The Baltic Institute ( pl, Instytut Bałtycki) in Gdańsk is a scientific society researching the topics of the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and ...

countries, maritime economic issues, and Polish-German and Polish-Scandinavian relations.

History

The Baltic Institute was established in 1925 in

Toruń )'' , image_skyline = , image_caption = , image_flag = POL Toruń flag.svg , image_shield = POL Toruń COA.svg , nickname = City of Angels, Gingerbread city, Copernicus Town , pushpin_map = Kuyavian-Pom ...

, beginning real activities in 1927, with the main goal of documenting the Polish heritage in

Pomerania Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze; german: Pommern; Kashubian: ''Pòmòrskô''; sv, Pommern) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The western part of Pomerania belongs to ...

after 100 years of German occupation and

Germanization Germanisation, or Germanization, is the spread of the German language, people and culture. It was a central idea of German conservative thought in the 19th and the 20th centuries, when conservatism and ethnic nationalism went hand in hand. In ling ...

practices. In 1931 a branch was established in

Gdynia Gdynia ( ; ; german: Gdingen (currently), (1939–1945); csb, Gdiniô, , , ) is a city in northern Poland and a seaport on the Baltic Sea coast. With a population of 243,918, it is the 12th-largest city in Poland and the second-largest in th ...

. During the

German occupation of Poland in World War II German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

the institute was abolished by the Nazis. The Baltic Institute was re-established in 1945 with its headquarters first in Bydgoszcz,

Sopot Sopot is a seaside resort city in Pomerelia on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000. It is located in Pomeranian Voivodeship, and has the status of the county, being the smallest ci ...

and then in Gdańsk. New branches were opened in Gdynia, Sopot, Toruń, Bydgoszcz and Szczecin. During the big reorganization of the scientific societies in Pomerania, in 1950 the institute became a part of the Western Institute in

Poznań Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...

, but was made independent again in 1958 with its headquarters in Gdańsk.

Research areas

The Baltic Institute conducts research in the following areas: * knowledge of

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...

, and Polish-Scandinavian relations. * Polish-German relation, especially related to

Gdańsk Pomerania Gdańsk Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze Gdańskie), csb, Gduńsczim Pòmòrzã, german: Danziger Pommern) is a geographical region within Pomerelia in northern and northwestern Poland, covering the bulk of Pomeranian Voivodeship. It forms a part and ...

and the Baltic Sea area. * the newest history and economic cooperation in the Baltic Sea area after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

Main publications

* '' Komunikaty Instytutu Bałtyckiego'' (The Baltic Institute Messages) * '' Gdańskie Zeszyty Humanistyczne'' (Gdansk Humanistic Volumes) {{authority control Polish regional societies Organisations based in Gdańsk Toruń Baltic Sea Scientific societies based in Poland