"A gift of a book for Wrocław and Silesia" – post-war social campaigns for Polish libraries in District II Lower Silesia from 1945-1948 on the base of choosen resources

Abstract

Poles displaced to the so-called Recovered Territories, organizing here the social life, struggled with the lack of Polish books. An acute shortage was felt by the entire community, especially by children, pupils and students from Wrocław universities rebuild from the ruins. In order to satisfy the hunger for the Polish word and Polish books, there were organized numerous of social campaigns, both nationwide, regional and local. The authors of this campaigns were the central authorities and representatives of the Lower Silesian administration, as well as associations established in the District II, and finally private persons acting in the field of education, culture or entertainment. Books obtained thanks to social campaigns were the beginning of libraries book collections.