Half a century of "Our Past"

Abstract

The "Our Past" journal aims to publish studies on the history of the Church and Catholic culture in Poland. He researches the history of the Church, religious orders, theology, missionary work and social issues related to Polish culture. The first issue of the periodical was published on December 7, 1946. Although initially the periodical was modest, it soon gained recognition in the scientific community. This initiative resulted from the need to fill the gap in church historiography in Poland after many years of national captivity. The first attempts of this type were made after regaining independence, but there was no regular publishing house that could integrate researchers and publish their works. In 1946, the journal "Nasza Przeszłość" was established and took up this task. Father Alfons Schletz, the founder of the periodical, devoted himself entirely to its activities. Although he was criticized, he constantly strived to develop the publishing house. After his death in 1981, the editorial office was taken over by Fr. Jan Dukała, who continued Schletz's work. Thanks to their work, "Our Past" has become an important source in Polish church historiography, contributing to the publication of many research works and articles. During its 50 years of existence, the periodical celebrated several events, encouraging summaries and formulating demands for changes. Despite changing publishing conditions and financial problems, "Our Past" continues its activities, being an important point of reference for researchers of the history of the Church in Poland.