November 12th marks World Lumberjack Day, a day dedicated to one of the most underappreciated professions in the world. While few may fully recognize their contributions, lumberjacks have played an indispensable role in the development of human civilization. Once armed with hand saws, axes, and hatchets, today their main tool is the chainsaw.
Lumberjacks in History and Culture: From Fiction to Lincoln’s Forest Oratory
Lumberjacks have long been featured in books and films, with vivid portrayals of their tough and often dangerous work. A powerful depiction of the labour of Hutsul lumberjacks from the Czarnohora Mountains can be found in Vincenz’s *Na wysokiej połoninie* (On the High Meadow). Historically, even the renowned U.S. President Abraham Lincoln worked as a lumberjack. Legend has it that it was in the forest, “talking to the trees,” that Lincoln honed his skills as one of the greatest orators in American history.
Lumberjack Legacy: Statues and Monuments Honoring the Heroes of the Forest
Around the world, from America to Western Europe, statues of famous lumberjacks stand in tribute to their legacy. Poland is no exception—Jaworzno, a town whose name is derived from the word for lumberjack, boasts a stunning double monument to these workers. One of the statues, located at an entrance roundabout, features a lumberjack carrying an axe on his back, walking towards the town square where his colleague awaits. Two lumberjacks are also featured in the town’s emblem. In Żędowice, another Polish town, a wooden sculpture of a lumberjack stands proudly, and a representative of the profession can also be seen on the town’s historic seal.