Ustrój Izby Rzemieślniczej we Lwowie w latach 1927–1939

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present the most important facts concerning the organization of the Lviv Crafts Chamber (Izba Rzemieślnicza) between the two World Wars and the direction of its evolution. Chronologically, the investigation is limited by the date of establishing the Chamber and introducing unified industry law for the whole of Poland in 1927, and by the outbreak of WW2 in 1939. The research is basically into source materials: it is based on the analysis of state acts and regulations from the years 1927-1939. The article is divided into 12 sections. In the introduction, the Author briefly sketches the circumstances of establishing the Crafts Chamber in Lviv and the reasons for the introduction of the unified national industry law. Subsequently, the crucial legal sources, relevant to the topic, are discussed, as well as issues connected with the creation of the Chamber’s statute and its changes. Another subject for the analysis is the range of activities of the Chamber, in which a noticeable trend was continuous extension of its competences. Also contacts with the guilds and the territory of activity are discussed. The organization structure of the Chamber is analysed, followed by a discussion of the scope of activity of its leading authorities: the Assembly of Members, later on replaced with the Assembly of Councillors; the Board; the Secretary, later on replaced with the Director; and the general, examination and election Committees. In the case of each of the above-mentioned units, the article presents its structure, method of election and competences, treating particularly and with special attention the highest authority of the Lviv Chamber, the Assembly of Members (Councillors), which was formed as a result of general election conducted among the craftsmen of the Lviv voivodship. However, while Members of the Chamber were all elected, the Councillors were elected only in their majority, since the Minister of Industry and Trade was entitled to nominate some of them independently. The article is concluded with a summary of the noticeable trends in the changes of organization of the Chamber. This institution inscribed itself permanently into the history of Lviv and the region, as well the history of the Polish crafts, despite the fact that since 1939 the city itself and the eastern part of the voivodship forever ceased to belong to the Polish territory.