The Office of the People's Republic of Poland in Krzysztof Kieslowski's documentary in the context of the novel Tadeusz Biala's Office and the publication of "Tribune Ludu" Cover Image

Biurokracja PRL-u w dokumencie Krzysztofa Kieślowskiego w kontekście powieści Urząd Tadeusza Brezy i publikacji z „Trybuny Ludu”
The Office of the People's Republic of Poland in Krzysztof Kieslowski's documentary in the context of the novel Tadeusz Biala's Office and the publication of "Tribune Ludu"

Author(s): Edyta Żyrek-Horodyska
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature, Polish Literature
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: biurokracja; urząd; Krzysztof Kieślowski; Tadeusz Breza; „Trybuna Ludu”

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the essay is to analyze Krzysztof Kieślowski’s short documentary “The Office”, a film portraying the paradoxical character of the 1960s bureaucracy in Poland. The film is discussed in the context of original literature and press releases concerning that issue. A comparison of the images of bureaucracy presented in Kieślowski’s documentary, Tadeusz Breza’s novel Urząd [The Office] and texts in Trybuna Ludu reveals the specific character of the film. It is worth considering to what extent Kieślowski’s work plays a polemic game with the image of an official as promoted in the press and literature of the times, and to what extent it may be regarded as just following the common stereotype.

  • Issue Year: 12/2015
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 382-400
  • Page Count: 19
  • Language: Polish