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Robotnik (1894–1939)
Encyclopedia
Robotnik was the bibuła (underground) newspaper
published by the Polish Socialist Party
(PPS), and distributed in most major cities and towns in Poland
under Partitions
..
Robotnik was first published on 12 July 1894 in Lipniszki near Wilno in the amount of 1,200 copies, by the local branch of the then-illegal PPS, led by the future naczelnik
of the Second Polish Republic
, Józef Piłsudski. Among its other editors was Stanisław Wojciechowski, future president of Poland. In order to throw the ochrana secret police
and regular Russian police off track, the newspaper was first distributed in Warsaw
. Piłdsudski would become one of the chief editors and writers for the newspaper, and he often spent most of the day at the printing press. In 1900 the police managed to find the printing press
, leading to the arrest, sentencing, and imprisonment of Józef Piłsudski and several other members of PPS (including his wife, Maria Piłsudska), although Piłsudski would soon escape by feigning mental illness
.
In the following years Robotnik would be printed in various places by several groups of PPS, or related to it. From 1915 Robotnik was legalized; the first legal issue was printed in Dąbrowa Górnicza
. From 1919 to 1939 it became a normal, legal newspaper in the Second Polish Republic
. Among its editors were Feliks Perl (d.1927) and Mieczysław Niedziałkowski (1927–1939). Its notable contributors included Zygmunt Zaremba
, Stanisław Posner, Karol Irzykowski
, Cezary Jellenta and Jan Nepomucen Miller, and its circulation
reached 10–20,000 issues. The last issue was released on 23 September 1939, in the fourth week of the Polish September Campaign.
After the May Coup (in 1926) of Piłsudski, who after the First World War distanced himself from PPS, Robotnik took an opposition stance towards his government; in return, some of its editions were subject to confiscations (only from 1926 to 1935 about 500 issues were confiscated).The journal was a strong supporter of PPS and socialism
in general; among the notable policies opposed by the journal was that of anti-semitism
.
After the war several newspapers of that name were printed in Poland and abroad; among the most notable was another underground paper published by the Solidarity movement from 1983–1990.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
published by the Polish Socialist Party
Polish Socialist Party
The Polish Socialist Party was one of the most important Polish left-wing political parties from its inception in 1892 until 1948...
(PPS), and distributed in most major cities and towns 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...
under Partitions
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
..
Robotnik was first published on 12 July 1894 in Lipniszki near Wilno in the amount of 1,200 copies, by the local branch of the then-illegal PPS, led by the future naczelnik
Naczelnik
Naczelnik is the Polish word for Leader. It was first used as an official title by Tadeusz Kościuszko during the Polish revolutions of the 18th Century...
of 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...
, Józef Piłsudski. Among its other editors was Stanisław Wojciechowski, future president of Poland. In order to throw the ochrana secret police
Secret police
Secret police are a police agency which operates in secrecy and beyond the law to protect the political power of an individual dictator or an authoritarian political regime....
and regular Russian police off track, the newspaper was first distributed in 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...
. Piłdsudski would become one of the chief editors and writers for the newspaper, and he often spent most of the day at the printing press. In 1900 the police managed to find the printing press
Printing press
A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium , thereby transferring the ink...
, leading to the arrest, sentencing, and imprisonment of Józef Piłsudski and several other members of PPS (including his wife, Maria Piłsudska), although Piłsudski would soon escape by feigning mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
.
In the following years Robotnik would be printed in various places by several groups of PPS, or related to it. From 1915 Robotnik was legalized; the first legal issue was printed in Dąbrowa Górnicza
Dabrowa Górnicza
Dąbrowa Górnicza is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland, nearby Katowice. The north-east district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of almost 3 millions...
. From 1919 to 1939 it became a normal, legal newspaper in 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...
. Among its editors were Feliks Perl (d.1927) and Mieczysław Niedziałkowski (1927–1939). Its notable contributors included Zygmunt Zaremba
Zygmunt Zaremba
Zygmunt Witalis Zaremba , pseudonyms Andrzej Czarski , Wit Smrek, was Polish socialist activist and publicist.-Biography:...
, Stanisław Posner, Karol Irzykowski
Karol Irzykowski
Karol Irzykowski was a Polish writer, literary critic, film theoretician, and chess player.-Life:...
, Cezary Jellenta and Jan Nepomucen Miller, and its circulation
Newspaper circulation
A newspaper's circulation is the number of copies it distributes on an average day. Circulation is one of the principal factors used to set advertising rates. Circulation is not always the same as copies sold, often called paid circulation, since some newspapers are distributed without cost to the...
reached 10–20,000 issues. The last issue was released on 23 September 1939, in the fourth week of the Polish September Campaign.
After the May Coup (in 1926) of Piłsudski, who after the First World War distanced himself from PPS, Robotnik took an opposition stance towards his government; in return, some of its editions were subject to confiscations (only from 1926 to 1935 about 500 issues were confiscated).The journal was a strong supporter of PPS and socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
in general; among the notable policies opposed by the journal was that of anti-semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
.
After the war several newspapers of that name were printed in Poland and abroad; among the most notable was another underground paper published by the Solidarity movement from 1983–1990.