Mało znany lubelski epizod w życiorysie profesora Stanisława Zachorowskiego – krakowskiego historyka prawa

Among the rich archives of the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, there is a handlabelled folder titled “Profesorowie zaproszeni, lecz nie wykładali” [The Invited but Never Lecturing Professors]. The folder contains the records of Prof. Stanisław Zachorowski. The scholar was predominantly associated with Cracow and its university throughout his academic career. Zachorowski’s strong affiliation with Cracow and its academia apparently overshadows his connection with the University of Lublin, established in 1918. The aim of this article is to shed light on a little-known episode in the life of Professor Stanisław Zachorowski, a scholar from Cracow. It focuses on the circumstances of his employment, on his attempts to assume academic responsibilities, and on the sudden and unexpected termination of his work at the Catholic University of Lublin. This examination of an otherwise obscure topic not only provides insight into certain aspects of Zachorowski’s fascinating biography but also shows the processes involved in establishing new academic structures in the newly reborn Republic of Poland after World War I. The article casts some light on this lesser-known episode in the life of the Cracow-based professor. Although his premature death may render this connection seemingly formal or symbolic, it undeniably bore profound implications for the Lublin institution of higher education, both during Zachorowski’s lifetime and in the period that followed. The text is structured into two segments. The first one looks at the professor’s academic development and advancement up the university ladder. Interestingly, Zachorowski’s early scholarly pursuit was philosophy at the Jagiellonian University. Only later, under the mentorship of the distinguished scholar, Prof. Bolesław Ulanowski, he refocused towards the history of the ecclesiastical law, eventually expanding his research by the history of the Polish law. The second segment explores the less-known Lublin stage of Zachorowski’s career. At some point, he decided to assume his academic responsibilities in Cracow and Lublin at the same time. Despite confronting severe health challenges, the professor remained steadfast in his dedication to the academic service, undertaking ambitious pedagogical and research initiatives. This article is grounded in an analysis of archival materials and relevant scholarly literature. The files were sourced from the university archives of the Catholic University of Lublin [AKUL] and the Jagiellonian University [AUJ]. The Cracow archival material offers a holistic perspective on Zachorowski’s professional endeavors at the Jagiellonian University (AUJ, WF II 504, teczka doktorska Stanisława Zachorowskiego; AUJ, S II 619, Zachorowski Stanisław. Docent prywatny; AUJ, WP II 138, Teczka habilitacyjna Stanisława Zachorowskiego). The materials found inLublin proved particularly valuable for the study (AKUL, sygn. 86, Profesorowie zaproszeni lecz nie wykładali, Stanisław Zachorowski). The sources had been hardly studied before. The materials contain correspondence between the rector of the Lublin school and the Cracow professor, plans for classes to be taught, the proposed scope of lectures, and arrangements regarding Zachorowski’s trips to Lublin. Additionally, the records reveal the full account of letter and wire exchange which chronicles the progression of professor’s illness and its profound impact, not only on the new Lublin university but also on his family: the wife and children.The following archival collections were also explored for the sake of a thorough analysis: AKUL, sygn. 2, Rep. 124, Zespół Przedwojenny. Erekcja Uniwersytetu Lubelskiego i ogólna organizacja od 1918; tamże, sygn. 24 I, Zespół Przedwojenny (1918–1939), Protokoły plenarnych posiedzeń [Wykładających] i Senatu [Akademickiego] UL. 1918–1926 [niepełne], b.p.; tamże, Dąbkowski Przemysław, A-br.; Archives of the Polish Academy of Sciences [APAN], sygn. III-98, Materiały Rafała Taubenschlaga, Pamiętniki z lat 1881–1947, mps. Notably, it was the first comprehensive compilation and use of archival materials related to Professor Zachorowski. The study employs a historical-legal methodological approach.