Emigracja zagraniczna z powiatu nowosądeckiego w latach 1900-1966

Abstract

The article presents the extent and general tendencies of emigration to foreign countries from the district of Nowy Sącz during five historical periods, viz., 1900 - 1913 and 1919 - 1939 (emigration of economic character), 1914 - 1918 and 1940 - 1945 (emigration as a result of world wars), and, finally, 1946 - 1966 (emigration based on family ties and interconnections between friends and neighbours). This division into periods has been founded upon the different socio-economic and political situations typical of the particular periods. The largest groups of population emigrated from the Nowy Sącz District before the First World War (when the annual average amounted to 585 persons staying permanently abroad). In the period between the two world wars there was a considerable decrease in the extent of permanent emigration, coupled with a visible growth in the number of emigrants looking for casual, seasonal jobs abroad (1048 persons per year). Between 1900 and 1966, there were in all 9468 persons who emigrated abroad from the District of Nowy Sącz. Of this number, 4509 people settled permanently abroad (of whom 3146, i.e. 70 per cent of permanent emigrants, settled in the United States of America). After the Second World War the number of emigrants from the Districts has not been great. In most cases, emigration has been based on family ties and interconnections between neighbours, as well as upon the wish to gain a large amount of money in a relatively short time.