Niemieckojęzyczna powieść (anty)utopijna pierwszej połowy XX wieku i jej recepcja w Polsce
The German Utopian Novel of the First Half of the 20th Century and its Reception in Poland

Author(s): Ewa Mirasiewicz
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Summary/Abstract: The early 20th century is a time when writers such as Kafka or Döblin come tothe fore of intellectual attention. Their works, translated into many languages, soongained recognition both within and outside of Germany – and yet, the above notwithstanding,little academic focus has been given to the notion of utopia in theirworks. It comes as no surprise that literary historians devote even less attention tolesser known German-speaking writers, who, not unlike Kafka or Döblin, also createdvisions of different worlds. Hence, the two central goals of the present sketch are:1) to acquaint Polish readers with the subject matter of the most important utopianand science fiction novels written in German during the first three decades of the20th century and 2) to analyze their reception in Poland in 20th and 21st century.The scope of the study ranges from the early anti-utopian visions of Kubin (The OtherSide) and Kafka (The Trial, The Castle) to works written in the period of late Expressionism.The article pays particular emphasis upon those German Expressionists whohitherto have not loomed large in the awareness of Polish readers (or at least not ascreators of utopias), but whose contribution to the development of the genre has beeninvaluable: among such authors is the already mentioned Alfred Döblin, with hismonumental novel Berge, Meere und Giganten, or Arnold Ulitz, the author of Araratand Testament. From the point of view of a literary scholar, it seems necessary toboth revise the critical opinions that currently prevail, and seek a wider audience forthis forgotten literature.

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