This paper focuses on the significance which the memoirs of Czechoslovak politician and diplomat Juraj Slávik have for historiography, their scope, contents and the way they have been editorially prepared, as well as Slávik's career. It also includes passages from "Munich Days", documenting the dramatic developments in international relations in Central Europe at that time.
This paper reflects upon the literary genre of memoirs, their typological differentiation and their specific source value. It also refers to the unique historical testimony of poetry, which directly reflects the events of the period and the atmosphere which they bring about, as well as presenting a certain "reading of history".
The aim of the article is to examine the significance of “lesser known mountains”, namely Castle Mount, Queen Bona Mount and Mount Grabarka in the cultural consciousness of people living in eastern Poland at the turn of the 20th century (Podlasie and Volhynia). In folk tales the symbolism of the mountains was associated with the extraterrestrial world. Mountains aroused fear; they were regarded as the abodes of evil spirits and places where souls of sinners did their penance and wandered. With time the symbolism of the mountains among people living in eastern Poland began to change. At the turn of the century attempts were made to rationalise the perception of nature as well as to tame it and subordinate it to humans. Examples of such an approach include Zygmunt Gloger’s ethnographic descriptions of e.g. Castle Mount near Drohiczyn. Queen Bona Mount was to be found in Podlasie and Volhynia. A literary illustration by Halina Micińska-Kenar, entitled Pod górą królowej Bony [At the Foot of Queen Bona Mount], explores fear of the unknown — a mountain dominating the town — as well as the path of humans’ spiritual development through overcoming their weaknesses and ascending the peak. Often mountains were also associated with divine locations. An example is Mount Grabarka (Podlasie), from which flows a holy spring, symbolising a holy place and a place of remembrance. An analysis of the symbolism of the mountains in Poland’s eastern region shows what places were and are regarded as mountains as well as why and what significance was attributed to these “smaller mountains” in the cultural consciousness of people living in these regions at the turn of the 20th century.
The Flying Dutchman (Letuchiy Gollandets) from the collection Wheel (Koleso) belongs to the forgotten part of Andrei Bitov’s memoir-like prose. This short story stands as an epitaph for a Soviet speedway rider Gennadiy Vyunov. In his story, Bitov adds some sacred value to both speedway and the particular rider, until the sport becomes a supernatural phenomenon. The given article aims at analyzing the story and the means used to conduct the sacralization process on various levels: the plot, the language, the complex of intertextual relations, and therefore, presenting the unknown side of the well-known author of Pushkin House.
RU
The Flying Dutchman (Letuchiy Gollandets) from the collection Wheel (Koleso) belongs to the forgotten part of Andrei Bitov’s memoir-like prose. This short story stands as an epitaph for a Soviet speedway rider Gennadiy Vyunov. In his story, Bitov adds some sacred value to both speedway and the particular rider, until the sport becomes a supernatural phenomenon. The given article aims at analyzing the story and the means used to conduct the sacralization process on various levels: the plot, the language, the complex of intertextual relations, and therefore, presenting the unknown side of the well-known author of Pushkin House.
This paper focuses on the memoirs of František Ježek, politician and member of the Czechoslovak National Democratic Party (after 1935 the National Union). In 1938 Ježek was a member of the Czechoslovak cabinet as the Minister of Public Health. His text is one of the most important unpublished Czechoslovak memoirs dealing with the topic of the Munich Agreement in 1938. This manuscript provides detailed information on the activities of the Czechoslovak government and political parties in the critical year of 1938.
A well-known Russian bard, Alexander Vertinsky, like many other representatives of the first wave of Russian emigration, left behind his unfinished memoirs in which he writes of over two decades of homeless wandering around the world (1920-1943). During that time he stayed, among others, in many European countries, the USA and China. And it was in Shanghai in the early 1940s that the singer began to write down his reminiscences. After returning to his homeland, Vertinsky continued his literary work, which undoubtedly left its mark on the content of memoirs. Nevertheless, the leitmotif of Vertinsky’s memoirs is both the image of old Russia scented with nostalgic feelings, and of Russian emigrants embodying his homeland.
In the present article has been analysed portrayals of older women which appear in the memoirs of the nineteenth century Russian women writers. J. Sushkova, A. Kern and A. Smirnova-Rosset in their memoirs most often depict remarkable family members such as grandmothers and aunts, family friends. They focus on the analysis of their personalities, spiritual values and kind-heartedness rather than their physical appearance and signs of physical aging. Among the old ladies portrayed in the memoirs we encounter pious women, wise, experienced, understanding and hospitable women as well as overbearing women or even hostile towards other people. It has been proved in the article that the old women’s behaviour was determined by their age, marital status, social position, their personal qualities and life experience.
RU
Cтатья посвящена образам пожилых женщин, представленных в воспоминаниях русских дворянок XIX в. Старушки, выступающие в мемуарах Е. Сушковой, А. Керн, А. Смирновой-Россет — это чаще всего бабушки и тети авторов воспоминаний, приятельницы семей. Авторы воспоминаний обычно немного места уделяли внешнему виду своих героинь или чертам их физического старения; прежде всего их интересовали характер, достоинства сердца, духа, значит то, что самое ценное в человеке и навсегда остается впамяти следующих поколений. Среди старушек, представленных в мемуарах, были как богобоязненные, хорошие, снисходительные и гостеприимные женщины, так и не терпящие возражений, а даже враждебные по отношению к другим людям. В статье показано, что их поведение зависит как от возраста, семейного или общественного положения каждой из этих женщин, так и от жизненного опыта и черт характера.
Veniamin Korsak is a writer who represents the Russian literature of the first wave of emigration and is known primarily through a series of five autobiographical no- vels presenting the story of a simple man who went into German captivity during World War I and then returned to Russia, which was overwhelmed by civil war. Korsak’s works are a testimony of a “little man”, looking at reality through the prism of ordinary everyday affairs, instinctively trying to survive in the historical turmoil. This article is an attempt to show the specificity of this perspective on the basis of his novels.
Bishop Edward Samsel’s memoirs of his visit in the Grodno region were written at the end of 1988. They are an important source for knowing the history of the Church in Belarus (mainly of its western part) in the time of the communist regime and the formation of the Belarusian state. The memoirs refer to the folowing parishes: Adamowicze, Bala Koscielna, Grodno, Holynka, Indura, Labno, Sylwanowce, Teolin and Perstun. They are written in a lively language which makes reading interesting.
This article is composed of three main parts: the first part briefly presents Prof. Jaworski’s professional and creative accomplishments, the second part provides a description of the most important research questions addressed by Prof. Jaworski in his scholarly work, while the last section of the article is devoted to personal recollections by the present writer, highlighting the profiles and roles of Professor Jaworski as a lecturer, scholar, intellectual, editor, science organiser and discourse partner. Stanisław Jaworski was a prominent expert in the Kraków Avantgarde group and the subsequent history of this avant-garde movement in Polish poetry in Poland as well as on changes and literary recurrences in modern Polish and European literature. His literary research techniques include a comparative perspective as an important element, whereas interpretations of poems still play a substantial part. Prof. Jaworski has written a groundbreaking work Piszę, więc jestem? [I write therefore I am?] introducing new ideas and methods in genetic criticism, the approach to the study of literature Prof. Jaworski adopted and developed. The present article identifies common ideas and ways of thinking in research and poetical creative work.
PL
This article is composed of three main parts: the first part briefly presents Prof. Jaworski’s professional and creative accomplishments, the second part provides a description of the most important research questions addressed by Prof. Jaworski in his scholarly work, while the last section of the article is devoted to personal recollections by the present writer, highlighting the profiles and roles of Professor Jaworski as a lecturer, scholar, intellectual, editor, science organiser and discourse partner. Stanisław Jaworski was a prominent expert in the Kraków Avantgarde group and the subsequent history of this avant-garde movement in Polish poetry in Poland as well as on changes and literary recurrences in modern Polish and European literature. His literary research techniques include a comparative perspective as an important element, whereas interpretations of poems still play a substantial part. Prof. Jaworski has written a groundbreaking work Piszę, więc jestem? [I write therefore I am?] introducing new ideas and methods in genetic criticism, the approach to the study of literature Prof.Jaworski adopted and developed. The present article identifies common ideas and ways of thinking in research and poetical creative work.
This study focuses on the phenomenon of Jewishness and its representation in memoir literature. The author concentrates both on memoirs in the true sense of the word (recorded recollections) and on variations of the genre — e.g. memoir travelogues. However, she also takes into account texts in which distinctly fictionalised elements are discernible, and which can be classified within the genre of memoirs rather than that of the short story or novella only thanks to the author’s statement (usually presented in the introduction) that the described event belongs to his or her own personal recollections. The analysed texts demonstrate various degrees of playing upon national stereotypes, but it would nevertheless be inaccurate to term them anti-Semitic. However, in the concluding part of the study attention is drawn to Jaroslava Procházková’s pamphlet Český lid a český Žid (The Czech People and the Czech Jew), in which manifestly anti-Semitic propositions are put forth, intentionally accenting the stereotype of the Jew as a dishonest trader. The communication strategy in Procházková’s writing lacks literary ambitions, and the childhood recollection presented therein is entirely subordinated to the ideology of anti-Semitism.
This paper consists of three parts: 1. The current state of research on Ivan Lobojko’s memoirs (comments of Samuel Fishman, Abram Reytblat, Marya Prussak, Reda Gruskaite); 2. The biography of Ivan Lobojko (born 1786 in Charkov, died 1861 in Mitau) and his contacts with Polish scientists (the community of Vilnius University, Samuel Bogumił Linde, Joachim Lelewel and others); 3. Two approaches to the subject “Ivan Lobojko in the Polish scientific community on the basis of his memoirs” (I. Lobojko, Moi vospominaniya. Moi zapiski, ed. A.I. Rejtblat, Moscow 2013): a) the “external” method – “The Poles about Lobojko”, a comparison of Lobojko’s memoirs and Poles’ memoires (A.H. Kirkor, A. Malinowski, T. Dobszewicz), b) the “internal” method – “Lobojko about the Poles”, a reconstruction of the profiles of Polish scientists in Lobojko’s memoirs (Zorian Dołęga Chodakowski and others).
The review deals with the comparative analysis of the second edition of the book by Kharkiv literary critic, Doctor of Philology, Professor Leonid Genrikhovich Frizman (1935–2018) “In the circles of literary critics: Memoirs essays”, published in Kyiv and Moscow in 2017. The history of the book is described in the context of the author’s creative practices and similar experiences of Russian and Ukrainian literary critics; its substantive focus, the concept embodied in it, the personal composition, style, architectonics, illustrative component and artistic design are characterized in the review. The focus is on the study of the semantic role of the corrections and additions, made by the author in the second edition. The analysis takes into account the existing critical experience of perception of the first edition of memoirs in Russia to avoid unnecessary repetition.
The article tries to summarise the forms and uses of memory writings (such as published personal diaries or memoirs), which have been written or „orally shared“ (in the case of oral history interviews) by former Velvet Revolution protagonists, university students in former Czechoslovakia. The author of this article tries to analyse and interpret them in the wide historical and historiographic context. The main aim is to assess, how these memory sources (and „student narratives“) are appropriated by „general“ Czech contemporary historiography and how they can also influence the „general“ collective memory of the Velvet Revolution in contemporary Czech society.
The article consider the view of М. Rudnyckyj to the figure of Ivan Franko, understanding of his role as a writer in the Ukrainian literary process of intermilitary period. The problem of artist and society in their contrasting and cooperation are interpreted from positions of liberal criticism, the representative of which was М. Rudnytskyj. The tragedy of Franko, in opinion of М. Rudnytskyj, is a public and intellectual vacuum, in what Franko was founded as an artist and publicman, The absence of valuable dialogue with an environment, in which he worked. Considerable attention is devoted to the memoirs of М. Rudnyckyj.
The memoirs of saint Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński were written down during the archbishop’s stay in Jarosław, where he was sent in punishment for his defense of the rights of the Church and the Motherland. The works have played an important role in the history of Polish culture and literature. The article aims at depicting the Nicholas Russia, which the future archbishop had the opportunity to become well acquainted with during his studies in Moscow at the Łomonosow University and later on at the Roman Catholic Spiritual Academy in Petersburg. In his memoirs the author criticized the Russian Empire and noted its weak points, mainly bribery, the state of education, religious awareness and the condition of the Orthodox clergy.
Vasily Shulgin (1878-1976) was a Russian political activist of the beginning of the 20th century. He is also known as an active publicist and the author of several memoir books. Born in Kiev and considering himself a "little-Russian", Shulgin acted as a supporter of the unity of Ukraine and Russia and considered his native city as the cradle of "Russianness" as well as an integral part of the whole-Russian cultural circle. Shulgin's worldview, reflected in his memoirs devoted to the years 1917-1919, became the subject of this article.
The article examines the role of memoirs in depicting the cultural and religious life of Ukraine during the revolutionary years of 1917-1921. The analysis focuses on memoirs written by contemporaries and participants of the Ukrainian Revolution. Memoirists drew attention to the issues of Ukrainian language, literature, art, and education. They depicted the efforts of cultural figures in supporting and developing Ukrainian culture, changes in the cultural environment, and society’s reaction to these changes. The authors of memoirs discuss churches and religious organizations during the revolutionary period, describing the shifts in attitudes toward religion under the influence of political changes, the interaction between the church and political structures, and the persecution of priests and monks by the Bolsheviks. They share their thoughts on the impact of revolutionary events on their personal lives, perception of culture, and religion. The article analyzes the memoirists’ accounts of meetings, communication, and collaboration with other prominent cultural and religious figures, as well as the exchange of ideas, discussions, and joint projects that contributed to the development of cultural and religious life. It is revealed that the memoirs contain information about the state of societal culture and spirituality, including beliefs, customs, traditions, and moral values of that period. In the memoirs of many Ukrainian writers, artists, and other cultural figures, moments of Bolshevik presence are described as a time of creative alienation and pressure on artistic expression. With their rise to power, Ukrainian culture became dependent on the ideology and policies of the new regime, leading to a decline in artistic quality and loss of authenticity. These cultural figures also depict the challenging living and working conditions during the revolutionary period in their memoirs. Many of them were forced to leave Ukraine or go into hiding due to political persecution. This led to a decrease in activity on the Ukrainian cultural scene and a reduction in the number of book publications. Despite the difficult circumstances, Ukrainian cultural figures continued to create and preserve cultural heritage. Many of them actively engaged in collecting and preserving Ukrainian cultural heritage, which suffered significant losses during the revolution. A common tendency in the memoirs of contemporaries of the Ukrainian Revolution of 1917-1921 is the personal perspective on events and their impacts on the culture and religion of Ukraine during the periods of the Central Rada, the Hetmanate of P. Skoropadsky, and the Directorate. They provide a historical context and offer readers a unique insight into that period, helping to better understand its significance and consequences for the cultural and religious development of Ukraine.
The purpose of this article is to explore the traditions and customs commemorated by the school community from the Austrian annexation. It presents their involvement in the celebration of national anniversaries (e. g. the adoption of the Constitution of May 3, the battle of Raclawice, uprisings) and religious ones (including Christmas, Easter, Corpus Christi, All Souls’ Day). On the other side, it shows events associated with Polish education (e. g. National Commission of Education day) and also the functioning of the school (school anniversaries, the day of the patron saint of the school). It takes into consideration the ways of commemorating the achievements of people who contributed to the history of Polish learning and culture (e. g. Tadeusz Kościuszko, Adam Mickiewicz, Juliusz Słowacki). In addition, it explores the attitudes of the teachers to Polish traditions and customs. The above issues are illustrated on the basis of selected diaries and memoirs written by pupils and teachers.
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