Vocational Education, Austrian Silesia, 19th Century, 20th Century, Nationalism

This paper is focused on interaction and co-operation between the Slavs and Germans in vocational education in Austrian Silesia from the mid-nineteenth century till the first world war.It rises from the premise that, there existed, at least in theory, higher potential for co-operation and compromise regarding the establishment and support of schools and their students. Therefore, a significant common interest was present, which was able to bring together otherwise disparate groups and motivate their leaders to sit around one table to seek ways to propagate vocational education and enlightenment. Specifically, this involved supporting the local and regional economy and, by definition, efforts to prevent adverse economic developments which could lead to social unrest. Such co-operation, despite being arguably only pragmatic in character and forced by circumstances, nevertheless provided important motivation, not only for the development of specific educational activities in the primarily supported ethnic community, but also in serving the education of other, effectively rival, communities.

This paper is focused on interaction and co-operation between the Slavs and Germans in vocational education in Austrian Silesia from the mid-nineteenth century till the first world war.It rises from the premise that, there existed, at least in theory, higher potential for co-operation and compromise regarding the establishment and support of schools and their students. Therefore, a significant common interest was present, which was able to bring together otherwise disparate groups and motivate their leaders to sit around one table to seek ways to propagate vocational education and enlightenment. Specifically, this involved supporting the local and regional economy and, by definition, efforts to prevent adverse economic developments which could lead to social unrest. Such co-operation, despite being arguably only pragmatic in character and forced by circumstances, nevertheless provided important motivation, not only for the development of specific educational activities in the primarily supported ethnic community, but also in serving the education of other, effectively rival, communities.