Before censorship

The case of Leopold Tyrmand’s Filip

Abstract

The article sheds light on the problems of reviving literary life in post-war Poland. A relevant element of the political system was the apparatus of repression in the form of institutional censorship. Its effects determined the general condition and shape of Polish literature, which emerged under unfavorable circumstances. This article also addresses the benefits of reconstructing literary works in their form before censorship intervened. The outlined questions are exemplified by Leopold Tyrman’s novel Filip, which was deformed by censorship. As soon as such an occasion presented itself, its author ensured that the novel was published in its original form. Unfortunately, not all authors had such an opportunity, so the responsibility rests on the shoulders of scholars. Today, they have access to the documents that enable them to return the works to their original form. In my opinion, this is one of the most important tasks of contemporary scholarly editing.