Listy Jakuba Goldszmita do Józefa Ignacego Kraszewskiego
Jakub Goldszmit’s Letters to Józef Ignacy Kraszewski

Summary/Abstract: The introduction to the letters treats of the writings of Jakub Goldszmit (Janusz Korczak’s paternal uncle) in the role of assimilation movement activist, his relations with Józef Ignacy Kraszewski and his attitude to Jewish cases included into integration. Goldszmit’s creativity is described against Jewish-Polish literature, referred to here as literature of self-creation projected and supported in the weeklies such as “Jutrzenka” (1861–1863) and “Izraelita” (1866–1915). The papers were created from the perspective of Jewish authors in Polish and on Jewish matters, and made use of the conventions of the then literary culture. Kraszewski’s favourable attitude towards the Jews from the period he edited the daily “Gazeta Codzienna / Polska” (1859–1862) was emphasised and highlighted, and linked to pro-civilising position and Polish-Jewish “uniting” against the background of pre-uprising manifestations (1861–1862). The comparison of journalistic texts from “Jutrzenka” and “Gazeta” allows to discern that both authors search for close relations also in religion (monotheism, ethics of the Decalogue) and link some of its moral rules with Enlightenment ideals (egalitarianism, brotherhood, human rights and human dignity).

• Details
• Contents