Society of the Descendants of the Great Sejm

The Society of the Descendants of the Great Sejm (Polish: Stowarzyszenie Potomków Sejmu Wielkiego, SPSW) is a Polish heritage and genealogical organization founded in 2004 by Dr. Marek Jerzy Minakowski. It brings together descendants of the 483 deputies who took part in the Four-Year Sejm (Great Sejm) of 1788–1792, the parliament that adopted the Constitution of 3 May 1791. Membership is open to anyone who can prove direct descent — or descent through siblings — from one of the 436 signatories of the Sejm's documents. The Society's core asset is a large genealogical database created by Minakowski, described as the largest genealogical list in Poland. By 2023 it contained data on more than 134,000 individuals. A paid genealogical website, "Potomki Sejmu Wielkiego," operates under the Society's patronage, and the Society has published books including "Elita Rzeczypospolitej" (The Elite of the Commonwealth). Beyond genealogy, the SPSW pursues educational and commemorative goals. Its 2006 Declaration stated that the aim of the descendants of the Sejm's participants is the cultivation of patriotism. The Society organizes congresses (since 2007), debates, panels, and academic sessions devoted to the Great Sejm, and it maintains a Historical Deputation that prepares scholarly sessions, runs a catalogue of lecturers and publications, and oversees work toward establishing an Institute of the Great Sejm. It also collects and publishes historical documents connected with the Great Sejm's tradition and heritage, including facsimiles of the assurances of the Government Act of 3 May. The Society communicates through its website spsw.pl, a Facebook presence, email, and phone. Its public activity includes annual commemorations of the Constitution of 3 May, local debates, and meetings with its Chancellor. The organization describes itself as having established its own recognizable brand and as having developed international contacts, with its undertakings noted by the highest state authorities.

The Society of the Descendants of the Great Sejm was founded in 2004 by Dr. Marek Jerzy Minakowski. Its purpose was to unite the descendants of the 483 deputies who participated in the Four-Year Sejm (the Great Sejm) of 1788–1792, the parliament that produced the Constitution of 3 May 1791 — one of the earliest modern codified national constitutions in Europe. In 2005 the Society launched its website. In 2006 local genealogical organizations emerged and the Society adopted a Declaration stating that the aim of the descendants of the Sejm's participants is the cultivation of patriotism. Membership was defined as open to anyone able to prove direct descent — or descent through brothers and sisters — from one of the 436 signatories of the Sejm's documents. From 2007 the Society began holding its congresses. The first congress took place in the Lelewel Hall of the Institute of History of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN); the Society's own account recalls the atmosphere as remarkable, with many members meeting distant and close cousins for the first time. The organization deliberately combined a social, family-reunion character with concrete and serious goals. A central project has been the genealogical database created by Minakowski, described as the largest genealogical list in Poland and unique in its scope. By 2023 it contained data on 134,210 individuals. A paid genealogical website, "Potomki Sejmu Wielkiego," operates under the Society's patronage, and the Society has published books including "Elita Rzeczypospolitej." The Society's Historical Deputation organizes panels and meetings devoted to the Great Sejm, prepares the themes of its own and guest academic sessions, maintains a catalogue of lecturers and publications in this field, and supervises work toward establishing an Institute of the Great Sejm. The Society also gathers historical documents tied directly or indirectly to the tradition and heritage of the Great Sejm — some supplied by members, others from library collections — and makes them available, including facsimiles of the assurances of the Government Act of 3 May signed by its supporters gathered at Małachowski's, issues of the Kurier Warszawski, the speech of Barnaba Zawisza, the list of deputies, representatives and senators for the Sejm of 18 December 1830, the proclamation of the Provisional Government on convening the Sejm on 18 December 1830, and the Act of Confederation of the Great Sejm. In its public communication the Society states that it has become an association with its own recognizable brand, that through its work Poles learn more about the Great Sejm — associating it not only with the Constitution of 3 May — and that its undertakings have been noticed by the highest state authorities. It also reports steadily developing international contacts. Its ongoing activities include annual commemorations of the Constitution of 3 May, local debates such as those in Kielce, meetings with its Chancellor, and reporting General Assemblies.

• 2023

  Genealogical database contained data on 134,210 individuals.

• 2007

  Society congresses began to be held.

• 2006

  Local genealogical organizations emerged; a Declaration was adopted stating that the aim of the descendants of the Sejm's participants is the cultivation of patriotism.

• 2005

  Society website created.

• 2004

  Society founded by Dr. Marek Jerzy Minakowski.

A heritage and genealogical society that combines family-history research with patriotic education and commemoration of the Constitution of 3 May 1791.

• Genealogical database of the Great Sejm descendants

  Created by Marek Minakowski; described as the largest genealogical list in Poland, containing data on more than 134,000 individuals by 2023.

• Potomki Sejmu Wielkiego

  A paid genealogical website operating under the patronage of the Society.

• Elita Rzeczypospolitej

  A book published by the Society.

• Historical document facsimiles

  Facsimiles of the assurances of the Government Act of 3 May and other documents connected with the Great Sejm heritage.

1. 1Stowarzyszenie Potomków Sejmu Wielkiego — official websitespsw.pl
2. 2Deputacja Historyczna — Stowarzyszenie Potomków Sejmu Wielkiegospsw.pl
3. 3Dokumenty historyczne — Stowarzyszenie Potomków Sejmu Wielkiegospsw.pl
4. 4Society of the Descendants of the Great Sejm — Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5Товариство нащадків послів Великого сейму — Wikipedia (Ukrainian)uk.wikipedia.org