Anarchism in Poland first developed at the
turn of the 20th century under the influence
of anarchist ideas from Western Europe and
from Russia.Prior to Polish independence from
the Russian Empire, several anarchist organizations
emerged within the area that would become
the Second Polish Republic.
The first of these, known as "The Struggle",
formed in Białystok in 1903.
In the following years similar organizations
established themselves in Gniezno, Warsaw,
Łódź, Siedlce, Częstochowa, Kielce, and
other towns.
One of the most active, a group known as "International",
had its base in Warsaw.
This group, composed of Jewish workers, organized
strikes throughout the city during the Polish
insurrection of 1905.The tsarist régime (which
controlled much of Poland before 1914) acted
with a high level of despotism.
The authorities commonly fired on demonstrating
workers.
In January 1906 the authorities arrested sixteen
members of the International group and shot
them without trial.
The strong repression of these groups led
them to engage in terrorist acts such as assassinating
police officers or the owners of large factories.
Many also robbed banks to gain funds.
Meanwhile, anarchists in Poland began to feel
the influence of anarcho-syndicalism.
The followers of anarcho-syndicalism rejected
terrorism and organised revolutionary trade
unions and propaganda activity.
Significant Polish theorists of anarchism
and anarcho-syndicalism included Edward Abramowski
(1868-1918), Jan Wacław Machajski (1866-1926),
Augustyn Wróblewski (1866-1923) and Rafał
Górski (1973-2010).
== See also ==
Communism in Poland
Liberalism in Poland
== Notes ==
== External links ==
"Anarchism in Poland".
Spunk Library.
Official site of Federacja Anarchistyczna
Centrum Informacij Anarchistycznej Poland
