Mennonite-Polish Friendship Association
News Bulletin: September 1996
Conference Plans Changed!
The July 1996 Newsletter announced a conference
to be held in Gdansk in 1997. Recently, a number of new developments have
caused us to modify original plans. Here are the relevant factors:
- The Prorector of the University of Gdansk, Professor Brunon Synak,
informed me that the rector, prorector and director of the history institute
would all be leaving their positions. Whatever the reasons, this development
meant that the persons who had negotiated the agreement for the University of
Gdansk were no longer in a position to commit the university. You will recall
that the University of Gdansk and California State University, Fresno, agreed
to be chief sponsors, with major support from the Mennonite-Polish Friendship
Association and other organizations.
- Some of us discussed this situation, and felt we could not proceed to
sponsor an academic conference in Gdansk without reference to the local
university. This could too easily be misinterpreted.
- Eckbert Driedger, chair of the Mennonitischer Geschichtsverein in
Germany, recently sent me a letter suggesting that we consider working with
those who were already involved in planning a conference in Poland (Nowy Dwor,
formerly Tiegenhof) in 1997.
- Just a few days ago, I received a letter from two staunch friends in
the Netherlands. Piet Visser and Margreth C. Stubbe suggested that the
"Stichting tot behoud en ontwikkeling van de Nederlands-Doopsgezinde
Betrekkingen in Polen" would be glad to support our efforts, but only if we
joined with the group already working to promote a conference in Nowy Dwor.
Many of you know that this group in the Netherlands has already done a great
deal to preserve evidences of the Mennonite heritage in Poland.
In view of these considerations, we have decided to do the following:
- Cancel the projected conference with the University of Gdansk.
- Support the effort to develop a strong conference in Nowy Dwor,
scheduled for June 7-8, 1997. The theme: "Everyday Life Among the Mennonites in
the Werder." I have contacted the organizing group, and have been assured that
we would be enthusiastically welcomed as participants. I spoke to them by
telephone again yesterday.
Persons wishing to present papers or otherwise participate should
contact the organizing committee as soon as possible. Please send details to
the following address:
Klub Nowodworski,
Stowarzyszenie Milosnikow Nowego Dworu
Gdanzkiego,
ul. Kopernika,
82-100 Nowy Dwor, Gdanski,
Poland
Telephone: 48-55-47-27-59 or 47-22-03
Fax: 48-55-47-22-32
I hope to see many of you at this special event.
For those who have sent money to support the Gdansk Conference: Please
let us know whether you would want your funds returned, or used to support the
Nowy Dwor Conference.
For the Mennonite-Polish Friendship Association,
Peter J. Klassen
peter_klassen@csufresno.edu
last modified: 9/25/96