"Dżentelmen zalet ducha i ciała". Męskie anonse towarzyskie i matrymonialne zamieszczane w latach 1930–1932 w czasopiśmie „Fortuna Versal”

The author analyses personal ads, including offers of marriage, published in Fortuna Versal during the Great Depression. The magazine proves to be a particular source of knowledge about average people whose everyday life changed dramatically in that period and who sometimes made desperate attempts to improve their situation. Not much is known about Fortuna Versal itself. According to its editorial note, it was published in Poland, the United States and France, and was distributed by bookshops, newsstands, etc. It published personal ads of both men and women. This article focuses on the former who, as it turns out, were often interested in finding not so much love but a solution to their economic and housing problems. The content of these short texts was dictated by the intentions and needs of their authors, reflecting their male self-image. It was influenced by the economic recession that also affected Poles, causing unemployment and radical decline in quality of life. Analysing the content and phrasing used, the article emphasises the unique character of the ads. They are a true product of their economic and financial times, where romanticism gives way to pragmatism, cold calculation and a strong need to improve one’s standard of living. Men adopt a practical approach towards themselves, their potential partner/spouse and living together. Those interested in marriage, or rather benefits related to it, employ a number of strategies. Most of them are direct, clearly stating that they need cash to start a business, buy a car or pay for a trip to Africa. Some men resort to writing sentimental and heart-breaking stories from their lives, hoping to find a well-off woman who could give them financial stability. However, those that look like typical ‘buy and sell’ ads seem to prevail.