Painting eggs or richly laid tables for breakfast seem to be something obvious for many. However, holidays in Poland were not always like this. In the period of the People’s Republic of Poland, access to various foodstuffs was significantly limited. How did the Poles cope at that time and what were they doing to uphold the tradition?
Easter in the People’s Republic of Poland National Digital Archive
Easter customs in Poland. What was Easter like in the People’s Republic of Poland?
It is no secret that the communist authorities were against the Christian religion. Although Poles had a difficult opportunity to celebrate all important Catholic holidays in a traditional way, they did everything to maintain the traditions cultivated for centuries. The media tried to focus the attention of citizens on trifles, such as doing general cleaning or taking a peaceful break from work with the family. The churches were almost bursting at the seams with the faithful during the resurrection. Just before the blessing of food, in most Polish homes, according to custom, Easter eggs were painted. Although the contents of the baskets were modest, they did not lack a symbolic slice of bread, salt, horseradish or previously prepared eggs.
Easter in the People’s Republic of Poland National Digital Archive
Easter dishes. Although there was a shortage of groceries, the Easter breakfast was not meager
The main problem when preparing Christmas dishes was the fact that the stores were short of goods. Food was distributed on the basis of ration cards, but the lines were so long and the supply of groceries was limited that only a few managed to redeem the vouchers. Although getting ham, any other meat or eggs was almost a miracle, during the time the tables were bent under the weight of the dishes. Poles have found a way to get the most necessary products outside the system. Most often, these ingredients were obtained from rural farmers who had their own animals for slaughter. It was not uncommon for families to buy a pig together, which was killed just before Christmas and turned into sausages or smoked meats. Food stamps available in stores also covered other groceries, including jellies or sweets. Their purchase often required a doctor’s certificate, as all sweets were assigned based on age and criteria such as pregnancy or gluten intolerance.
Easter in the People’s Republic of Poland National Digital Archive
On Monday, however, the media eagerly reported on one of the most important traditions of that day, i.e. Ĺmigus-Dyngus. In most towns and villages, backyard wars, in which not only water was poured on each other, but also … eggs were thrown.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
