Centrally planned economy on the march in Lubusz Land (1945–1955): Progress reports in the national press

Abstract

This article is intended as a supplement to the accounts of the adoption the centrally planned economy on the territory of the historic Lubusz Land in 1945–1955. It began in all seriousness in 1947 with the Three-Year Plan of Economic Reconstruction, and found its continuation in the Six-Year Plan of Economic Development and Building of the Foundations of Socialism (1950–1955). On both occasions the launching and the goals of the plan were hailed on the front pages of the country's main newspapers, Rzeczpospolita, Dziennik Polski and Trybuna Ludu. The signifi- cance of that news was driven home by a campaign targeting readers of virtually every newspaper and magazine. Not only were they informed about the benefits of economic planning, but they were also encouraged to join in the great project and become a socialist hero, whose ambition is raise standards and break productivity targets. In their coverage of the post-1945 economic development of the Lubusz region Rzeczpospolita, Dziennik Polski and Trybuna Ludu among others report on great progress in all spheres of activity, i.e. stocktaking the region's resources, restoring broken down industrial plant and infrastructure, creating new workplaces, expansion and modernization of manu- facturing, integration of the economy of the region with the Polish economy. The reports also note the positive effect of Lubusz Land’s economic development on the strengthening of social ties and the overall adjustment of its migrant population. The successes of postwar reconstruction were not mere propaganda, nor did the journalists merely toe the government line. Often enough the papers did report on the discontent and frustration among Lubusz’s workers over the ever rising production targets and the failure of the management to pay more for higher output.