ZIELONA GÓRA'S LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN THE FIRST POST-WAR YEARS

• Authors: Zaradny R.
• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

Zielona Góra was organising its social and political life in an environment typical for the post-war period of the Regained Territories.The specificity was owed to the population made by people coming to the west from all parts of the pre-war Poland. These inhabitants could not have the feeling of security of their status. The insecurity and uncertainty of tomorrow must have influenced their actions and attitudes. What is more, the newcomers had brought with them their own mentality shaped by the family environment (mostly rural), and much differentiated. All of them had been affected by the war trauma and post war exodus, and were morally and psychologically shattered. It is difficult to determine what influence the reality had on their activities and attitudes. It is likely that they were indifferent to the reality and the only thing they cared about was the effort to support themselves and their families. Such a state satisfied the new authorities of Poland as it is to the newcomers that they addressed their social and political project promising profits unattainable before. Due to the advocated 'social justice', the authorities gained the social support. The war in a specific way affected the intelligentsia, and the lack of this social class was perceptible especially in the western territories with uncertain future. People with at least a secondary education background were able to find jobs easily in the 'old' Poland. The 'wild west' attracted people who either were forced to come there, who had the pioneer spirit or who were looking for an easy life. That is why the post-war difficulties had much greater negative impact here than in the remaining parts of Poland. The lack and weakness of the manpower was increasing the organisational chaos and adding to the political conflict. The disintegration of the Zielona Góra society and the lack of social cohesion bonds had a significant influence, as it seems, on the life quality in the town. The everyday concerns were preoccupying people and the remaining problems were left to those who had the ambitions of becoming leaders. When they were moved to the 'sphere of power', they were unable to identify with the world which was not theirs and for which they were unprepared. They were fulfilling the role of a 'class alibi' for the party leaders. The latter had also questionable qualifications to fulfil their roles.

Keywords

EN

NEWCOMERS; POST-WAR PERIOD; REGAINED TERRITORIES

Discipline

• POLITICAL_SCIENCES: POLITICAL SCIENCES

• Publisher: Lubuskie Towarzystwo Naukowe
• Journal: Rocznik Lubuski
• Year: 2007
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 205-228
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Zaradny R.

• R. Zaradny, Uniwersytet Zielonogórski, Wydzial Politologii, ul. Podgórna 50, 65-246 Zielona Góra, Poland

Identifiers

CEJSH db identifier

08PLAAAA04558789