Мечислав Людвік Потоцький (1810—1878) — охоронець старожитностей Східної Галичини, співавтор відкриття пам’ятника Світовитa з р. Збруч, автор першої монографії історичного міста Замостя

Abstract

У статті розглядається діяльність Мечислава Людвіка Потоцького в галузі охорони пам’яток Поділля та Східної Галичини, дослідження ним Збруцького ідола — Світовита, вивчення історії Замостя.

Mechyslav Ludwig Potocki was born in 1810 in Lviv, in the Potocki family of Lubich coat of arms. After homeschooling he started studying law and administration in Warsaw university. In 1830 Mechyslav Potocki interrupted his education and joined to the 5th uhlan regiment of Zamość which battling against Russia during November revolt. For his courage he was decorated with the Gold Cross Virtuti Мilitari. After the revolt failure he was in expatriation during several years. After homecoming he bought estate Kocyubynchyky near by Husiatyn in Podillya and settled there. As the first researcher of idol statue discovering in 1848 in Lychkivtsi he named it Svetovid in his correspondence with Krakow scientific society (KSS). In 1851 he gave the monument to Krakow, to the museum stocks of KSS. In 1851 Mechyslav Potocki also entered to KSS. He was travelling a lot and prepared several reports about his scientific travels in Podillya and Carpathian for the Society. In 1852 he visited Zamość, on the territory of Polish kingdom in the Russian Empire. He was impressed so much by Zamość and its historical places. Having collected the materials for history of Zamość in 1858—1861 Mechyslav Potocki wrote a monograph «Zamość and its istitutions in terms of religion, education and national history». The monograph was left in a manuscript (in the Zamość museum stocks). In 1864 Mechyslav Potocki was given an assignment a honorary keeper of architectural monuments in East Galicia from Central commission in Vienna. Mechyslav Potocki gave his reports with description of cathedrals, churches, monasteries, synagogues, strongholds, trenches, barrows, graves etc. He promoted putting a veto upon destruction and damage of numerous ancient tumuli in East Galicia. Mechyslav Potocki died on January, 31, 1878 and buried on Lychakiv Cemetery in Lviv.