200 years of the University of Warsaw. Events, symbols and students 200 anos de la Universidad de Varsovia Eventos, simbolos y estudiantes
Abstract The following article displays a brief history of the University of Warsaw. Its history commenced officially in 1816, when Tsar Alexander I stipulated the University foundation decree. Although initially the structure was rather minor and consisted of only five faculties, it performed a great role in development of Polish culture, art and science. Within its walls the virtuoso pianist, Frederic Chopin received an excellent education and many distinguished professors, including Ludwik Osinski and Fryderyk Skarbek delivered lectures. The University was located in one of the most beautiful parts of the city, in place of a former 17th century royal residence. Following examples of other European schools, the University of Warsaw has been very soon given an emblem, a banner, the insignia, and its authorities and professors were to wear academic robes. The University was closed down for the first time after the fall of the 1831 Uprising. It was later on, in 1862, reactivated for seven years under the name of the Main School. After just a short period of existence, the Polish institution was replaced by a Russian language Imperial University and The University of Warsaw was not revived until 1915. As evidenced by the text, the subsequent years were a difficult period for the University, as it was dominated by conflicts between the Polish people and German invaders during the First World War and afterwards by the outbreak of the Polish Bolshevik War in 1918, in which many students were involved. The institution started properly operating again in 1921. In the interwar period a number of distinguished scholars worked for the University, i.e. Kazimierz Michalowski, an archaeologist and Waclaw Sierpinski, a mathematician. The development of the University was impeded once again by the outbreak of the Second World War. Unfortunately, during that time many famous Polish professors were killed and some university buildings turned to rubble. Currently, the University of Warsaw is the largest academic institution in Poland with nearly 45 thousand students in the academic year of 2015/2016. This year, the institution celebrates its bicentenary under the slogan "Two centuries, a good beggining." This is also the idea the University of Warsaw intends to follow in the near future. Keywords: University of Warsaw, Poland, Frederic Chopin, anniversary, insignia, professors, students. Resumen El articulo expone una breve historia de la Universidad de Varsovia. La historia de la universidad comienza oficialmente en 1816, cuando su acta fundacional fue firmada por el zar Alejandro I en San Petersburgo. Aunque al principio la universidad era pequena y solo la constutuian cinco facultades, ha jugado un gran papel en el desarrollo de la cultura polaca, el arte y la ciencia. Muchos profesores distinguidos dieron conferencias dentro de sus paredes, entre otros Ludwik Osinski y Fryderyk Skarbek, y el graduado mas famoso fue un virtuoso del piano Frederic Chopin. La escuela se situo en los edificios de una antigua residencia real del siglo XVII, en una de las zonas mas bellas de la capital polaca. Al igual que en otras universidades europeas, recibio rapidamente un emblema, insignia y bandera, y para las autoridades y profesores se elaboro indumentaria. La universidad cerro por primera vez despues de la caida del levantamiento por la independencia en 1831. Sin embargo, volvio a abrir sus puertas en 1862 durante siete anos, con el nombre de Escuela Central. El ruso se establecio como la lengua en la Universidad Imperial despues de este corto periodo de tiempo. La Universidad polaca volvio a revivir como tal a partir de 1915. El autor del texto muestra que los anos de sus operaciones no fueron los mas faciles, porque estaban sometidos por el conflicto entre los polacos y el invasor aleman durante la Primera Guerra Mundial, y mas tarde por el estallido de la guerra polaco bolchevique en 1918. en la que intervinieron muchos estudiantes. La escuela comenzo a funcionar correctamente de nuevo a partir de 1921. Evidencias de esto fueron los logros cientificos del arqueologo Kazimierz Michalowski y del matematico Waclaw Sierpinski. El desarrollo de la universidad fue interrumpido una vez mas por el estallido de la Segunda Guerra Mundial en 1939, en la que muchos profesores polacos famosos murieron y edificios universitarios fueron destruidos. En la actualidad, la Universidad de Varsovia es la institucion academica mas grande de Polonia. Casi 45.000 estudiantes se matricularon en el ano academico de 2015/2016. Este ano tambien se celebra el aniversario de su bicentenario bajo el lema "Dos siglos, un buen comienzo." La universidad tiene la intencion de seguir este lema en un futuro proximo. Palabras clave Universidad de Varsovia, Polonia, Frederic Chopin, aniversario, insignia, profesores, estudiantes. doi: http:/dx.doi.org/10.20318/cian.2016.3440