STUDIES ON RELICT BOUNDARIES AND BORDER LANDSCAPE IN POLAND
Marek SOBCZYNSKI Department of Political Geography
University of Lódz, Poland
It is a paradox that in the period when in united Europe state borders become of little or no
importance, Polish political geography undertakes studies on historic borders. It should be,
however, kept in mind that in Western Europe the issues of borders have been examined since the
early 20th century, whereas in Poland, apart from pioneering studies in the pre-war period,
writings on thissubject are very scarce (Sobczynski 1993a). This results from political restrictions
in the communist period, when politico
-geographical researches were practically banned.
The above-mentioned studies from the pre-war period were inspired by American political
geographer Richard Hartshorne (1933) and were concerned with Upper Silesia. This publication
gave rise to widespread discussion in geographical literature, which led Hartshorne to precise
more accurately the terminology pertaining to borders. In the paper presented at the congress of
the Association of American Geographers in December 1935 he defined the relict boundary as
‘an antecedent boundary which has been abandoned for political purposes but is still evident in
the cultural landscape’(Hartshorne 1936). Nowadays the term relict boundary is more broadly
understood and may denote subsequent boundaries too.
In the course of history Poland has experienced particularly frequent border shifts, which
left visible marks on the country’s cultural landscape. This widely known fact appears clearly,
for instance, on the map of railway system in Poland: very dense network on the areas that
after the partitions were occupied by Germany stands in sharp contrast with underdeveloped
railway system in Russia-occupied sector. Unfortunately, political geography in Poland, like
in other countries, exhibits little interest in investigations on durability and changeability of
borders and their impact on cultural landscape.
As J.R.V. Prescott, Australian political geographer, expressed it: geographers are aware of
great impact that border can exert on cultural landscape. Nevertheless, very often examination
of this impact is only a part of studies on border shifts and problems they induce”(Prescott
1965). The influence of borders on cultural landscape is given somewhat more attention in
studies carried out in the USA (Augelli 1980; Frazier 2000; 2001), Switzerland (Gallusser
1983; Leimgruber 1983) and Austria (Weigend 1950; Kaluski 1983).
2
Some singular studies devoted to relict boundaries in Poland have been undertaken as early
as the 1960s. No extensive field researches, however, have been done until the mid-1980s.
The first study on this subject was published at the University of Lodz – the pioneer
academic centre in the field of relict boundary studies. Its author, Ludwik Straszewicz,
analysed the historical boundary (in the partition period and between the two world wars)
along the Prosna River from the point of view of economic system of the former borderland
and pendular migrations. The research was based on traditional methodology of
socioeconomic geography dominated by descriptive method (Straszewicz 1964; 1965;
Straszewicz, Kucharska 1972).
An interesting research undertaking was carried out by history students from the University
of Warsaw under scientific supervision of Jerzy Holzer (who later became one of most
distinguished Polish historians). They examined the relict boundary in the urban structure and
consciousness of population of Golub-Dobrzyn – a dual town, once divided by the border
between Russian and Prussian sector of occupied Poland. This pioneering attempt, although
fragmentary and hardly profound, represented a certain turning point, as it showed that taking
advantage of weakness of the communist regime (it was the period of the Solidarity
movement formation) such investigations were possible at all.
Publication of the results of the above -mentioned researches encouraged geographers from
the University of Lodz to embark on deeper and more comprehensive studies on relict
boundaries (without realizing the consequences of probing this issue without the permission
of the communist authorities). Fortunately, the final report was published after Poland
regained democracy, whereas preliminary reports were only presented in the form of
conference contributions, thus avoiding censoring. Communist authorities forbade any
investigations, which could demonstrate failure of the country’s unification process. Despite
consistent efforts to erase relict boundaries, their traces endured in the space and
consciousness of the inhabitants, thus belying the official propaganda that heralded that the
post-war boundaries were unanimously accepted by the society.
It was at the faculty of geography of the University of Lodz that the first department
specializing in researches and teaching in the field of political geography was established by
Professor Marek Koter. Studies on relict boundaries were conducted in the mid-1980s by
Marek Sobczynski (1984; 1986; 1988). Due to political restrictions and scientist (statisticmathematic) methodology that dominated in Polish geography at that time, those pioneering
investigations had very little to do with humanist approach. Researches were concentrated on
identification, inventorying (Sobczynski 1984) and characteristics of relict boundaries, basing
3
mainly on analysis of land use forms and physiognomy of built-up areas on former
borderlands (Sobczynski 1993b). Moreover, a study of durability of relict boundaries in
inhabitants’consciousness has been conducted, although for the above-mentioned reasons its
results could not have been published and remained in the form of the manuscript o f doctoral
dissertation (Sobczynski 1988).
In the course of the above-mentioned studies made by Polish political geographers some
terms related to relict boundaries have been defined:
Administrative landscape – particular administrative system along with its spatial
manifestations such as territorial divisions of different kinds (governmental and municipal
administrative units and special divisions employed by th e army, churches, etc.) (Sobczyn ski
1994a; 2000).
Stability of boundary –permanence of a section of border during a relatively long period
of time, resulting in cultural, economic and often ethnic diversification of borderland. The
term durability of boundary (relict boundary) denotes continuous diversification of
borderland despite abolition of political function of a border. Relict boundary manifests itself
in space by direct border remains (border stones, border roads, clearings, customs houses,
watch-towers, etc.) and indirect border remains that include various forms of differentiation
of borderland e.g. different land use forms and architecture physiognomy.
A mathematic index of border effect has been devised and employed in the investigations.
Ranging from 0 to 100 the index is computed according to the following formula:
E = x 1+ x 2 100
x1 x 2
where x 1 and x 2 are relevant values of certain measurable characteristics for each side of the
borderland divided by relict boundary (Sobczynski 1993b).
M. Sobczynski pursued researches on different administrative units (districts in macroscale investigations and villages in field investigations) adjoining former political borders
within the entire territory of Poland. The analysis of land use diversification was based on
statistic data for districts, taking into consideration 15 characteristics (e.g. arable lands,
orchards, rivers, roads, railways, built-up areas, etc.).
The analysis of physiognomy of built-up areas has been conducted using the field
inventory in villages adjoining relict boundaries, with regard to dwellings, farm buildings,
4
form and situation of housing plots. The analysis included the total of 58 features
characterizing the building physiognomy of borderlands.
General conclusions emerging from Sobczynski’s researches allowed to formulate some
regularities concerning relict boundaries in Poland. It was found that the durability of relict
boundary is correlated with stability of political border, but only with regard to land use
forms. This regularity does not apply to the diversification of building physiognomy. This
results from the fact that in Poland’s cultural landscape, due to numerous war destructions,
land use forms are much more persistent than architecture. Another regularity consists in
correlation between diversification of building forms and the amount of time that had elapsed
since the border ceased to perform political function: the longer the period, the smaller
diversification. In the cultural landscape of Poland most marked are those relict boundaries
that existed in the early industrialization period. Although the pace of this process was
different in each sector of partition Poland, nevertheless its spatial effects are still visible.
Relict boundaries persist as well in people’s consciousness, in spite of the fact that in some
areas the population has been totally replaced as a result of forcible displacements after the
Second World War.
After the fall of the communist system in Poland, since the early 1990s all restrictions on
investigation of relict borders have been cancelled. In the faculty of geography at the
University of Lodz several master’s theses on this subject have been written. Adopting the
same general research pattern as in the Sobczynski’s studies, these works employed
methodology developed in social sciences, mainly sociological methods used to examine the
perception of relict boundaries in the consciousness of inhabitants of former borderlands
(Supernat 1989; Antonowicz 1996, Kozlowski 2004). This series of investigations confirmed
previous findings described by M. Sobczynski, but also proved remarkable durability of relict
boundaries in the mentality borderland population. It was also found that interstate borders
exerted much greater influence on cultural landscape than inner borders e.g. between Poland
proper and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Kaczynski 1997, Barwinski 2002, 2004) and the
Duchy of Siewierz or between areas incorporated to the Third Reich and General
Government’s territory (Orlowski 2002).
Many studies conducted in Lodz academic centre analyzed relict boundaries at lower levels
of administrative division (Sobczynski 1994a; b; 1997; 2000; Rochminska 1993; Machlak
1996; Pawlaczek 1997). Another research was devo ted to the border along the Prosna River –
one of most durable relict boundaries in Poland (Koter 1999). The same author introduced to
the English literature Polish term ‘kresy’, which denotes a particular type of frontier featuring
5
some specific political, social and economic characteristics (Koter 1997, Koter, Kulesza
2001). Kresy is characterised by geographical distinctness, peripheral situation, difficult
accessibility, isolation, scarce population and low urbanization, social and economic
retardation, dependence on other regions, multiculturalism, particular sense of frontier ethos,
special legal regulations and political instability. Later on the issue of kresy analysed
Zbigniew Rykiel (1997; 2000) from Warsaw, who was involved in researches of durabi lity of
relict borders in inhabitants consciousness of Silesia as well (Rykiel 1988).
Notable achievements in the field of studies of relict boundaries and cultural landscape of
border areas encouraged the scholars from the Department of Political Geography of the
University of Lodz to organize international politico-geographical conferences focused on
borderland issues. The first conference held in 1988 in Lódz and Wielun was entitled
Boundaries and frontiers - social, political and economic problems. The second conference in
1990 in Bialowieza was focused on Minority problems within borderlands. The 1992
conference held in Ksieze Mlyny concentrated on Inner borders, region and regionalism. The
1994 conference in Wisla and Jablunkov (Czech Republic) discussed Borderlands and
transborder regions - geographical, social and political problems. The conference held in
Bogatynia and Görlitz (Germany) in 2000 dealt with Changing role of border areas and
regional policies. The themes of the last two conferences were also related to borderlands: the
2002 conference in Krynica and Bardejov (Slovakia) debated Role of ethnic minorities in the
border regions and the one organized in 2004 in Wigry and Vištitis (Lithuania) was about
Role of the borderlands in the united Europe. The conference proceedings have been
published in seven volumes of the periodical „Region and Regionalism”(Sobczynski 2006).
Taking advantage of the collapse of the communist system, some other academic centres in
Poland took interest in relict boundaries. In Wroclaw Brygida Moj (Solga) (1993) once again
embarked on investigation of the Prosna River as a relict border. Using terminology
introduced by Sobczynski, she rejected purely scientist approach, in favour of methods of
social sciences.
In the same university researches on relict borders were conducted also by Gerard Kosmala
(1999; 2000; 2001; 2003; Kosmala, Spallek 2005) from the Department of Regional
Geography and Tourism. Apart from methods employed by Sobczynski, he introduced
innovative methodology e.g. biographical method for analysing durability of relict borders
in people’s mentality. Questionnaire surveys conducted on both sides of a relict boundary
yielded very interesting results, allowing to confront different border perception among
inhabitants of former borderlands. The analysis was based on typological method aiming at
6
selection of most durable elements of political boundary that persistently remain in the
mentality. This method produces a complete picture of a boundary in the consciousness of
inhabitants, taking into account mutual relations, causes and consequences. In University of
Wroclaw, the researches on cultural borders of south-western Opole Silesia (Koronczak 1998)
and civilisation frontier in Eastern Poland (Odelga 2002; Sakowska 2002) was conducted too.
Most recently studies on relict boundaries have been u ndertaken in Cracow. Tomasz Padlo
(2003) from the Department of Regional Development of the Jagiellonian University explored
a section of relict boundary from the partition period north of Cracow, 20 years after an
analogous investigation was conducted by M. Sobczynski. Padlo’s work was largely focused
on social issues, much more than previous investigations. It probed not only into people’s
consciousness but also analysed social behaviour as modified by the relict boundary. Padlo
proved variations in voting behaviour of the inhabitants living on opposite sides of former
borders, verified stability of former partition boundary as an administrative (not political)
border and provided evidence that it still represents a real barrier that hampers social contact s
(Padlo 2005). The relict boundary as field of research appears in Cracow university also in the
issue of regional consciousness of the Polish parts of Orawa and Spisz regions (Moskal 1999)
and Bieszczady Mountains as well (Janas 2005). Similar investigati ons of voting behaviour in
the light of historical division of the country were made in the Institute of Geography and
Spatial Organization of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw (Kowalski 2000).
In conclusion it can be stated that relict boundaries do not represent a long-established field
of interest in Polish geography. Initiated incidentally in the late 1960s, studies on this subject
developed only in the middle of the 1980s. At first Lodz was the only academic centre dealing
with relict boundaries using definitely scientist methodology. M. Koter and M. Sobczynski,
the leading scholars dealing with relict boundaries in the faculty of geography in Lodz,
developed it into the most important research centre of political geography in Poland. Since
the 1990s investigations of relict boundaries conducted in Lodz have increasingly employed
sociological methods, which allowed to include into research programmes the question of
people’s consciousness.
Political transformation after the fall of the communist system brought about increase in
number of geographic institutions dealing with relict boundaries. Researches undertaken in
Wroclaw and Cracow, although adopting the methodology used by scholars from Lodz, more
broadly resorted to sociological methods, breaking with purely scientist approach. Most active
researchers in the two centres are G. Kosmala (Wroclaw) and T. Padlo (Cracow). Although
there are several centres of geographical studies in Poland, none of the remaining centres
7
embarked on investigations of relict boundaries, whereas politico-geographical researches in
general are developed only in Warsaw, Gdansk, Poznan and Opole.
References
Antonowicz R. (1996), Wplyw dawnej granicy polsko-niemieckiej na zróznicowanie spoleczne i gospodarcze
obszarów przygranicznych na przykladzie gmin Dobrodzien i Lubliniec, Lódz, MA thesis, mimeo.
Augelli J.P. (1980), Nationalization of Dominican borderlands, “Geographical Review”, 70, pp. 19-35.
Barwinski M. (2002), Pogranicze w ujeciu geograficzno-socjologicznym. Zarys problematyki, „Folia
Geographica, Acta Universitatis Lodziensis, Folia Geographica Socio-Oeconomica”, 4, pp. 11-23.
Barwinski M. (2004), Podlasie jako pogranicze narodowosciowo-wyznaniowe, Wydawnictwo UL, Lódz.
Burghardt A.F. (1963), Borderland. A historical and geographical study of Burgenland, Austria, Madison
(Wisc.).
Frazier T. (2000), Tracking the Traces of Division: A Survey of the Berlin Wall as a Relict Boundary on the
Urban Landscape. Conference on Borders and Boundaries. 54th Annual Meeting of the California Geographical
Society, San Diego, May 5-7.
Frazier T. (2001), The Waning Berlin Wall: Topography of a Relict Boundary, 97th Annual Meeting of the
Association of American Geographers, New York, Feb 27-March 3.
Gallusser W. (1983), Granice a krajobraz kulturowy, „Przeglad Zagranicznej Literatury Geograficznej”, 4, pp.
133-136.
Hartshorne R. (1933), Geographic and Political Boundaries in Upper Silesia, “Annals of the Associations of
American Geographers”, vol. 23, pp. 195-228.
Hartshorne R. (1936), Suggestion on the Terminology of Political Boundaries, “Annals of the Associations of
American Geographers”, vol. 26, pp. 56-57.
Holzer J. (ed.), 1980, Pozostalosc granicy rozbiorowej w swiadomosci i kulturze materialnej ludnosci gminy
Golub-Dobrzyn, Warszawa.
Janas K. (2005), Swiadomosc terytorialna mieszkanców Bieszczad, Department of Regional Development
Jagiellonian University, Cracow, M.A. thesis, mimeo.
Kaczynski D. (1997), Trwalosc historycznej granicy polsko-litewskiej w krajobrazie kulturowym i swiadomosci
mieszkanców Podlasia, Lódz, MA thesis, mimeo.
Kaluski S. (1983), Granice polityczne jako przedmiot badan geograficznych, „Przeglad Zagranicznej Literatury
Geograficznej”, 4, pp. 123-131.
Koronczak R. (1998), Granica kulturowa w poludniowo-zachodniej czesci Slaska Opolskiego, Department of
Regional Geography and Tourism University of Wroclaw, M.A. thesis, mimeo.
Kosmala G. (1999), Stabilnosc granic politycznych w Europie Srodkowej i Wschodniej w XX .,Czasopismo
Geograficzne. vol. LXX.
Kosmala G. (2000), Wplyw granicy panstwowej na ksztaltowanie sie granicy regionalnej na przykladzie regionu
sycowskiego [in:] Srodowisko przyrodnicze i gospodarka Dolnego Slaska u progu trzeciego tysiaclecia,
Streszczenia referatów, komunikatów i posterów, 49. Zjazd PTG, Wroclaw, pp. 261-262.
Kosmala G. (2001), Cultural Divisions of Syców Borderland [w:] Koter M., Heffner K. (ed.) Changing role of
border areas and regional policies „Region and regionalism”, 5, University of Lódz, Silesian Institute in Opole,
Silesian Institute Society, Lódz-Opole, pp. 185 –192.
Kosmala G.(2003), Granica reliktowa. Trwalosc bylej granicy polsko-niemieckiej miedzy Sulmierzycami a
Rychtalem w krajobrazie i w swiadomosci, Dom Wydawniczy Duet, Torun.
Kosmala G., Spallek W. (2005), Pomniki "niemieckie " a ludnosc niepolska w województwie opolskim (próba
wyznaczenia granicy kulturowej), „Czasopismo Geograficzne”, 76(3), Wroclaw, pp. 183-199.
8
Koter M. (1997), Kresy panstwowe – geneza i wlasciwosci w swietle doswiadczen geografii politycznej [in:]
Handke K. (ed.), Kresy –pojecie i rzeczywistosc, Warszawa, pp. 9-52.
Koter M. (1999), Ksztaltowanie sie pogranicza oraz rola granicy w rozwoju obszaru nad górna Prosna [in:]
Krzeminski T. (ed.), Nad górna Prosna. Monografia Praszki, pp. 445-501.
Koter M., Kulesza M. (2001), Geographical and Historical Grounds of Formation of Borders of Former and
Present-Day Poland [w:] Koter M., Heffner K. (ed.) Changing role of border areas and regional policies
„Region and regionalism”, 5, University of Lódz, Silesian Institute in Opole, Silesian Institute Society, LódzOpole, pp. 165-179.
Kowalski M. (2000), Geografia wyborcza Polski. Przestrzenne zróznicowanie zachowan wyborczych Polaków w
latach 1989-1998, „Geopolitical Studies”, 7, Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geography and Spatial
Organization, Warsaw.
Kozlowski P. (2004), Wplyw dawnej granicy zaboru pruskiego i rosyjskiego na krajobraz kulturowy i
swiadomosc mieszkanców gmin: Zerków, Czermin, Pyzdry, Gizalki, Chocz,Lódz, MA thesis, mimeo.
Leimgruber W. (1983), Granice polityczne jako czynnik integracji regionalnej. Przyklad Bazylei i Ticino,
„Przeglad Zagranicznej Literatury Geograficznej”, 4, pp. 137-149.
Machlak A. (1996), Ksztaltowanie sie pogranicza mazowiecko-kujawskiego i jego trwalosc w swiadomosci
regionalnej, Lódz, MA thesis, mimeo.
Moj B. (1993), Slady granicy panstwowej we wspólczesnym krajobrazie kulturowym rejonu Górnej Prosny,
Wroclaw, MA thesis, mimeo.
Moskal M. (1999), Swiadomosc regionalna spolecznosci polskiego Spisza i Orawy, Department of Regional
Development Jagiellonian University, Cracow, M.A. thesis, mimeo.
Odelga M. (2002), Zróznicowanie etniczne i religijne wschodniego pogranicza Polski, Department of Regional
Geography and Tourism University of Wroclaw, M.A. thesis, mimeo.
Orlowski K. (2002), Historyczne pogranicze slasko-malopolskie w krajobrazie kulturowym i swiadomosci
mieszkanców, MA thesis, mimeo.
Padlo T. (2003), Wplyw granicy rozbiorowej na zróznicowanie zachowan i swiadomosci mieszkanców pólnocnej
czesci województwa malopolskiego, Department of Regional Development Jagiellonian University, Cracow.
M.A. thesis, mimeo.
Padlo T. (2005), The Impact of Historical Border on Social Behaviour and Perception in the Forer RussianAustrian Borderland [in:] Koter M. Heffner K. (eds.), The Role ob Borderlands in United Europe. Historical,
Ethnic and Geopolitical Problems of Borderlands, “Region and Regionalism”, 7, vol. 2, pp. 9-26.
Pawlaczek R. (1997), Podzialy terytorialne i proces ksztaltowania sie granic Wielkopolski (X-XX wiek), Lódz,
MA thesis, mimeo.
Prescott J.R.V. (1965), The geography of frontiers and boundaries, Chicago.
Rochminska A. (1993), Przemiany spoleczno-gospodarcze pogranicza leczycko-mazowieckiego w aspekcie
rozwoju wielkich miast Warszawy i Lodzi, Lódz, MA thesis, mimeo.
Rykiel Z. (1988), Struktury i mechanizmy spoleczne w regionie katowickim [in:] Jalowiecki B. (ed.), Problemy
rozwoju regionalnego i lokalnego, Wyd. Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, Warszawa.
Rykiel Z. (1997), Kresy Zachodnie w Polsce [in:] Handke K. (ed.), Kresy –pojecie i rzeczywistosc, Warsaw.
Rykiel Z. (2000), Kresy, ich ewolucja i kontekst geopolityczny, „Kwartalnik Geograficzny”, 4 (12), 1999.
Sakowska I. (2002), Ksztaltowanie sie granicy miedzy chrzescijanstwem wschodnim i zachodnim w Europie,
Department of Regional Geography and Tourism University of Wroclaw, M.A. thesis, mimeo.
Sobczynski M. (1984), Niezmiennosc dawnych granic politycznych na obszarze Polski, „Acta Universitatis
Lodziensis. Folia Geographica”, 3, pp. 119-137.
Sobczynski M. (1985), Trwalosc dawnych granic politycznych Polski we wspólczesnym krajobrazie kulturowym
kraju (w swietle badan morfologicznych i uzytkowania ziemi), PhD thesis, Lodz University Library, mimeo,
Lódz .
Sobczynski M. (1986), Ksztaltowanie sie karpackich granic Polski (w X-XX w.), Zarzad Wojewódzki Polskiego
Towarzystwa Turystyczno-Krajoznawczego, Regionalna Pracownia Krajoznawcza, Lódz.
9
Sobczynski M. (1988), Stability of the Old Political Boundaries in the Contemporary Cultural Landscape of the
Country (In the Light of Morphology and Land Use), The First ‘Lódz’Conference in Political Geography on
Boundaries and Frontiers, Wielun, mimeo.
Sobczynski M. (1993a), O potrzebie badania granic na gruncie polskiej geografii politycznej [w:] Wspólczesna
geografia polityczna. Contemporary Political Geography. „Conference Papers”, 17, Instytut Geografii i
Przestrzennego Zagospodarowania PAN, Warszawa, pp. 125-128.
Sobczynski M. (1993b), Trwalosc dawnych granic panstwowych w krajobrazie kulturowym Polski „Zeszyty
Instytutu Geografii i Przestrzennego Zagospodarowania PAN”,15, Warszawa.
Sobczynski M. (1994a) - Delimitacja województwa piotrkowskiego z punktu widzenia trwalosci struktur
administracyjno-terytorialnych „Acta UniversitatisLodziensis, Folia Geographica”
, 18, pp. 11-23.
Sobczynski M. (1994b), The Influence of Past Political Divisions of The Territory of Poland Upon the Regional
Structure of the Country [w:] M. Koter (ed.), Inner Divisions, „Region and Regionalism”, 1, University of Lódz,
Silesian Institute in Opole, Lódz-Opole, pp. 103-116.
Sobczynski M. (1996), Królestwo Galicji i Lodomerii, czyli co dzieli polska przestrzen „Geografia w Szkole”, 3,
pp. 164-167.
Sobczynski M. (1997), Zasieg terytorialny regionu lódzkiego oraz lokalne preferencje podzialu
administracyjnego nizszych szczebli na obszarze ziemi wielunskiej „Folia Geographica, Acta Universitatis
Lodziensis, Folia Geographica Socio-Oeconomica”, 1, pp. 149-163.
Sobczynski M. (1998), The Historical Transborder Region of Orawa [w:] M. Koter, K. Heffner (eds),
Borderlands or Transborder Regions - Geographical, Social and Political Problems, „Region and Regionalism”,
3, Governmental Research Institute Silesian Institute in Opole, University of Lódz, Department of Political
Geography and Regional Studies, Opole, Lódz, pp. 141-149.
Sobczynski M. (2000), Historia powolania i przemiany administracyjne woj. lódzkiego [in:] Sobczynski M.,
Michalski W. (eds), Województwo lódzkie na tle przemian administracyjnych Polski. W osiemdziesiata rocznice
utworzenia województwa, Polskie Towarzystwo Geograficzne Oddzial w Lodzi, Rzadowe Centrum Studiów
Strategicznych Biuro Rozwoju Regionalnego w Lodzi, Lódz 2000, pp. 7-21.
Sobczynski M. (2006), Geografia granic i pograniczy w badaniach lódzkiego osrodka geograficznego, „Folia
Geographica-Oeconomica, Acta Geographica Lodziensia”7, Lódz, pp. 19-36.
Straszewicz L. (1964), Zespól osiedlenczy Gorzów Slaski - Praszka na tle problemu zagospodarowania bylego
pogranicza, „Materialy i Studia Opolskie”, 10, Katowice, pp. 113-125.
Straszewicz L. (1965), L’Aménagement des zones anciennes frontières comme problème de géographie
économique, Compte-Rendu du colloque géographique franco-polonais sur l’aménagement du territoire (juin
1963), Mémoires et Documents, T. X, Fascicule 2, Centre se Recherches et Documentation Cartographiques et
Géographiques, Paris, pp. 41-46.
Straszewicz L., Kucharska M. (1972), Procesy integracyjne Slaska Opolskiego w strefie bylego pogranicza nad
górna Prosna, „Materialy i Studia Opolskie”, vol. 14, no. 25, s. 5-25.
Supernat T. (1989), Trwalosc dawnej granicy politycznej polsko-niemieckiej w obecnym krajobrazie kulturowym
i w swiadomosci ludnosci na przykladzie gmin: Lubnice, Byczyna Kluczborska, Perzów i Dziadowa Kloda,Lódz,
MA thesis, mimeo.
Weigend G.G. (1950), Effects of boundary changes in the South Tyrol, “Geographical Review”, 40, pp. 364-375.