Naprzód

Naprzód (Polish for "Forward") is a Polish socialist periodical brand with roots in the late 19th-century Galician labour movement. The title was decided at a secret meeting of Galician socialists on 20 December 1881, and the first issue appeared on 1 January 1892. At its founding congress on 31 January–2 February 1892, the Galician Social Democratic Party (later PPSD) adopted Naprzód as its official party organ. The name is usually linked to Adam Asnyk's line "trzeba z żywymi naprzód iść, po życie sięgać nowe" ("one must go forward with the living, reach for new life"), and possibly also to the German socialists' contemporaneous paper Vorwärts. From 1892 to 1948 Naprzód was one of Kraków's leading dailies, alongside the conservative Czas, the liberal-democratic Nowa Reforma, the Christian-democratic Głos Narodu and the general-interest IKC. It was the first socialist daily published on Polish lands and, together with Robotnik, held a leading position in the socialist press of Kraków, Galicia and, in the Second Polish Republic, western and central Lesser Poland. As the main organ of the Polish Socialist Party of Galicia and Cieszyn Silesia, it represented the left-leaning part of society, campaigned for democratisation and better material conditions for poorer classes, especially workers, and supported Józef Piłsudski's independence efforts. Besides politics and social affairs, it devoted substantial space to cultural and literary topics, both before 1918 and in the interwar period. Until 1 October 1934 Naprzód was an independent publication; from then on it became a mutation of Robotnik. Its last issue, no. 224, appeared on 2 September 1939. In 1945–1948 it was published as the organ of the PPS-WRN District Workers' Committee in Kraków. A later revival, "Naprzód. Pismo ludzi pracy" ("Naprzód: A Paper of Working People"), appeared from September 1988 to April 1990, issued by the re-established Polish Socialist Party (PPS) and edited by Krzysztof Ślusarek. A further contemporary incarnation exists as a WordPress-based weekly, Naprzód!, which states that it continues the tradition of the paper published by the PPS in 1892–1948 and appears every Monday (the "About" page says every Friday at six o'clock). The brand's identity is thus that of a socialist press title rather than a commercial consumer product: its "offerings" are newspaper issues, editorial columns and political commentary. Its historical readership ranged from Galician workers to interwar left-wing intelligentsia, and its modern online version addresses Polish left-wing readers with commentary on current politics, labour rights and economic policy.

The decision to publish Naprzód was taken on 20 December 1881 at a secret meeting of Galician socialists. The first issue appeared on 1 January 1892. At its first congress, held 31 January–2 February 1892, the Galician Social Democratic Party (later PPSD) recognised the paper as its party organ. The title is generally traced to Adam Asnyk's poem line "trzeba z żywymi naprzód iść, po życie sięgać nowe", though some link it to Vorwärts, the organ of German socialists founded around the same time. From 1892 to 1948 Naprzód was one of Kraków's principal dailies, alongside the conservative Czas, the liberal-democratic Nowa Reforma, the Christian-democratic Głos Narodu and the general-interest IKC. It was the first socialist daily to appear on Polish lands and, together with Robotnik, led the socialist press in Kraków, Galicia and — in the Second Polish Republic — western and central Lesser Poland. As the main organ of the Polish Socialist Party of Galicia and Cieszyn Silesia, it represented the left-leaning part of society, fought for democratisation and improved material conditions for the poorer classes, especially workers, and supported Józef Piłsudski's independence aspirations. It helped shape the programme of Galician socialists. Alongside political and social content, cultural and literary themes occupied an important place, both before 1918 and in the interwar years. Until 1 October 1934 Naprzód was an independent publication; from that date it became a mutation of Robotnik. Its final issue, no. 224, was published on 2 September 1939. During 1945–1948 it appeared as the organ of the PPS-WRN District Workers' Committee in Kraków. In September 1988 – April 1990 a paper titled "Naprzód. Pismo ludzi pracy" revived the tradition, published by the Polish Socialist Party re-established in 1987. Issues 1–10 were published by the Founding Committee of the PPS local organisation in Nowa Huta, and from issue 11 by the Małopolska District Committee of the PPS (linked to the TKK PPS). Its editor-in-chief was Krzysztof Ślusarek. A contemporary WordPress-based weekly, Naprzód!, states that it continues the tradition of the paper published by the PPS in 1892–1948 and appears every Monday (the "About" page says every Friday at six o'clock). Editors-in-chief over the decades included Jan English (first publisher and editor), Ignacy Daszyński (from January 1893), Tadeusz Reger, Emil Haecker (from 1895), and during World War II Józef Cyrankiewicz, Adam Rysiewicz and Edward Hałoń. After 1945 the paper was issued by the Committee, and from 1946 by J. Dąbrowski and J. Wiśniewski. Circulation and frequency evolved: in 1892 the Kraków Naprzód had a print run of 880 copies, rising to 2,200 in 1902 and 1,000–6,000 in 1914. In the interwar period it ranged from 3,000 to 15,000 copies, and after World War II it reached 15,000. Until 1894 it appeared fortnightly, then weekly from 1895. From 1900 to 1939 it was a daily. From 30 April 1919 it carried the subtitle "Organ PPS". During 1939–1945 it was published two to three times a week.

• 1990

  The revival ceases publication in April.

• 1988

  Revival as "Naprzód. Pismo ludzi pracy" from September, published by the re-established PPS.

• 1945

  Resumes as organ of the PPS-WRN District Workers' Committee in Kraków (until 1948).

• 1939

  Last issue (no. 224) published on 2 September; during the war it appears two to three times a week.

• 1934

  From 1 October Naprzód becomes a mutation of Robotnik.

• 1919

  From 30 April it carries the subtitle "Organ PPS".

• 1900

  Naprzód becomes a daily, a format it keeps until 1939.

• 1895

  Emil Haecker becomes editor-in-chief; publication frequency changes to weekly.

• 1893

  Ignacy Daszyński takes over the editorship in January.

• 1892

  First issue published on 1 January; PPSD recognises it as party organ at its first congress (31 January–2 February).

• 1881

  Decision to publish Naprzód taken at a secret meeting of Galician socialists on 20 December.

Socialist press organ and left-wing opinion weekly; historically the leading socialist daily of Kraków and Galicia.

• Naprzód daily

  Kraków socialist daily published 1892–1948, party organ of PPSD/PPS.

• Naprzód. Pismo ludzi pracy

  Revival published September 1988 – April 1990 by the re-established PPS.

• Naprzód! online weekly

  WordPress-based weekly continuing the tradition, published every Monday.

1. 1Naprzód! official websitenaprzod.wordpress.com
2. 2O Naprzodzie | Naprzód!naprzod.wordpress.com
3. 3Naprzód – Wikipedia (Polish)pl.wikipedia.org
4. 4Naprzód – Wikidatawikidata.org