The Relics of the Great War in the Foreground of the Dęblin Fortress as a Basis for the Creation of the Cultural Heritage of the Region

Abstract

The article presents provisional results of research into material relics of the Great War in the foreground of the Dęblin Fortress. In the years 1914–1915, this area became the arena of battles between the Russian, German, and Austro-Hungarian armies. The hostilities left their mark on the landscape, such as field fortifications, forts, and cemeteries. The aim of the research was to locate and establish the chronology of the remains of field fortifications on the Gniewoszów-Bąkowiec-Mozolice line. The research involved analysis of source materials, LiDAR, field verifications, and analysis of the social value of relics of the Great War. The last phase of the research was analysis of the social value of these objects based on the philosophy of managing the past through preservation and heritage, exemplified by the cemetery in Wysokie Koło and the Gorchakov Fort. The research allowed to determine the course of the main Russian defence line from 1915, which consisted of three groups: Gniewoszów, Bąkowiec, and Mozolice. The best preserved are the remains of field fortifications within the Bąkowiec group, which was the central section of the Russian defence line. As analysis of the social value of the Great War relics indicates, the dominant way is to create heritage, and the message conveyed by the content of places representing the past causes a lot of controversy and conflicts among local residents.