Prof. Tadeusz Hilarowicz was appointed chairman . It was decided to locate the first centre on the island of Šolta, near Split in Dalmatia. The aim was to create a small Polish colony where the Polish intelligentsia could relax, research could be carried out, and members of the Cooperative could, through it, purchase land for their own homes.

The Polish Holiday Home in Nečujam

The Cooperative’s first acquisition was the so-called Polish Summer House, situated in Nečujam near the harbour. It was purchased together with a five-hectare estate in 1928, and in 1929 the transaction was approved at the Co-operative’s general meeting. The land was acquired from the local parish. The house was reportedly in a very poor state and was renovated thanks to the efforts of the Bartelmus family (cf. ‘Iz autobiografije don Ante Bezića (rodoslovlje plemena Bezić)’, ‘Bašćina’ 2008, no. 15/16, p. 58). It was decided to name this area Chrobrzyn in honour of Bolesław Chrobry . Of interest – though not connected with Poland – is the earlier history of the building, which was probably built at the beginning of the 15th century. For a time, it was home to one of the fathers of Croatian literature, Marku Marulić ( 1450–1514), as well as another significant Croatian poet , Starograđan Petar Hektorović , who stayed there during his visits to the island.

A few years after the Polish House in Nečujam was founded, the property was converted into a so-called holiday home for Polish children – formally named the Polish Health Holiday Camp on the Adriatic for Children of Military Families and registered in Warsaw at Colonel Bartelmus’s address. In this house, in 1937 and 1938, the young Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński ( 1921–1944) — a poet and participant in the Warsaw Uprising — who in 1938 was presumably serving as an instructor. The building is currently listed in the register of historic monuments as the Dujmy Balistrilić Manor ( entry number Z-6982). It is not entirely clear who managed this building. The names most frequently cited in this context are Emma and Józef Bartelmus , a fact also confirmed, at least in part, by a letter from Kamil Baczyński to his parents, in which he mentions them. However, according to Wolfgang J. Bryll, the author of a text devoted to the couple, the matter is not entirely clear-cut. The Bartelmus family probably did not live permanently on the island. Moreover, S. Kale states that only one person of Polish nationality was registered on Šolta in the 1931 census (this may refer to Władysława Nazarewska, the administrator of the second Polish House). It appears that the building was used primarily from spring to autumn. Contrary to W.J. Bryll’s assumptions, however, it does not appear that the Bartelmus family had a separate house on the island. According to accounts from former residents, as well as indirectly from Baczyński’s letters, it appears that during their stays on the island they stayed at the Polish Summer House.

‘Zofiówka’ in Rogač

The history of the second house , known as the Polish House on the Adriatic , and popularly referred to as “Zofiówka” , is somewhat more complicated. It was situated in the village of Rogač and is said to have been purchased in 1927. According to an unconfirmed account, the first owner was Władysława Nazarewska, who was said to have opened a year-round guesthouse there (this information is provided by Ž. Bezić, ‘Poljaci na otoku Šolt’, ‘Hrvatska Obzorja’ 2001, IX, no. 1, p. 140, and subsequently by S. Kalve in the aforementioned publication). It may be assumed, however, that from the outset the house was the property of the Co-operative . It cannot be ruled out that, initially, Nazarewska was indeed listed as its owner, which may have stemmed from the process of the Co-operative’s formation and registration. As for the date of purchase, some uncertainty is also introduced by information from Nazarewska herself, who wrote in early 1934 that she had returned to Warsaw after a three-year stay at Dom Polski. This may suggest that the guesthouse opened around 1930, whilst the purchase is more likely to have taken place in 1929 or 1928. However, it is certain that in 1936 the villa was not her property, as she is clearly identified as the administrator of the property belonging to the Co-operative (‘Polska Zachodnia’, 28 May 1936, no. 145, p. 6). The name ‘Zofiówka’ is said to have derived from the name of Zofia Ossendowska, the wife of the well-known writer and scientist Franciszek Ossendowski, who was one of the co-founders of the Polish-Yugoslav League and the ‘Dom Polski nad Adriatykiem’ Cooperative Professor Ossendowski served as the administrator of the newly formed “Polish House on the Adriatic” association. From a report dating from 1939, we know that “Zofiówka” comprised 12 rooms. The building has survived to this day and is situated on the promenade in Rogač.

The chapel in Nečujam

The last building associated with the Cooperative’s activities is the chapel in Nečujam , which houses a painting of Our Lady of Ostra Brama ( see more on this subject). According to a frequently cited account, it was founded by Colonel Bartelmus in 1939. It is said to have been built by a local bricklayer , Marian Ursić, and the first Mass was held on 13 August 1939. (This information is provided by S. Kale in ‘Poles on Šolta with a focus on the poet Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński’, ‘Bašćina’ 2014, no. 23, and is echoed by other authors; however, the source of this information is a 1983 publication. Furthermore, according to an entry in the register of historic monuments, the church was built in 1938). However, this is contradicted by press reports from 1932, which unequivocally mention the existence of a chapel in which a copy of the painting of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn, transferred from Vilnius, was placed. Press reports on this matter appear unequivocal: “During Holy Mass, the following took their seats in the chancel: the deputy ban of Dalmatia, Dr Ivić, General Aranjelović, the representative of the Polish Ambassador in Belgrade, Mr Glinka, a counsellor, and the chairman of the supreme committee for Polish-Yugoslav cooperation, Professor Hilarowicz’.”

The history of the chapel’s construction dates back to 1930, when a committee was established in Warsaw to build a Polish chapel featuring an image of Our Lady of Ostra Brama. This took place during a meeting of the Cooperative’s board and – as reported in the press – of the Bolesław Chrobry Public Order Organisation. According to the concept presented by Prof. Tadeusz Hilarowicz, the chapel was to be built on land under the Cooperative’s management, on the site of the ruins of St Peter’s Church, dating from the 14th or early 15th century ( sometimes the 13th century is also mentioned). It was probably intended from the outset merely to indicate an approximate location, rather than to destroy the medieval relic. In any case, the ruins of the old church were preserved, and the chapel was built next to them . The plans for the building were drawn up by – as stated during the meeting – local authorities. However, in a proclamation from 1931 , Jan Łukasik is named as the architect . It may well be that the builder was the aforementioned Marian Ursić, as confirmed by oral accounts. He was undoubtedly a sought-after bricklayer with an interesting life story. As a young man, fleeing conscription into the army, he ended up in the USA, where he worked in one of the shipyards. It was there that his engineering talents came to the fore, such as when he devised a concept for a ship whose funnels would be arranged in such a way that it could pass under a bridge. After his return to Croatia, these talents led to him sometimes being referred to as the ‘Edison of Šolta’. However, he earned his living primarily as a sought-after bricklayer, also known as ‘Meštar Marin’. In this context, it seems quite likely that he was the one entrusted with the construction of the chapel (cf. ‘Bašćina’ 2008, no. 15/16, p. 124).

During the meeting, a building committee was appointed, chaired by Prof. Tadeusz Hilarowicz , as well as an honorary presidium (cf. “Kurier Warszawski”, 24 December 1930, no. 351, p. 3). However, the fundraising campaign appears to have progressed more slowly than initially anticipated, as in September 1931 the committee issued a public appeal for support.

In 1939, the chapel was presumably elevated to the status of a church , hence the confusion regarding the date of its construction. Perhaps the inscription engraved on the crescent moon—presumably donated by Emma and Józef Bartelmus—also contributed to the confusion: ‘We take refuge under Your protection / Emma and Józef Bartelmus / 1939 //.

Expansion plans and financial difficulties

There were also plans to erect a third building with 30 beds, or, according to other sources, as many as 300. However, on 14 April, during an extraordinary meeting of the “Dom Polski nad Adriatykiem” Building Cooperative ‘Polish House on the Adriatic’, the deed of purchase for a villa on the island of Šolta—together with the land on which the number of rooms was specified as 30—was approved; at least, that is what the press reported. On 14 June 1928, a grand ceremony was held to lay the foundation stone. The initiator and main organiser of the ceremony was the aforementioned Prof. Tadeusz Hilarowicz . The celebrations were attended by a Polish delegation led by Engineer Józef Mikulowski , who arrived in Rogac by steamer at 9 am, accompanied by a large delegation of residents from Split. Among those present were, amongst others: the archaeologist Father Frane Bulić, the auxiliary bishop of Split, the prefect Dr Ivan Perović, the mayor of Split Dr Ivo Tartaglia, Professor Josip Barač, Roko Stojanov, Chairman of the Local Committee, Dr Ante Grgin, Deputy Director of the Archaeological Museum, and General Dragutin Stamenković representing the army. Captain Špiro Bezić played a key role in organising the event on the Croatian side, having made his ships available. Unfortunately , due to a lack of sufficient funds, the investment project was never realised.

Finances were, in fact, one of the Cooperative’s greatest headaches. Whilst Zofiówka, which served as a guesthouse, appears not to have faced any serious problems, the same cannot be said of the estate in Nečujam. The buildings were intended, by design, to serve the members of the Cooperative. It should be borne in mind, however, that these included not only private individuals but also organisations; the 1928 issue of *Życie Urzędnicze* reported that members of the Association of Civil Servants would be able to use the accommodation facilities. Membership of the Cooperative was open to anyone who purchased at least one share worth 50 dollars. It seems there were not very many guests. Press reports indicate that rooms could be hired at the Polish House in September. Tourists were likely put off by transport difficulties – it was easier to travel to Istria than to a small island in Dalmatia. From there, ‘trips to Yugoslavia’ were organised, during which visitors toured Dubrovnik and Split, as well as stopping off in Vienna, Budapest, Trieste and Zagreb. It is likely that part of the stay was spent on the island, which may also have served as a convenient base for visiting other towns.

Efforts were also made to utilise the building in other ways, by establishing cooperation with academic institutions. We are aware of at least three such initiatives. On the one hand, support for Polish science was an integral part of the Cooperative’s activities from the very beginning, and this was probably not merely a rhetorical phrase; however, there is a lack of information on how this played out financially. It also seems that, in the long run, the idea was not a success. The Cooperative offered the zoological museum (the State Zoological Museum; studies also refer to it as the Natural History Museum, a name the institution bore from 1921 to 1928) a plot of land for the purpose of establishing a facility for biological research on the Adriatic . It was also decided to make one of the rooms in the Polish House in Nečujam available for the centre’s use. As Jan Gadomski reported in 1937 (‘Urania’ 1937, p. 77) a temporary astronomical observatory run by a Polish expedition.

In 1942, when it became necessary to liquidate the estate , the centre was in debt; as early as 1939, a debt of 100,000 dinars had been recorded on the mortgage, and the outbreak of war and the collapse of the tourist industry undoubtedly caused further problems.

Wolfgang J. Bryll hypothesises that the Bartelmus couple had their own house in the neighbourhood. ‘The retired lieutenant-colonel’s ownership of property is explicitly mentioned in a letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Kominkowski, Head of the Personnel Office, dated March 1931: “He is well-off financially, as in addition to a pension of around 600 zlotys, he owns his own property.” There is no doubt whatsoever that this refers to the estate at Šolt, as no documents or even unofficial oral accounts provide the slightest basis for claiming that he owned any property elsewhere in the country (the flat in Warsaw was rented). Bartelmus himself stated years later that: “the plots [of the Cooperative – WJB] in Nečujam were situated next to my estate”. A later statement made before the notary Pliszczyński also confirms that he was the owner of the ‘Bartelmusówka’ villa/guesthouse, a house on Šolta”. The matter does not seem entirely clear; in his later statement, he may have been referring to the Polish House, which had passed into his ownership. According to the recollections of the island’s residents, they lived in the Polish Summer House, the renovation of which they were to supervise themselves. Interestingly, they were said to have remained on the island until the end of the war, and even to have adopted Kazimierz Buric-Sule’s son (cf. ‘From the Autobiography of Don Ante Bezić (Genealogy of the Bezić Clan)’, ‘Bašćina’ 2008, no. 15/16, p. 58). According to one of the island’s residents, Bartelmus was said to have visited Šolte once more after the Second World War – that is, in the second half of the 1940s – and the house which he and his wife had run for many years.

It is likely that plans were also in place to build further houses, given that the Cooperative had acquired a 40,000 m² plot on the island of Brač and another on the island of Hvar.

Traces of the Poles

A few mementoes of the Polish presence have also survived on Šolta:
- a painting of the Virgin Mary in the chapel at Nečujam
- a plaque commemorating Józef Piłsudski located in the church, to which it was reportedly moved in 1941, first due to the German occupation of the town, and subsequently the Italian invasion; however, this may also have taken place in 1942 following the sale of the villa
- a banner commissioned to mark the tenth anniversary of the local orchestra, Šoltanski glazben zbor “Olinta”. The donors, Władysława Nazarewska and Don Ante Bezić, contributed 3,000 dinars for this purpose. The ceremonial consecration of the banner took place on 15 July 1932 in front of the church in Grohan (it is kept at the local community centre)
- paintings of St Kinga and St Salomea donated in 1932 (according to unconfirmed reports, they have been preserved and are located in the church in Grohan)

Post-war traces of the Polish presence include the naming of one of the streets in Nečujam after Józef Bartelmus and a memorial stone commemorating Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński’s time on the island.

The Second World War

Although the Co-operative formally operated until 1948, it became necessary to sell its assets as early as 1942. This was due to a decree issued by the German authorities in Poland leading to the liquidation of the co-operative. Józef Bartelmus, who was resident on the island , took charge of this, and his legal knowledge and experience were certainly extremely useful here. The sale of ‘Zofiówka’ went most smoothly; however, emigrants from Poland were allowed to remain there until the end of the war. The proceeds from the sale covered the debts, and the remainder was transferred in December 1942 – interestingly, in the form of a loan – to Maria Potocka, a representative of the Swiss Red Cross . She organised care for around 70 families of Polish emigrants residing in Yugoslavia. The sale of the remaining plots, however, proved much more difficult, as, in accordance with the notarial provisions, only a Pole could be their owner. Ultimately, Bartelmus formally acquired these plots in exchange for his shares in the Cooperative, on the understanding that settlement would take place at a later date. These actions led to a conflict with Nazarewska, who, after the war, accused Bartelmus at the Polish Embassy in Belgrade of misappropriating the property. For his part, Bartelmus not only denied this, but pointed out that it was Nazarewska who had acted to the detriment of the Cooperative. In 1941, Yugoslavia signed an unconditional surrender, as a result of which part of its territory fell to Italy, including Dalmatia as far as Split, and thus also the island of Šolta. According to Bartelmus, Nazarewska, who was expelled from the Cooperative in 1941 for acting to its detriment, was alleged to have conspired with the Fascist commissioner Antonio Galasso to seize the house in Rogač. This, as he emphasised, was particularly dangerous, as partisan forces were forming in the area. However, it appears that the matter was not pursued after the Cooperative’s dissolution; it is likely that Józef Bartlemus’s version of events was accepted, as he had additionally registered a security of 10,000,000 in the mortgage of his property in favour of the ‘Dom Polski nad Adriatykiem’ Cooperative.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to Mr Mateusz Jarosz for his valuable comments and additional information, which he gathered on site together with Ms Barbara Figurniak.