| dc.description.abstract | In 1885 in Cracow, the “Sokół” (Falcon) Gymnastic Society started its activity aiming at promotion of gymnastic
exercises and other forms of physical education. It was an association whose goal was the physical and spiritual
revival of the nation, as the condition sine qua non of regaining freedom. The means to achieve that goal was first
and foremost gymnastics and other forms of exercise. Consequently, the “Sokół” Gymnastic Society played a
significant role with regard to the practice of physical education of young people who were deprived of rudimentary
conditions to exercise, it extended its care over the scouting movement which was emerging at that time, and last
but not least, it undertook the task of popularizing numerous sports disciplines while spreading patriotism and
national freedom ideas. The basic organisation units conducting the statutory activities of “Sokół” were: the
Department, and the Sections of the Society representing the individual exercise and sports disciplines. In Cracow,
“Sokół” created several such sections: gymnastics, rowing, horseback riding, bicycling, fencing, tourism.
During 1885-1889, the Society used a makeshift gym at the John brothers brewery at Lubicz street. Only in 1889, the
Society built its own building called “the falconry” at Wolska Street (presently J. Piłsudskiego Street), which
figure the largest gym in Galicia. In 1885-1914, the Society conducted regular physical education for pupils of
people’s schools and secondary schools students, within the school programs. It organized training courses for
teachers of physical education. Starting from 1906, uniformed members detachments, and from 1912, the Permanent
Falcon Teams were created. In 1914, the members of “Sokół” in Cracow joined the Western Legion. | en_EN |
