Wyznanie a tożsamość narodowa w świetle antroponimii ełckich protestantów

Abstract

An analysis of the antroponymy of Protestants in Ełk is the starting point for research on the national consciousness of this population. The set of names and their phonetic and graphic forms confirm the fact that the decisive influence on the choice of the Christian name was confession. Protestants in Ełk chose names from the Germanic name repertory. The last name was, however, formed in the language used by the ethnic group: the population of German descent used a genetically German name, while the Masurians used a genetically Polish one. In the light of antroponymy, the confession (name) bound Masurians with the German culture, while the language (surname) – with the Polish one. Hence, there is a problem with determining the national identity of Masurians, who felt alien in both homelands, because they were neither accepted by Germans (because of their origin) nor by Poles (because of their religion).