W gościnie u Stadnickich z Nawojowej (1878-1944)

Abstract

The Stadnickis from Nawojowa, much like other aristocratic families, entertained many guests in their abode. They hosted ordinary people, family members, neighbours, as well as distinguished personages, and even world renown persons. And so, in 1878, the owner of Nawojowa, count Edward Stadnicki and his wife Ludgarda received the deputies to the general assembly of the Pedagogical Association. Two years later, their son, Stanislaw Stadnicki, received Emperor Franz Joseph I for a week at his estate in Krysowice, when the latter came to watch the manoeuvres checking the status of training and preparation of his army guarding the Vistula and Prut rivers. Entertaining royalty was also shared by Stanislaw Stadnicki’s nephew, Adam Zbigniew, the last owner of Nawojowa. In January 1937, he organized wild bore hunting for Bernhard zur Lippe Biesterfeld, husband of princess Juliana, heiress to the Dutch throne. The last prominent guest of the Stadnickis was the outstanding actor, Janusz Osterwa, who took refuge in Nawojowa with his wife and daughter during World War II. This article proves that even in the life of those aristocratic families who are less known to historians, and the Stadnickis should be classified as such, one can find interesting events expanding the general knowledge of several figures from the world of politics and culture, and bringing unknown facts from their lives closer to the reader. The information about the Stadnickis themselves, their manner of receiving guests, attitudes towards life, character features, appearance of their abodes supply us with a certain concrete knowledge of the manners of the Polish aristocracy and landed gentry.