Novel
Generał Barcz
Not translated into English
Juliusz Kaden-Bandrowski · 1923
Opening lines
— Świat będzie rozprawiał, wołał, cnoty lepił, występki mianował, zaraz to za nim powtórzę, nawet mu pomogę, sam może nawet jedną prawdą zostanę?
“The world will hold forth, clamour, mould virtues, name vices, and I shall echo it at once, even help it along; perhaps I myself shall even become a truth?”
Translation by Erostrate
Text quoted from pl.wikisource.org
Synopsis
In the aftermath of independence, three generals who have returned from different fronts contend for power in the reborn state: Barcz, former leader of the legions, Krywult, at the head of former officers of the Tsar's army, and Dąbrowa, commander of liberated Kraków. Barcz manoeuvres among the parties, the deputies and the conspirators, relies on Major Pyć's clandestine organisation and consolidates his authority during the first months of the new state.
Context
The author began the novel in 1921; the Kurier Polski serialised it from 9 September 1922, announcing it as the first artistic document of independent Poland. It appeared in volume form on 4 April 1923 from Ignis, in a print run of five thousand two hundred copies. The author mixed fact and fiction to guard against prosecution; Barcz has been identified with Piłsudski and Krywult with Józef Dowbor-Muśnicki. The book caused a scandal: it was accused of sullying the legend of the legions, Karol Irzykowski and Stanisław Cat-Mackiewicz attacked it, and Maria Dąbrowska defended it.
Who it is for
A political roman à clef, in a jarring language that has been called “kadenisms”. No French or English translation.
Prizes and reception
Regarded as its author's most important book; it is where the phrase about the joy of the rediscovered rubbish dump is found.
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The pages consulted to check this page.