Mit amerykańskiego Zachodu na łamach czasopisma „Wędrowiec” (1863–1906)

Abstract

In the article I have examined the way in which the American West of 1863–1906 was shown in the Warsaw magazine “Wędrowiec”. I have mainly focused on articles published from the late 1870s to the year 1906, when the last issue of the weekly appeared. I have chosen this specific magazine, because it specialized in issues concerning geography and travel. Throughout the period when “Wędrowiec” was published, the subject of the American West of 1863–1906 appeared in over 150 issues. Thus, one may risk a statement that the subject was quite popular with the readers. It is also to be stressed that no other region of the USA was given so much attention as the West. The magazine published the highest number of articles in the 1870s and 1880s. In the 1890s and at the beginning of the twentieth century the subject appeared only sporadically, which was due to both the change in the nature of the magazine and smaller interest of the readers in the United States. The subject of the American West, complex and exotic, was very attractive. However, with time and with the progress in the colonization process, it was difficult to find topics which had not been discussed up till then. Despite that, all major changes taking place in this region were duly observed. Also regions which earlier had not caused much interest among readers started to be reported on. The readers could also observe changes in the image of the Far West. Articles appearing in “Wędrowiec” throughout the period it was published dealt mainly with: Indians, Mormons and the Chinese. Other inhabitants of this area did not attract so much attention.