“Opoka w Kraju” (The Bedrock in a Country). The magazine’s monograph

Abstract

The periodical “Opoka w Kraju” may be classified into the mainstream of national magazines. Such a view can be corroborated by the magazine’s references to the Catholic ethics, perception of the nation as the highest value, historicism, the role of a family in maintaining one’s identity and a life in accordance with the Latin civilization. In its columns, the magazine presented the role of the nation, the national vision of the state, foreign policy, and the importance of religion. The essence of the national identity and culture was being emphasized, part and parcel of which was the stereotype of a Pole as a Catholic. The magazine was also moralistic in its character. It presented the effects of actions incompatible with the Catholic ethics and described some political formations which were not concerned about the Polish national interests. An important aspect within the scope of ideas presented in “Opoka w kraju” was a dichotomous view of the world, consisting of potential allies and disclosed enemies. “Opoka w Kraju” was a family magazine. Its predecessor “Opoka w Kraju” was published in exile, in London between 1963 and1988 by Jedrzej Giertych. A year after his death in 1993, the magazine started to be published in Poland by Jedrzej’s son – Maciej Giertych. “Opoka w Kraju” was based mainly on the political thought of Roman Dmowski, Felix Koneczny and Jedrzej Giertych. For this reason, its programme policy has not changed since 1969.