Identity Statement

Reference Code

HU OSA 300-50

Title

Polish Unit

Date(s)

1951 - 1994

Description Level

Subfonds

Extent and medium (processed)

3116 Archival boxes, 389.5 linear meters
28 Archival card box, 8.82 linear meters
1 Rolls of 35 mm microfilm in microfilm cabinet, 0.05 linear meters

Context

Name of creator(s)

Polish Unit of RFE/RL Research Institute; RFE/RL RI

Content and Structure

Scope and Content (Abstract)

Materials in this subfonds include press clippings, news agency releases, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty research papers and background analyses, Information Items, index cards, posters, leaflets, telexes and letters.
The records of the Polish Unit give a broad picture of postwar Polish political life, economics, culture and arts, religions, media, social, trade union and military issues. The files on the Solidarity movement give a wide picture about Poland in 1980-1985.
Originating from unofficial and non-public but usually reliable sources (interviews with refugees, escapees, and dissidents), the Information Items also have a special value among the records, but unfortunately in 1973 the evaluators deleted most of the originals, and now these are researchable only in microfilm format.
The biographical files, together with the biographic sections of the Subject Card Files, contain invaluable information on thousands of individuals playing major or less important roles in Poland's political, economic, and cultural life.
The collected correspondence and telex materials are also valuable parts of the series.
The Polish Unit has two very special and interesting series, which partly contain confidential documents even, on the Polish Secret Intelligence Service, and on different RFE operations. These are the Interviews with Jozef Swiatlo, Andrzej Czechowich, Mieczyslaw Lach and Andrzej Smolinski.
The RFE News Bureaus' and the Confidential Reports also give a special and unic picture of Poland and the political movements in the 70's.

Accruals

Not Expected

Conditions of Access and Use

Conditions governing access

Unknown

Languages

English, French, German, Polish, Russian

Description Control

Archivist's note

Arranged by Mikolaj Kunicki, Isabella Main, Miklós Bányász, Lajos Ludmann, and Miklós Tamási; described by Miklós Tamási, July 11, 2002.