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with ideological themes, to the benefit of the former category in terms of new titles published and actual sales.
In 1970, some 9,086 books and 1,901 brochures were published in 95.9 million and 19.9 million copies, respectively, a considerable increase over the total output of 7,974 books and brochures published in a combined total of 29 million copies in 1937. Almost 90% of the books published were in Polish, with. about half of the remainder in English. Over 85% of all publishing in 1970 involved new titles, and total production was divided by category, as follows:
| Percent of Titles | Percent of Copies | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific | 37.7 | 5.3 |
| Professional | 25.8 | 17.1 |
| Higher school texts | 10.6 | 2.5 |
| Popular literature | 10.3 | 16.7 |
| Belles-lettres | 8.2 | 19.8 |
| Schoolbooks | 4.4 | 24.5 |
| Children's books | 3.0 | 14.1 |
| Total | 100.0 | 100.0 |
Since the mid-1950's the Polish regime has been importing increasing numbers of non-Communist publications and films, including selected Western European and U.S. newspapers and periodicals, although in the 1960's the numbers of specific periodicals fluctuated because of both fiscal and political considerations. Nevertheless, in 1970 some 42.6 million copies of 13,270 newspapers and periodicals from 22 foreign countries were imported, more than double the 20 million copies of 9,395 such publications imported in 1960. Much of this material consists of professional and technical periodicals, but also includes several major Western dailies which are imported in limited numbers for government and party use as well as for the larger libraries and for sale at selected tourist outlets. The most important countries of origin of such imports, by number of different titles, are West Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and the U.S.S.R., in that order. Although the Soviet Union accounts for only 11% of the titles imported, it provides about 86% of the total number of copies of imported publications. Much of this Soviet material, however, comprises political and other propaganda in the form of pamphlets which are disseminated without regard to demand.
Despite the inroads of television on the role of movies as a medium of information and entertainment, film presentations, especially documentaries and short subjects shown by various mass organizations at "houses of culture" (see above under Artistic and Cultural Expression) retain an important place in the public information system. By contrast, however, the number of regular motion picture theaters decline from 3,418 in 1960 to 3,285 in 1970; attendance fell over the same period by more than one-third, to 137.6 million in 1970.
The film industry, nationalized in 1945, is administered by the Main Office of Cinematography subordinate to the Ministry of Culture and Art. In 1970 there were eight major units for the production of full-length feature films and filmed TV productions, operating out of three main cinematographic studios: in Warsaw, Lodz, and Wroclaw. In addition, there were six other film "ensembles" for the production of documentaries, cartoons, and educational films.
Domestic production of feature-length films rose from four in 1950 to 28 in 1970; in the later year 35 additional films were made expressly for television by regular film studios. In addition, several hundred short and medium-length films were produced for television by the Television Film Production Enterprise, directly subordinate to the state-monopoly Polish Radio and Television. The majority of imported films continue to be of Western origin. Of the 450 full-length films (including productions for television) imported in 1970, 125 were U.S., 48 Soviet, 77 British, 57 French, 26 East German, and 23 Italian; the remainder were imported from 14 other countries. Attendance figures indicate that U.S. films continue to be the most popular, followed closely by domestic Polish productions, French and British films. An increasing number of short and medium-length film imports have been specialized, technical presentations, predominantly from Western countries.
K. Selected bibliography (U/OU)
Professor Alexander Giejsztor's (et al.) History of Poland (Warsaw, 1968) is a sociologically oriented view of Polish history through Polish eyes, although propagandistic at times in its treatment of the sociological and political changes of the postwar period. Konrad Syrop's Poland (London, 1968) is a somewhat more narrowly conceived sociological and political profile of the Polish people against a historical background, but constitutes a good, short introduction to Polish society and its characteristics.
Other sociological analyses include Wallow Lednicki's Life and Culture of Poland (New York, 1944), which centers on the historical aspects of Polish culture as reflected in and molded by literature, its heroes, and myths. Gertrude Godden's Murder of a Nation: German Destruction of Polish Culture
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