Forgotten great Polish writers

JonnyM 11 | 2607

6 Jul 2011 / #1

It's the anniversary of Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński's death this week (he was murdered during the war). His writings are as fresh today as they ever were and he was one of the most interesting and dynamic figures of pre-war Polish life.

To celebrate his life, there's a walk round Warsaw, conducted by a PTTK guide among others, visiting the places he lived, worked and performed in. It starts outside Miodowa 3, at 11am on 9 July and should last about 2 hours.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadeusz_Boy-%C5%BBele%C5%84ski

Worth adding that the guide and talk is in the Polish language.

Marynka11 3 | 639

6 Jul 2011 / #2

When I was 17 or 18 I read a set of his articles collected in the book "Reflektorem w mrok". He was way ahead of his times, and as I was reading the book I thought he was way ahead of early 90ties too. It was one of the books that influenced me for life.

jon357 73 | 23112

3 Aug 2015 / #3

Merged: Antoni Lange - and other forgotten great Polish writers

Very sad that he seems almost forgotten now. I'm reading Miranda at the moment, which he wrote in 1924 when he was quite old. Unfortunately an English translation isn't available any more as far as I can see, however it's very readable in the original deserves to be. It's an amazing work of pre-war modernist literature and very accessible.

Antoni Lange (1863 - 17 March 1929) was a Polish poet, philosopher, polyglot (15 languages), writer, novelist, science-writer, reporter and translator. A representative of Polish Parnassianism and symbolism, he is also regarded as belonging to the Decadent movement. He was an expert on Romanticism, French literature and a popularizer of culture of Eastern cultures. His novel Miranda is known in some circles.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoni_Lange

His poetry is excellent too:

Poeta rzuca okiem wstecz
I własne czyny swoje waży -
Czy jeszcze ogień w nim się żarzy,
Czy nie pordzewiał jego miecz?
.....

From the Deuteronomion, 1902

Some of his stuff is available free (he died in 1929 so out of copyright) on wolnelektury.pl

There are so many Polish writers, among the greats, who deserve to be better known outside Poland. I'd include the playwright Miron Białoszewski among them, and Hoene-Wroński for his non-fiction. Tuwim is well enough known in Poland and great fun to read but just doesn't seem to translate well.

Looker - | 1129

5 Aug 2015 / #4

Very interesting writer - so versatile and bright. Polish education is not promoting him, nobody seems to care of his achievements now.
I found some ranks of most underestimated and overrated Polish writers. I'm amused that Lange isn't in any of them. Maybe because he is really so unknown? Not commercial enough - Sapkowski type is much better bestseller :/

It's a shame.

niniwa22.cba.pl/pisarze_niedocenieni_pisarze_przecenieni.htm
xiegarnia.pl/artykuly/najbardziej-przeceniani-i-niedoceniani-polscy-pisarze