Galician Periodicals for Children and Adolescents in the Time of Positivism

Abstract

This article presents seven periodicals for children published in Galicia in Positivism (“Przyjaciel Dzieci” 1861-1866, “Opiekun Polskich Dzieci” 1867-1873, “Promyk” 1872, “Towarzysz Pilnych Dzieci” 1876-1883, “Przyjaciel Zwierząt” 1879-1880, “Światełko” 1883- 1892 and “Mały Światek” 1887-), demonstrating their specification (in relation to analogical periodicals of that time in the Russian and Prussian partitions), which stemmed above all from the realities of the Austrian press law of 1862 and the autonomy of this country, from 1867, within the Austria-Hungary political structure. What is more, literary and popular, concerning the field of national history, texts could legally be printed in Galicia, which was forbidden in the Russian and Prussian Partitions. Nevertheless, practically all periodicals struggled with lack of interest from the audience, hence financial problems.