Śmierć i trzy pogrzeby księcia Józefa Poniatowskiego na łamach „Gazety Krakowskiej” (1813–1817). Narodziny legendy

Abstract

The studied collection comprises 56 texts, most of which were devoted to information on funeral ceremonies organized on Polish lands following the tragic death of Prince Józef Poniatowski (15) and the reports on the funeral procession from Leipzig to Warsaw (11). Information on the death of the hero appeared in 9 publications, whereas about his funeral in Warsaw in 5 of them. Individual stages of the funeral procession’s route from Warsaw to the Free City of Kraków and the events which followed were discussed in 3 texts; the third funeral, i.e. the disposition of the body of Prince Józef Poniatowski in the undergrounds of the Wawel Cathedral was the subject of only two texts. The reports from anniversary ceremonies (the anniversary of the death, the name day) were presented in 5 publications, whereas the category “other” comprises 5 press releases. Only one text related to the funeral in Leipzig. The foundation on which Poniatowski’s image was built in the press is made of four categories of values, taking into account his personality traits, the attributed features and some of the biographic data. These categories: “royal offspring”, “leader – soldier – hero”, “Pole–patriot”, “memory – heritage” constitute collections of diversified positive words and expressions, which allow for indicating which elements of the price’s life or traits of his personality were most frequently and most strongly emphasized. Hence the hierarchy of contemporary social approval for the attitude of the hero was created.