Non-Interned Thought Publishing Company

The article outlines the history of Non-Interned Thought Publishing Company (WMN), which operated in Kraków in the years 1982-1989 beyond the reach of communist censorship. A year after Tomasz Gugała established an underground journal Myśli Nieinternowane [Non-Interned Thoughts] in April 1982, young people working in an underground structure formed a publishing house – Wydawnictwo Myśli Nieinternowanej [Non-Interned Thought Publishing Company]. Its basic premise, which was never abandoned, was to create a society alternative to the Communist reality. From the very beginning of its activity, WMN was based on market mechanisms. This formed natural, economic and social ties in the structure of the company and resulted in regular publication of 5 periodicals, many books, commemorative publications and also providing printing service. All contributors were paid for their work, and thus market relations were established. WMN financed the production of offset printing machines, an underground university, a public opinion research center, culture, art and science. Through the counterintelligence of its Special Section, WMN counteracted communist propaganda and was involved in sabotage actions. However, numerous arrests in 1986 seriously weakened WMN. Despite this fact, the Company continued its operation until May 3, 1989.