Chwila (the Moment), Jewish-Polish daily, published in Lviv (Lwow), 1919 -- 1939, 1919-1939 | Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust

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Collection Overview

Title: Chwila (the Moment), Jewish-Polish daily, published in Lviv (Lwow), 1919 -- 1939, 1919-1939

Predominant Dates:1919 -- 1924

ID: RG-94/RG-94

Primary Creator: Chwila Publishing Association, 1920 -- 1939

Other Creators: Chwila (the Moment), editorial board and contributors (1919 -- 1939)

Extent: 0.0

Languages: Polish

Abstract

Chwila (Moment), Jewish daily edition in Lviv from 1919-1939. Published in Polish.

Chwila, an acclaimed professional publication of moderate Zionist orientation, reported international and domestic affairs with a special emphasis on Jewish political and socio-economic life in Galicia and Poland. It also reflected on Jewish-Polish and Jewish-Ukrainian relations. It was read all over Poland by Jews and non-Jews. A cohort of the talented Jewish writers, journalists, and public figures debuted on its pages.

Published by the Chwila Publishing Association in 1920 -- 1939.

Executive Editors,

G. Zipper, H. Rosmarin, Leon Weinstock, H. Hescheles

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Published under auspices or rather in-line with ideological milieu of Jewish national (Zionist) aspirations, this publication established itself as a highly responsive to all-things Jewish periodical. Chwila's narratives, reflective and reactive, often exaggerative have become intrinsic to Jewish national discourse unfolding in the course of 1918 -- 1939 (the interwar period) in Eastern Galicia.

Polish language Jewish periodical of centrist Zionist and overall a humanistic agenda never failed to deliver a message of a national paradigm, transpiring in the responses to everlasting challenges and occupying Jewish intelligentsia with the existential realities of perpetuating necessity of choices to be made here and now.

Collection Historical Note

In the course on the interwar period, Chwila was taking an independent position in relation to the existential political and social developments in Eastern Galicia, Poland and international affairs.

The periodical covered extensively and in its own political and journalistic terms the Polish-Ukrainian war over Eastern Galicia, the Steiger Trial (1924 – 1925), the assassination of Simon Petliura (May 1925); the Polish-Jewish Rapprochement known as Ugoda (the Agreement); election campaigns to Polish Sejm (Parliament) and the Senate; the activities of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists; ethno-national tensions in Poland, the role and perspective of the new course in Polish politics known as Sanation; antisemitic tendencies in the politics of Polish governments, the economic setbacks and the increase of poverty of Jewish population; the rise of National Socialism in Germany and subsequent rise of autheritarism of Polish central and regional authorities and the inevitable advent of the war with Nazi Germany – to name just the major themes in the publications.

Jewish national intelligentsia, largely professionals and men and women of liberal professions made Chwila a high-class Jewish-Polish periodical read not only by Jewish circles but also by Polish and Ukrainian readership.

The East Galician Zionist Organization and Chwila as its official publication were perhaps the only political establishments in Jewish society of Poland that endorsed the neutrality in Polish-Ukrainian military conflict over Eastern Galicia with persistent neutrality. In the Polish-dominated political milieu and under the factual governance of Polish military and civil authority, the Zionist endorsed political and military neutrality definitively translates in to anti-Polish and pro-Ukrainian stand or in other words a commitment to the right of nations to self-determination.

Prominent Jewish-Polish political, public and societal figures were associated with Chwila. The circle comprising the editorial board and permanent contributors include Jewish politicians, literati, public figures and professionals. Chwila gained the reputation of highly professional and well balanced publication oriented to the Jewish National Cause.

Devoted protagonist of National Jewish Cause and talented literati constituted the core of the authorship. They were Leon Reich, Henryk Hescheles, Henryk Adler, Leon Weinstock, Fiszel Rotenstreich, Emil Sommerstein, Ignacy Schwarzbart, Adolf Rothfeid, Emil Schmorak, Ludwik Mund, Juliusz Worzel, Bernard Singel and Ezriel Carlebach.

A new generation of Polish-Jewish modernist writers published narratives on the pages of Chwila. Most of these names would later constitute the core of the new Polish literature. Here they are: Debora Vogel, Artur Sandauer, Chaim Loew, Pinchas Kon, Jehuda Warszawiak, Leon Gutman, Rachela Auerbachowna.

Editorial Board and Contributors largely represented the course of the Eastern Galician Zionist Organization. Its leadership regarded a cooperation, if not a political union, with the Ukrainian national movement in Eastern Galicia as one of its priorities.

In the course on the interwar period, Chwila was taking an independent position in relation to the existential political and social developments in Eastern Galicia, Poland and international affairs.

Like other Polish Jewish publications, Chwila criticized radical assimilation, supported Jewish national revival, and called for the building of a Jewish state in Palestine. At the same time, it stressed the value of contributions to Polish culture made by assimilated Jews. One of its recurring themes was the situation in higher education, reflecting the concerns of Jewish students at the University of Lwów, and the question of the numerus clausus (enrollment quotas).

The paper devoted more attention than other dailies to local and regional issues (e.g., it had a column titled “Z gminy żydowskiej” [From the Jewish Community]) and featured regular news about communities in the smaller southeastern towns (Chwila Drohobycka and Chwila Tarnopolska [Drohobycz and Tarnopol Chwila, respectively]). This local focus also reflected Chwila’s interest in Galician Jewish culture; it featured articles about the region’s towns, luminaries, and Jewish writers.

Biographical Note

Chwila publishing association published Jewish daily Chwila of general zionist orientation in 1920 -- 1939 in Lwow (Lviv)

Subject/Index Terms

Box and Folder Listing

Document/Artifact of Item-Level 3: RG-94.03, Chwila. Friday 2, September 1921. No. 941

Chwila (Moment), Jewish daily edition in Lviv from 1919-1939. Published in Polish.

Subject/Index Terms:: Chwila, analytical narratives; Chwila (the Moment), editorial articles; Chwila, newspaper, Jewish (Polish); Advertisements in Chwila, 1921; Periodicals, Jewish, interwar Poland; Zionist Congresses, reflected in Chwila, 1919 -- 1939; Balfour Declaration, reflected in Chwila; Vocational education and training for Jewish girls, discourse, reflected in Chwila; Documents in Polish language; Narratives in Polish language

Creators:: Chwila (the Moment), editorial board and contributors (1919 -- 1939); Chwila Publishing Association, 1920 -- 1939