The Wendish Research Exchange - Kaleta, Petr: Poles and Polish Themes in the Journals “Łužica” and “Serbski Student” During the Interwar Period

Lětopis Abstract 2013 2: Kaleta, Petr: Poles and Polish Themes in the Journals “Łužica” (1921−1937) and “Serbski Student” (1919−1937) During the Interwar Period

This text analyzes the presentation of Polish literature and culture among the Sorbs of Lusatia under the new conditions of the Weimar Republic. It is divided into two basic parts, the first one is devoted to Łužica and the second one to the new journal of the Sorbian students called Serbski Student. In both journals, less space was devoted to Polish topics than in the pre-war journal Łužica.

The main role in this journal was played by the painter, writer and journalist Měrćin Nowak-Njechorński, who first popularized Polish issues during the years 1926–1928 in the journal Serbski Student through his articles and short translations, and later through extensive reports from his own travels. In the journal Łužica, where he wrote about Polish issues during the years 1927–1928, Nowak’s enthusiasm for Poland is also evident in the translations of the Polish writers Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer and Stefan Żeromski, as well as from one travelogue. Another significant figure was Ota Wićaz, whose translations published in Łužica in the years 1930–1935 familiarized the Sorbs with the work of the Polish poets Julian Ejsmond, Jan Kochanowski, Maria Konopnicka, Lucjan Rydel, Antoni Lange and Adam Mickiewicz. In addition, in 1936 he selected translations of fairy tales by Ignacy Krasicki. In the 1930s, Serbski Student discovered another Polonophile and the future significant Sorbian writer Anton Nawka, who published contributions on Polish topics during the years 1934–1936.