Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego: Difference between revisions

'''Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego''' (''The Polish Scouting and Guiding Association'', '''ZHP''') is the coeducational Polish [[Scouting]] organization recognized by the [[World Organization of the Scout Movement]] and the [[World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts]]. It was founded in [[1956]] and currently is the largest Scouting organization in Poland (134,500 members in [[2006]]). The original '''ZHP''' was founded in [[1916]], the current one is the fourth organization with this name.  

The Polish Scout movement was started in [[1910]]. Initially the ideas of [[Scouting]] were implemented by [[Andrzej Małkowski]] and his wife [[Olga Malkowska|Olga]]. The three main branches of Polish Scouting included the [[Strzelec]] paramilitary organization for boys, a sport and education society Sokół and the anti-alcoholic association ''Eleusis''. However, it wasn't until the [[Partitions of Poland]] came to an end that the ZHP would be officially founded by the merging of existing groups.  

Soon after the merger in 1918, the ZHP members fought in all the conflicts Poland was engaged in around this time: Great Poland Uprising, [[Polish-Bolshevik War]], [[Silesian Uprisings]], and Polish-Ukrainian War, much like their predecessors during the [[Siege of Mafeking]].  

After the [[Invasion of Poland (1939)|Invasion of Poland]] of [[1939]] the ZHP were branded criminals by The Nazi Party of Germany (who had gone so far as [[executing]] many Scouts and Guides, along with other possible resistance leaders), but they carried on as a clandestine organization. They became nicknamed the ''[[Szare Szeregi]]'' (''Grey Ranks'') and cooperated with the [[Polish underground state]] and the Armia Krajowa resistance. The older Scouts carried out sabotage and armed resistance. The Girl Guides formed auxiliary units working as nurses, liaisons and munition carriers. At the same time the youngest Scouts were involved in so-called small sabotage under the auspice of the [[Wawer]] organization, which included dropping [[leaflet]]s or painting the [[kotwica]] sign on the walls. During [[Operation Tempest]], and especially during the [[Warsaw Uprising]], the Scouts participated in the fighting, and several [[Szare Szeregi]] units were some of the most effective in combat.  

In [[1956]], after [[Joseph Stalin|Stalin's]] and [[Boleslaw Bierut|Bierut's]] death, the communist party youth movement ZMP OH was transformed and renamed to ZHP. However the new ZHP did not consider itself as a continuation of the pre-war ZHP, but as a new organization (until 1980). After [[1958]] many pre-war instructors were removed from the new ZHP or marginalized (like Aleksander Kamiński) and the original oath, law, educational content and methods were changed (mention of God was removed from oath, [[Lenin]] introduced as a hero, the [[Bolshevik Revolution]] was commemorated, the brigades became co-educational).

Despite this, the Polish Scouting and Guiding Association became one of the very few official organizations that retained some independence from the communist party. Because of this, its growth was rapid, and in [[1980]] it had more than three million active members. The Polish Scouts were engaged in a variety of duties, varying from helping in the fields of the most poor regions to organizing the visits of Pope John Paul II. After the [[martial law in Poland|martial law]] was imposed in [[1981]] the ZHP was the only large social organization not to be banned. The "VIII ZHP Convention" even supported the [[martial law in Poland|martial law]]. However, many of its high ranking officials were interned because of their involvement in the Solidarność movement.  

In [[1989]] after the period of peaceful transformation began, many groups of instructors formed separate Scouting organizations (like the [[Związek Harcerstwa Rzeczypospolitej|ZHR]]<ref>second largest Scouting organization in Poland, 15.000 members</ref>, [[SHK Zawisza]]<ref>member of the [[Union Internationale des Guides et Scouts d'Europe]]</ref> or '''ZHP-1918'''<ref>shortlived attempt to refound pre-war ZHP</ref>). At the same time the main ZHP returned to some of the pre-war traditions: e.g. the original oath and Scouts Law were reintroduced. In [[1993]] Lech Wałęsa became the honorary protector of the ZHP, just like all former Polish presidents. In [[1996]] the ZHP rejoined the [[World Organization of the Scout Movement]].

[[Category:Scouting and Guiding in Poland|Zwiazek Harcerstwa Polskiego]]