyday life in occupied Vilnius, the progressive impoverishment of the academic community, and the mechanisms of repression applied by the occupiers against the Polish intellectual elites. Based on archival materials, eyewitness accounts, and memoirs, the study reconstructs Morelowski’s activity both as a scholar and educator, as well as an individual actively engaged in the preservation of Polish cultural heritage and support for the academic community. The fate of Marian Morelowski is presented as an example of the attitude of the Polish intelligentsia in the face of the experiences of war, occupation, and postwar forced migrations.

Keywords:

Marian Morelowski, Stefan Batory University, clandestine education, occupation of Vilnius, Polish intelligentsia during World War II

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Citation rules

Chabiera, P. (2026). The Life and Experiences of Marian Morelowski, professor at Stefan Batory University, in occupied Vilnius, 1939-1946. Saeculum Christianum. Historical Writings, 33(1), 189–202. https://doi.org/10.21697/sc.2026.33.1.15

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