Polish Artistic Intelligentsia in the Fight Against Fascism During the Second World War

Abstract

Of a special interest to contemporary researchers are the topics related to the history of the second world war, especially concerning the “artistic intellectuals and the war”. No doubt that from the point of view of regional studies, this issue is relevant because it contributes to the further development of theoretical and methodological approaches to it, and the replenishment of factual knowledge about the features of tackling it in different regions. In this article, the issue is dealt with on the example of artistic contribution of the Polish intelligentsia in the struggle against fascism during the second world war. Poland was fully occupied and subject to regulations established by the occupying forces. It was in that country that the rules of the“New Order” were tried and tested, later to be introduced in other countries, including the occupied territories of the USSR. In October 12, 1939 in the Gazette of the Third Reich was published a decree on the General government in the Eastern parts of the Polish lands, while the Western ones were annexed to the Reich. The official programme in the field of culture for the Poles was also officially announced. It was actually aimed at the destruction of the Polish national culture. Many of the artists of Poland during the second world war were connected with the Resistance movement. They contributed to the struggle, creating works of fine and performing arts, music and cinema. In difficult illegal conditions there was even restored the process of teaching all types of art to young people by way of caring about the post-war development of national art creativity.

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