Советская действительность на страницах варшавской газеты российских эмигрантов „Меч”
Soviet realities by the Warsaw Russian emigrants’ weekly "Mech"

Summary/Abstract: In this study the materials dealing with the Soviet realities published in Warsaw by theRussian emigrants’ weekly “Mech” during a year period (the first 45 issues) are analyzed. Theanalysis constitutes a segment of historical and political context prevailing at that time in Poland,especially of its complex relations with the Soviet Union. In retrospect one can observe a distinctturn in the weekly’s activity explained partly by a change of its form - from a magazine tonewspaper (issue 21) which demanded replacement of is analytic way by more informative attitudeand partly by separation from emigrant centre in Paris. The air of publications reflected difficultsituation of the emigrants, though all information this way or another dealing with the Soviets wasfilled with biting comments and sheer anti-Soviet rhetoric. Also a clear quantitative tendency isshown in the number of the Soviets related publications, from 1-3 in the initial period up to 11-13by the end o f the period under the study. The scope of issues was also widening embracing economy,political life, repression, education, Soviet manhood, etc. The publication type change is also tracedevolving to a more eye-witness, document support, interview, Soviet source mentioning, citationfrom contemporary Soviet literature depicting real life columnistic kind. The material analyzed givesmuch food for thought about the character of the Russian identity and its tragic split.

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