BBC Polish Section launches 78 years ago
September 7 marks the 78th anniversary of the first broadcast by the BBC Polish Section, which existed from 1939 to 2005 as part of the BBC World Service.
On the programme were reports, interviews, commentaries and a regular news service. During the war years, the broadcaster also transmitted encrypted messages for the Polish underground, among others by specially-selected songs.
After the war the BBC Polish Section continued its programme in Polish despite being constantly jammed in then communist-ruled Poland. The 1970s saw a stop to the jamming, but it was resumed in 1981 after the Polish authorities introduced a state of martial law in Poland.
The section's Warsaw office opened in 1996.
The BBC Polish Section was closed together with nine other foreign-language services on October 25, 2005, the move motivated by the BBC's plans to launch an Arabic TV service. Its last broadcast was aired on December 23 2005. (PAP)
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