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The Polish Writers' Union in Gomułka's Polish People's The Polish Writers' Union in Gomułka's Polish People's Republic, 1956-1970 A thesis submitted to The University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities 2019 Iwona Skorbilowicz School of Arts, Languages and Cultures Table of Contents Main Abbreviations 3 Abstract 4 Declaration 6 Copyright Statement 6 Acknowledgments 7 Introduction 9 Chapter 1: The Institutional Profile of the Union of Polish Writers 31 Chapter 2: The Polish Writers’ Union: The System of Benefits and Privileges 65 Chapter 3: Antoni Słonimski and Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz at the Helm: Two Presidencies compared 107 Chapter 4: The Polish Writers’ Union and the Issue of Censorship 152 Chapter 5: Primary Party Organisation as a Mechanism of Control over the Polish Writers’ Union 209 Conclusions 254 Bibliography 270 Word Count: 79, 152 2 Abbreviations GUKPPiW -- Główny Urząd Kontroli Prasy, Publikacji i Widowisk (The Main Office for the Control of the Press, Publications and Performances) KCZZ -- Komisja Centralna Związków Zawodowych (The Central Commission of the Trade Unions) POP -- Podstawowa Organizacja Partyjna (Primary Party Organisation) PZPR -- Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza (The Polish United Workers’ Party) ZLP -- Związek Literatów Polskich (The Union of Polish Writers) 3 Abstract This study aims to analyse the specific context of changing cultural policies under Władysław Gomułka’s rule, providing a detailed analysis of the specificity and fluctuating nature of the relationship between literati and the Party-state from 1956 to 1970. This important period, is, in fact, underrsearched in existing scholarship. On the basis of a wide-range of previously unstudied archival sources, the thesis provides new evidence to demonstrate that the relationship between the regime and literary circles was, at least to some extent, symbiotic and, at times, mutually accommodating. It highlights and analyses various aspects of the relations between power and culture, offering new evidence to highlight their multifaceted nature and complexity in the aftermath of the Kremlin-initiated de-Stalinisation campaign across the Soviet bloc. Using the situation within the Polish Writers’ Union as its case study, the thesis demonstrates that, despite the repressive political system and the Party-state’s aim of exerting complete control over literary production, some writers and the Union of which they were members had agency and were able to affect the existing situation, obtain greater benefits, and, at times, even expand their agency and directly or indirectly contribute to political change. The thesis attempt to ascertain the degree of agency cultural figures had under the communist rule and analyse the ways they could exert it is the most original part of the thesis. The study further evaluates the levels of control over the Union and concludes that the Party-state often struggled fully to control not only the Union but even its own main tool of control, the Primary Party Organisation. The reduction in the regime’s control, following Stalin’s death, and the increasing levels of the writers’ agency had considerable repercussions in post- 4 Gomułka Poland. Finally, the dissertation provides evidence that continued protests, the emergence of an oppositional faction and demands for free speech in the 1960s, however indirectly, influenced later changes in the censorship system, the emergence of the Solidarność movement and political change in Poland. 5 Declaration No portion of the work referred to in the thesis has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or other institute of learning. Copyright Statement The author of this thesis (including any appendices and/or schedules to this thesis) owns certain copyright or related rights in it (the “Copyright”) and s/he has given The University of Manchester certain rights to use such Copyright, including for administrative purposes. Copies of this thesis, either in full or in extracts and whether in hard or electronic copy, may be made only in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended) and regulations issued under it or, where appropriate, in accordance with licensing agreements which the University has from time to time. This page must form part of any such copies made. The ownership of certain Copyright, patents, designs, trademarks and other intellectual property (the “Intellectual Property”) and any reproductions of copyright works in the thesis, for example graphs and tables (“Reproductions”), which may be described in this thesis, may not be owned by the author and may be owned by third parties. Such Intellectual Property and Reproductions cannot and must not be made available for use without the prior written permission of the owner(s) of the relevant Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions. Further information on the conditions under which disclosure, publication and commercialisation of this thesis, the Copyright and any Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions described in it may take place is available in the University IP Policy (see http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=2442 0), in any relevant Thesis restriction declarations deposited in the University Library, The University Library’s regulations (see http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/about/regulations/) and in The University’s policy on Presentation of Thesis. 6 Acknowledgments If you can’t fly, then run If you can’t run, then walk If you can’t walk, then crawl, But by all means, keep moving (Martin Luther King Jr.) Admittedly, this PhD project was impacted by life drama and I often crawled forward very slowly. I kept moving though and there are a lot of people who helped me move forward. First of all, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to my main Supervisor, Prof. Vera Tolz for inspiring me, already during my undergraduate degree, to embark on a PhD adventure. A full-hearted thank you goes to Dr Ewa Ochman for inspiring me not to quit when I was so close to giving up. I am grateful to both of my fantastic Supervisors for their constant support, endless meetings, time and energy they put in to supervising my PhD project. Most importantly, however, I thank you for being there for me in some of the hardest times of my life, for advice, kind words and emotional support without which I would not have been able to get to the end of this long obstacle course of a PhD. Thank you to both of you for being far more than my Supervisors, for going beyond and above your job description which made many of my fellow PhD students jealous. I would like to thank the ESRC North West Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership and CEELBAS AHRC Centre for Doctoral Training for providing funding for my research project. I would also like express my gratitude to the Postgraduate Research Office at the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures at Manchester University for making my life as easy as possible regarding the administrative side of doing a PhD and being so patient with my multiple inquiries. Many thanks to Dr Konrad Rokicki for sharing his knowledge and vast resources which he so generously has been lending me for years, thus allowing me to build my own private library at home. It is much appreciated. 7 To Stephen for never-ending listening about the Polish Writers’ Union and my two fascinating men, Iwaszkiewicz and Słonimski, most of the time not even knowing which one was which. To Auntie for believing in me when I did not believe in myself, and thank you for giving me unconditional love and support, for the hours of phone conversations, for helping me get through the hard times and sharing happiness in the good times. Most importantly, thank you for being proud of me for no particular reason, just because I am me. To my friends who never judged, to whom my value as a human being was never connected to my achievements or the lack thereof. A special thank you to Justyna for being in my life, for being the family I never had and for always being there for me. Lastly, I want to thank myself for the perseverance, determination and stubbornness to get to the end despite life getting in the way of my research project. Well done for proving to myself that I can do anything I put my mind to and realising that I am definitely a person who never gives up. 8 Introduction: The Polish Writers' Union in Gomułka's Polish People's Republic, 1956-1970 This thesis explores the nature of the relationship between power and culture under the communist regime in Poland between 1956 and 1970, focusing particularly on the interactions between the governing structures of the Polish United Workers’ Party (Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza – PZPR) and the Union of Polish Writers (Związek Literatów Polskich – ZLP). Two of those years, 1956 and 1970, that initiated spells of loosened political restrictions in cultural production and diminished levels of control over Union’s activities. However, the period in between was characterised by fluctuating cultural policies, with the regime from the late 1950s taking steps to tighten control over literary production. As Gomułka was the longest serving First Secretary, coming to power on the wave of the so-called post-Stalin Thaw that began in the USSR and affected the entire Soviet bloc the period of investigation is particularly notable due to the complexities of the relationship between the authorities and literary circles. The 1960s witnessed fluctuating levels of control and the emergence of open protest against the Party-state politics. Yet this period has attracted less scholarly attention than both the earlier and later stages of communist rule. This thesis aims to contribute to a better understanding of the period and its importance.
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