Tadeusz Różewicz, unquestionably one of Poland’s greatest poets, was a guest at the Bolesławiec bookshop for the second time. The artist first visited our city in 1999. At that time, he wrote in the Agora guestbook that he would return a year later. However, he did not keep his promise until now.
The theatre group Tygrys Ogłuszony Domem decided to welcome the great man of letters in an unusual way. The TOD members organised a happening. They recruited a group of people who, just before the entrance to the bookshop, welcomed the author of "Niepokój" by reading excerpts from his texts in both Polish and English instead of offering the traditional "good morning".
The meeting was opened by Jan Stolarczyk, editor-in-chief of Wydawnictwo Dolnośląskie, the publishing house with which Różewicz has been associated for years. "I first visited the Bolesławiec bookshop in '54, so I have been coming here for 53 years," the editor told Boleslawiec.org. Jan Stolarczyk lived in our city for many years. It was he who managed to bring Różewicz to Wydawnictwo Dolnośląskie 21 years ago. For him, the poetry of the author of "Kartoteka" is—as he admits himself—independent poetry, "communing with a great, outstanding mind." Asked what makes Różewicz great, he replied: "Różewicz is one of those few poets who are interested in how the consciousness of contemporary man is formed. He is a mocker. He ridicules reality, politics and the media world." Editor Stolarczyk also said that although the great poet draws on the language of newspapers and everyday speech, the directness and simplicity of this poetry are only apparent. "Różewicz exposes falsehoods, deceit and everything that causes contemporary people to lose their identity. He is a joker, a satirist, but at the level of philosophical language," the publisher added.
Many people attended this year's meeting who had also met the poet eight years earlier. Tadeusz Różewicz himself said that he was pleased to see familiar faces. The poet also stated that he did not mind not attracting crowds. After a brief introduction, the author of "Kartoteka" began signing his books. Those who did not own any of Tadeusz Różewicz's works could purchase them at Agora at a bargain price.
The legendary poet did not, in fact, attract crowds. Perhaps this was because, as Jan Stolarczyk rightly observes, "poets are not heroes of the younger generation." What a shame.