Feliks Koneczny
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Feliks Karol Koneczny (b. November 1, 1862, Kraków - d. February 10, 1949 Kraków (Cracow)) was a Polish historian and social philosopher. Founder of the original system of the comparative science of civilisations.
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[edit] Biography
Koneczny graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków and began work as at the Jagiellonian Library. After Poland regained its independence, he became an assistant professor in 1919. In June 1920, after he had qualified received the degree of doctor habilitatus, he became a professor of the Stefan Batory University in Wilno. After having retired in 1929, he came back to Kraków.[1]
[edit] Works
His interests moved from purely historical research to the philosophy of history, religion and philosophy.[1] His pioneering works dealing with the history of Russia. Koneczny authored extensive monographs of Byzantine and Jewish civilisations, which he considered to be less developed than the Latin civilisation of catholic Europe. In 1948, after sixty years of research work Koneczny calculated that his written scholarly output encompassed 26 volumes, each of them being 300 to 400 pages long, not to mention more than 300 articles, brochures and reprints.[1] His theory of civilisatons might inspire Anton Hilckman, Samuel P. Huntington and others.[1]
[edit] Anti-Semitism
Polish historian Janusz Tazbir describes Feliks Koneczny as a dedicated antisemite, who looked for Jewish conspiracies wherever he could [2]. Koneczny was one of the chief proponents of a theory that Jewish civilization threatened entire Latin-Christian world [3]. In his publication Hitleryzm zażydzony (The Judaized Hitlerism) Koneczny claimed that Nazism was a product of Jewish civilization. [3].
His teachings are popular among certain members of modern Polish rightist and nationalist parties, like Maciej Giertych, which are occasionally accused of antisemitism.[4].
[edit] Works
Most in Polish; one book available in English translation.
- Dzieje Rosyi. Tom I. (do roku 1449), Spółka Wydawnicza Warszawska, Warsaw 1917. (Zip file) (in Polish)
- Polskie Logos a Ethos, t. I–II, Księgarnia sw. Wojciecha, Poznań 1921.
- O wielości cywilizacyj, Gebethner & Wolff, Kraków 1935. English translation (abridged) On the Plurality of Civilisations, Polonica Publications, London 1962.
English Translation: Word (1.2 MB) HTML
- Święci w dziejach narodu polskiego / Saints in history of polish nation, t. 1–2, Tow. Sw. Michała Archanioła, Miejsce Piastowe 1937–1939.
- Rozwój moralności / Extention of Morality, Tow. Wiedzy Chrześć., Lublin 1938.
- Cywilizacja bizantyjska / Byzantine civilisation , Towarzystwo im. Romana Dmowskiego, London 1973.
- Cywilizacja żydowska / Jewish civilisation, Towarzystwo im. Romana Dmowskiego, London 1974.
- O ład w historii / About order in history, Towarzystwo im. Romana Dmowskiego, London 1977.
- Państwo w cywilizacji łacińskiej. Zasady prawa w cywilizacji łacińskiej / Land in latin civilisation. Rules of law in latin civilisation, Towarzystwo im. Romana Dmowskiego, London 1981. (Zip file) (in Polish)
- Prawa dziejowe (oraz dodatek) Bizantynizm niemiecki / History laws (and bonus) German byzaninism, Towarzystwo im. Romana Dmowskiego, London 1982.
- Dzieje Rosji / History of Russia. Tom III. Schyłek Iwana III / Decline of Ivan III of Russia. 1492–1505, Towarzystwo im. Romana Dmowskiego, London 1984.
- Zionism and Polish cause (in Polish)
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Biliński P..Feliks Karol Koneczny - academic career path (alternate link), Kwart Hist Nauki Tech. 2005;50(1):95-115. Last accessed on 26 April 2007.
- ^ Janusz Tazbir, PROTOKOŁY MĘDRCÓW SYJONU: Autentyk czy falsyfikat
- ^ a b Joanna Beata Michlic, Poland's Threatening Other: The Image of the Jew from 1880 to the Present, U of Nebraska Press, 2006, ISBN 0803232403Google Print, p.179
- ^ Polish Politician Blasts Jews FEBRUARY 18, 2007 JTA Wire Service
[edit] External links
[edit] Further reading
- P. Bilinski Feliks Koneczny (1862–1949). Zycie i dzialalnosc. Ad astra, Warsaw 2001.
