Bibliografia druków ciągłych drugiego obiegu wydawniczego z lat 1980-1990 na obszarze regionów NSZZ "Solidarność" Śląsko-Dąbrowskiego, Podbeskidzia i Częstochowy

Bibliography of the Polish Independent Press Circulation in the Three ‘Solidarity’ Regions: Silesia-Zaglebie, Podbeskidzie and Czestochowa, 1980–1990
The ‘second circulation publishing’ is a Polish social phenomenon resulting from the imposition of Russian communism on Poland after 1945 and then during the Cold War. This new occupation, following the German one, led to the imposition of a whole system of restrictions on Polish civil liberties. One of these was the creation of the Main Office of Press, Publication and Audience Control [Glowny Urzad Kontroli Prasy, Publikacji i Widowisk – GUKPPiW], which acted as a censor through which every printed word had to pass.
In response to the lying propaganda and aggressive communist censorship of the Polish People’s Republic, many communities, ideologically and socially diverse, started publishing independent prints outside the reach of the state control apparatus. They became part of the independent publishing movement between 1976 and 1990. It is estimated that by 1990, i.e. the moment censorship was lifted in Poland, more than 6,000 titles of independent periodicals (journals, newsletters, and services).
The presented bibliography continues the intention to compile a nationwide bibliography of continuous prints during second circulation publishing which was initiated by the similar devoted to Krakow and Lesser Poland. Now, the book takes into account three regions of the ‘Solidarity’ movement: Silesia-Zaglebie (based in Katowice), Podbeskidzie (based in Bielsko-Biala) and Czestochowa, which make up the current Silesian Voivodeship.
This arrangement by ‘Solidarity’ regions applied to research on independent writing stems from the intention to compare individual publishing centres in different parts of Poland. The structure of the ‘Solidarity’ movement, the largest opposition organisation, served as a point of reference for research on other structures operating in the area (farmers' and students' trade unions, political parties and other organisations).
As a result of the research, it was possible to collect information on almost 600 titles published in the area of activity of the above-mentioned ‘Solidarity’ regions. This electronic publication (or ‘living book’) contains descriptions of 578 titles from this area (Silesia-Zaglebie – 424, Podbeskidzie – 69 and Czestochowa – 85 titles).