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Kashubian Switzerland
Choosing strange sounding names for some regions in Poland was a widespread occurrence in the past. It is not exactly known whether giving the name "Szwajcaria Kaszubska" (which can be translated into English as "Kashubian Switzerland") to Carthusian administrative district was done by Germans or Poles. However odd the name itself may be, it has become accepted and popular.
The first person who used the name "Szwajcaria Kaszubska" was Rev. Jakub Fankidejski. He mentioned it in his "Geographical Dictionary of Polish Kingdom". Later the name was used by Rev. Konstanty Damrot (real name Czesław Lubiński) in his writings "Drafts from the Land of Royal Prussia and its History". In a poem "Kartuzy" Damrot writes as follows:
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Upon the "Heaven of the most holy Our Lady Mary
Today the capital of "Szwajcaria Kaszubska"
The night cast its charming shadows …
Conversly, in the guidebook "Wanderungen durch die Sagen. Kassubei und die Tuchler Heide" written by Karl Pernin the name "Szwajcaria Kaszubska" was not even mentioned although Pernin himself was a judge in Kartuzy and must have known the region very well. Obviously, the name was not used by the Germans living there at that time. However, in a monograph of Kartuzy written by A. Keller the words "Szwajcaria Kaszubska" appear in the title "Karthaus in der Kassubishen Schweiz" and the same name is mentioned in another guidebook "Carthaus und due Kassubusche Schweiz" written by Wilhelm Schwandt. Surprisingly, though, the title of the latter guidebook was changed to "Karthaus und die Karthauser Schweiz" in the second edition and the same title appears on a colourful map enclosed with the guidebook.
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Another guidebook of that time was written by A. Majkowski who unwillingly used the name "Szwajcaria Kaszubska" as he based on the assumption that it was given to the region only by tourists visiting it in the 19th century. Yet Majkowski entitled his book "Zdroje Raduni. Przewodnik po tak zw. Szwajcaryi Kaszubskiej z mapą i 22 ilustracyami". In the next edition the name was shortened to "Przewodnik po Szwajcarii Kaszubskiej" (which can be translated into English as "A guidebook to Kashubian Switzerland").
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The name "Szwajcaria Kaszubska" was finally adopted both by Cartusian and Kościerzyna" districts and such was used in another guidebook "Szwajcaria Kaszubska" which was written by Izabella Trojanowska. The author took it for granted that although at Majakowski's time mostly Kartuzy with the neighbourhood was a tourist centre but later its territory spread over Wdzydze Lake and the surrounding area. Thus the whole region became easily recognized as "Szwajcaria Kaszubska".
So the Kashubians have their "little Switzerland". The question, however, remains whether the name is appropriate for this place. But for people living there the land is far more beautiful than in real Switzerland. The forests and unique lakes formed by the glacier, the waters of which change the colours according to the season, attract tourists who wish to admire the breathtaking scenery of the region and retreat into absolute silence at least for a while.
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Photos are taken from Andrzej Stachurski's book "Przyroda Polski, Świat Zwierząt", AFW Mazury, Olsztyn.
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