This article examines a previously un-researched aspect of nationalist politics, borderland contestation, national indifference and the politicisation of youth and cultural diplomacy in interwar Central Europe: the German–Polish ‘summer vacation exchange for children’ (Ferienkinderaustausch). The Versailles territorial settlement, which left nationalists in both countries in discontent about territories and minority groups remaining in the hands of the neighbour, formed the basis for this venture in cultural diplomacy. Each party gave the other the right to rally ‘its youth’ living on the other side of the border to travel to its ‘motherland’ for summer camp. Focusing on the case study of the heatedly contested industrial borderland of Upper Silesia, this article examines the German–Polish children's exchange on two levels. On the local level it examines how youth were rallied and transported to their ‘motherland’ for the summer and what treatment and experience they received. On the international level it explores the paradox of German–Polish cooperation and the conflict that was an inherent aspect of this venture.

本文考察了战前中欧的民族主义政治，边疆争夺，民族冷漠和青年政治化与文化外交的先前未曾研究的方面：德语-波兰语的“儿童暑假交换”（Ferienkinderaustausch）。凡尔赛地区定居点使两国的民族主义者对保留在邻国手中的领土和少数群体感到不满，这是这种文化外交事业的基础。各方均给予另一方集会居住在边界另一端的“青年”前往其“祖国”参加夏令营的权利。着重于上西里西亚激烈竞争的工业边界的案例研究，本文从两个层面考察了德波两国儿童的交流。在地方一级，它研究了青年如何在夏季集会并被运送到他们的“祖国”，以及他们得到了什么样的待遇和经验。在国际层面上，它探索了德波合作和矛盾的悖论，而矛盾是这种冒险所固有的。