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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Feitzingerowie. Cieszyński epizod w historii polskiej książki masowej

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Printing industry has belonged, since the second half of the XIXth century to the best-developed industrial branches in Cieszyn Region. There appeared here a great number of active printing-editing centres in such places as the capital of the Region and Biała, but also in Bogumin, Frysztat or Ostrava. The modem local cultural goods market was co-created by the effectively working, multi-generation publishing company of the Feitzingers. It built its market offer, first of all, from what might enjoy the easiest sales. Edward, the son, printed, for example, all sorts of calendars, well-selling and profit-yielding Series of folk booklets, books designed for followers of two Christian denominations existing in the Region, hand-books and specialist books, school hand books, as well as post-cards of Cieszyn and neighbouring towns. His company, however, flourished mainly thanks to the so-called „feitzingers”, that is copies of „trashy” and cheap market-fair kind of literature, printed in mass quantities and designed for adults, youth and children. This type of literature was in great demand.Nowadays the contribution of the Feitzingers in the cultural life of Cieszyn Region is recognized without a doubt. It has been underlined, in the literature of the subject, that their role in preservation of the Polish identity in Silesia was particularly valuable in the times of shaping the national consciousness and their activity for the initiation of a wider readership among the Polish community in the Region has also been appreciated, especially if one takes into account the fact that the community lacked inner needs or cultural competence that are necessary to perceive literature of a more sophisticated level.