The Rodło is a Polish

emblem An emblem is an abstract art, abstract or representational pictorial image that represents a concept, like a moral truth, or an allegory, or a person, like a monarch or saint. Emblems vs. symbols Although the words ''emblem'' and ''symbol'' ...

used since 1932 by the

Union of Poles in Germany Union of Poles in Germany (, ) is an organisation of the Poland, Polish minority in Germany, founded in 1922. In 1924, the union initiated collaboration between other minorities, including Sorbs, Danish minority in Southern Schleswig, Danes, Fris ...

. It is a stylized representation of the

Vistula River The Vistula (; ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest in Europe, at in length. Its drainage basin, extending into three other countries apart from Poland, covers , of which is in Poland. The Vistula rises at Barania Góra ...

and

Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...

as the wellsprings of

Polish culture The culture of Poland () is the product of its Geography of Poland, geography and distinct historical evolution, which is closely connected to History of Poland, an intricate thousand-year history. Poland has a Catholic Church, Roman Catholic ma ...

History

After

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...

had seized power in Germany, Nazi emblems were soon nationalized. The

swastika The swastika (卐 or 卍, ) is a symbol used in various Eurasian religions and cultures, as well as a few Indigenous peoples of Africa, African and Indigenous peoples of the Americas, American cultures. In the Western world, it is widely rec ...

became national emblem of the Third Reich and Poles from the Union of Poles in Germany could not use their national symbols anymore, because they were prohibited. Dr. Jan Kaczmarek approached the supreme council with the following proposal: The ''Rodło'' was invented as a new symbol around which Poles in Germany could rally. The name "''rodło''" is a

portmanteau In linguistics, a blend—also known as a blend word, lexical blend, or portmanteau—is a word formed by combining the meanings, and parts of the sounds, of two or more words together.

of "''ród''" ("

folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk horror ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Fo ...

") and "''godło''" ("

").

The ''Rodło'' graphic was conceived in the 1930s by graphic designer Janina Kłopocka, who sketched the "emblem of the

, cradle of the

Polish people Polish people, or Poles, are a West Slavic ethnic group and nation who share a common History of Poland, history, Culture of Poland, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in Central Europe. The preamble t ...

, and royal

, cradle of

". The white emblem was placed on a red background, the Polish national colors. It was adopted in August 1932 by the leadership of the

Other uses

The Rodło has since been adopted by other organizations of Poles in Germany, notably the

Scouts Scouting or the Scout Movement is a youth social movement, movement which became popularly established in the first decade of the twentieth century. It follows the Scout method of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activi ...

, who have used it alongside the fleur de lys. After the World War II it was also used by organizations working in Poland, on the territories gained from Germany as the result of war. Union of Poles in Germany football team

Various Polish

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

clubs have been named after the Rodło or have utilised it in their club’s badge, such as the formerly East Prussian club Rodło Trzciano. The Lower Silesian club Rodło Granowice, Pomeranian side Rodło Kwidzyn, and Upper Silesian team Rodło Górniki were all formed in 1946. In 1996 another club from the latter region Rodło Opole, was formed. Bytom Rodlo Gorniki entrance 2020

In 1985 the

People's Republic of Poland The Polish People's Republic (1952–1989), formerly the Republic of Poland (1947–1952), and also often simply known as Poland, was a country in Central Europe that existed as the predecessor of the modern-day democratic Republic of Poland. ...

introduced the . In 1992, after the fall of

communism Communism () is a political sociology, sociopolitical, political philosophy, philosophical, and economic ideology, economic ideology within the history of socialism, socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a ...

, it was discontinued.

Bibliography

* Helena Lehr, Edmund Osmańczyk. ''Polacy spod znaku Rodła''. MON, Warszawa 1972 * Edmund Osmańczyk. ''Niezłomny proboszcz z Zakrzewa, rzecz o Księdzu Patronie Bolesławie Domańskim.'' Warszawa 1989, * Edmund Osmańczyk. ''Wisła i Kraków to Rodło.'' Nasza Księgarnia, Warszawa 1985, * W Wrzesiński. ''Polski ruch narodowy w Niemczech w latach 1922-1939.'' Ossolineum 1993 * Bogusław Czajkowski. ''Rodło.'' KAW, Warszawa 1975

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodlo National symbols of Poland Scouting and Guiding in Poland

History

Other uses

Bibliography

See also

References