Censorship in the People's Republic of Poland
Encyclopedia
Censorship in the People's Republic of Poland was primarily performed by the Polish Main Office of Control of Press, Publications and Shows (Główny Urząd Kontroli Prasy, Publikacji i Widowisk), a governmental institution created in 1946 by the pro-Soviet Provisional Government of National Unity
with Stalin's approval and backing, and renamed in 1981 as the Główny Urząd Kontroli Publikacji i Widowisk. The bureau was liquidated after the fall of communism in Poland
, in April 1990.
A list of prohibited publications and black-listed writers was created in 1950 during the darkest years of Stalinism in Poland with some 1,682 items, and subsequently modified many times by the communist authorities in the People's Republic of Poland
. Some writers popular before World War II, like Wacław Kostek-Biernacki sentenced to death on fake charges as the enemy of the state
in 1953, had their books not only removed from libraries, but also meticulously and deliberately destroyed.
After the rise of Solidarity movement in 1980, the Polish censors were forced by the public to begin indicating clearly in text parts that were censored rather than hiding their deletions or rejecting entire work. The decades of relentless censorship gave rise to the large supply of underground press and publications
in Poland (bibuła), know also as Samizdat
, an activity fraught with job discrimination and punishment.
In addition to the censorship of the publications, the state also supported jamming
of foreign radio and television stations, such as Radio Free Europe
and Radio America
among others.
Other Eastern Bloc states:
Provisional Government of National Unity
The Provisional Government of National Unity was a government formed by a decree of the State National Council on 28 June 1945. It was created as a coalition government between Polish Communists and the Polish government-in-exile...
with Stalin's approval and backing, and renamed in 1981 as the Główny Urząd Kontroli Publikacji i Widowisk. The bureau was liquidated after the fall of communism in Poland
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...
, in April 1990.
A list of prohibited publications and black-listed writers was created in 1950 during the darkest years of Stalinism in Poland with some 1,682 items, and subsequently modified many times by the communist authorities in the People's Republic of Poland
People's Republic of Poland
The People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...
. Some writers popular before World War II, like Wacław Kostek-Biernacki sentenced to death on fake charges as the enemy of the state
Enemy of the state
An enemy of the state is a person accused of certain crimes against the state, such as treason. Describing individuals in this way is sometimes a manifestation of political repression. For example, an authoritarian regime may purport to maintain national security by describing social or political...
in 1953, had their books not only removed from libraries, but also meticulously and deliberately destroyed.
After the rise of Solidarity movement in 1980, the Polish censors were forced by the public to begin indicating clearly in text parts that were censored rather than hiding their deletions or rejecting entire work. The decades of relentless censorship gave rise to the large supply of underground press and publications
Polish underground press
Polish underground press devoted to prohibited materials has a long history of combatting censorship of oppressive regimes in Poland...
in Poland (bibuła), know also as Samizdat
Samizdat
Samizdat was a key form of dissident activity across the Soviet bloc in which individuals reproduced censored publications by hand and passed the documents from reader to reader...
, an activity fraught with job discrimination and punishment.
In addition to the censorship of the publications, the state also supported jamming
Radio jamming
Radio jamming is the transmission of radio signals that disrupt communications by decreasing the signal to noise ratio. Unintentional jamming occurs when an operator transmits on a busy frequency without first checking whether it is in use, or without being able to hear stations using the frequency...
of foreign radio and television stations, such as Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is a broadcaster funded by the U.S. Congress that provides news, information, and analysis to countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East "where the free flow of information is either banned by government authorities or not fully developed"...
and Radio America
Radio America
Radio America is an American radio network specializing in conservative-oriented talk programming. A division of the American Studies Center, the network describes its mission as "to produce and syndicate quality radio programs reflecting a commitment to traditional American values, limited...
among others.
See also
- Culture in the People's Republic of Poland
- Propaganda in the People's Republic of PolandPropaganda in the People's Republic of PolandCommunist propaganda played an important role in the People's Republic of Poland , one of the largest and most important communist satellite states of the Soviet Union...
- Eastern Bloc information disseminationEastern Bloc information disseminationEastern Bloc information dissemination was controlled directly by each country's Communist party, which controlled the state media, censorship and propaganda organs...
Other Eastern Bloc states:
- Censorship in East GermanyCensorship in East GermanyAs with many Soviet-allied countries prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall, the government of the former German Democratic Republic applied wide censorship during its existence from 1949 to 1990....
- Censorship in the Soviet UnionCensorship in the Soviet UnionCensorship in the Soviet Union was pervasive and strictly enforced.Censorship was performed in two main directions:*State secrets were handled by Main Administration for Safeguarding State Secrets in the Press was in charge of censoring all publications and broadcasting for state...