The Struggles for Poland

Having just acquired this book, I don't yet have any observations on its content; but i do want to comment on something that has emerged since it was published. The book does make considerable mention of the underground press and publishing movement in Poland during the 1980s and early 1990s, and comments that there were large networks of clandestine presses working in Poland at a time when private individuals were prohibited in law from owning or using printing equipment or duplicators (Gestetners or Roneos to those in the know; American readers would be more familiar with the generic term 'mimeographs').

It has since emerged that at least some of these clandestine presses were kept supplied with their illegal equipment via the CIA; and show more to disguise their involvement, front organisations were established in the West to facilitate what was made to look like private, freedom-minded individuals passing surplus duplicating equipment on to desperate users in the East. At least one such organisation in the UK went under the campaigning name of 'Dupers for Poland" and was organised amongst some of the larger private holders of such machines, science-fiction fans.

It is instructive to note that at that time, the Thatcher government in the UK liked to appear supportive of free trade unions - as long as they were in Poland and not the UK.

More when I've read the book (especially as it deals with the whole of the twentieth century). show less