8 January 1937, Friday

(A) Lviv. Bruno Schulz takes part in a literary soirée at Powszechny Teatr Żołnierza [The Soldier Theatre].

(A) During a literary meeting at Teatr Żołnierza (formerly, the Variety Theatre) on Rutowskiego1 St. in Lviv, Schulz reads his short story titled Edzio2. Due to the fault of the organisers, the meeting takes place in an atmosphere of conflict and scandal: a planned poetic tournament as well as Leon Chwistek’s lecture were cancelled3. Due to the imbroglio, members of the jury, recitors and poets belonging to the “Rybałci” group (including Maciej Freudman, Stanisław Rogowski and Aleksander Baumgardten) resigned, and additionally, did not agree to Józef Nacht’s presence4. Apart from Edzio, poems by Tadeusz Hollender, Władysław Jaworski, Józef Nacht and Tadeusz Żakiej are read. Schulz’s reading distinguishes itself from the truncated programme. Reporting on the whole event, a Gazeta Lwowska journalist admits, “Looking at Schultz [sic], this honest, genuine poet, I felt embarrassed for all the young Lviv literati, who permitted  that the first public performance of this author in our territory took place in such an undignified atmosphere”5. (ts) (transl. ms)

 

See also: 6 April 1935*, 12 January 1937*, November 1937*. 

  • 1
    Information about the beginning of Powszechny Teatr Żołnierza: see Adam Adrian Ostanek, VI Lwowski Okręg Korpusu w dziejach wojskowości polskiej w latach 1921–1939, Warszawa 2013, p. 288.
  • 2
    K., “«Wieczór literacki” in Teatr Żołnierza”, Gazeta Lwowska, 12.01.1937, no. 7, p. 3.
  • 3
    The organisers came into conflict with the invited jurors (Henryk Balk, Ostap Ortwin and Eugeniusz Kucharski) and they could not communicate with the conflicted community of poets and actors who were supposed to take part in the literary soirée. As a result, a poetic group “Rybałci” organised a competitive reading, which took place on 7 January 1937: “In a tightly packed room of the Literary Casino – reminisces Klaudiusz Hrabyk – amidst the general enthusiasm of the audience «Rybałci» became the heroes of the day in Lviv”. More about this conflict: see Klaudiusz Hrabyk, “Wspomnienia cz. IV”, Rocznik Historii Czasopiśmiennictwa Polskiego 1971, vol. X, fasc. 4, pp. 517–518.
  • 4
    A. Biedrzycka, Kalendarium Lwowa 1918–1939, Kraków 2012, p. 837.
  • 5
    K., op. cit., p. 3.