Through the efforts of Józefina and Marek Witas, the nineteenth-century Appun publishing house, located where Agora bookshop stands today, has been commemorated. After founding the publishing house in Bolesławiec, Karol Fryderyk Appun became actively involved in the city’s cultural life. In 1829, he published Johann Bergemann’s “Chronicle of the City of Bolesławiec”; he also published the city’s cultural chronicle and specialist publications, including pharmaceutical works.
His son, Karol Ferdynand Appun (1820–1872), born in Bolesławiec, became one of the foremost researchers of the flora of South American countries. He published his research in the two-volume work “In the Tropics.”
The commemorative plaque was unveiled by Józefina Witas and the city secretary. “Today’s ceremony is a victory for those who published books over those who burned them,” Jerzy Zieliński concluded his speech.
The director of the Museum of Ceramics spoke in her lecture about the history of the publishing house and Agora bookshop. “There is a strong continuity between what the owners of the Appun publishing house did for Bolesławiec and how much the owners of Agora bookshop have done and continue to do for the city,” said Anna Bober-Tubaj. “The bookshop hosted meetings with writers and poets, including Tadeusz Różewicz, Tymoteusz Karpowicz and Jan Miodek. A major event was the limerick competition organized by Agora, whose panel included Michał Rusinek, Wisława Szymborska’s secretary. The bookshop published a guidebook to Bolesławiec. The owners promote the culture of Poland’s eastern borderlands, are active members of numerous associations and organizations, including the Polish Booksellers’ Association, and have received many awards and distinctions for their work.
The ceremony was also enhanced by the lecture “From Altenberg to Zukerkandl” by Tomasz Kuba Kozłowski from Warsaw’s House of History Meetings. In his passionate presentation, the researcher took the audience on a journey through Lviv and Vilnius, presenting outstanding writers, graphic artists, publishers, booksellers and bookbinders from the East.
2014 marked the jubilee anniversary of the establishment of the bookselling profession. To commemorate the date, the Coordinating Committee of Librarians, Booksellers and Publishers undertook a series of initiatives under the common slogan “650 Years in the Service of the Book.” The event was held under the patronage of the President of Poland, Bronisław Komorowski.
The event was organized by Agora bookshop, the Municipal Office, the Bolesławiec Cultural Centre–International and the Museum of Ceramics.
Most information about Józefina and Marek Witas’s cultural and social activities has been published on Istote.pl. We thank Bożena Gałan for making the photographs available.
(information: Grażyna Hanaf)