Roman Grodecki

Roman Grodecki (April 21, 1889 in Rzeszów – April 17, 1964 in Kraków) was a Polish economic historian, a professor at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, and a member of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Grodecki's scientific research centered on medieval Poland, particularly the history of Polish coinage, monetary history and monetary policy under the Piast dynasty. Although he was not a numismatic himself, Grodecki was widely read by coin collectors of his day, and he engaged in academic discussions and polemics with the noted Polish numismatic Marian Gumowski. In addition to economic history, Grodecki published works on the general history of medieval Poland, focusing on Polish diplomacy of the period, the history of Silesia and the life of Duke Zbigniew, the older brother of Bolesław III Wrymouth.

Life

Gordecki was born in Rzeszów to Jan Grodecki, a tax official, and Karolina Gorylska. He spent his childhood in Głogów Małopolski and attended school in Kolomyia and Bochnia. After completing a gymnasium he enrolled at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, in 1907. He published his first, Książęca włość trzebnicka na tle organizacji majątków książęcych w Polsce w XII wieku, work in 1911, while still a student. This thesis became the basis for his doctorate, which he received a year later. Between 1914 and 1917 he served in the Polish Legions. he finished his studies after World War I, receiving his habilitation in 1920.

In 1926 he became a part-time member of the Polish Academy of Learning. World War II and the Nazi invasion of Poland interrupted the existence of the organization and as a consequence Grodecki did not become a full member of the academy until 1946.

World War II

At the outbreak of World War II, Grodecki was already fifty years old but nonetheless an officer of the Polish army reserves. During the mobilization of the first days of the war he left Kraków in order to join his unit. As a result he escaped the fate of many of his academic colleagues from the Jagiellonian University, who were arrested by the Germans during the Sonderaktion Krakau, and most of whom later perished in Nazi concentration camps.

He spent most of the German occupation in Lwow. There he taught at the Underground University (higher education for Poles was banned by the Germans).

Major works

References