Family and Parenthood of Polish Girls Scouts and Polish Boy Scouts in the Years 1911–1939 and 1939–1945

Katarzyna Marszałek. 2020

Abstract

The paper discusses the issues of family and parenthood in the education pedagogies of Polish scouting organisations in the years 1911–1939 and 1939–1945. It analyses source materials of Polish scouting organisations, the Polish Scouting and Guiding Association ZHP (Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego), the Polish Girl Scouts Organisation/Clover Association/Be Ready (Organizacja Harcerek/Związku Koniczyn/Bądź Gotów), the Grey Ranks (Szare Szeregi), the Polish Scouting Regiments (Hufce Polskie). In those years, there were different dominating pedagogies of educating Polish boy scouts and girl scouts. The pedagogies addressed to Polish girl scouts, focused on indoctrinating girls into the roles of mothers raising future generations and complementing the man. In the latter period, the bravery of women was included in those pedagogies, as well as their vocational training, but only in professions that were socially useful. Pedagogies addressed to Polish boy scouts were more stable. The following two types were alternately dominant: the soldier and the citizen, whereas the theme of family and parenthood is mentioned directly only in the period 1939–1945, in the Polish Scouting Regiments organisation.

Relevance to Scouting

This study is relevant to Scouting because it shows how Scout education has historically shaped young people’s roles in society. By examining how Polish Scouts and Guides were taught about family, responsibility, citizenship, and service between 1911 and 1945, it reveals how Scouting adapts its training to social needs and national challenges. Understanding this history helps modern Scouts appreciate how Scouting values, like leadership, duty, and community service, have evolved, and how they continue to influence character development today