The social and national-cultural phenomenon of 'Bialowieza' literary association

Abstract

The Belarusian Literary Association 'Bialowieza', the only organization of this kind among all national minorities in Poland, was established on June 8, 1958 Within 60 years of its creative activity, more than 260 different genre editions have been published – volumes of poetry, prose, essays, translations, studies and historical-literary monographs, including two magazine titles. The output of Belarusian writers in Poland is an inseparable, organic part of the social and cultural life of the entire Belarussian community settled in the Polish context. The output is characterized not only by high literary and aesthetic, but also cognitive and educational value. The works of the members of this Association serve as the generator of national ideas, accumulating the most important values and national codes, protecting them from oblivion, as well as their own language, customs, traditions, beliefs – to finally stop the assimilation processes, remaining real 'guardians of memory' (T. Zaniewska).