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, type = organization , headquarters = ZHP Headquarters
Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officiall ...
, location = Warszawa, Konopnickiej 6 , country =
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
, f-date = 1 November 1918 , founder = Andrzej Małkowski, Olga Małkowska , members = 138,112 , chiefscouttitle = Naczelnik , chiefscout = Martyna Kowacka , website = , affiliation =
World Organization of the Scout Movement The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ) is the largest international Scouting organization. WOSM has 173 members. These members are recognized national Scout organizations, which collectively have around 43 million participants. WOSM ...
,
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS ) is a global association supporting the female-oriented and female-only Guiding and Scouting organizations in 152 countries. It was established in 1928 in Parád, Hungary, and has its ...
, gender1 = male , color_body1 = 809500 , pattern_body1 = shirt short sleeves , color_head1 = 000000 , pattern_head1 = beret , color_legs1 = 807000 , pattern_legs1 = trousers , uniform_caption1 = Scout , gender2 = female , color_body2 = C0C0C0 , pattern_body2 = blouse short sleeves , color_head2 = 000000 , pattern_head2 = beret , color_legs2 = C0C0C0 , pattern_legs2 = skirt , uniform_caption2 = Girl Scout The Polish Scouting and Guiding Association ( pl, Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego, ZHP) is the coeducational Polish
Scouting Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth Social movement, movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hik ...
organization recognized by the
World Organization of the Scout Movement The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ) is the largest international Scouting organization. WOSM has 173 members. These members are recognized national Scout organizations, which collectively have around 43 million participants. WOSM ...
and the
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS ) is a global association supporting the female-oriented and female-only Guiding and Scouting organizations in 152 countries. It was established in 1928 in Parád, Hungary, and has its ...
. It was founded in 1918 and currently is the largest Scouting organization in Poland (138,112 members in 2012). The first ZHP was founded in 1916, the current one is the fourth organization with this name. It is a
public benefit organization A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a ...
as defined by Polish law.


History


Pre-war history

The Polish Scout movement was started in 1910. Initially, the ideas of
Scouting Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth Social movement, movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hik ...
were implemented by Andrzej Małkowski and his wife
Olga Olga may refer to: People and fictional characters * Olga (name), a given name, including a list of people and fictional characters named Olga or Olha * Michael Algar (born 1962), English singer also known as "Olga" Places Russia * Olga, Russia, ...
. The three main branches of Polish Scouting included the
Strzelec The Polish Riflemen's Association known as ''Związek Strzelecki'' (or more commonly, in the plural form as ''Związki Strzeleckie'') formed in great numbers prior to World War I. One of the better known associations called "Strzelec" (Riflemen's ...
paramilitary organization for boys, a sport and education society Sokół and the anti-alcoholic association ''Eleusis''. However, it wasn't until the
Partitions of Poland The Partitions of Poland were three partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place toward the end of the 18th century and ended the existence of the state, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland and Lithuania for 12 ...
came to an end that the ZHP would be officially founded by the merging of existing groups. Soon after the merger in 1918, the ZHP members fought in all the conflicts Poland was engaged in around this time: Great Poland Uprising, Polish-Bolshevik War, Silesian Uprisings, and Polish-Ukrainian War, much like their predecessors during the
Siege of Mafeking The siege of Mafeking was a 217-day siege battle for the town of Mafeking (now called Mafikeng) in South Africa during the Second Boer War from October 1899 to May 1900. The siege received considerable attention as Lord Edward Cecil, the son of ...
. All of the units joined in 1918 and formed the ZHP, one of the founding members of the
World Organization of the Scout Movement The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ) is the largest international Scouting organization. WOSM has 173 members. These members are recognized national Scout organizations, which collectively have around 43 million participants. WOSM ...
. Although many units retained their own traditions, a common law, common symbols, and a common oath were introduced. The primary difference between most Scouting organizations and the Polish ''Harcerstwo'' was described by Andrzej Małkowski:
''Harcerstwo is
Scouting Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth Social movement, movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hik ...
plus independence.''
Before 1939 the ZHP was one of the largest social and educational associations in Poland with over 200,000 members. Among the "sponsors" of Polish ''Harcerstwo'' were all the presidents of Poland and several high-ranking officers, including general Józef Haller.


Gray Ranks

:' After the
invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union which marked the beginning of World War II. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week af ...
of 1939, the ZHP, many of whom joined defense militias, were branded partisans and criminals by
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
, who had
executed Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that t ...
many Scouts and Guides, along with other possible resistance leaders (for example during the Katowice massacre12.07.2005 Obrona Katowice we Wrześniu 1939 r. S 56.2003. Postanowienie o umorzeniu śledztwa
IPN. 2005
). Nonetheless, the ZHP carried on as a clandestine organization. In 1940, the Soviet Union executed most of the Boy Scouts was held at
Ostashkov Ostashkov (russian: Оста́шков) is a town and the administrative center of Ostashkovsky District in Tver Oblast, Russia, on a peninsula at the southern shore of Lake Seliger, west of Tver, the administrative center of the oblast. Populat ...
prison. The wartime Scouts evolved into the paramilitary ''Szare Szeregi'' ('' Gray Ranks''), cooperating with the
Polish underground state The Polish Underground State ( pl, Polskie Państwo Podziemne, also known as the Polish Secret State) was a single political and military entity formed by the union of resistance organizations in occupied Poland that were loyal to the Gover ...
and the
Armia Krajowa The Home Army ( pl, Armia Krajowa, abbreviated AK; ) was the dominant resistance movement in German-occupied Poland during World War II. The Home Army was formed in February 1942 from the earlier Związek Walki Zbrojnej (Armed Resistance) e ...
resistance. Older Scouts carried out Deez sabotage, armed resistance, and assassinations. The Girl Guides formed auxiliary units working as nurses, liaisons, and munition carriers. At the same time, the youngest Scouts were involved in so-called small sabotage under the auspice of the
Wawer Wawer is one of the districts of Warsaw, located in the south-eastern part of the city. The Vistula river runs along its western border. Wawer became a district of Warsaw on 27 October 2002 (previously it was a part of Praga Południe district, a ...
organization, which included dropping leaflets or painting the
kotwica The ''Kotwica'' (; Polish for "Anchor") was a World War II emblem of the Polish Underground State and ''Armia Krajowa'' (Home Army, or ''AK''). It was created in 1942 by members of the ''AK'' Wawer Minor sabotage unit, as an easily usable embl ...
sign on the walls. During
Operation Tempest file:Akcja_burza_1944.png, 210px, right Operation Tempest ( pl, akcja „Burza”, sometimes referred to in English as "Operation Storm") was a series of uprisings conducted during World War II against occupying German forces by the Polish Home ...
, and especially during the
Warsaw Uprising The Warsaw Uprising ( pl, powstanie warszawskie; german: Warschauer Aufstand) was a major World War II operation by the Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. It occurred in the summer of 1944, and it was led ...
, the Scouts participated in the fighting, and several ''Szare Szeregi'' units were some of the most effective in combat. In December 1944 the
Polish Committee of National Liberation The Polish Committee of National Liberation (Polish: ''Polski Komitet Wyzwolenia Narodowego'', ''PKWN''), also known as the Lublin Committee, was an executive governing authority established by the Soviet-backed communists in Poland at the la ...
(PKWN) reformed the Scouting movement under the name of the pre-WWII Scouting organization, though with authorities loyal to the new government and an ethos in line with that of the Soviet
Pioneer Movement A pioneer movement is an organization for children operated by a communist party. Typically children enter into the organization in elementary school and continue until adolescence. The adolescents then typically join the Young Communist League ...
, pressuring the organization to become a member thereof, eventually altogether disbanding in even in that form in 1949. The organization was integrated into the
Polish United Workers' Party The Polish United Workers' Party ( pl, Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza; ), commonly abbreviated to PZPR, was the communist party which ruled the Polish People's Republic as a one-party state from 1948 to 1989. The PZPR had led two other lega ...
, with most of its members now part of a new Soviet-style, government-sponsored Pioneer organization – the Scouts of the Working Youth of Poland (Scouting Organisation of the Association of Polish Youth – ''Organizacja Harcerska Związku Młodzieży Polskiej'' or ZMP-OH), which retained the original Polish Scouting movement's motto while adopting Pioneer traditions of Eastern Bloc countries, save for the uniform and the Pioneer salute used in the Soviet Union and other Pioneer associations of the Eastern Bloc (the Scouts retained the two-finger salute in honor of the young boys and girls who fought in the Second World War with both the Polish People's Army and the Home Army). The only existing part of pre-war ZHP is the ZHP pgK, established to serve Polish Scouts outside their homeland.


Modern history

In 1956, after Stalin's and Bolesław Bierut's death, the
Polish United Workers' Party The Polish United Workers' Party ( pl, Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza; ), commonly abbreviated to PZPR, was the communist party which ruled the Polish People's Republic as a one-party state from 1948 to 1989. The PZPR had led two other lega ...
youth movement ZMP OH was transformed and renamed to ZHP. However the new ZHP did not consider itself as a continuation of the pre-war ZHP, but as a new organization (until 1980). After 1958 many pre-war instructors were removed from the new ZHP or marginalized (like
Aleksander Kamiński Aleksander Kamiński, assumed name: ''Aleksander Kędzierski''. Also known under Pseudonym, aliases such as ''Dąbrowski'', ''J. Dąbrowski, Fabrykant, Faktor, Juliusz Górecki, Hubert, Kamyk, Kaźmierczak, Bambaju'' (born 28 January 1903 in Wars ...
) and the original oath, law, educational content and methods were changed (mention of God was removed from the oath,
Lenin Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. ( 1870 – 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin,. was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 1 ...
introduced as a hero, the
Bolshevik Revolution The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key mom ...
was commemorated, the brigades became co-educational similar to Eastern Bloc Pioneer associations). The two finger salute common to the Polish Scouts was retained, and a new uniform debuted. Despite this, the Polish Scouting and Guiding Association became one of the very few official organizations that retained some independence from the communist party. Because of this, its growth was rapid, and in 1980 it had more than three million active members. The Polish Scouts were engaged in a variety of duties, varying from helping in the fields of the poorest regions to organizing the visits of
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
. After the
martial law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Martia ...
was imposed in 1981 the ZHP was the only large social organization not to be banned. The "VIII ZHP Convention" even supported the
martial law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Martia ...
. However, many of its high-ranking officials were interned because of their involvement in the Solidarność movement, as well as several Scoutmasters. The ZHP would later be admitted in the 1980s as part of the
Patriotic Movement for National Rebirth Patriotyczny Ruch Odrodzenia Narodowego (PRON, en, Patriotic Movement for National Rebirth or National Renaissance Patriotic Movement) was a Polish popular front that ruled the Polish People's Republic. It was created in the aftermath of the ma ...
. In 1989 after the period of peaceful transformation began, many groups of instructors formed separate Scouting organizations (like the ZHR, Stowarzyszenie Harcerstwa Katolickiego Zawisza or ZHP-1918). These moves were prompted by political disagreements with the character of ZHP; they felt that its communist takeover left a permanent mark upon the organisation, and that the only way to effectively reform the movement was to found a new organisation. ZHR's founding will serve as an adequate example of this principle. After pope John Paul II's first pilgrimage to Poland in August 1980, some "non-conforming" instructors inside the ZHP created the Andrzej Małkowski Circle of Scout Instructors (KIHAM), with the objective to restore original Scout ideals. These instructors presented reformative motions to the 7th Congress of ZHP at the beginning of 1981, but these were all rejected. When martial law was imposed in December 1981, a large number of organisations were outlawed, so ZHR was forced to conduct their activities – weekly meetings, yearly camps and so on – underground. The underground movement came to light in the fall of 1988. After they were unsuccessful in reforming the ZHP their way, the ZHR was founded. In this reformative climate, ZHP did adopt some of Polish Scouting's pre-war traditions: e.g. the original oath and Scouts Law were reintroduced, and of course the overt communist aspects, such as the glorification of Lenin, were removed. However, the organisation remains co-educational. In 1993
Lech Wałęsa Lech Wałęsa (; ; born 29 September 1943) is a Polish statesman, dissident, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who served as the President of Poland between 1990 and 1995. After winning the 1990 election, Wałęsa became the first democrati ...
became the honorary protector of the ZHP, just like all former Polish presidents. In 1996 the ZHP rejoined the World Organization of the Scout Movement. The Scout association is also a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (since 1996),
International Scout and Guide Fellowship The International Scout and Guide Fellowship (ISGF) is a worldwide organization of adults in support of Scouting and Guiding. The International Scout and Guide Fellowship is open to former members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl ...
, International Catholic Conference of Scouting, International Catholic Conference of Guiding. These memberships have allowed ZHP to claim the greatest legitimacy, successfully dominating the other organisations of Polish Scouting, such as ZHR and ZHP pgK, the organisation which brings together Polish Scouts in the international Emigree community, with members in Australia, Argentina, Belarus, Canada, France, Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Sweden, the United States, Ukraine, among other countries with Polish residents in the diaspora and as such the organization is affiliated to the International Link of Orthodox Christian Scouts. ZHP PGK, also known as ZHP Świat, has adopted policies similar to those of the Boy Scouts of America, where agnostics and atheists are not allowed to be instructors.


Standards and ideals


Czuwaj

The Scout Motto is "Czuwaj", translating literally as "be aware" or "stay awake" in Polish, symbolizing readiness. It was a historic admonition of medieval knights to one another, while on guard holding back the Mongols. The Polish nouns for single Scouts are ''Harcerz'' (M) and ''Harcerka'' (F).


Guide and Scout Promise (Przyrzeczenie Harcerskie)

"Mam szczerą wolę całym życiem pełnić służbę Bogu i Polsce, nieść chętną pomoc bliźnim i być posłusznym Prawu Harcerskiemu." "I have a sincere will with my whole life to fulfil service to God and Poland, to carry willing help to kin and be obedient to Scout Law."


Guide and Scout Law (Prawo Harcerskie)

Polish # Harcerz sumiennie wypełnia swoje obowiązki wynikające z Przyrzeczenia Harcerskiego. # Na słowie harcerza polegaj jak na Zawiszy. # Harcerz jest pożyteczny i niesie pomoc bliźnim. # Harcerz w każdym widzi bliźniego, a za brata uważa każdego innego harcerza. # Harcerz postępuje po rycersku. # Harcerz miłuje przyrodę i stara się ją poznać. # Harcerz jest karny i posłuszny rodzicom i wszystkim swoim przełożonym. # Harcerz jest zawsze pogodny. # Harcerz jest oszczędny i ofiarny. # Harcerz pracuje nad sobą, jest czysty w myśli, mowie i uczynkach; jest wolny od nałogów. English # A Guide/Scout conscientiously fulfils the duties stemming from the Guide and Scout Promise. # A Guide's/Scout's word is to be trusted like that of Zawisza the Knight. # A Guide/Scout is useful and helps others. # A Guide/Scout is a friend to everybody and a brother to every other Guide/Scout. # A Guide/Scout acts chivalrously. # A Guide/Scout loves Nature and tries to get to know it. # A Guide/Scout is well disciplined and obedient to her/his parents and superiors. # A Guide/Scout is always cheerful. # A Guide/Scout is thrifty and generous. # A Guide/Scout is working on herself/himself; she/he is pure in thought, in word and in deed; she/he is free from addictions.


Brownie/Cub Scout Promise (Obietnica Zucha)

"Obiecuję być dobrym zuchem, zawsze przestrzegać Prawa Zucha" "I promise to be a good Brownie/Cub Scout and always obey the Brownie/Cub Scout Law."


Brownie/Cub Scout Law (Prawo Zucha)

Polish # Zuch kocha Boga i Polskę. # Zuch jest dzielny. # Zuch mówi prawdę. # Zuch pamięta o swoich obowiązkach. # Wszystkim jest z zuchem dobrze. # Zuch stara się być coraz lepszy. English # A Brownie/Cub Scout loves God and Poland. # A Brownie/Cub Scout is brave. # A Brownie/Cub Scout always tells the truth. # A Brownie/Cub Scout remembers about her/his duties. # Everybody feels happy with a Brownie/Cub Scout. # A Brownie/Cub Scout tries to be better and better.


Scouting Anthem (Hymn Harcerski)

:Polish Wszystko co nasze Polsce oddamy,
w niej tylko życie, więc idziem żyć,
świty się bielą, otwórzmy bramy.
Rozkaz wydany: Wstań! W słońce idź!
Ramię pręż, słabość krusz,
ducha tęż ojczyźnie miłej służ!
Na Jej zew w bój czy w trud,
pójdzie rad harcerzy polskich ród!
Harcerzy polskich ród!
:English Everything we have we give to Poland,
She is our life, so we go to live
The dawn is rising, let's open the gates,
We have our order: Stand up! Into the sun!
Toughen yourself, crush your weaknesses,
Exert your soul to serve the homeland!
On her call to the battle or to help,
Glad goes the kindred of Polish Scouts and Guides!
Kindred of Polish Scouts and Guides!


Symbols

Aside from the Anthem the other symbols are: * The organizational uniform * The
Scouting Cross ''Krzyż harcerski'' ( Polish for ''Scouts Cross'') is the emblem of Polish Scouting, awarded to Polish Scouts, Senior Scouts and Rangers. It was first used by an underground Scouting organization in Warsaw in 1913. The initial design by Kazim ...
* The fleur-de-lys with the letters O-N-C (standing for ''Ojczyzna, Nauka, Cnota'', Polish for ''Homeland'' (literally "Fatherland"), ''Education'', ''Virtue'')


Structure and age groups


Age groups

There are four age groups, although the age limits are not strictly adhered to: * ''zuchy'' (
Cub Scouts Cub Scouts, Cubs or Wolf Cubs are programs associated with Scouting for young children usually between 7 and 12, depending on the organization to which they belong. A participant in the program is called a Cub. A group of Cubs is called a 'P ...
and Brownies) – 6–10 years * ''harcerze'' and ''harcerki'' (
Scouts Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpack ...
and Guides) – 10–13 years * ''harcerze starsi'' and ''harcerki starsze'' (
Venture Scout Venturer or Venture Scouts are programs in some Scouting organisations for young people of various age ranges in the 14–20 age range. A participant in the program is called a Venturer. Australia The Venturer Scout program in Scouts Australia, o ...
s and Venture Guides) – 13–16 years * ''wędrownicy'' and ''wędrowniczki'' ( Rovers and Rangers) – 16–21 years


Structure

The basic unit of ZHP is a ''drużyna'' (troop), consisting of approximately 30 boys or girls. Each ''drużyna'' is formed by several units named ''zastęp'' (patrol) consisting of about seven people. A few troops (especially working at the same school or housing estate) can be connected in one ''szczep'' (group). Several groups or/and troops from a specified area (borough, village, town) form a ''hufiec'' (district) which in turn is a part of one of the regions called ''chorągiew'' (literally ''banner''). For example, a particular Scout can be a member of * zastęp starszoharcerski ''Pantery'' (patrol of senior Scouts ''The Panthers'') * 156 Warszawska Drużyna Harcerzy ''Dżungla'' (156th Warsaw Troop of Boy Scouts ''Jungle'')
Szczep 156 Warszawskich Drużyn Harcerskich i Zuchowych
(Group of 156th Warsaw Troops of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides and Cub Scouts)
Hufiec ZHP Warszawa-Mokotów
(
Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officiall ...
-
Mokotów Mokotów , is a ''dzielnica'' (borough, district) of Warsaw, the capital of Poland. Mokotów is densely populated, and is a seat to many foreign embassies and companies. Only a small part of the district is lightly industrialised ('' Służewiec ...
District) * Chorągiew Stołeczna ZHP (Warsaw (Capital) Region of ZHP)


See also

*
Scouting and Guiding in Poland The Scouting and Guiding movement in Poland ( pl, Harcerstwo) consists of about twelve independent organizations with an overall membership of about 160,000 Scouts and Guides. The largest organization by membership is Polish Scouting and Guiding ...


Notes


External links


Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego, the Polish national Scouting organisation

Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego pgK (ZHP abroad)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Polish Scouting And Guiding Association World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts member organizations World Organization of the Scout Movement member organizations Youth organisations based in Poland Youth organizations established in 1918 Scouting and Guiding in Poland 1918 establishments in Poland