Kultura książki w Liskowie

Abstract

Lisków had been a neglected, rundown village that had had nothing to offer to its unwilling to accept any change residents but primitive living conditions. In the course of several years Lisków changed into a model village that provided for people a good example to follow not only district- or provincewide, but even countrywide. Since the beginning of XX century the peasants’ mentality began to change mainly due to the many-sided, educational and cultural activity of Father Wacław Bliziński, who was a local parson since 1900 till 1944. He started with tackling the problem of widespread illiteracy, initially by organising covert teaching and reading reports in Catholic and patriotic newspapers, then by establishing schools, libraries, social and cultural organizations. Books were absolutely indispensable and often the only available means of educating local people, thereby overcomming obscurantism and backwardness. These were books and magasines – collected by Father Wacław Bliziński for the use of the local community – that awoke and stimulated the need for culture and education. The long-standing activity of the priest turned out to be very fruitful. Lisków became the oposite of the stereotypical, backwarded, twentieth-century Polish village. Contrary to most of other villages. Lisków had a lively cultural life even in times of annexation, before Poland gained independence.