Polish speculative fiction

"Polish fantasy" redirects here. For the composition by Ignacy Jan Paderewski, see Polish Fantasy (Paderewski).

Aspect of fiction

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Stanisław Lem, the most famous Polish science fiction writer

Science fiction and fantasy in Poland dates to the late 18th century. However, science fiction as a genre in Polish literature truly began to emerge at the end of the 19th century under the influence of Jules Verne's work. During the latter years of the People's Republic of Poland, a very popular genre of science fiction was social science fiction. Later many other genres gained prominence.

Poland has many science-fiction writers. Internationally, the best known Polish science-fiction writer is Stanisław Lem. In fact, the term science fiction was first used in a review of one of Lem's books,[1] and he is widely regarded as the most prominent representative of Polish science fiction literature.[2] As elsewhere, Polish science fiction is closely related to the genres of fantasy, horror and others.

In the 1970s, the first fandom organizations appeared in Poland, along with the publication of the earliest zines.[3] While many English-language writers have been translated into Polish, relatively little Polish-language science fiction or fantasy has been translated into English.

## History

[edit]

### Until 1918

[edit]

Michał Dymitr Krajewski – author of the first description of a journey to the Moon in Polish literature

Polish science fiction grew out of utopian literature, and it started in the late 18th century during the Polish Enlightenment, when Michał Dymitr Krajewski wrote a novel about the adventures of a Pole on the Moon. His work, Wojciech Zdarzyński, życie i przypadki swoje opisujący [pl] (Wojciech Zdarzyński, Describing His Life and Adventures), was the first Polish literary work to describe a journey to the Moon, using a balloon as the means of travel to lend credibility to the narrative.[4] Descriptions of flying machines, rapid-fire weapons, and future medicine can be found in Podróż do Kalopei, do kraju najszczęśliwszego na świecie (Journey to Kalopea, the Country of the Happiest People in the World) by Wojciech Gutkowski [pl] from 1817.[5] In Polish Enlightenment literature, fantastical elements were typically debunked by the end of the work, as seen in The Manuscript Found in Saragossa by Jan Potocki, where the appearance of ghosts serves as a satire of superstitions by the rational author.[6]

In the mid-19th century, during the age of romanticism in Poland, Adam Mickiewicz, regarded by many as Poland's greatest poet, also worked on a Verne-like science fiction novel A History of the Future, but never published it (only a few fragments remain). Fantastical elements can also be found in works inspired by folk literature, such as Adam Mickiewicz's Ballads and Romances or Juliusz Słowacki's Balladyna, as well as in Gothic novels.[4] Mickiewicz was interested in the "future"[6] and planned to write a utopia where technology would play an important role.[7] In the 1840s, the Bohemian Warsaw [pl] literary group drew on fantastical motifs from folk literature and German Romanticism, particularly the works of Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann. One of the works from this period that is close to the conventions of science fiction is the historical novel Sędziwoj by Józef Bohdan Dziekoński [pl] from 1845.[6] In 1858, Podróż po Księżycu odbyta przez Serafina Bolińskiego (Journey to the Moon Undertaken by Serafin Boliński) by Teodor Tripplin [pl] anticipated positivist novels about inventions.[8] Science fiction of the positivist era included popular science lectures with educational purposes (e.g., Baśń o niezgodnych królewiczach by Maria Julia Zaleska or Gucio zaczarowany [pl] by Zofia Urbanowska [pl])[9] and works about "wondrous inventions", e.g., Niewidzialny by Sygurd Wiśniowski [pl] or the Parisian episode in The Doll by Bolesław Prus, perhaps the most famous Polish writer of the time.[9] Similar themes are seen in the works of Prus' colleague, Stefan Żeromski, with his 'houses of glass' in Przedwiośnie, and his death rays in Róża. Both trends stemmed from the positivists' program, which included promoting natural sciences.[7]

In the early 20th century, Jerzy Żuławski was probably the most popular Polish science fiction author, with his Lunar Trilogy (Trylogia księżycowa), a masterpiece for its time and place of composition. According to Antoni Smuszkiewicz:[10]

> For many years, Polish science fiction developed somewhat in the shadow of Jerzy Żuławski, but no work until Stanisław Lem's era matched the trilogy either in the weight of the issues discussed or in literary quality.

Science fiction of the Young Poland period was associated with the era's interests in paranormal phenomena and the causes of personality disorders.[10] For example, Antoni Lange rationalized spiritualistic phenomena in his works and showed an interest in contemporary science. Władysław Umiński’s work was more subdued and in the older positivist style (e.g., Na drugą planetę [To the Second Planet], 1895).[11]

### 1918–1939

[edit]

In Polish science fiction of the interwar period, grotesque elements began to be used, mainly for satirical purposes. New authors and new issues emerged. Among the new themes, the concept of a miraculous invention was particularly explored (e.g., Eliksir profesora Bohusza [Elixir of Professor Bohusz] by Stefan Barszczewski [pl] from 1923), a motif that also appeared in crime novels (e.g., Błękitny szpieg [The Blue Spy] by Jerzy Bohdan Rychliński [pl] from 1926) and adventure stories (e.g., Wyspa elektryczna [The Electric Island] by Edward Krüger from 1925, Wyspa Mędrców [The Island of the Wise] by Maria Buyno-Arctowa [pl] from 1930).[12] The catastrophism of the era led to the creation of future-oriented novels from the 1920s onward, in which disaster often played a central role, sometimes on a cosmic scale.[12] In popular literature, this catastrophe was either reversible or one from which representatives of the highest values of a dying civilization were saved (an exception being Ostatni na Ziemi [The Last on Earth] by Wacław Niezabitowski), reinforcing beliefs in the possibility of overcoming any failure, often thanks to the actions of characters of Polish descent.[13] In high literature, the theme of catastrophe was presented in the form of grotesque (e.g., Nienasycanie [Insatiability] by Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, S.O.S. by Jalu Kurek).[12] In the 1930s, the threat of armed conflict led to the decline of popular prose dedicated to cataclysms, and it was replaced by a few artistic works (e.g., Dwa końce świata [The Two Ends of the World] by Antoni Słonimski from 1937).[13] The conventions of science fiction were also referenced by authors such as Stefan Żeromski (e.g., the "Dana rays" from Róża [The Rose] from 1909; the "glass houses" from The Spring to Come from 1924).[14]

### 1945–1989

[edit]

First editions of Stanisław Lem's books

After World War II, in the first decade of the People's Republic of Poland, science fiction was used as a propaganda tool by the communist regime, with its main purpose being to show the "bright future" of communism. Only after Joseph Stalin's death were Polish writers to gain more leeway and start questioning the reality around them, albeit always struggling against censorship. Science fiction literature was treated with caution by the authorities of the Polish People's Republic.[15] Despite this, in 1946, Stanisław Lem's first novel, The Man from Mars, was published in the magazine Nowy Świat Przygód [pl]. The first post-war science fiction book was Schron na Placu Zamkowym [pl] (The Shelter on Castle Square) by Andrzej Ziemięcki [pl] from 1947; that same year, Baczność! A.R. 7: Powieść o atomie (Attention! A.R. 7: A Novel About the Atom) by Kazimierz Wroczyński [pl] was also published. A slight increase in interest in science fiction was sparked by the anthology Polska nowela fantastyczna [pl] (Polish Fantastic Novel) published in 1949 by Julian Tuwim.[15] In 1951, Lem made his book debut with The Astronauts, and in 1955, he published The Magellanic Cloud.[16] At that time, he was an undisputed leader of Polish science fiction, first questioning the regime's actions in his Memoirs Found in a Bathtub. He was followed by Janusz A. Zajdel, Konrad Fiałkowski and Czesław Chruszczewski, and from the mid-70s for a short period by the acclaimed writings of Adam Wiśniewski-Snerg. The principles of socialist realism adopted in 1949 meant that some works were written in a tendentious and sometimes even caricatural manner.[17]

The Polish October led to changes in cultural policy, allowing the publication of novels written many years earlier – in 1956, Zaziemskie światy (Worlds Beyond Earth) by Władysław Umiński, a veteran of Polish science fiction, and Ludzie ery atomowej [pl] (People of the Atomic Age) by Roman Gajda [pl] (both completed in 1948) were released.[18] The literature of this period is characterized by an optimistic vision of a future society that, having satisfied its needs on Earth, decides to "reach for the stars".[19] Before 1960, several more novels of varying quality were published, such as Przez ocean czasu [pl] (Across the Ocean of Time) by Bohdan Korewicki [pl], W pogoni za Czarnym Karłem [pl] (In Pursuit of the Black Dwarf) by Eugeniusz Morski [pl], Aspazja [pl] (Aspasia) by Andrzej Ostoja-Owsiany [pl], Katastrofa na „Słońcu Antarktydy” [pl] (The Disaster on the "Sun of the Antarctic") by Adam Hollanek, and the final part of the Boruń and Trepka trilogy, Kosmiczni bracia [pl] (Cosmic Brothers).[20] Finally, Poland began to print science fiction works by Western authors (the first American anthologies, W stronę czwartego wymiaru [pl] [Toward the Fourth Dimension] and Rakietowe szlaki [pl] [Rocket Trails], were published in 1958 through the efforts of Julian Stawiński [pl]).[21]

The 1960s marked the flourishing of Lem's work, during which he published such novels as Eden (1959), Solaris, Return from the Stars, and Memoirs Found in a Bathtub (all in 1961), The Invincible (1964), and His Master's Voice (1968). Simultaneously, Lem's works began to include grotesque elements that referenced the philosophical tales of earlier authors (e.g., The Star Diaries, Księga robotów [pl] [The Book of Robots], The Cyberiad).[22] This period also saw the crystallization of the conventions of Polish science fiction, accomplished by writers such as Lem, Krzysztof Boruń, Konrad Fiałkowski, Maciej Kuczyński [pl], and Witold Zegalski [pl].[23] During this time, several new authors debuted, including Edmund Wnuk-Lipiński and Janusz Zajdel, while Jerzy Broszkiewicz and Alfred Szklarski published fantastic works for young readers.[24]

Shelves in a bookstore (Empik, Katowice), containing only new releases of science fiction and fantasy by Polish authors with surnames from P to Z (approximately from first half of 2006). Despite their popularity in Poland, virtually none of these books have been translated into English.

In the 1970s, writers such as Bohdan Petecki [pl], Wiktor Żwikiewicz, and Adam Wiśniewski-Snerg published their first works, with Wiśniewski-Snerg's debut novel Robot [pl] causing a significant stir in the literary community.[25] In the late 1970s, the genre social science fiction (Polish: fantastyka socjologiczna) arose in the People's Republic of Poland. At these times it focused on the development of societies dominated by totalitarian governments. The genre is dominated by Janusz A. Zajdel (Limes Inferior, Paradyzja), Edmund Wnuk-Lipiński (Apostezjon trilogy), Adam Wiśniewski-Snerg and Marek Oramus. Some works by Stanisław Lem can also be classified within this genre.[26] The fantastical settings of books of this genre were usually only a pretext for analysing the structure of Polish society, and were always full of allusions to reality.[26]

In 1976, the third Eurocon was held in Poznań.[27]

### After 1989

[edit]

The systemic transformation that took place in 1989 also affected the position of fantasy literature in the country. State-owned publishing houses lost their monopolistic positions. Newly established, often short-lived companies sought to make up for many years of backlog by massively publishing Western science fiction literature, which was often of low quality.[28] The genre largely transformed itself into political fiction, represented by writers such as Rafał A. Ziemkiewicz, although an echo is visible in the 1990s dystopia/hard sf duology by Tomasz Kołodziejczak.[28]

After 1989, new stars of Polish science fiction emerged, including figures such as Jacek Dukaj, Marek Huberath, Rafał Kosik, Szczepan Twardoch, Wit Szostak, and Łukasz Orbitowski.[26][29]

Changes also affected the only magazine on the market, Fantastyka. The fall of the state publisher meant that the editorial team took over the magazine, with Lech Jęczmyk becoming the editor-in-chief, followed by Maciej Parowski for a longer period.[26]

In the 1990s, a group of young creators centered around the Trust group (later the Klub Tfurców, including Rafał Ziemkiewicz and Jarosław Grzędowicz) began publishing the monthly magazine Fenix.[26] There was also an explosion of translations, primarily from the Western (English language) literature. The major Polish publishing house specializing in Polish science fiction and fantasy literature was SuperNOWA.[30] The scene was transformed around and after 2002, with SuperNOWA losing its dominant position, and many new Polish writers, the "2002 generation", appearing.[30]

Currently, much of Polish science fiction and fantasy resembles that familiar to English-language writers. There are many science fiction writers as well as fantasy writers in Poland, and their works vary from alternate histories to hard science fiction. The best internationally known Polish science fiction writer is undoubtedly Stanisław Lem, although many others can be considered world-class.[31]

## Modern writers

[edit]

Anna Brzezińska at the Janusz A. Zajdel Award ceremony at Polcon 2001 in Katowice. Marek S. Huberath at Polcon 2005. Andrzej Pilipiuk. Andrzej Sapkowski. Rafał A. Ziemkiewicz.

Modern Polish science fiction and fantasy writers include:

* Ewa Białołęcka[30]
* Anna Brzezińska:[30] one of the youngest Polish writers, known for her ongoing fantasy saga, the first book of which (Zbójecki Gościniec) was released in 1999.
* Eugeniusz Dębski:[30] a writer of fantasy and science fiction, best known for two series—the science fiction detective stories of Owen Yeates and the humorous adventures of a 'chameleon knight', Hondelyk.
* Jacek Dukaj: one of the most acclaimed writers of the 1990s and 2000s, and winner of many awards. He is known for the complexity of his books, and it is often said that a single short story by Dukaj contains more ideas than many other writers put into their books in their lifetime. His books are generally hard sf; popular themes include the technological singularity, nanotechnology and virtual reality. Among his favourite writers is Australian Greg Egan, and Dukaj's books bear some resemblance to Egan's.
* Jarosław Grzędowicz:[30] author of fantasy stories, winner of Zajdel award for book and short story in 2005.
* Adam Hollanek: writer and journalist, the founder of Fantastyka
* Anna Kańtoch
* Tomasz Kołodziejczak:[30] science fiction and fantasy writer, screenwriter, publisher and editor of books, comics and role-playing games.
* Marek Huberath:[30] author of many short stories, he focuses on the humanistic aspects (psychology, feelings, motivations, etc.) of his characters.
* Maja Lidia Kossakowska:[30] a fantasy writer, her trademark is the frequent appearance of angels.
* Feliks W. Kres:[30] best known for his two fantasy cycles: Księga całości (The Book of Entirety), set on a world called Szerer, where cats and vultures as well as humans are intelligent, and Piekło i szpada (Hell and spade), a dark fantasy set in an alternate 17th century, where demons and beings older than Satan openly interact with humanity
* Jacek Komuda: known for his fantasy stories set in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth; his writing often closely resembles a historical novel, though he doesn't shy from supernatural elements such as witches and devils. He is also one of the authors of the Dzikie Pola role-playing game set in that period.
* Stanisław Lem. Lem was Poland's most acclaimed and famous science fiction writer (although he has mostly stopped writing in the science fiction genre before the 1990s), and the only one who had had most of his works translated into English. He often veered into philosophical speculation on technology, the nature of intelligence, the impossibility of mutual communication and understanding, and humankind's place in the universe. His works are sometimes presented as fiction, to avoid the trappings of academic life and the limitations of readership and scientific style, while others take the form of essays and philosophical books.
* Konrad T. Lewandowski[30]
* Łukasz Orbitowski
* Romuald Pawlak [pl][30]
* Jacek Piekara[30]
* Andrzej Pilipiuk[30] is best known for his humorous series about Jakub Wędrowycz, an alcoholic exorcist and unwilling superhero. Recently he started another popular series, featuring the adventures of three women: an over-1000-year-old vampire, a 300-year-old alchemist-szlachcianka, and her relative, a former Polish secret agent from the CBŚ (Central Bureau of Investigation). A recurring character in the series is the alchemist Michał Sędziwój, and the universe is the same as the one of Wędrowycz (who makes appearances from time to time).
* Andrzej Sapkowski.[30] Sapkowski is one of the bestselling Polish authors, translated into many languages (recently into English), he is best known for his The Witcher fantasy series. The main character of the series is Geralt, a mutant assassin trained from childhood to hunt down and destroy monsters and other unnatural creatures. Geralt moves in an ambiguous moral universe, yet manages to maintain his own coherent code of ethics. At once cynical and noble, Geralt has been compared to Raymond Chandler's signature character Philip Marlowe. The world in which these adventures take place owes much to J.R.R. Tolkien, while also heavily influenced by Polish history and Slavic mythology.
* Jacek Sobota [pl][30]
* Wit Szostak
* Janusz Zajdel. He became the second most popular Polish science fiction writer (after Stanisław Lem) until his sudden death in 1985.[32] Zajdel's novels created the core of Polish social fiction and dystopian fiction. In his works, he envisions totalitarian states and collapsed societies. His heroes are desperately trying to find sense in world around them; sometimes, as in Cylinder van Troffa, they are outsiders from a different time or place, trying to adapt to a new environment. The main recurring theme in his works is a comparison of the readers' gloomy, hopeless situations to what may happen in a space environment if we carry totalitarian ideas and habits into space worlds: Red Space Republics or Space Labour Camps, or both. The Janusz A. Zajdel Award of Polish fandom is named after him.
* Rafał A. Ziemkiewicz.[30] In the 1990s he was one of the most popular Polish science fiction authors. For his novels Pieprzony los kataryniarza (1995) and Walc stulecia (1998), as well as his short story Śpiąca królewna (1996) he was awarded the prestigious Zajdel Award. A popular theme in his works is the fate of Poland and more broadly, Europe, in the near future (from several to several dozen years). His books often paint the future in dark colours, showing the Commonwealth of Independent States disintegrate into a civil war, European Union becoming powerless in the face of Islamic terrorism, and predatory capitalism and political correctness taken ad absurdum leading to the erosion of morality and ethics. Thus his books are often classified as political fiction and social science fiction, although they stop short of being seen as dystopian fiction.
* Andrzej Zimniak[30]
* Andrzej Ziemiański.[30] Ziemiański writes both science fiction—with themes like post-apocalyptic Autobahn nach Poznan and alternative history Bomba Heisenberga, and fantasy, like his most recent Achaja series.

## Publishers

[edit]

Iskry Publishing House [pl] released its first science fiction book in 1953 (two Soviet novels were published that year: Nowa planeta [The New Planet] by Viktor Saparin and Plutonia by Vladimir Obruchev).[33][34] Starting in 1966, the publisher launched the first Polish series dedicated to science fiction, Fantastyka-Przygoda [pl] (Fantasy-Adventure), which continued until the mid-1990s and released over 100 volumes.[35] Lech Jęczmyk later became its editor.[36]

Nasza Księgarnia published its first science fiction title in 1954 (a reprint of Bakteria 078 by Marian Leon Bielicki). This publisher made a mark in history by releasing the first science fiction anthology on the Polish market, Posłanie z piątej planety [pl] (A Message from the Fifth Planet) in 1964, the result of an international reader competition, with a foreword by Zbigniew Przyrowski [pl].[37] This esteemed publisher, known as the Hugo Gernsback of Polish science fiction, also edited other anthologies that reflected the development and history of Polish science fiction: Nowa cywilizacja [pl] (New Civilization), Wołanie na Mlecznej Drodze [pl] (The Call on the Milky Way), and Drugi próg życia (The Second Threshold of Life).[38] Starting in 1974, Nasza Księgarnia published the series Stało się jutro [pl] (Tomorrow Has Come) with 33 volumes by 1990.[39][40]

Wydawnictwo Poznańskie [pl] also had its own science fiction series. The first few titles were published in a short-lived series called Przygoda. Awantura. Sensacja [pl] (Adventure. Intrigue. Sensation), which included works such as W pogoni za Czarnym Karłem [pl] (In Pursuit of the Black Dwarf, 1957) by Eugeniusz Morski [pl] and Krater czarnego snu [pl] (The Crater of the Black Dream, 1960) by Witold Zegalski [pl].[41] A second series, marked with the letters SF, began in 1975 and mostly featured niche Polish science fiction (such as works by Czesław Chruszczewski [pl] and Jacek Sawaszkiewicz). It also included significant historical works, such as Antoni Smuszkiewicz's [pl] Zaczarowana gra. Zarys dziejów polskiej fantastyki naukowej (The Enchanted Game: An Outline of the History of Polish Science Fiction) and the Leksykon polskiej literatury fantastycznonaukowej (Lexicon of Polish Science Fiction Literature) by Niewiadowski and Smuszkiewicz.[41][42]

In 1974, the Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza [pl] launched the series Fantazja–Przygoda–Rozrywka [pl] (Fantasy–Adventure–Entertainment), with 33 volumes[43] and 12 booklets[44] published by 1985.[39][45]

The Czytelnik Publishing House made its mark by releasing Stanisław Lem's first science fiction novel, The Astronauts. After departing from Iskry Publishing House in 1978, Lech Jęczmyk began editing the Seria Z kosmonautą [pl] (Cosmonaut Series) at Czytelnik, which published 40 volumes by the early 1990s.[46][47] In 1980, the series won the Premio Europeo at the 5th Eurocon in Stresa, and two years later, it received the Prix Européen at the 6th Eurocon in Mönchengladbach.[43]

The Kraków-based Wydawnictwo Literackie, the main publisher of Stanisław Lem's works, occasionally published science fiction under the series Fantastyka i Groza [pl] (Science fiction and Horror).[48] Political issues prevented the publisher from successfully launching a series of fantastic literature under Lem's patronage — only four books were released under the Stanisław Lem poleca [pl] series.[48]

There are two major Polish publishing houses specializing in Polish science fiction and fantasy, Fabryka Słów and Runa [pl].[30] SuperNOWA, once a dominant publishing house on that field, has now lost much of its position. MAG and Solaris [pl] (since 2019, Stalker Books) publish mostly translations, and in what is seen as boom for the Polish science fiction and fantasy market, mainstream publishing houses are increasingly publishing such works as well.[30] A book with a circulation of over 10,000 is considered a bestseller in Poland.[30]

### Journals

[edit]

30th anniversary of Fantastyka plaque, Festival of Comics in Łódź, 2012

In the second half of the 1970s, a nationwide magazine dedicated to science fiction was attempted by the Poznań-based writer and activist Czesław Chruszczewski [pl], but the endeavor was unsuccessful.[49] Andrzej Wójcik [pl] recalls that the idea for creating such a magazine came from a member of the National Club of Fantasy and Science Fiction Enthusiasts [pl], Andrzej Pruszyński.[50] After years of effort, aided by contacts with Polish United Workers' Party activists Hieronim Kubiak [pl] and Karol Rodek [pl] (the father of fandom activist Jacek Rodek [pl]), a group of enthusiasts received permission to launch the magazine in May 1982. However, the authorities did not agree to appoint Krzysztof Boruń as the editor-in-chief, so Adam Hollanek was named instead.[51]

The first issue of the magazine – the monthly Fantastyka, later renamed to Nowa Fantastyka – was published in October 1982. Its launch became a milestone for Polish fantasy enthusiasts and creators.[52] It gained a cult following and became a training ground for some of the most prominent fantasy and sci-fi writers in Poland, including Andrzej Sapkowski (The Witcher series). Among the editorial team, Maciej Parowski is particularly noteworthy for having significantly shaped the image of Polish fantasy in the years that followed.[52] Since its first publication in 1982, Fantastyka became, in terms of circulation, the leading magazine in Europe and the second worldwide dedicated to fantasy, reaching 140,000 copies.[52]

Another major Polish science fiction and fantasy monthly magazine, founded in 2001 and active until 2012, was Science Fiction, which published mainly new Polish works and had fewer translations than Fantastyka.[30] SFinks As of 2006, both had a circulation of about 8,000–15,000.[30] Other significant, discontinued magazines include Fenix (1990–2001),[30] SFinks [pl] (1994–2002)[30] and Magia i Miecz (1993–2002). Several are published online in ezine form, including Fahrenheit (1997–) and Esensja [pl] (2000–).[30]

## Literary criticism

[edit]

Research on the scientific romance began in the early 20th century.[1] Na srebrnym globie. Rękopis z Księżyca (On the Silver Globe: Manuscript from the Moon), the first volume of Żuławski's Trylogia księżycowa (Lunar Trilogy), received a critical review in 1903. Reviews and commentaries were published in Prawda [pl], Kurier Literacko-Naukowy [pl], Museion, Chimera [pl], Książka, Kurier Naukowy, and Tygodnik Illustrowany. Between World War I and World War II, Polish writers on the subject of fantasy included Karol Irzykowski (Fantastyka, 1918), Stanisław Baczyński (O pojęciu fantastyczności [On the Concept of Fantasy], 1927), Kazimierz Czachowski (Obraz współczesnej literatury polskiej [The Picture of Contemporary Polish Literature], 1934–1936, which featured a chapter on science fiction), and Ignacy Fik (Dwadzieścia lat literatury polskiej [Twenty Years of Polish Literature], 1939, which included a genre breakdown).[1] Post-war criticism initially regarded science fiction as Western entertainment literature.[53] The first novels by Lem were defended by critics such as Andrzej Kijowski, Ludwik Flaszen, and Adam Hollanek. Lem himself expressed his position in articles like O współczesnych zadaniach i metodzie pisarstwa fantastyczno-naukowego [On the Contemporary Tasks and Methods of Science Fiction Writing] (Nowa Kultura [pl], No. 39, 1952) and Imperializm na Marsie [Imperialism on Mars] (Życie Literackie [pl], No. 7, 1953). From this point onward, literary criticism became dominated by "the creative reflection of Lem".[54]

## Fandom

[edit]

Logo of Fikcje magazine

Zines dedicated to science fiction appeared in Poland alongside the formation of the first organizations that united fans of the genre in the 1970s.[3] Some of the earliest zines were Informator miłośników fantastyki (published since 1976 by the National Club of Fantasy and Science Fiction Enthusiasts [pl]), Somnambul (several issues published between 1978 and 1979 by the Science Fiction Enthusiasts' Club at the Medical University of Silesia), Materiały (a monthly published between 1979 and 1980), and Pulsar (the first issue, dedicated to the history and criticism of science fiction, was released in July 1979).[3] Other zines from the Polish People's Republic era include Fikcje [pl], Kurier Fantastyczny, Tachion, No Wave, Kwazar (published from 1979 to 1985; recognized as the best zine at the 7th Eurocon in Ljubljana in 1983), SFanzin, Radiant (1978–1981), Spectrum (1982–1984), Wizje (2 issues in 1981), and XYX.[3]

### Organizations

[edit]

Sfinks Award statuette

In February 1976, the National Club of Fantasy and Science Fiction Enthusiasts [pl] was established through the merger of the Warsaw Fantasy Enthusiasts Club, based at the Old Town Collectors Club Antykwariat, and the Student FAN-Club, affiliated with the Socialist Union of Polish Students [pl] at the University of Warsaw UBAB.[55] The National Club collaborated with magazines such as Argumenty, itd [pl], Perspektywy, Razem, Nowy Wyraz [pl] (a special issue dedicated to works by club-affiliated creators was published in 1977), Sztandar Młodych, and Tygodnik Demokratyczny [pl]. The club was dissolved in 1981.[55] On June 15 of the same year, the Polish Association of Science Fiction Enthusiasts [pl] was registered.[56] The association had branches in Olsztyn, Warsaw, Zielona Góra, Pruszków, Staszów, Żyrardów, Opole, Ostrołęka, Bydgoszcz, Lublin, Świnoujście, and Kielce.[27] It published the magazines Feniks [pl] and SFera and managed the Stefan Grabiński Fund, which financed scholarships and grants for creators. In 1985, the association had approximately 1,500 members.[56]

In the Polish People's Republic, in addition to the National Club and the Polish Association, fan organizations also operated in cities such as Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Chełmno, Częstochowa, Gdańsk (Gdańsk Science Fiction Club [pl]), Gliwice, Gorzów Wielkopolski, Inowrocław,[55] Katowice (Śląski Klub Fantastyki), Kętrzyn, Kłodzko, Konin, Kraków, Łódź, Opole (SOKIBUS-F [pl]), Piotrków Trybunalski, Poznań, Płock, Rzeszów, Skoczów, Szczecin, and Wrocław.[56]

Polish science fiction fandom is prominent, with dozens of science fiction conventions throughout Poland. The largest of them is Polcon (first held in 1982),[57] other prominent ones include Falkon, Imladris, Krakon and Nordcon. Science fiction conventions in Poland are de facto almost always "science fiction and fantasy conventions", and are often heavily mixed with role-playing gaming conventions. On the other hand, although Poland has also several manga and anime conventions, they are usually kept separate from the science fiction and gaming fandom conventions. The most important comic books and science-fiction conventions in Poland include the Warsaw Comic Con[58] and the International Festival of Comics and Games in Łódź.[59]

### Literary awards

[edit]

* Janusz A. Zajdel Award (briefly known as "Sfinks")
* Nautilus Prize
* Śląkfa, the award of the oldest Polish fandom club, the Silesian Fantasy Club.
* Sfinks Award [pl], the award of the SFinks [pl] magazine
* Jerzy Żuławski Literary Award, founded in 2008 in honour of Jerzy Żuławski

## Other media

[edit]

A trailer for the 2015 video game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Several science fiction, fantasy, and horror films and games have been made in Poland. The 1984 Polish science fiction comedy film Sexmission became a cult classic in Poland and has been widely aired abroad.[60] Other examples of Polish speculative fiction films include the films of Piotr Szulkin.[61]

The Witcher franchise of fantasy literature by Andrzej Sapkowski has gained global popularity and received multiple adaptations. In the late 2010s, the video game series, developed by the Polish company CD Projekt, became a best-seller worldwide.[62] A live-action television adaptation was created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich for Netflix, first releasing in 2021.[63] The Netflix series inspired the animated films Nightmare of the Wolf[64] and Sirens of the Deep.[65]

Aside from The Witcher series, CD Projekt is also known for Cyberpunk 2077, a science fiction video game in the cyberpunk subgenre. The game won over 100 awards at E3 2018,[66] including Best Game, Best Xbox One Game, Best PC Game, Best RPG, and People's Choice at IGN,[67] Best Role-Playing Game and Game of the Show at Game Informer,[68] Best of E3 at PC Gamer,[69] and Game of the Show at GamesRadar+.[70] Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, an anime spin-off collaboration co-produced by CD Projekt Red and Trigger, premiered on 13 September 2022 on Netflix.[71] A sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 was announced in October 2022.[72]

## See also

[edit]

* Klerykal fiction

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Niewiadowski (1987, p. 20)
2. ^ Niewiadowski & Smuszkiewicz (1990, p. 134)
3. ^ a b c d Niewiadowski (1987, p. 99)
4. ^ a b Niewiadowski & Smuszkiewicz (1990, p. 15)
5. ^ Niewiadowski (1987, p. 8)
6. ^ a b c Niewiadowski & Smuszkiewicz (1990, p. 16)
7. ^ a b Niewiadowski & Smuszkiewicz (1990, p. 17)
8. ^ Smuszkiewicz (1982, pp. 52–59)
9. ^ a b Niewiadowski & Smuszkiewicz (1990, p. 18)
10. ^ a b Niewiadowski & Smuszkiewicz (1990, p. 19)
11. ^ Makuch, Damian Włodzimierz (2013). "Spotkanie z Obcym. Zmyślenie ograniczone w powieści "W nieznane światy" Władysława Umińskiego" [Encounter with the Alien: The Limits of Imagination in Władysław Umiński's Novel "W nieznane światy"]. Wiek XIX. Rocznik Towarzystwa Literackiego Im. Adama Mickiewicza (in Polish). LXVIII (I): 205–226\. ISSN 2080-0851.
12. ^ a b c Niewiadowski & Smuszkiewicz (1990, p. 20)
13. ^ a b Niewiadowski & Smuszkiewicz (1990, p. 21)
14. ^ Niewiadowski (1987, p. 13)
15. ^ a b Smuszkiewicz (1982, p. 224)
16. ^ Niewiadowski (1987, pp. 14–15)
17. ^ Smuszkiewicz (1982, p. 227)
18. ^ Smuszkiewicz (1982, pp. 219–223)
19. ^ Niewiadowski & Smuszkiewicz (1990, p. 22)
20. ^ Smuszkiewicz (1982, pp. 230–234)
21. ^ Smuszkiewicz (1982, p. 230)
22. ^ Niewiadowski (1987, p. 15)
23. ^ Niewiadowski & Smuszkiewicz (1990, p. 23)
24. ^ Niewiadowski & Smuszkiewicz (1990, p. 24)
25. ^ Niewiadowski & Smuszkiewicz (1990, p. 26)
26. ^ a b c d e Sokołowski, Krzysztof (12 September 2019). "Pięć twarzy polskiej fantastyki (oczami jej fana)" [The Five Faces of Polish Fantasy and Science Fiction (Through the Eyes of a Fan)]. nowynapis.eu (in Polish). Retrieved 2024-09-01.
27. ^ a b Niewiadowski (1987, p. 102)
28. ^ a b Mazurkiewicz, Adam (2007). O polskiej literaturze fantastycznonaukowej lat 1990-2004 [On Polish Science Fiction Literature from 1990 to 2004] (in Polish). Łódź: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego. p. 8\. ISBN 978-83-7525-117-3.
29. ^ Kozicka, Dorota (2013). "Fantastyczni pisarze, czyli o tym, jak pisarze fantastyczni podbijają polską literaturę" [Fantastic Writers: How Fantasy Authors Are Conquering Polish Literature]. Wielogłos (in Polish). 4 (18). Kraków: Wydział Polonistyki UJ: 105–115.
30. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Jacek Dukaj, Krajobraz po zwycięstwe czyli polska fantastyka ad 2006, Nowa Fantastyska, 1/2007 (292), p. 11–16
31. ^ Myths, Legends, Fantasy... An Overview of Polish Science Fiction & Fantasy, British Council
32. ^ Frederik Pohl, Elizabeth Anne Hull, Tales from the Planet Earth, St. Martin's, 1986, ISBN 0-312-78420-1, Google Print, p.268
33. ^ Niewiadowski (1987, p. 87)
34. ^ Parowski (1990, p. 21)
35. ^ Niewiadowski (1987, pp. 87, 89)
36. ^ Uniłowski, Krzysztof (2014). Fantastyka i realizm [Fantasy and Realism] (in Polish). Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego. ISBN 978-83-8012-298-7.
37. ^ Smuszkiewicz (1982, p. 274)
38. ^ Niewiadowski (1987, p. 85)
39. ^ a b Niewiadowski (1987, p. 84)
40. ^ Parowski (1990, pp. 24–26)
41. ^ a b Niewiadowski (1987, pp. 93–94)
42. ^ Parowski (1990, pp. 33–36)
43. ^ a b Niewiadowski (1987, p. 86)
44. ^ Niewiadowski (1987, pp. 84, 87)
45. ^ Parowski (1990, pp. 45–48)
46. ^ Niewiadowski (1987, p. 90)
47. ^ Parowski (1990, pp. 22–23, 38)
48. ^ a b Parowski (1990, pp. 30–31)
49. ^ Wierzchowska, Aleksandra (2021). "Kongres futurologiczny. Eurocon 1976 w Poznaniu" [The Futurological Congress. Eurocon 1976 in Poznań] (PDF). Dzieje Najnowsze (in Polish). LIII (III). Warsaw: Instytut Historii im. Tadeusza Manteuffla Polskiej Akademii Nauk: 203. ISSN 0419-8824.
50. ^ Wójcik & Żelkowski (2015, p. 41)
51. ^ Wójcik & Żelkowski (2015, p. 43)
52. ^ a b c Niewiadowski (1987, p. 98)
53. ^ Niewiadowski (1987, pp. 20–21)
54. ^ Niewiadowski (1987, p. 21)
55. ^ a b c Niewiadowski (1987, p. 100)
56. ^ a b c Niewiadowski (1987, p. 101)
57. ^ Cholewa, Piotr (2019). "Śląski Klub Fantastyki" [Silesian Science-Fiction Club]. Śląskie Studia Polonistyczne (in Polish). 1 (13): 169–176\. ISSN 2084-0772.
58. ^ "Ptak Warsaw Expo". Retrieved 2018-10-23.
59. ^ "Centrum Komiksu w EC1 Łódź otworzy się w październiku. Uchylamy rąbka tajemnicy! [ZDJĘCIA]" [The Comic Center at EC1 Łódź will open in October. We're revealing a sneak peek!]. lodz.pl (in Polish). 4 August 2023. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
60. ^ ""The Best Polish Film of the Last 30 Years" (results of the poll by "Cinema", "Esensja" and "Stopklatka.pl") (in Polish)"". stopklatka.pl. Archived from the original on 2012-02-01. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
61. ^ "Piotr Szulkin". FilmPolski (in Polish). Retrieved 2024-09-01.
62. ^ Brown, Fraser (May 29, 2020). "The Witcher series hits 50 million sales". PC Gamer. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
63. ^ "The Witcher Saga: has Netflix found its Game of Thrones?". The Telegraph. May 17, 2017. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
64. ^ "'The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf' Headlines Netflix's Upcoming Anime Lineup (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. June 15, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
65. ^ Liu, Narayan (2021-12-14). "The Witcher's Next Anime Comes Directly From the Books". CBR. Retrieved 2025-06-11.
66. ^ Kane, Alex (9 June 2019). "CD Projekt Red's 'Cyberpunk 2077' Will Star Keanu Reeves". Variety. ISSN 0042-2738. Archived from the original on 15 January 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
67. ^ IGN Staff (15 June 2018). "Best of E3 2018 Awards". IGN. Archived from the original on 15 January 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
68. ^ Staff (20 June 2018). "Game Informer's Best Of E3 2018 Awards". Game Informer. ISSN 1067-6392. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018.
69. ^ "The PC Gamer Best of E3 2018 awards". PC Gamer. 19 June 2018. ISSN 1080-4471. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
70. ^ Staff (16 June 2018). "GamesRadar+ E3 2018 awards – the best, most exciting games at E3 2018". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 14 January 2025. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
71. ^ Petski, Denise (8 June 2022). "'Cyberpunk: Edgerunners' Teaser Trailer: First Look At Netflix Anime Series Based On Video Game; Premiere Date". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
72. ^ Carpenter, Nicole (4 October 2022). "Cyberpunk 2077 sequel Project Orion confirmed by CD Projekt Red". Polygon. Archived from the original on 2 May 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Niewiadomski, Andrzej; Smuszkiewicz, Antoni (1990). "Fantastyka naukowa w literaturze polskiej. Zarys historyczny" [Science Fiction in Polish Literature: A Historical Outline]. Leksykon polskiej literatury fantastycznonaukowej [Lexicon of Polish Science Fiction Literature] (in Polish). Poznań: Wydawnictwo Poznańskie. ISBN 83-210-0892-5.
* Niewiadowski, Andrzej (1987). Polska fantastyka naukowa: przewodnik: 1945–1985 [Polish Science Fiction: A Guide: 1945–1985] (in Polish). Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Iskry. ISBN 83-207-0999-7.
* Smuszkiewicz, Antoni (1982). Zaczarowana gra. Zarys dziejów polskiej fantastyki naukowej [The Enchanted Game: An Outline of the History of Polish Science Fiction] (in Polish). Poznań: Wydawnictwo Poznańskie. ISBN 83-210-0303-6.
* Parowski, Maciej (1990). Czas fantastyki [The Time of Science Fiction] (in Polish). Szczecin: Glob. ISBN 83-7007-193-7.
* Wójcik, Andrzej; Żelkowski, Marek (2015). "Kierowałem się zamiłowaniem do fantastyki" [I was guided by my passion for fantasy]. Czas Fantastyki (in Polish). 4 (44). Warsaw: Prószyński Media. ISSN 1733-635X.

## External links

[edit]

* Polish Cinematic Dystopias
* Polish Science Fiction
* Futurological Congress - Contemporary Polish Fantasy and Sci-Fi by Marcin Zwierzchowski
* An Overview of Polish Science Fiction & Fantasy, last accessed on 15 June 2006
* (in Polish) Historia polskiej literatury fantastycznej (History of Polish fantasy literature)

## Further reading

[edit]

* "Zaczarowana Gra" (PDF) (in Polish). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28. (176 KiB)—summary and review of book by Antoni Szmuszkiewicz with the same title about history of Polish science fiction literature, published in 1982

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