XXX Международный конгресс ИИСАА. 19–21 июня 2019 г. Т. 1

Секция V 234 XXX Международный Конгресс по источниковедению и историографии стран Азии и Африки The aim of this paper is to outline the debate in the Polish press in 1994–1996 regarding Chechnya. Two leading weeklies were analysed: „Polityka” and „Wprost”. „Polityka” is a centre-left weekly news magazine, established in 1957. Since 1960’s, „Polityka” slowly developed a reputation for moderately critical journalism, pro- moting economical way of thinking, it has a slightly intellectual, socially liberal profile. Since the late 1990’s “Polityka” has also founded scholarships for young scientists. One of the founders and chef editor of “Polityka” from 1958 to 1982 was Mieczyslaw Rakowski (it was he who would become the last First Secretary of the Polish Communist Party, the last communist prime minister of Poland). The average circulation of “Polityka” in 2018 was 157.000 copies. “Wprost” is more conservative and was established in 1982. The weekly provides social and political commentary. “Wprost” published numerous periodical rankings, such as Top 100 Richest Poles or Top 100 Most Influential Poles. The average cir- culation of „Wprost” in 2018 was 71.000 copies. The first articles presenting a detailed description of the geopolitical situation in the Caucasus appeared at the end of 1994. A great example is the article in the “Polityka” weekly of 28 August 1994 entitled “Thorn in the Leg of an Elephant” by Zdzisław Raczyński. The author presents in brief the most important political events of the last weeks in Russia and focuses on the importance of Chechnya in a geopolitical context. In the issue no. 53 of „Polityka” on 31 December 1994 an article was published “AnotherWar in Europe” in which the eminent figures of Polish politics were asked to comment on current situation in the Caucasus. In the article, professors Krzysztof Skubiszewski (Minister of ForeignAffairs in 1989–1993) and Zbigniew Brzeziński expressed their opinion. In conclusion the article stated that the conflict in Chechnya had various aspects: political, legal, moral, economic. In reacting to this conflict and to similar conflicts, these aspects should not be separated from each other. At the turn of 1995 and 1996, articles about helping the Chechens began to appear in the Polish press. In this context, an interesting article is „Caucasus under the Tatra Mountains” from “Polityka”. The article describes the process of forming the Polish-Chechen committees and the humanitarian aid for Chechnya. There is also the article “Convoy on the Border of Fear” which presents the process of delivering 35 tons of gifts to Chechnya prepared by the Polish Humanitarian Action. The situation in the Caucasus also served as a pretext to present to the Polish readers the history of this region and its culture. The authors of these texts mostly present the history of Chechnya from the second half of the 19th century. Also, an important part of the journalism of that period were interviews with Chechen leaders, as well as with Russian historians, experts. The events in the Caucasus have also contributed to the debate in the Polish press on the nature of Polish foreign policy, primarily with regard to Russia. It is worth paying attention to the article “How to Help Russia” published in the „Polityka” in