On 9 January 2026 at 5:00 PM, a promotional meeting for the publication “Józef Maroszek (1950–2024). In memoriam” will take place at the Town Hall in Białystok. The event is dedicated to the memory of an outstanding historian of Podlasie, a long-time academic staff member, and a co-creator of the scholarly community of the Faculty of History at the University of Białystok.
The volume was prepared on the initiative of the Białystok Scientific Society and aims to commemorate the scholarly, organizational, and popularizing achievements of Professor Józef Maroszek—a historian, university lecturer, anti-communist opposition activist, and an active participant in the cultural life of the region. Professor Józef Maroszek passed away on 20 August 2024 at the age of nearly 74, leaving behind a rich and diverse academic legacy.
Professor Józef Maroszek was a graduate of history and Polish studies at the University of Warsaw and a co-founder of the Institute of History of the University of Warsaw Branch in Białystok. As a long-standing academic staff member, he was strongly associated with the Białystok historical community and played an important role in shaping its scholarly and institutional identity.
For nearly half a century, Professor Józef Maroszek conducted research on the political history of north-eastern Poland, the region’s secular and sacred culture, as well as the heritage of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the North-Eastern Borderlands. He was the author of several hundred scholarly publications, editor and publisher of the quarterly journal “Białostocczyzna”, and editor of the series “Works of the Białystok Scientific Society”. Between 1991 and 2001, he served as Director of the Regional Centre for Studies and Protection of Cultural Heritage in Białystok.
The In memoriam volume presents a multi-voiced portrait of Professor Maroszek. In addition to scholarly essays, it includes personal recollections by family members, friends, colleagues, and students, offering a comprehensive view of his academic achievements, social engagement, and personal legacy.
The promotional meeting will be held at the Podlaskie Museum in Białystok and will provide an opportunity for collective remembrance of Professor Józef Maroszek, as well as reflection on his scholarly contributions and their significance for research on the history of the region.
