Author
Bronisław Trentowski 1808-1869

He was born on 21 January 1808 in the village of Opole in Podlasie. He received his education at the Piarist College in Łuków, at a liceum in Warsaw, and at the University of Warsaw. In 1829, he took up a teacher’s job in a gymnasium in Szczuczyn. He fought in the November Uprising and emigrated to Germany after its defeat. He continued his studies at the University of Königsberg, in Heidelberg and Fribourg, receiving his doctoral degree and defending his habilitation at the last university. His endeavours to receive a professorship at the University of Freiburg failed due to opposition from the clergy, whom he alienated by his overly progressive – as they were perceived – views regarding religious matters. He was a member of Freemasonry, and was a great master of one of the lodges in Fribourg. He managed to remain active as a writer thanks to the patronage of members of economic organisations in Poznań. In his philosophy, Trentowski invoked the concepts of Hoene-Wroński and Hegel. He emphasised the Poles’ attachment to freedom, which he expressed, among others, through his concept of the national education system, and in his political statements. In the years 1846-1848, influenced by the events in Galicia (1846 slaughter of the nobility by Polish peasants, partly inspired by the Austrian authorities) and in Europe (Spring of Nations, which revealed negative attitudes of liberals, especially in Germany, to the Polish cause), he changed his liberal thinking to a more conservative stance. He lost his importance in the late period of his life. He died on 16 June 1869. The main writings include: Chowanna, czyli system pedagogiki narodowej jako umiejętności wychowania, nauki i oświaty, słowem wykształcenia naszej młodzieży (Chowanna, or the System of National Pedagogy as the Science of Education and Instruction, in a Word, of Educating Our Youth) (1842), Stosunek filozofii do cybernetyki, czyli sztuki rządzenia narodem (The Relation of Philosophy to Cybernetics, or the Art of Governing a Nation) (1843), Myślini, czyli Całokształt logiki narodowej (Myślini, or the Complete National Logic) (1844), Wizerunki duszy narodowej z końca ostatniego stulecia (Images of the National Soul from the End of the Last Century) (1847), Wiara słowiańska, czyli etyka piastująca wszechświat (The Slavic Faith, or the Ethics that Governs the Universe) (1847-1848), Przedburza polityczna (The Approaching Political Storm) (1848).

Sponsors:

This website is a part of the project entitled ‘Polish Political Thought and Independence: A Program for the Promotion of Polish Intellectual Heritage Abroad’, generously funded
by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland as A part of ‘Public Diplomacy 2017’ programme, component ‘Collaboration in the field of Public Diplomacy 2017’.
Design by Stereoplan