Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski
It is the 50th anniversary of the ceremony of awarding the first doctor honoris causa title at the University of Gdańsk. This distinction was awarded to inż. Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski - for his contribution to the development of the Polish maritime economy and general economic theory. The ceremony took place on 19 August 1974.
Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski was born in 1888 in Kraków. He was an outstanding politician of the Second Republic of Poland, a builder of free Poland, implementing investment programmes in the field of industry and maritime economy. He was also the author of the concept of Poland's development after 1945 as a country of liberal democracy, and his democratic thought became the basis for the construction of various social formations and initiatives.
He studied in Lviv (where he first came into contact with politics) and in Munich. He graduated as a chemical engineer in 1912. After the outbreak of the First World War, he joined the Legions and in 1919 became head of the chemical section of the army's main supply department in Warsaw. Between 1920 and 1921, he worked at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and also as a lecturer at the Warsaw University of Technology. As Minister of Industry and Trade, he placed great emphasis on the development of the maritime economy. He increased investment in the construction of the port in Gdynia (this project became the largest investment of the time) and laid the foundations for the establishment of the Polish Shipping.
In 1935, he became Minister of the Treasury and Deputy Prime Minister responsible for economic affairs. He contributed to the strengthening of industry in Poland with, among other things, investments in the Central Industrial District, Mielec, Starachowice and Lublin. After the outbreak of World War II, he left Warsaw as one of the last members of the government. Between 1939 and 1945, he was interned in Romania. He returned to Poland after an invitation from President Bierut. Between 1945 and 1948, he was the Government Delegate for Coastal Affairs, and his aim was to revive the economy and settle the region. In this project, he entrusted a great role to the universities being established in the Tricity and Szczecin. In 1945-48 he rebuilt the building of the Higher School of Maritime Trade, which made it possible for this university to function in practice, was an advocate of its establishment, and was one of the first professors to make a significant contribution to the creation and development of the scientific disciplines that form the core of the research activities of the Faculty of Maritime Transport Economics.
Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski promoted the idea of building a strong state with a dignified position in Europe, and his main idea was political independence from Russia and Germany and north-south development, regardless of relations with eastern and western neighbours.
He spent the last 25 years of his life - in view of being banned from the Coast, Warsaw and Poznan - in Krakow. In 1974, shortly before his death, he received an honorary doctorate in economic sciences from the University of Gdansk for his contribution to the development of the Polish maritime economy and general economic theory.
Only a nation internally solidified and united is capable of struggle and victory; a nation torn apart by internal hatreds is never victorious (E. Kwiatkowski, ‘Dysproporcje’, Kraków 1931).
Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski Named Chair at the University of Gdańsk
In 2021, the Senate of the University of Gdańsk and the Convention of Honourary Dignitaries approved the decision to create named chairs whose patrons would be honorary doctorates of the University of Gdańsk, personalities of science, culture and social life who have left a lasting mark on the history of the University. Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski became the patron of the chair in social sciences.
A named chair may be held by an eminent scholar from the University of Gdańsk or from outside the University only once for one academic year. Candidates for the named chair are put forward by the councils of the faculties in which a particular field of science is represented. Applications are assessed by a three-member faculty committee appointed by the Rector and composed of eminent scientists representing the field of science in question.
To date, the Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski Chair at the University of Gdańsk has been held by prof Leszek Balcerowicz and prof Hanna Suchocka.