Polish Buenos Aires – Polish Traces in the Urban Space of the Past and Present

Abstract

The beginnings of Polish mass emigration to Argentina date back to the end of the 19th century, but since then, several stages of the influx of Poles to the country on La Plata can be distinguished. They differ both in terms of the number and the social nature of immigrants. The aim of this article is to show how the presence of the Polish immigrants community was reflected in the urban space and cultural life of the capital of Argentina. This study investigates the material traces of presence, such as monuments, squares, buildings, commemorative plaques, as well as its intangible dimension: the activities of Polish organizations, Polish schools and parishes, Polish festivals, which have been part of the ethnically diverse urban landscape of Buenos Aires for years.