National-Ethnic Identities Of Leaders Of The German Minority In Northern Poland

The main objective of this report is to present the national and ethnic identities of leaders of the German minority organizations in the context of their activities after 1989. On the basis of an in-depth case study of social construction, including structure and operating principles, considering internal and external interactions and the dynamics of this system was carried out. The empirical analysis of the leaders' identities are based on the main theoretical concept of ethnic identity that simultaneously constitutes a synonym of ethnicity by John Milton Yinger. The subject of this report includes formal institutions (associations), represented by formal and informal leaders of German minority groups in selected areas of northern Poland. The sample contains associations that operate in Pomerania, a part of Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodship, the Warmia-Mazury voivodship and the northern part of the Wielkopolska voivodship. The location of the associations coincides largely with former province of West Prussia (1878-1920) and the territory of the former Second Free City of Danzig (1920-1939).