Johann Dzierzon - Nationality/ethnicity

Nationality/ethnicity

Dzierzon came from Upper Silesia. Born into a family of ethnic Polish background which did not speak German but a Silesian dialect of the Polish language, he has been variously described as having been of Polish, German, or Silesian nationality. Dzierzon himself wrote: "As for my nationality, I am, as my name indicates, a Pole by birth, as Polish is spoken in Upper Silesia. But I came to Breslau as a 10-year-old and pursued my studies there I became German by education. But education knows no borders or nationality." It was at gymnasium and at the theological faculty that he became acquainted with German scientific and literary language, which he subsequently used in his scientific writings, rather than his native Polish-Silesian dialect. He used Polish-Silesian in some press publications, in his private life, and in pastoral work, alongside literary Polish. Dr. Jan Dzierzon considered himself as member of Polish nation. Dzierzon's manuscripts, letters, diplomas and original copies of his works were gifted to a Polish museum by his nephew, Franciszek Dzierżoń. Following the 1939 German invasion of Poland, many objects connected with Dzierzon were destroyed by German gendarmes on 1 December 1939 in an effort to conceal his Polish roots. The Nazis made strenuous efforts to enforce a view of Dzierżoń as a German.