We are pleased to report that Jan Olaszek, a two-time winner of FNP?s START programme, has received the Polityka History Prize for his book Rewolucja powielaczy. Niezależny ruch wydawniczy w Polsce 1976?1989 (Mimeograph Revolution: The Independent Printing Movement in Poland 1976?1989).
The book by Jan Olaszek, a historian who won START fellowships in 2012 and 2013, is the first work presenting a full history of underground publishing in the Polish People's Republic. As put by one of the jurors for the competition, Dr Marcin Zaremba, ?There have been carnation revolutions and rose revolutions, but the revolution in Poland smelled of laundry paste, which was used for homemade production of printing ink.?
The book from the Trzecia Strona publishing house was honoured in the category of scholarly works and popular scholarship.
The Polityka History Prizes have been awarded since 1959 for works devoted to modern Polish history. The jury is composed of distinguished Polish historians and representatives of Polityka weekly, and this year included Prof. Włodzimierz Borodziej, Prof. Dariusz Stola, Dr Bożena Szaynok, editor Marian Turski, Prof. Wiesław Władyka and Dr Marcin Zaremba.