Max Worgitzki

Max Worgitzki (born September 28, 1884 in Serteggen , district of Goldap , † November 25, 1937 in Allenstein ) was a German politician , writer and founder of the Allenstein Theater, who voted for the voting areas to remain in Germany during the referendum of 1920 in East Prussia has been heavily involved.

Life

Worgitzki was born into a wealthy, German-speaking family of Masurian descent . The father was first a landlord and then the founder of a dairy that guaranteed the Worgitzkis considerable income. In his youth, Max Worgitzki was interested in medicine and wanted to become a doctor. He had to break off a medical degree that he had started in Königsberg after a short time for health reasons. After cure, he took a trip to Italy and began studying art history and literature . He finished this successfully in Breslau . At the age of 30 he took over the management of the family business from his father and continues to run it successfully. During this time he wrote his first play Hercus Monte , which was dedicated to the Prussian freedom fighter of the same name . In 1917 it was performed in Allenstein .

Political activities

He found it difficult to cope with the defeat of Germany in 1918. After it became known that the southern part of East Prussia (Masuria) should be placed under the administration of the Entente and divided into two voting areas ( Allenstein and Marienwerder ), he became politically active and resisted incorporation into the newly founded Polish state. The southern parts of East Prussia were actually inhabited in many localities by Polish-speaking residents who, however, preferred to call themselves East Prussia rather than Poles or Germans because of their Protestant belief and linguistic alienation. It should also be noted that after 1918 Polish national groups were actively involved in the integration of large parts of East Prussia, which led to political scandals and fierce street fights wherever political protests were organized by both sides. In 1920 Worgitzki founded the Masurian and Warmian League . In an interview for the English press newspaper Worgitzki expressed himself skeptical about the Polish demands: " Masurian is a dialect that has nothing to do with the language and nationality of Poles ". At the same time he called for peaceful cooperation with the voting commission. The fact is that during this time there were often riots and attacks between the Polish and German organizations, which were probably indirectly provoked or demanded by Worgitzki. In Polish press releases he was often referred to as the Prussian " Hakatist " who incited the German population of East Prussia against the Polish minority. In the end he became head of the Allenstein department of the East Prussian Homeland Service . During this time he was also a co-founder of the Ostdeutsche Nachrichten .

After the referendum

Worgitzki gave up politics after the referendum, which was successful for Germany and East Prussia, and devoted himself to cultural activities and his private business. He was committed to the establishment of a theater in Allenstein, which was named Treudank Theater in 1925 (the name is an allusion to the referendum - in gratitude for the German Masuria). Today the theater is called Teatr im. Stefana Jaracza w Olsztynie. In 1922 he founded the Landestheater Südostpreussen GmbH , of which he was the owner and managing director. Max Worgitzki died in 1937.

Works

• Hercus Monte, Leipzig 1916
• Christmas magic, Olsztyn 1919
• The master of arms from Allenstein, Berlin 1939
• Wolf der Struter, Berlin 1943
• Masurian Christmas and Morning Celebration (Jutrzina), Allenstein 1932
• The referendum in East Prussia, Berlin 1925
• The referendum in East Prussia 11 July 1920, Berlin 1920
• with Adolf Eichler, Wilhelm Freiherr von Gayl : History of the vote in East Prussia. The struggle for Warmia and Mazury . KF Koehler, Leipzig 1921.
• Dream in the forest, Allenstein 1922
• Tatar storm, Berlin 1939
• Storm over Masuria, Tilsit 1942
• East Prussia, Berlin 1925
• Population and nationality issues in East Prussia, Berlin 1928
• The voting area of ​​Mazury and Warmia, Allenstein 1919
• History of the vote in East Prussia, Leipzig 1921
• The pastor of Powoda and Masurentreue, Berlin 1935

literature

• Stanisław Achremczyk, Plebiscyty jako metoda rozwiązywania konfliktów międzynarodowych. W 90. rocznicę plebiscytów na Warmii, Mazurach i Powiślu, Olsztyn 2010
• Wojciech Wrzesiński, Plebiscyty na Warmii, Mazurach i Powiślu w 1920 roku. Wybór źródeł, Olsztyn 1986
• Robert Traba: On the borderland mentality in East Prussia in the interwar period. Max Worgitzki (1884-1937) . In: Zeitschrift für die Geschichte und Altertumskunde Ermlands (ZGAE), 50 (2002), pp. 91–99.

Web links

• Allenstein: City Theater / State Theater of Southeast Prussia
• Literature by and about Max Worgitzki in the catalog of the German National Library