Censorship in the Polish People’s Republic towards writers in exile at the beginning of 1980s. Corrigenda to Czarna księga cenzury PRL (edited by Wiktor Gardocki)

Abstract

In 1977, thanks to Tomasz Strzyżewski, who took away from Poland and delivered to publication some internal documents of Główny Urząd Kontroli Prasy, Publikacji i Widowisk, unknown and shocking materials were brought to light. They were published in a book entitled Czarna księga cenzury PRL. As it turned out, by the censorship of books, magazines and other publications the government tried to control almost every sphere of life: information about current economic, social and political events as well as historical problems (for instance the Katyń case) were profoundly important. Czarna księga cenzury PRL contains also materials related to Polish culture and its representatives, among others those who emigrated. With reference to their case, some specific requirements were in force. In books and magazines published in Poland their names were crossed out, their books were not allowed to be published. Only sometimes, conditionally, pieces of specific information were tolerated; however, solely in small print run publications. The requirements published in Czarna księga cenzury PRL went into effect in the 1970s; however, they were later updated. Notka informacyjna nr 2 presented in the study is a modified, renewed version of the instruction used by censors who could give permission to publish all issues connected with Polish emigratory authors. It was prepared in May 1980.