‘Happy People of the World, Unite!’ Nude Activists Making Sense of the Crisis in 1980s and 1990s Poland

This article analyses the shifting narratives surrounding Polish nude activism during its emergence and eventual decline between the 1980s and early 1990s. Drawing on a wide range of sources – from archival records and media reports to oral histories and private archives – this article reconstructs ways in which nude activists negotiated and reacted to the changing social and economic landscape. It examines how naturism was portrayed in late socialist media as a form of social and erotic escapism and sheds light on how activists navigated the new political reality after the regime change, launching their own adult magazines and even founding the Polish Erotic Party. By focusing on this overlooked aspect of Polish history, the article reveals the paradoxical nature of activist narratives under late socialism and highlights the critical role played by gender and sexuality in the daily experiences of political and economic transformation.