Kronika o. Klemensa Dąbrowskiego OSB Z Wielkiej Wojny: 28 VI 1914–21 V 1919. Wspomnienia o polskich uchodźcach w Pradze czeskiej i gdzie indziej jako źródło do historii polskich uchodźców w Pradze w okresie I wojny światowej

The article contains a characterization of the chronicle From the Great War: 28 VI 1914–21 V 1919. Memories of Polish Refugees in Bohemian Prague and Elsewhere, whose author is Polish Benedictine Father Klemens Dąbrowski (1875–1953), who resided at Prague’s Emmaus Monastery since 1909. During World War I, he became involved in helping Polish refugees who made their way to Prague from Galicia. He described his experiences in the above-mentioned chronicle. Discussed in the article, this chronicle is a valuable source of knowledge regarding the stay of Polish refugees from Galicia who found shelter in Prague during World War I. The material is abundantly illustrated, containing numerous documents, illustrations, press clippings. The author used the typical apparatus of scholarly work: footnotes, glosses and indexes. He describes the circumstances of the outbreak of the Great War, readily comments on the course of military operations, but the largest portion is devoted to describing the fate of Polish refugees. Since 1916 the Benedictine has been the president of the Polish Refugee Committee in Prague, thus being well acquainted with the conditions of their lives in the city. We discover the dramatic experiences of the Poles and the methods of assistance provided to them by charitable organizations. The characterization of the Czechs’ attitude is interesting. Initially, they treated the newcomers favorably, but over time signs of reluctance emerged. The Benedictine lists Czech priests and laypeople who willingly aided the Poles. The author is highly critical of the Germans (including German monks) and also negatively assesses the policy of the Austrian authorities, which failed to cope with the immense needs of the numerous arrivals. The chronicle is written in beautiful Polish language, the author strives to maintain objectivity and credibility of the narrative. The material is well documented. Therefore, it is an important source for understanding the history of Polish refugees during the Great War.