The first 'Friday at the History Faculty' in the new year 2023 - a meeting with the author of the book 'Everyday life of the Teutonic Order cities in Prussia' dr hab. Kazimierz Grążawski, prof. UWM in Olsztyn.

On Friday 13.01.2023r. at 1 pm, another meeting in the series 'Friday at the History Faculty' took place. The initiative aims to integrate the academic community, get to know the work of eminent scientists and exchange knowledge and university experiences. On this Friday, the University of Gdańsk hosted a lecture promoting the publication, 'Everyday Life in the Cities of the Teutonic Order in Prussia', led by dr hab. Kazimierz Grążawski, prof. UWM. The meeting was chaired by dr Aleksandra Girsztowt.

Prof. Kazimierz Grążawski is a medievalist, archaeologist, historian and researcher of the Slav-Prussian borderland. He holds the position of archaeologist-conservator in the Museum in Brodnica, he is also a lecturer at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn and the director of the Interactive Museum of the Teutonic State in Działdów since 2012.

He began his lecture by explaining the role of archaeology in medieval science. From the book 'Everyday Life in the Cities of the Teutonic Order in Prussia', we can learn about the origins and development of cities in the Teutonic Order's state, public law and urban jurisdiction, the development of crafts and trade, the community of the city, family and religious life, culture and how leisure time was spent, entertainment and fun, prosperity, illness and poverty.

 - 'Life in the cities was more desirable than living in the countryside. Where there was civilisation, there were also more beggars because they had more opportunities to get food. Some famines lasted, for example, two years and led to mass deaths. The result was cannibalism, it is horrifying what starvation can do to the human psyche. I think it was much easier to survive in the city than in the countryside. People living on the outskirts experienced much more,' - explained dr hab. Kazimierz Grążawski, prof. UWM.

The lecture was enriched by illustrations displayed by the historian, including a work by the Dutch painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder—'The Peasant Wedding', a reliquary by Thiele von Lorich, and paintings by Heronim Bosh.

Those interested in buying the publication can purchase it from the Distribution Department of UWM Publishing House.

The graphic layout of the book by Kazimierz Grążawski was designed by Alicja Grążawska.