The role and tasks of Polish emigrants in Sweden in the years 1945-1980 in the light of émigré journalism

Abstract

After the end of the Second World War in 1945 there were about 15 thousand Polish citizens in Sweden. During the next few years half of them re-emigrated to Poland. Those who remained in Sweden brought to life several different organizations. Periodicals such as „Wiadomości Polskie”, „Jedność”. Kwartalnik kulturalno-polityczny Polskiego Związku byłych Więźniów Politycznych, „Polak. Przegląd Tygodniowy” became political and cultural promoters among members of the Polish diaspora. In the nearly 40-year-period that is presented in the article Polish emigrant circles in Sweden set themselves one superior political aim – it was the struggle for regaining Poland's complete sovereignty. However, there often appeared quite different points of view on the role that should be played by Polish emigrants with respect to Poland. They were mainly postulates of giving mutual help, of taking care of maintaining the Polish culture and language, as well as of being active in the economic field. The émigré press was limited by the meager publishing possibilities; the magazines did not appear regularly and their circulation was small. Observation of Swedish political life was very important for formulating the tasks facing the emigrants, which resulted in constantly emphasizing the democratic values in the development of countries and nations.