Józef Spors (August 13, 1941 – June 13, 1992) was a Polish

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the st ...

, specializing in the medieval

History of Poland The history of Poland spans over a thousand years, from medieval tribes, Christianization and monarchy; through Poland's Golden Age, expansionism and becoming one of the largest European powers; to its collapse and partitions, two world wars ...

and its northern region -

Pomerania Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze; german: Pommern; Kashubian: ''Pòmòrskô''; sv, Pommern) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The western part of Pomerania belongs to ...

Biography

Spors was born in

Toruń )'' , image_skyline = , image_caption = , image_flag = POL Toruń flag.svg , image_shield = POL Toruń COA.svg , nickname = City of Angels, Gingerbread city, Copernicus Town , pushpin_map = Kuyavian-Pom ...

in 1941, during

German occupation of Poland German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

. He studied

history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

at the

Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń or NCU ( pl, Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu, UMK) is located in Toruń, Poland. It is named after Nicolaus Copernicus, who was born in Toruń in 1473.Brandenburg Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an area of 29,480 sq ...

expansion into Polish lands in the 13th century. His Ph.D. thesis concerned political history of the

Land of Słupsk-Sławno The Schlawe and Stolp Land, also known as Słupsk and Sławno Land, is a historical region in Pomerania, centered on the towns of Sławno (''Schlawe'') and Słupsk (''Stolp'') in Farther Pomerania, in present-day Poland. The area is of some hi ...

and the region of

Białogard Białogard (pronounced , german: Belgard, ; Pomeranian: ''Biôłogard'') is a historic town in Middle Pomerania, northwestern Poland, with 23,614 inhabitants as of December 2021. The capital of Białogard County in the West Pomeranian Voivode ...

in the 13th and 14th centuries. He received his postdoctoral after publishing a dissertation concerning administrative divisions of

Gdańsk Pomerania Gdańsk Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze Gdańskie), csb, Gduńsczim Pòmòrzã, german: Danziger Pommern) is a geographical region within Pomerelia in northern and northwestern Poland, covering the bulk of Pomeranian Voivodeship. It forms a part and ...

and the

from 12th to 14th century. During his short life he published over 80 publications including 6 historical monographies. Another 20 were published after his death. His main field of interest was history of both

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

and Gdańsk Pomerania. However his works concentrated on the history of the whole of

Medieval Poland This article covers the history of Poland in the Middle Ages. This time covers roughly a millennium, from the 5th century to the 16th century. It is commonly dated from the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, and contrasted with a later Early Modern ...

as well. He was the founder and first director of the Institute of history at the Pomeranian Academy in

Słupsk Słupsk (; , ; formerly german: Stolp, ; also known by several alternative names) is a city with powiat rights located on the Słupia River in the Pomeranian Voivodeship in northern Poland, in the historical region of Pomerania or more specific ...

from 1986 to 1991. He was buried in Słupsk cemetery on June 17, 1992.Józef Lindmajer, ''Józef Franciszek Spors 13 VIII 1941 - 13 VI 1992'', Słupskie Studia Historyczne 1992, nr 1, p. 21
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Publications

* ''Dzieje polityczne ziemi słupskiej, sławieńskiej i białogardzkiej w XII-XIVw'' (1973) * ''Agresja Brandenburska wobec Polski do 1278 roku.'' (1973) * ''Podział dzielnicowy Polski według statutu Bolesława Krzywoustego ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem dzielnicy seniorackiej.'' (1978) * ''Podziały administracyjne Pomorza Gdańskiego i Sławieńsko-słupskiego od XII do początku XIV w.'' (1983) * ''Studia nad wczesnośredniowiecznymi dziejami Pomorza Zachodniego. XII - pierwsza połowa XIII w.'' (1988) * ''Wojewodowie Polski dzielnicowej w XII i XIII wieku. cz. I'' (1991) * ''Uwagi nad genezą wojewody dzielnicowego w Polsce XII - początku XIII wieku.'' (1991) * ''Organizacja kasztelańska na Pomorzu Zachodnim'' (1991)

References

Polish academics 20th-century Polish historians Polish male non-fiction writers 1941 births 1992 deaths Historians of Poland Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń alumni {{Poland-historian-stub