An organization uniting Polish nationalistic youth,
the Academic Union All-Polish Youth functioned in Lviv university environment.
The organization was founded in Warsaw in March 1922. Its honourable chairman
was elected Roman Dmowski. From that time on, the All-Polish Youth began to
quickly get supporters, actively working in the entire territory of the
republic. The organization had a simple structure: in each academic center,
there was a section of the All-Polish Youth, which united students of all
educational institutions of the city. Every new member who joined the
organization was awarded a special distinction — the so-called "Sword of
the Brave" worn on the jacket lapel.
In Lviv, the All-Polish Youth was the city’s
largest student organization, which pursued its activities not only at the Jan
Kazimierz University, but also at Lviv Polytechnic, at the Academy of
Veterinary Medicine and at the Higher School of Foreign Trade.
Among the main issues Lviv's All-Polish Youth
addressed there was, for example, the issue of "the struggle for the
Catholic state of Polish people," as well as the solution of the
"Jewish question". Among the postulates the organization spread in
its propaganda leaflets there were, for example, "the full acquisition of
the Eastern Territories for the Poles" and "the withdrawal of Jews
beyond the bounds of Polish life." Throughout the country, they warned
against the "danger of Jews occupying positions in administration and
science." The society also negatively addressed all Ukrainian movements,
which were recognized as "instruments of German policy". The
organization opposed all leftist currents, those socialist and communist, considering
them a threat to the independence of the country. The propaganda leaflets
warned that communist governments would suppress workers and peasants. There
were attempts to gain support among these social strata. In fact, the society treated
the rural environment and populist students with great unwillingness. This was
evidenced, for example, by the fact that some young country-dwellers were
beaten during the celebration of the Independence Day in November 1937. In
February 1939, the organization members attacked those attending the lectures
of Dr. Szczotka organized by rural youth at the Jan Kazimierz University. In
general, the All-Polish Youth maintained friendly relations with Catholic
associations and organizations like the Marian Student Brotherhood (pol. Sodalicja Mariańska Akademików), except
the Odrodzenie which the society conflicted
with. One of the leading figures of the All-Polish Youth was Witold Nowosad who
headed Lviv's Marian Student Brotherhood.
In the 1930s, the members of the society held
leading positions in the boards of many important organizations operating in the
educational institution. In 1927-1928, the "All-Poles" gained
influence in the Society of Brotherly Aid for the Students of the Jan Kazimierz
University. The seizure of the Society’s board and the policy carried on by the
"All-Poles" in the late 1930s led to the emergence of the Independent
Brotherly Aid at the University.
In the 1930s, the circles associated with the
All-Polish Youth organized the "Green Ribbon" campaign, aimed at
discouraging passers-by to buy goods in Jewish shops. Also, an action was
initiated against the government’s projects of a new legislation on higher
education (the so-called “Jędrzejewicz reform” of 1933). Among other
goals of the All-Polish Youth was an attempt to "nationalize" the
school, thus depriving Jewish youth of any opportunity to study in high
schools. These attempts were the result of the numerus clausus slogans (relating to the limitation of the number
of Jewish students at the Jan Kazimierz University), which were advanced in the
early 1920s. The nationalist circles also contributed to the spread of a
campaign for the introduction of the so-called “bench ghetto”. The supporters
and members of the All-Polish Youth were displeased with professors who opposed
anti-Semitic slogans (for example, Ryszard Ganszyńc and Stanisław Kulczyński).
Among those who took part in the activities
of the All-Polish Youth in Lviv, Jan Matłachowski, Alfred Skubijewski, Adam
Treszka, Czesław Rojek and Józef Narożański are worth to be mentioned.
In 1936, the
organization consisted of 497 members. Its premises were located on Lozińskiego
(now Hertsena) street 7, in the building of the Polish Academic House.
