Inventory of the Poland. Konsulat Generalny (Pretoria, South Africa) records
Finding aid prepared by Andrew Sorokowski, Hoover Institution Library and Archives Staff
Hoover Institution Library and Archives
© 1975, 2008
434 Galvez Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003
hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu
Title: Poland. Konsulat Generalny (Pretoria, South Africa) records
Date (inclusive): 1930-1957
Collection Number: 75066
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material:
Polish
Physical Description:
3 manuscript boxes
(1.2 Linear Feet)
Abstract: Correspondence, telegrams, circulars, notes, speeches, clippings, minutes, protocols, and seals, relating to Polish foreign
relations with South Africa and Polish émigré organizations, fund-raising for war relief, and consular activity in South Africa.
Creator:
Poland. Konsulat Generalny (Pretoria, South Africa)
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Access
The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual
or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
Use
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Acquisition Information
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 1975.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Poland. Konsulat Generalny (Pretoria, South Africa) records, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover
Institution Library & Archives.
Historical Note
A Polish Consulate General was established in Cape Town, Union of South Africa, on January 1, 1929. It was headed by Consul
General Michał Kwapiszewski from January 1, 1930 to August 1, 1931. It then became an Honorary Consulate under Honorary Consul
Cyryl Caro (August J., 1931-September 15, 1934).
In 1935, it was a Consular Agency and in 1936 an Honorary Vice-Consulate under Jan Majewski. In 1938, the post was an Honorary
Consulate with Majewski as Honrary Consul, and in 1939 its status was raised to that of a regular Consulate. It remained as
such, under Consul Majewski, until its liquidation in 1946. Among the changes occurring during this period were an expansion
in both sphere of activity (reflecting the post's elevated status) and territorial jurisdiction (to include both Northern
and Southern Rhodesia by 1938).
Elsewhere in southern Africa, a Polish Consular Agency was set up in Joharnesburg in 1939, and in the same year an Honorary
Consulate was opened in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia. By February 1941, a Consulate General had been established in Pretoria
with Minister Plenipotentiary Dr. Stanisław Łepkowski as Consul General. In 1943, a Consular Agency at Durban attained the
status of Consulate, the Honorary Consulate at Salisbury became a consulate General, and Consulates were opened in Lusaka,
Northern Rhodesia and Zomba, Nyasaland for the care of Polish war refugees transported to East Africa. Contacts were maintained
between the consular posts in South Africa and Polish government representations elsewhere in Africa, such as the Consulate
in Tananarive, Madagascar and ministry delegations in Nairobi, Kenya. Among the concerns of the posts in the Union of South
Africa were the transport and supervision of Polish war orphans settled at the Polish Children's Home in Oudtshoorn (see also
the collection "Dom Polskich Dzieci").
As a result of withdrawal of international recognition of the London Government, most consular offices of the Republic of
Poland were closed after the war. The Consulates in Durban and Cape Town and the Consulate
General in Johannesburg ceased to function on May 1, 1946, while the Consulate General in Pretoria closed on May 15 of that
year.
The archives of the Polish Consulate in Cape Town were sent by Mr. Majewski to Dr. Łepkowski in Pretoria for storage on July
27, 1946. Both the Cape Town and Pretoria consular archives eventually came into the possession of Mr. Tadeusz Kawalec, a
former official of the Consulate in Cape Town, who donated them to the Hoover Institution in 1975.
Scope and Content of Collection
Correspondence, telegrams, circulars, notes, speeches, clippings, minutes, protocols, and seals, relating to Polish foreign
relations with South Africa and Polish émigré organizations, fund-raising for war relief, and consular activity in South Africa.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Poland -- History -- Occupation, 1939-1945
World War, 1939-1945 -- Refugees
World War, 1939-1945 -- Poland
Refugees
International relief
World War, 1939-1945 -- Civilian relief
Polish people -- South Africa
Poland -- Foreign relations -- South Africa
Pretoria (South Africa)
South Africa -- Foreign relations -- Poland
Correspondence
1940-1957
Scope and Contents
Correspondence of Dr, Min.Stanisław Łepkowski, Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria, Union of South Africa,
arranged alphabetically by last name of correspondent.
box 1
Gwiazdoski, Tadeusz
1946-1948
box 1
Raczkiewicz, Władysław
1940
box 1
Republic of Poland, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1941-1945
box 1
Department of External Affairs
1941-1946
box 1
Governor-General, Cape Town, Office of
1941
box 1
Secretary to the Prime Minister
1946
box 1
Various correspondence
1946
box 1
Various letters of acknowledgement on receipt of informative materials
1943-1945
Subject File
1941-1949
Scope and Contents
Letters, speeches, clippings, telegrams, circulars, notes, minutes, protocols, arranged alphabetically by subject.
box 1
Aid to Polish children in Russia
Consular posts of the Republic of Poland
box 1
Consulate Gerieral, Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia Establishment
box 1
Liquidation of posts in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Pretoria
box 1
Convent of Little Servants of Mary Immaculate, Lyndhurst, Johannesburg
box 1
Immigration to the Union of South Africa
Łepkowski, Dr. Min. Stanislaw
box 1
Resignation as Chief, Civil Chancellery
box 1
Patients and invalids in South African military hospitals
box 2
Polish Children's Home (Dom Polskich Dzieci), correspondence of Dr. Min. S. Łepkowski regarding
box 2
Polish Preparedness Corps (Polski Korpus Przysposobienia)
box 2
Political matters, miscellaneous
box 2
Postage stamps, commemorative
box 2
Raczkiewicz, Pres, Władysław, death of
box 2
Relief Society for Poles, Pretoria
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
box 2
Publication "Le regime sous l'occupation allemande," "Le regime sous 1'occu pation sovietique"
box 2
Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and its Delegation in Nairobi, circulars and letters
box 2
Ministry of Religion and Public Education and its Delegation in Nairobi circulars and letters
box 2
Sikorski, General Władysław, radio speech of June, 1942 (telegram and carbon copy)
box 2
Miscellany
1930-1946
Scope and Contents
Seals, calling cards, letterheads, personal documents, pre-war postage stamps, etc.
box 3
Seals and original folders
