Półświatek przestępczy na łamach lubelskiej prasy jidysz (1918-1939)
The Criminal Underworld on the Pages of the Yiddish Press from Lublin (1918-1939)

Summary/Abstract: Next to an informative function an important element of the contents of the largest and most popular Yiddish newspapers published in Lublin between two world wars, such as Lubliner Tugblat, or Lubliner Unzer Express, was providing sensational news. This included reports and descriptions of the criminal underworld, both Jewish and Christian. Among the most frequently discussed topics of the demimonde were: Polish-Jewish cooperation in criminal acts, depiction of the milieu of thieves, swindlers, pimps, prostitutes, or traffickers in women, as well as vivid portraits of the best known local criminals and reports on their most important “achievements.” Most articles and notes concerned current affairs but historical pieces were published as well, mainly Jakub Waksman’s texts devoted to the history of the Jewish underworld in Lublin at the end of the nineteenth century. The main function of these texts was to offer readers simple entertainment and satisfy their desire to experience the exciting atmosphere of horror and the uncanny. Descriptions of the underworld also served as a warning, as they contained information about common methods of theft, fraud and tricks practised by professional criminals. Such texts also had a didactic dimension as they usually assured that each crime would be discovered and the perpetrators duly punished.

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