Comparing three generations of fathers in Poland and Germany:
continuity and change in practices of fatherhood

The comparison between Germany and Poland is chosen because as neighboring EU countries they both take into account the same EU regulations while still differing in their respective cultural, historic and political characteristics. In Poland, the integration of women into the workforce, especially promoted during the socialist People's Republic (1944 - 1989), encourages both parents to be employed, while at the same time the continued strong influence of conservative forces, such as the Catholic Church, and the (lack of) social policy measures reinforces traditional patriarchal family structures (Kleinmann 2024). In Germany, too, we have seen a societal shift in attitude favoring an egalitarian division of labor over the last twenty years, supported by policy measures. Nevertheless, a large proportion of German fathers still work full-time while partaking in the care and upbringing of their children mainly only during evenings and weekends (BMFSFJ 2023).

Nowadays, in both countries, the concept of "active fatherhood" has become a desirable social norm, even though family practices do not always life up to this ideal. Scientific literature finds a variety of individual, interpersonal and work culture related factors as well as socio-political conditions to be relevant for this mismatch between ideal and reality (Zerle-Elsäßer/Li 2017). Another current, so far rather underrepresented, strand of research looks into concrete mechanisms of social learning by focusing on the relationship between a man and his own father (Parke 2002). Combining these two strands, our project examines, firstly, what contemporary norms and practices of fatherhood look like and how they change historically and culturally. Secondly, we explore how the relationship to one's own father as well as further external circumstances, influence these norms and practices.

These two questions concerning the differences in the concepts and practices of fatherhood in Germany and Poland and the interfamilial transmission processes will be addressed using a qualitative research design: We use problem-centred interviews  in which we integrate various verbal, visual and creative narrative stimuli to interview great-grandfathers, their sons and their grandchildren (also already fathers) from Poland and Germany on the subject of their own fatherhood as well as their experience being a son.

Around 30 (grand)fathers from ten families, respectively from Poland and Germany, in total 60 persons, are to be interviewed. The sample should represent western and eastern regions in both countries and the social, cultural and gender diversity of fathers as far as possible.

Bundesministerium für Familien, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (BMFSFJ, Hg.) (2023). Väterreport 2023 - Entwicklungen und Daten zur Vielfalt der Väter in Deutschland. Berlin.

Kleinmann, Johannes (2024). Analyse: Debatten um die Erwerbstätigkeit von Frauen in Polen nach 1980. Polen-Analysen Nr. 325. Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung.

Parke, Ross D. (2002). Fathers and families. In: Marc H. Bornstein (Ed.), Handbook of parenting: Being and becoming a parent (2nd ed.), pp. 27-73. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.

Zerle-Elsäßer, Claudia/Li, Xuan (2017). Väter im Familienalltag - Determinanten einer aktiven Vaterschaft. Zeitschrift für Familienforschung 29 (1), pp. 11-31.