Anarchism in Poland
Encyclopedia
The anarchist movement in Poland
first developed at the turn of the 20th century under the influence of anarchist ideas from Western Europe
and Russia.
Prior to Polish independence, several anarchist organizations emerged within the area that would become the Second Polish Republic
. The first of these, known as The Struggle, was formed in Białystok in 1903. In the following years, similar organizations were established in Nieznow, Warsaw
, Łódź, Siedlce
, Częstochowa
, Kielce
, and other towns. One of the most active was a group known as International, based in Warsaw. This group, composed of Jewish workers, organized strikes throughout the city during the Polish insurrection of 1905.
The level of despotism of the tsar's authority were high. Many young anarchists were executed without trial and firing on demonstrating workers was common. In January 1906, sixteen members of the International group were arrested and shot without trial. The strong repression of these groups led them to engage in terrorist acts such as assassinating police officers or owners of large factories. Many also robbed banks to gain funds. Meanwhile, anarchists in Poland began to be influenced by anarcho-syndicalism
. The followers of anarcho-syndicalism rejected terrorism and organised revolutionary trade-unions and propaganda activity. The most significant Polish theorists of anarchism and anarcho-syndicalism were Edward Abramowski
, Jan Wacław Machajski
, Zielinski
and Augustyn Wroblewski.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
first developed at the turn of the 20th century under the influence of anarchist ideas from Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
and Russia.
Prior to Polish independence, several anarchist organizations emerged within the area that would become the Second Polish Republic
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
. The first of these, known as The Struggle, was formed in Białystok in 1903. In the following years, similar organizations were established in Nieznow, Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Łódź, Siedlce
Siedlce
Siedlce ) is a city in eastern Poland with 77,392 inhabitants . Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship , previously the city was the capital of a separate Siedlce Voivodeship ....
, Częstochowa
Czestochowa
Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240,027 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship...
, Kielce
Kielce
Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...
, and other towns. One of the most active was a group known as International, based in Warsaw. This group, composed of Jewish workers, organized strikes throughout the city during the Polish insurrection of 1905.
The level of despotism of the tsar's authority were high. Many young anarchists were executed without trial and firing on demonstrating workers was common. In January 1906, sixteen members of the International group were arrested and shot without trial. The strong repression of these groups led them to engage in terrorist acts such as assassinating police officers or owners of large factories. Many also robbed banks to gain funds. Meanwhile, anarchists in Poland began to be influenced by anarcho-syndicalism
Anarcho-syndicalism
Anarcho-syndicalism is a branch of anarchism which focuses on the labour movement. The word syndicalism comes from the French word syndicat which means trade union , from the Latin word syndicus which in turn comes from the Greek word σύνδικος which means caretaker of an issue...
. The followers of anarcho-syndicalism rejected terrorism and organised revolutionary trade-unions and propaganda activity. The most significant Polish theorists of anarchism and anarcho-syndicalism were Edward Abramowski
Edward Abramowski
Edward Abramowski was a Polish philosopher, libertarian socialist, anarchist, psychologist, ethician, and supporter of cooperatives....
, Jan Wacław Machajski
Jan Wacław Machajski
Jan Wacław Machajski , pseudonym A. Wolski , was a Polish anarchist whose methodology was thoroughly Marxist.-Life:...
, Zielinski
Zielinski
Zieliński is the eighth most common surname in Poland, and one of the largest worldwide, numbering close to 91,043 persons. In Poland, the name is on books as having existed since at least the 15th century...
and Augustyn Wroblewski.
See also
- Far right in PolandFar right in PolandLike in other nations across the world, there are several far-right organizations in Poland. Public support of these parties is marginal, as they received 2.8% of the popular vote in the 2007 parliamentary elections. There is also a limited amount of nonparliamentary far-right extremism. Poland's...
- Liberalism in PolandLiberalism in PolandThis article gives an overview of liberalism in Poland. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in that scheme...
- Politics of PolandPolitics of PolandThe politics of Poland take place in the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government of a multi-party system and the President is the head of state....
- Workers' InitiativeWorkers' InitiativeThe Workers' Initiative is a Polish anarcho-syndycalist trade union. IP was established in the second half of 2001 as an informal anarchists group whose objective was the common struggle for workers' rights. As a formal nationwide anarcho-syndycalist trade union IP began to act in September 2004.-...