Diary 1954
Encyclopedia
Diary 1954 a book by Leopold Tyrmand
containing his notes from the first three months of 1954.
' – along with all of the other editors – for his refusal to publish Joseph Stalin
's obituary version dictated by the authorities. He was then given, like his co-workers, an unofficial print interdiction. He earned his living from accidental sources: private lessons, copy writing, and selling his stories for screenplays.
The notes were taken almost daily between 1 January and 2 April 1954, and occupied 800 pages. The last paragraph breaks off in the middle of a sentence. Tyrmand explained after years, "The last evening, tired with writing, as it often happened, I broke off the sentence intending to return to it the next day. But I never did. The next day Czytelnik [publishing house – tr.] offered me a contract to write Zły. Initially I was going to continue the diary, but the days passed by, suddenly full of the different circumstances and requirements."
In 1956, 'Tygodnik Powszechny
' published a fragment of the diary. After his emigration in 1965, Tyrmand deposited the diary in the editorial office of the Parisian 'Kultura
', collecting it after four years.
Tyrmand resumed edition of his notes in 1973. Fragments were published in the London periodical 'Wiadomości
' between 1974 and 1978. The first book edition appeared in London in 1980, published by Polonia Book Fund. Introduction to the first edition included the sentence, "present book contains the entirety of the diary, unaffected by editorial considerations, moral quandaries, political necessities, social concessions." Meanwhile the cover displayed a photo of the manuscript, on which the text did not match the book's content. Notice has also been taken of English translation calques and style clumsiness. Many interlocutors of Mariusz Urbanek, author of a book Zły Tyrmand, were convinced that nearly all of the diary was created in the United States. On the other hand, Literatura Polska 1939-91 characterises this publication as an apocrypha
.
It was only in 1999 that the original version of the diary, based on the notes opened to the public by Tyrmand's wife and kept at Stanford University
, was issued.
period, in which he lived by then.
Tyrmand, although he declares himself a firm anti-communist, gets involved in neither a political nor ideological argument with communism. Józef Hen observes, "in Diary, there is not a single word about the exiles, trials, Tito, Korea, spies, jail tortures". Sometimes the author expresses himself almost positively, for example about Lenin. The criticism of the political system prevailing in Poland is concerned with its civilisational and aesthetical aspects. For instance in a few places Tyrmand complains about a dirt plague in Warsaw.
Diary contains a lot of personal criticism of both Tyrmand's acquaintances (often hidden under initials) as well as public personae. He criticises first of all moral attitudes of artists, whom he considered lackeys of the state. Tyrmand engages in a dispute on Ernest Hemingway
with Zygmunt Kałużyński
. He also describes in detail his discussions with his friend Stefan Kisielewski
. In the whole diary 570 names appear, including those of the people beginning to be known at that time, e.g. Stanisław Lem, Zbigniew Herbert
, Jan Lenica
, Julia Hartwig.
Descriptions of love and sex affairs of Tyrmand abound. In a relationship at that time with an 18-year-old girl (in the first edition named 'Bogna', in the original 'Krystyna'), the author also goes back to his earlier connections. Many of the situations depicted in Diary were used by the author later in his novels Zły and Życie towarzyskie i uczuciowe.
The editorial changes in the first edition adjusted Tyrmand's image, so that it fitted better with the one he created in the 70s. The writer set store by showing his views' constancy over the numerous years, "This diary, written at full manhood, re-read at the twilight of midlife, gives me a feeling of self-loyalty – which always seemed to me as desirable and worthy of sacrifices." The 70s' corrections also consisted in elaboration and enrichment of some accounts, for instance the council in Związek Literatów Polskich.
A biographer Henryk Dasko notes that Diary 1954 would play a substantial role in autocreation of the legend of Tyrmand as an independent and unwavering creator.
Leopold Tyrmand
Leopold Tyrmand was a Polish novelist and editor. He studied architecture for a year at L'Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris before the war, and during the war was a resistance fighter in Poland, a waiter in Germany , and a prisoner in a Norwegian concentration camp...
containing his notes from the first three months of 1954.
Creation and publication history
The diary was created more than half a year after Tyrmand lost his job at 'Tygodnik PowszechnyTygodnik Powszechny
Tygodnik Powszechny is a Polish Roman Catholic weekly magazine, focusing on social and cultural issues. Established in 1945 under the auspices of Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha, Jerzy Turowicz was its editor-in-chief until his death in 1999. He was succeeded by priest Adam Boniecki.-History:The...
' – along with all of the other editors – for his refusal to publish Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
's obituary version dictated by the authorities. He was then given, like his co-workers, an unofficial print interdiction. He earned his living from accidental sources: private lessons, copy writing, and selling his stories for screenplays.
The notes were taken almost daily between 1 January and 2 April 1954, and occupied 800 pages. The last paragraph breaks off in the middle of a sentence. Tyrmand explained after years, "The last evening, tired with writing, as it often happened, I broke off the sentence intending to return to it the next day. But I never did. The next day Czytelnik [publishing house – tr.] offered me a contract to write Zły. Initially I was going to continue the diary, but the days passed by, suddenly full of the different circumstances and requirements."
In 1956, 'Tygodnik Powszechny
Tygodnik Powszechny
Tygodnik Powszechny is a Polish Roman Catholic weekly magazine, focusing on social and cultural issues. Established in 1945 under the auspices of Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha, Jerzy Turowicz was its editor-in-chief until his death in 1999. He was succeeded by priest Adam Boniecki.-History:The...
' published a fragment of the diary. After his emigration in 1965, Tyrmand deposited the diary in the editorial office of the Parisian 'Kultura
Kultura
Kultura , sometimes referred to as "Kultura Paryska", was a leading Polish-émigré literary-political journal, published from 1947 to 2000 by Instytut Literacki , initially in Rome, then Paris....
', collecting it after four years.
Tyrmand resumed edition of his notes in 1973. Fragments were published in the London periodical 'Wiadomości
Wiadomości
Wiadomości is the main news program on TVP1. The main issue is broadcast at 19:30 every day. This program was created in 1989 and replaced "Dziennik Telewizyjny" , associated with the period of communism in Poland. This is one of the most watched news programs in Poland. In 2010, "Wiadomości"...
' between 1974 and 1978. The first book edition appeared in London in 1980, published by Polonia Book Fund. Introduction to the first edition included the sentence, "present book contains the entirety of the diary, unaffected by editorial considerations, moral quandaries, political necessities, social concessions." Meanwhile the cover displayed a photo of the manuscript, on which the text did not match the book's content. Notice has also been taken of English translation calques and style clumsiness. Many interlocutors of Mariusz Urbanek, author of a book Zły Tyrmand, were convinced that nearly all of the diary was created in the United States. On the other hand, Literatura Polska 1939-91 characterises this publication as an apocrypha
Apocrypha
The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical"....
.
It was only in 1999 that the original version of the diary, based on the notes opened to the public by Tyrmand's wife and kept at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, was issued.
Diary's contents
Tyrmand analyses the person of himself, his life and decisions taken, most of the space analysing the Poland of the StalinismStalinism
Stalinism refers to the ideology that Joseph Stalin conceived and implemented in the Soviet Union, and is generally considered a branch of Marxist–Leninist ideology but considered by some historians to be a significant deviation from this philosophy...
period, in which he lived by then.
Tyrmand, although he declares himself a firm anti-communist, gets involved in neither a political nor ideological argument with communism. Józef Hen observes, "in Diary, there is not a single word about the exiles, trials, Tito, Korea, spies, jail tortures". Sometimes the author expresses himself almost positively, for example about Lenin. The criticism of the political system prevailing in Poland is concerned with its civilisational and aesthetical aspects. For instance in a few places Tyrmand complains about a dirt plague in Warsaw.
Diary contains a lot of personal criticism of both Tyrmand's acquaintances (often hidden under initials) as well as public personae. He criticises first of all moral attitudes of artists, whom he considered lackeys of the state. Tyrmand engages in a dispute on Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
with Zygmunt Kałużyński
Zygmunt Kałużyński
Zygmunt Kałużyński was a Polish lawyer, film critic, promoter of cinema, erudite, long-time contributor of Polityka magazine. His opinion were widely controversial, some even accused him of doing harmful against cinema....
. He also describes in detail his discussions with his friend Stefan Kisielewski
Stefan Kisielewski
Stefan Kisielewski , nicknames Kisiel, Julia Hołyńska, Teodor Klon, Tomasz Staliński, was a Polish writer, publicist, composer and politician, and one of the members of Znak, one of the founders of the UPR, the polish libertarian and conservative political party.Kisielewski was born to a Polish...
. In the whole diary 570 names appear, including those of the people beginning to be known at that time, e.g. Stanisław Lem, Zbigniew Herbert
Zbigniew Herbert
Zbigniew Herbert was an influential Polish poet, essayist, drama writer, author of plays, and moralist. A member of the Polish resistance movement – Home Army during World War II, he is one of the best known and the most translated post-war Polish writers...
, Jan Lenica
Jan Lenica
Jan Lenica was a Polish graphic designer and cartoonist.A graduate of the Architecture Department of Warsaw Polytechnic, Lenica became a poster illustrator and a collaborator on the early animation films of Walerian Borowczyk. From 1963 - 1986 he lived and worked in France, while from 1987 he...
, Julia Hartwig.
Descriptions of love and sex affairs of Tyrmand abound. In a relationship at that time with an 18-year-old girl (in the first edition named 'Bogna', in the original 'Krystyna'), the author also goes back to his earlier connections. Many of the situations depicted in Diary were used by the author later in his novels Zły and Życie towarzyskie i uczuciowe.
The editorial changes in the first edition adjusted Tyrmand's image, so that it fitted better with the one he created in the 70s. The writer set store by showing his views' constancy over the numerous years, "This diary, written at full manhood, re-read at the twilight of midlife, gives me a feeling of self-loyalty – which always seemed to me as desirable and worthy of sacrifices." The 70s' corrections also consisted in elaboration and enrichment of some accounts, for instance the council in Związek Literatów Polskich.
A biographer Henryk Dasko notes that Diary 1954 would play a substantial role in autocreation of the legend of Tyrmand as an independent and unwavering creator.
Editions
- first abroad: Polonia Book Fund, Londyn 1980
- first official in Poland: Res Publica, 1989, ISBN 83-7046-008-9 (some texts like those about Soviet Union leaders were removed by censorshipCensorshipthumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
) - original version prepared and prefaced by Henryk Dasko
- Tenten, 1995, ISBN 8386628049
- Prószyński&S-ka, Warszawa 1999, ISBN 83-7255-238-X (2nd edition)