..:: Kashuby ::..

Kashubian proverbs

A Capital City of Kaszuby

Kashubians have considered Gdańsk as their capital city for ages. The historical facts have not been important to them... The most important was that Gdańsk turned into "stoleczne gardno" (it is, how people, who lived in Kaszuby, called Gdańsk) in the middle ages. It was a mercantile and harbour centre, port for fishermen and sale market of farm products. Gdańsk was a cultural centre, the symbol of the whole region. A. Majkowski wrote:Kashubians have considered Gdańsk as their capital city for ages. The historical facts have not been important to them... The most important was that Gdańsk turned into "stoleczne gardno" (it is, how people, who lived in Kaszuby, called Gdańsk) in the middle ages. It was a mercantile and harbour centre, port for fishermen and sale market of farm products. Gdańsk was a cultural centre, the symbol of the whole region. A. Majkowski wrote:

Gdańsk, the queen of Pomerania, The glory and grave of Kaszuby, Where the spell of love cast upon me Veiled my senses with the rainbow-hued colours.

In Gdańsk were all the major gatherings of the Kashubians organised, Kashubian magazines, newspapers and books published, and people trained for struggles for the incorporation of Pomerania back into Poland. It is there, where in the very ending of the First World War the base of the leaders of the Military Organisation of Pomerania was situated, aimed at freeing Pomerania from Prussian annexation. In recent days an idea was raised to establish the Kashubian-Pomeranian Association. In Gdańsk is located the mentioned organisation's main residence, as well as the Kashubian House, planned to be the centre of Kashubian-Pomeranian initiatives.

The minor Kashubian cities have always had an ambition to become the capital of Kaszuby. The argument for the leadership is humorously presented in the poem of Maryla Wolska:

Seven towns; For ages they have been arguing About which of them Is to be called the Kaszuby's head; Gdańsk - the plentiful town, Kartuzy - the cute one, Holy Wejherowo, Lębork, and Bytowo, Venerable Kościerzyna, And Puck - only ashes.

Kościerzyna was considered a cultural centre under the Prussian annexation, when Majkowski was writing his poems and publishing 'Gryf'. Kartuzy is regarded as a capital of the so-called 'Kashubian Switzerland' because of its location - in the centre of Kaszuby. Puck is too tiny to pretend to be the leader of the Kashubian towns and for any significant celebration to be organised there. Additionally, it is located in the same district as Wejherowo - vast city, even bigger than Gdańsk or Gdynia. During the period between the World Wars and later, Wejherowo gradually became the most significant Kashubian town and, if it hadn't been for Gdańsk, it would be conferred the honour of being the capital city of Kaszuby.