Ożywienie działalności i rozbudowa struktur organizacyjnych Krakowskiej Kongregacji Kupieckiej w latach 1923-1939

Abstract

Regaining independence by Poland was the moment of reviving the Krakow Merchant Congregation, which thus began to care actively for the interests of the merchantry. To ensure advantageous conditions for the development of commerce, new directions of activity of the organization had to be indicated, basing on the legal regulations. The 1923 statute regulated the functioning of the guild, determined its range of activity and goals, as well as means to achieve them. It listed the laws and duties of members, as well as the principles of obtaining and losing the membership. It assigned the authorities and the range of their activity. It also determined the methods of solving disagreements between merchants, and between apprentices. It specified the ownership matters and money management even in case of dissolving the organization. The Congregation valued most highly its members, defended them against the authorities, attended them in obtaining concessions, and tried to improve their situation. Branch sections were created in order to understand better the problems of particular merchants, and to work more efficiently. It is also remarkable how organizational work was conducted, e.g. setting up and strengthening provincial departments, which involved tedious reorganization and adaptation to the changing law, especially in the last period of activity of the Congregation. The results of its work were a sign of its energetic and dynamic development, and it was becoming more powerful every year.