“Młody Polak w Niemczech” (1930–1939)

The press organ of the Union of Poles in Germany for the Polish youth
 

During the inter-war years, young Poles living in Germany were encouraged to join youth organisations, such as scout groups, sports clubs, the “Sokół” (“Falcon”) gymnastics club, choirs and many other social, cultural and political groups. From 1925 onwards, individual publications for the Polish youth were already beginning to appear in the German Empire, such as “Życie Młodzieży” (“The Life of the Youth”), a news sheet published in East Prussia, or “Zdrój” (“Source”) from Oppeln (Opole) in Silesia. From 1925, there was even a separate periodical for children between 7 and 14 years of age, “Mały Polak w Niemczech” (Fig. 1) (“The Little Pole in Germany”), which was published as a supplement to the official press organ of the Union of Poles in Germany.[1] In 1930, using this publication as a basis, the Union issued a central periodical aimed at the Polish youth aged 14 and above across the entire German Empire.[2] The first issue, “Młody Polak w Niemczech” (“The Young Pole in Germany”) (Figs. 2 & 2.1), was launched on 1 April 1930 as a successor to “Zdrój”. Publication of the periodical continued until the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. This new Polish youth magazine was edited by the Union of Poles in Germany and over the course of the following years was printed in Berlin, Herne and Oppeln. Its editors included Helena Lehr and Edmund Osmańczyk, the authors of the monograph “Polacy spod znaku rodła. Księga pamiątkowa na 50-lecie Związku Polaków w Niemczech” (Poles under the Rodło emblem. A commemorative book to mark the 50th anniversary of the Union of Poles in Germany). Edmund Osmańczyk was also the first to coin the term “Rodło”. Many of the illustrations in “Młody Polak w Niemczech” were created by the graphic designer Janina Kłopocka (Fig. 3) who also designed the Rodło emblem a few years later.[3]

Years before even the first edition of “Młody Polak w Niemczech” was published, the necessity for organising and communicating with the Polish youth in Germany was already being discussed in “Polak w Niemczech”, for example in the April 1928 edition:

“We do indeed have all the power of the youth organisations, but too few of them are developing as they should to bring real benefit to their members (...). We should all be aware of the importance which youth organisations can and must have for our spiritual and societal development. (...) Every member of a youth organisation is a part of the Polish community in Germany. (...) One of the most important tasks is the founding of a Central Union of Youth, which would unite all the youth organisations that have loosely coexisted side by side to date. The purpose of such a Union of Youth would be to create a shared supreme goal and to unify the tasks of the organisations and accordingly, to provide them with a clear sense of direction”.[4]

The central organisation of the Polish youth as outlined in the article began with the establishment of “Młody Polak w Niemczech”. Here, too, reports were published on important topics relating to Polish life and the retention and promotion of Polish culture, language and national awareness among the Poles living in Germany, while at the same time, the purpose of the periodical was to communicate the tasks and goals of the Union to its young members.[5]