NCU News
Conference in Würzburg
The Polish Historical Mission invites you to an international academic conference entitled "The family is the natural and fundamental unit of society and has the right to protection from society and the state. The family in Central Europe across territorial, national, religious, and social boundaries (until 1989)", which will be held on September 22-23 at the University of Würzburg. Admission is free.
The family, especially the nuclear family consisting of parents and children, is often seen as the foundation of society. It is the basic social unit in which values, norms, and cultural traditions are passed on. Legal protection of the family to ensure its stability and security is deeply rooted in many countries. The right to start a family and its protection by the state are recognised as fundamental human rights, enshrined in national constitutions and international agreements, such as the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The main objective of the conference is to present the history of families that, through their creation and existence, transcended territorial, national, religious, or social boundaries. Such families often did not fit into the contemporary ideas of the 'ideal' family and had to face particular challenges. They could consist of members of different nationalities, such as Polish-German families that were formed during and after World War II, or suddenly found themselves in a different country (for example, in Silesia) after the border changes after 1945.
Studying the history of families that crossed borders provides insight into the diversity and complexity of human communities. It shows how families in the past coped with challenges and what strategies they developed to survive in different social and political contexts. The research aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the historical development of family structures in the Polish and German cultural areas and to emphasise the importance of tolerance for diversity in contemporary Polish and German society.
The conference is organised under the patronage of Minister of State Ulrike Scharf (Bavarian Ministry of Family, Labour, and Social Affairs) and Consul General Rafał Wolski (Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Munich).
