On 22 November 1976, the Provincial Board of the Jelenia Góra Social and Cultural Society initiated the activities of its branch in Bolesławiec, sending 100 membership cards and 40 collective membership declarations. After a year of operating as a JTSK branch, by a decision of the City Mayor dated 20 December 1977, the Bolesławiec Enthusiasts’ Society was established and entered in the register of associations under no. 4.
During this period, TMB undertook various activities within the scope of its financial and organizational capabilities, including:
publishing activity – calendars, brochures, graphic works, translation of the town chronicles, “Głos Bolesławca”, and most recently preparations for a monograph of Bolesławiec – and this continues to be our task;
a fundraising campaign to purchase equipment for the Hospital in Bolesławiec; this is an ongoing campaign, and we can boast a sum of more than 1 billion 200 million old zlotys, from which a cardiac ultrasound machine and equipment for the laryngology hospital have already been purchased;
participation in the life of the town by organizing events such as the Drohobych Residents’ Monument ceremony, Christmas Eve for the Lonely, a carnival party and others;
These are only some of the tasks carried out by TMB. What are our plans for this year? In the last issue of “Głos”, I wrote that 1996 had been declared by the Lower Silesian Social and Cultural Society the Year of Cultural Heritage in Lower Silesia, and we at TMB want to become actively involved.
As a regional society, we want the idea of “My small homeland, my region, my place and my town...” to take deeper root in the awareness of society, especially among young people. The Ministry of National Education has developed the “Cultural Heritage in the Region” programme, and we intend to provide this programme to schools. Teachers of history, Polish, geography and other subjects, despite the lack of separate class hours, will be able to use its content in their lessons. Knowledge of the region, the history of the town and villages, and knowledge about people and their achievements, including during the last 50 years in Lower Silesia, is also cultural heritage. This knowledge is still relatively limited, however, and it is regrettable that a considerable number of teachers, including history teachers, do not feel the need to expand on this subject, often explaining themselves by citing a lack of materials or the fact that “it is not in the curriculum”.
TMB has many allies and supporters among the authorities and local-government councillors, who write favourable comments to “Głos Bolesławca”, which so far has been the only provider of knowledge about the region and is identified with the Society. The local government’s funding of “Głos” has recently come under an outright attack, including from some councillors and from very hostile local newspapers, including the newspaper from Zgorzelec, “Łużyce”. The decision will depend on the local government.
The twentieth anniversary of TMB, the contribution of this civic institution to the town’s culture, as well as the approaching fifth anniversary of “Głos Bolesławca”, require this issue to be approached without emotion, calmly and thoughtfully, for the good of our region, our “small homeland”.
Finally, one more remark – once, “social work” was considered a necessity. Today, in the era of a market economy, it is considered an anachronism. Even councillors receive symbolic allowances, but they do receive them.
TMB activists, including the president, as well as those who write for “Głos”, do it entirely on a voluntary basis – they may be considered “suckers”, but they must not be condemned for it!!!