Return of the Polish fraternities at the universities

Reactivation of "Lechia"AbstandOther fraternities active in Poland

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Because of the 50 year absence of fraternities at Polish universities they were practically forgotten by students and university faculty. For this reason, the revitalization of an awareness about fraternities was a slow matter. The rebuilding process was facilitated both by excited students, who had begun to learn about the history and principles of fraternities, and by alumni, who were anxious to tell the students of their experiences and to support the reactivation of the associations. The return to freedom of association in the 1990's allowed the alumni to achieve their objectives, and two alumni associations were grounded. The members of these organizations deliberately set about to inform university students of fraternity ideals and to encourage them to reactivate the associations.

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Already in 1989-1990, a group of students in Poznan decided to reactivate the fraternity known as Lechia. They were supported by an alumnus, Sylwester Kubera. In May of 1990, the senate of Adam Mickiewicz University approved the request to reactivate. Unfortunately, the initial group was too small to follow through with the process. The efforts were suspended for the following two years, but in 1993, as interest in fraternities was growing, there was already a foundation for the new life of Lechia. The reactivation ceremony took place on December 18, 1993. At this time, the alumni transferred the old 1923 flag, which had survived the war, to the new members. The photo below shows this ceremony.

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In this same year, Sarmatia was reactivated in Warsaw and a new association, Magna Polonia Vratislaviensis, was founded in Wroclaw (this fraternity was the successor to Magna Polonia, which had existed in Poznan before the Second World War). Respublika and Aquilonia were soon reactivated in Warsaw, and a fraternity for medical students, Asklepiada, was founded in Katowice. The latter association included both male and female students. This was a novel situation in Poland, whose fraternities normally were only for men or (rarely) only for women.

The Arkonia Association in Warsaw also was revived. After the war, it had become a nonacademic association, which accepted new members and remained active in a formal sense. Beginning in May of 1995, the alumni returned Arkonia to the typical structure of a student fraternity. The members began again to carry hats and sashes. It is best to think of Arkonia as an association that has returned to its original fraternal roots.

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The number of members of Polish student fraternities is still relatively low (slightly more than hundred people in the whole of Poland). That's why the co-operation of the active fraternities is very tight. Delegates of all fraternities are invited to the Founder's Day celebrations. Shown on the photo below: members of all Polish fraternities in Warsaw (after the Founder's Day of Sarmatia).

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In November 1999, four fraternities: Aquilonia, Lechia, Respublica and Magna Polonia Vratislaviensis founded The Association of the Polish Fraternities (ZPKA) in Warsaw.

The colors used by Polish fraternities now active, as well as the dates of their foundation and reactivation are listed below:

Arkonia
"Arkonia" Warsaw

Established on May 9th 1879. Reactivated as a student organization since 1995.
 

Sarmatia
"Sarmatia" Warsaw

Established on May 8th 1908. Reactivated on May 15th 1993.
 

Aquilonia
Warsaw

Established on March 10th 1915. Reactivated on November 4th 1994.
 

Lechia
"Lechia" Poznan

Established on June 15th 1920. Reactivated in May 1990 / on December 18th 1993.
 

Respublika
"Respublika" Warsaw

Established on January 25th 1922. Reactivated on January 25 1995.
 

Coronia
"Coronia" Warsaw

Established on December 5th 1922. Reactivated on December 21st 1996.
 


"Corolla" Cracow
 

"Concordia" Lublin
 
MPoloniaV
"Magna Polonia Vratislaviensis" Wroclaw

Established on April 30th 1993.
 

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