Published: 2025-12-03

The tales of ethnogenesis vs. other determinants of the Vilamovians’ ethnic distinctiveness

Tymoteusz Król
Journal of Urban Ethnology
Section: Cultural heritage
DOI https://doi.org/10.23858/JUE23.2025.007

Abstract

The tale of the Vilamovians’ Flemish ethnogenesis of has been an important part of their narrative about themselves since at least the 19th century. It provides evidence of their distinctiveness from both Germans and Poles. It also appears when presenting other markers of Vilamovian distinctiveness, such as folk dress and the Wymysorys language, or when talking about the past shared by the members of the group. Emphasising non-German ancestry was particularly important when telling about the Second World War and the post-war persecutions. Every story, even about distant times, is constructed in the present and is influenced by what is happening today. For the oldest generation, the Vilamovian culture is a relic of the past, unchanged since the arrival of the first settlers. Young people involved in revitalisation of Wymysorys language, on the other hand, emphasise the uniqueness of their culture. The narrative of the oldest and youngest generations is united by the message that they are different from both Germans and Poles. Thus, it is a form of alternative storytelling to the nationalist discourse that divides people into national categories.

Keywords:

Wilamowice, Wymysorys, ethnogenesis, ethnic group

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Król, T. (2025). The tales of ethnogenesis vs. other determinants of the Vilamovians’ ethnic distinctiveness. Journal of Urban Ethnology, 23(-), 133–146. https://doi.org/10.23858/JUE23.2025.007

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