The communist "polonia" society and Polish communities in the West

Jan Lencznarowicz

pp. 100-115

in: Stanislav J. Kirschbaum (ed), Historical reflections on central Europe, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 1999

Abstract

Towarzystwo Łączności z Wychodźstwem "Polonia"^l (Society for Contact with the Emigrants "Polonia"), renamed in 1959 Towarzystwo Łączności z Polonią Zagraniczną Polonia" (Society for Contact with Poles Abroad Polonia") was established in Warsaw on 18 October 1955. Until 24 March 1990, when it was decided at its seventh congress to dissolve the organi-sation, the "Polonia" Society, as it became known, carried on its activities among Poles and people of Polish origin mainly in Western Europe, North and South America, and Australia. It had few contacts with Polish groups in communist countries and it was not until the 1980s that it established closer ties with some Polish conununities and individuals in the Soviet Union. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the role of the "Polonia" Society in the context of the Polish People's Republic's policies towards Polish emigrants and people of Polish origin in the West.