A traitor, a thief and a comedian. The image of the Czech in the Polish satirical press of the first years of independent statehood (1918–1926)
A traitor, a thief and a comedian. The image of the Czech in the Polish satirical press of the first years of independent statehood (1918–1926)

Summary/Abstract: The article presents the image of the Czech created by the Polish satirical magazines in the years 1918–1926. The authors analyzed five following titles of such a profile: “Mucha”, “Szczutek”, “Wolna Myśl Wolne Żarty”, “Bocian” and “Kocynder”. The interpretation of the satirical image of the Czech emerging from the analyzed material was placed in a wide context of the relations between Poland and Czechoslovakia at the time. The authors characterized the satirical press, explaining its distinctive roles in the Polish media system of the time. The profiles of specific magazines and their authors were described. The analyzed satires were reviewed from two different perspectives – on the one hand as the reflection of the relations between Poland and Czechoslovakia, on the other as the expression of the views of their authors and their environments. Due to the fact that the relations were marred by conflicts, the image of the Czech perpetuated on the pages of the Polish satirical press was simplified and filled with negative emotions, which may have made an impact on forming pejorative stereotypes of the southern neighbours.

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