Literatura w ruchu: działalność londyńskiego Związku Pisarzy Polskich
Literature on the Move: The Activities of the London-Based Polish Writers’ Union

Summary/Abstract: The article analyses the activities of the Union of Polish Writers Abroad (ZPPnO) in London. The subject has been taken up in order to show the role of this organisation in shaping Polish literary culture outside the country, protecting and archiving the output of emigrant authors and popularising their works. The analysis is inspired by Jorge Luis Borges’ metaphor of the infinite library, which symbolises literary dispersion and the attempt to organise and integrate the emigrant creative output. The article presents three main issues. The first is literary identity in an intercultural context – how emigrant literature builds links between Poland and the global circulation of ideas. The second aspect is the role of literary prizes and the publishing activities of the ZPPnO, with particular emphasis on the Literary London Journal. The third and final element of consideration is the research on emigration literature, the documentation and archiving of works by the Research Centre on the Legacy of Polish Migration. The analysis is based on an interdisciplinary approach, combining literary studies, migration studies and cultural theory. In particular, reference is made to Homi Bhabha’s concept of third space, which emphasises the hybridity of identity and literature emerging at the intersection of different cultures. The research takes into account the analysis of historical documents, archival testimonies and publications of the ZPPnO and refers to the existing literature on the subject. In conclusion, the article emphasises that emigrant literature is a ‘literature in motion’ – dynamic, crossing borders and constantly redefining its place in the cultural space. ZPPnO acts as a kind of guide, sorting out the scattered traces of emigrant creative works and integrating them into the global literary heritage.

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