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“Młody Polak w Niemczech” (1930–1939)

The periodical “Młody Polak w Niemczech”(“The Young Pole in Germany”) was first published on 1 April 1930 as a supplement to the official press organ of the Union of Poles in Germany (Bund der Polen in Deutschland e. V.), “Polak w Niemczech” (“The Pole in Germany”), and was specifically aimed at the Polish youth living in Germany. 

Cover of the May edition of “Młody Polak w Niemczech” from 1930.
Cover of the May edition of “Młody Polak w Niemczech” from 1930.
©
Union of Poles in Germany / Porta Polonica

The importance of young people for the Union of Poles in Germany
 

For the Union of Poles, as for all organisations, clubs and associations, the Polish youth was first and foremost of importance for a very practical reason: maintaining the existence of the organisation and guaranteeing its continuation in the future. Particularly with the membership figures for the Union compared to the estimated number of Poles living in the German Empire in mind, the Union was very keen to recruit young Poles to carry out its work. Of the estimated 1.5 million Poles living in Germany during the 1920s, in 1924, around 32,000 were registered members of the Union of Poles. The highest figure was recorded in 1930, at 45,000 members.[10] However, as a result not only of the low membership figures, but also the fear that a sense of national awareness was disappearing among Poles living in Germany (in Polish: wynarodowienie), the Union decided to actively work to continue its promotion of the Polish culture, language and sense of national affiliation:

“We are all threatened by it [the loss of national awareness; author’s note] and for this reason, we must work to counter this loss, indeed, to combat it. And we must not only do so among the younger generation. The disappearance of national awareness is a loss of two essential elements: national affiliation and the Polish language”.[11]

In a comprehensive article on the goals and tasks of the Polish youth in Germany, Walenty Biedka, who was president of District III of the Union of Poles in Germany from 1929 to 1931, summarised the importance of the Polish youth and the ideas within the Union for young Polish people as follows: the Polish youth should be educated, pious, engage in sports activities and be organised in Polish clubs and groups. They should grow up with a deep sense of connection to Polish culture, literature and language, so that in time, worthy representatives of the Poles in Germany could emerge from their ranks.[12] This was a fundamental goal for the Polish youth in order to be able to guarantee the continuation of the work of the Union of Poles in Germany in the future.

 

Natalia Kubiak, June 2020

 

[10] See Loew, Peter Oliver: Wir Unsichtbaren. Geschichte der Polen in Deutschland, p. 132; see Poniatowska, Anna: Organizacja Związku Polaków w Niemczech, p. 39.

[11] Translation from the Polish, in: Polak w Niemczech 1972, p. 1 f.

[12] See Młody Polak w Niemczech 1932 (2/3), p. 2 f.

Cover of the May edition of “Młody Polak w Niemczech” from 1930.
©
Union of Poles in Germany / Porta Polonica
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  • Fig. 1: “Mały Polak w Niemczech” from 1933

    Title page of the June edition of the children’s magazine as a supplement to the official press organ of the Union of Poles in Germany.

  • Fig. 2: “Młody Polak w Niemczech” from 1930

    Title page of the first edition from April, with a reference to the fact that this is the former youth periodical “Zdrój”.

  • Fig. 2.1: “Mały Polak w Niemczech”

    Various images from the children’s magazine.

  • Fig. 3: Illustrations by Janina Kłopocka

    Various graphics by Janina Kłopocka, who also created Rodło emblem.

  • Fig. 4: “Młody Polak w Niemczech” from 1931

    Embroidery pattern for a napkin in the September edition as an example of instructions for handicrafts in the magazine.

  • Fig. 5: “Młody Polak w Niemczech” from 1930

    Illustrated poem about spring in the May edition.

  • Fig. 6: “Młody Polak w Niemczech” from 1938

    Title page of the July/August edition with the symbol of the Polish scouting movement in Germany – in the centre: the Rodło emblem.

  • Fig. 7: “Młody Polak w Niemczech” from 1935

    Crossword puzzle in the January edition.

  • Fig. 8: “Młody Polak w Niemczech” from 1938

    Polish Christmas carol, “Lulajże, Jezuniu”, in the December edition.

  • Fig. 9: “Młody Polak w Niemczech” from 1936

    Title page of the August edition with a photograph of Józef Piłsudski to commemorate the Battle of Warsaw (also known as the “Miracle on the Weichsel”).

  • Fig. 10: “Młody Polak w Niemczech” from 1931

    First page of the November/December edition with a statement by the editors of “Młody Polak w Niemczech” on editorial problems and delays with regard to the publication of the youth periodical.

  • Fig. 11: “Młody Polak w Niemczech” from 1934

    Title page of the April edition with an appeal to the Polish youth in Germany to double the readership of “Młody Polak w Niemczech”.

  • Fig. 12: “Młody Polak w Niemczech” from 1938

    Title page of the February edition. Call to attend the Congress of Poles in Germany, which was held in Berlin on 6 March 1938.

  • Fig. 13: “Młody Polak w Niemczech”

    Various title images of the youth periodical.

  • Młody Polak w Niemczech
    Overview of printing, publishing, editing and administration.
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