The Regional Research Institute
The Regional Research Institute of the Silesian Library was established in 2011 by the decision of the Silesian Regional Assembly. The establishment of the IBR was the result of several years of efforts to restore scientific and research institutions in Katowice. The importance of this decision can be proved by the words of the Director of the Silesian Library prof. zw. dr. hab. Jan Malicki, “I receive the news of the establishment of the Institute with great joy and satisfaction. This is a demand that has been put forward by the scientific community for years.”
The Silesian Institute, the first regional research centre in Katowice, was established in 1934 by Roman Lutman. It operated until 1949 and during the war it operated underground. In 1957, a decision was made to continue research on the region by the Jacek Koraszewski Silesian Research Institute.
The Institute ceased its activities in 1992. From March 2012, the Regional Research Institute of the Silesian Library has been headed by prof. zw. dr hab. Ryszard Kaczmarek. The two main projects currently run by the department are the “Eduś” platform and the “Encyclopedia of the Silesian Voivodeship”.
Since 2017, work has been underway on the Silesian Geographical and Historical Dictionary GEOHIST. The portal: debaty.ibrbs.pl has been available since 2018, which will feature texts on subsequent flagship topics. Every year, the Regional Research Institute organises a scientific conference devoted to the history of the Silesian Voivodeship. It is also a co-organiser of the Upper Silesia Knowledge Olympiad. The events held so far include:
- 500 Years of the Reformation in Upper Silesia (2017),
- Wilhelm Szewczyk (1916-1991) on the centenary of his birth (2016),
- They created the image of Upper Silesia in the 20th century (2015),
- World War I in Silesia. History – Literature – Culture (2014),
- “Will there be a storm?”, Primate August Hlond at the head of the Catholic Church in Poland in the face of new ideologies and a new European order in the first half of the 20th century (2013),
- The Year 1813. An Evaluation of the Napoleonic Era in Silesia (2013), They made decisions in Upper Silesia in the 20th century (2012).
It also conducts publishing activities including publications on the history of the Silesian Voivodeship.
So far, the following books have been published:
- The Legacy of the Upper Silesian Reformation (2018),
- 500 Years of the Reformation in Upper Silesia (2017),
- They created the image of Upper Silesia in the 20th century (2017),
- World War I in Silesia. History – Literature – Culture (2016),
- Silesia during the Napoleonic Campaign (2014),
- They made decisions in Upper Silesia in the 20th century (2014),
- A Biography of Patrycy Cieszkowski (2014).
Thanks to the Institute’s efforts, the tradition of publishing “Zaranie Śląskie” [“Dawn of Silesia”], which lasted for over a hundred years, was resumed. The journal is published as “Zaranie Śląskie. Seria druga” [“Dawn of Silesia. Series Two”].
The Regional Research Institute
ul. Ligonia 7, 40-036 Katowice
tel.: (+48) 32 251 42 21 wew. 305
e-mail: ibr@bs.katowice.pl
Monday-Friday from 7.00 am to 3.00 pm
http://ibr.bs.katowice.pl
