Publishing House “Yugoslavia” and Yugoslav Propaganda Abroad from 1956 to 1962

Abstract

The article analyzes the work of the Publicistic-Publishing Institute “Yugoslavia” (1956–1962), whose primary tasks were “foreign propaganda” and the promotion of socialist Yugoslavia abroad. Placing the institution within the context of the global Cold War, the article provides a detailed examination of the institution itself, its functioning, personnel policy, content, and major publications, while also revealing the broader system of Yugoslav “propaganda” activities abroad. The research is based on unpublished archival material that sheds light on the significant role played by the Publicistic-Publishing Institute “Yugoslavia” in promoting the country in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Summary: In the mid-1950s, as the Yugoslav state gradually developed its own foreign-policy doctrine of non-alignment, based on peaceful coexistence and equidistance from the blocs and characterized by establishing ties with newly independent postcolonial states, a concrete need arose for the active promotion of the country abroad, primarily in order to alleviate pressures coming from both the East and the West. At this point, as one of the state’s responses, the Publicistic-Publishing Institute “Yugoslavia” was established as an institution intended to produce and disseminate a wide range of materials concerning the political, social, and ideological, as well as cultural and artistic, life of Yugoslavia. Acting as a link between the Secretariat for Information and other important state and party institutions on the one hand, and Yugoslav embassies on the other, the Institute played a notable role within the system of global promotion of the country. Nevertheless, in addition to certain irregularities identified shortly before its closure, the Institute suffered from a serious shortage of personnel, particularly highly qualified staff, which ultimately affected the quality of its work. One of the Institute’s most important publications was the Information Bulletin on Yugoslavia (1956–1959), which was published in several world languages. The journal was distributed worldwide, primarily through Yugoslav embassies, which disseminated it systematically. As its most representative publication, the Information Bulletin covered almost all of the propaganda themes featured in the Institute’s repertoire, while quantitative analysis shows that particular emphasis was placed on economic and social issues.