"Książka Nowego Czytelnika". Literatura dla byłych analfabetów przeszkolonych w Polsce w latach 1948-1951

Abstract

The subject of this study is combating adult illiteracy in the People's Republic of Poland. The existing knowledge concerning the topic has been supplemented with the analysis of the archival documents, currently being in possession of the Central Archives of Modrn Records in Warsaw. The significant number of analyzed documents, as well as their great variety, enabled to gain a new, broader perspective during the research. The study refers mainly to the period between 1948 and 1951. It is not exactly the time when the campaign of combating illiteracy took place (officially performed between 1949 and 1951). But in fact it was initiated during the school year 1948/49. Moreover, it was a crucial year, as in the autumn of 1948 the culture begun to be stalinised. Combating illiteracy was one the elements of this process. The campaign was officially completed until 1951, when the phenome non of illiteracy was proclaimed to be conquered. However, the consecutive undertakings were also conducted, in order to avoid the risk of functional illiteracy. There was even a bill passed in 1953, introducing the groups of readers, developing the skills gained during the courses. Also the publishing series "Books for New Readers" was addressed especially to the former illiterates, trained during the combating illiteracy campaign. The books were published between 1950 - 1956 and are the study's predominant topic. This thesis is divided into four chapters. The historical background described in the first one shows the tradition of fighting illiteracy - the phenomenon increasing throughout the Polish territories all the 19th century long. The reaction was the social movement supporting combating illiteracy, resulting in establishing such organisations as Society of People's School or Polish School Heritage. That background presents those previous achievements of combating illiteracy as well as traditions that communists took advantage of. The second chapter's topie is combating the illiteracy in the People's Republic of Poland. It describes how illiterates were recognised in the society, in what way they were encouraged to train new skills and how attending the courses was made possible for them. The analysed documents include censors' reviews of manuals, press articles, letters wrote by former illiterates and other valuable records. The main chapter is the third one. lts subject is the publishing series "Books for New Readers". The research aim is to answer the question: in what way the published literature was prepared (if not altered) in order to adjust it to the naive, adult reader. The answer is based on the research comprising the selection of authors, texts and subjects. On analysing the books' introductions, annotations and circulations. The last chapter's topic is censoring "Books for New Readers". Selected censors' reviews were analysed, to find out if any extraordinary rules concerning the series were applied. The communists were combating illiteracy not only in the name of the social progress, but mostly motivated by their quest to broaden the possibilities of ideological indoctrination - during the courses organised for illiterates and later on. This is why the selection of manuals and other publications addressed to former illiterates was so biased. The strategic importance of the matter was expressed by Vladimir Lenin himself: "Socialism cannot be built by illiterates".