International Journal of Language & Linguistics

To Explore the Past - A Great Value of Polish Ephemera Printed in Lower Silesia after World War II
Marta Śleziak

Abstract
The article discusses scientific potential of Polish ephemera printed in Lower Silesia in the postwar period (1945–1948). Analysis, examples and conclusions given, base on explorations carried out in years 2012–2015 and focus on collection of ephemera found at the Wrocław University Library. First of all, it will be shown how scientifically interesting are the unique ephemera for many knowledge fields. Ephemera – especially examined by book scientists so far – are valuable source material for historians, sociologists, communicologists and also linguists. Then, the specificity of collected items will be presented according to language, topics, forms and text composition. The article discusses how the complicated postwar situation in Lower Silesia had a significant impact on ephemera. Finally, a few ways of further analysis will be proposed. This method could concern both newspeak and genres of ephemera.

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