Regional children’s literature about Olsztyn as a domain for learning about the cultural heritage of «interrupted countries». In search of positive models

Abstract

The Region of Warmia and its capital city, Olsztyn, are examples of borderland that is referred to as an «interrupted country». The present study analyzes children’s books about Olsztyn that were published after 1989. The aim of the analysis was to identify the elements of regional cultural heritage in the evaluated books, the meanings assigned to the discussed locations, and the associated cultural heritage concepts. The study combines a functional approach to literary criticism with a pedagogical approach that makes a reference to place-based education. Despite the fact that the analyzed books contain numerous examples of Olsztyn’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage, they do not examine issues of multiculturality which are clearly present in the local landscape. Therefore the analyzed books play an important role in shaping children’s perceptions of Warmia. The very idea of presenting Olsztyn in children’s books seems commendable, but the manner in which the city’s cultural heritage is depicted does not do justice to the «interrupted country».