The Remuneration of Polish Teachers in Brazil on the Eve of President Getúlio Vargas’ Nationalization Laws (1938)

The article presents the situation of Polish teachers who worked in Brazil in the latter half of the 1930s, shortly before President Getúlio Vargas introduced nationalization laws. Based on archival sources, chiefly teachers’ questionnaires, the author discusses the working conditions of teachers working in Polish schools abroad, their remuneration, presenting their salaries in respect of their residence, type of school, and gender. The article underscores, albeit indirectly, how this professional group has been helping sustain Polish language and culture among the Polish diaspora in Brazil. It follows that the work of Polish teachers in Brazil might have been pro bono, or even missionary – it was a manifestation of their commitment to preserving the Polish national identity in the Polish emigration communities, despite financial hardships and imminent political changes. The article is an important contribution that facilitates the exploration of the history of the Polish community in Brazil and its educational activities in the interwar period.