Józef Ignacy Kraszewski

Józef Ignacy Kraszewski, pseudonym: Bogdan Bolesławita ( born July 28, 1812 in Warsaw, † March 19, 1887 in Geneva) was a Polish writer.

Life and work

Józef Ignacy Kraszewski was born in Warsaw, the eldest son of a wealthy little Polish noble family ( szlachta ). He studied medicine in Vilna, then philosophy and was a supporter of the November Uprising of 1830.

In 1861 he was a member of the Warsaw municipal organ Delegacja Miejska. After the January Uprising in 1863 he escaped only by fleeing exile to Siberia. Actually he intended to immigrate to France, but remained in Dresden, which he reached on February 3, 1863. Here he met a large number of compatriots and engaged in relief work for Polish refugees. At first he took in downtown different apartments ( Pillnitzer Street, Augustus Street, High Street, Dippoldiswalder alley, street flowers, etc.).

From Dresden to Kraszewski went 1863/64, and 1868 on trips to Switzerland, Italy, France and Belgium, and also visited the cities of Cologne, Berlin and Leipzig. His impressions of the trip he described as a continuation article for a Polish newspaper; later appeared thus, in a selection, a book titled " Travel bookmarks ".

1869 his application was granted on the acquisition of Saxon nationality. With this assumption, he finally acquired in 1873 surrounded by a garden estate on the North Road 27 (later 28).

1879, the year of its 50th anniversary writer, he was a larger building on the north road to buy 31. This he occupied until 1883, when he was working for the French secret service accused arrested in Berlin.

After the trial before the Supreme Court in Leipzig, he was sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment in Magdeburg. Due to his poor health JI Kraszewski 1885 released on bail to a convalescent leave. On his return to Dresden, he sold his property and left the city to seek a new home in San Remo. Here he hoped not only to restore his health, but also to avoid a re-arrest. For fear of possible extradition, he finally decided to a recent relocation to Geneva. There died JI Kraszewski, four days after his arrival. He was buried in the crypt of St. Michael and St. Stanislaus Church in Krakow.

He lived more than 20 years in Dresden in exile.

Kraszewski left about 240 novels and short stories. With its six 1873-1885 resulting in Dresden Saxony novels - August the Strong, Countess Cosel, Flemming's List, Count Bruhl, from the Seven Years War, and the Governor of Warsaw - he created a comprehensive and colorful time painting Electoral Saxony and Poland, whose elected kings from 1697 to 1763 Elector Frederick Augustus I ( Augustus the Strong ) (as Polish king August II ) and his son Elector Friedrich August II ( as a Polish king. Augustus III ) were.

First was in 1968 one of his books - Countess Cosel - filmed. Twenty years later attacked the DEFA the fabric again and devoted a six-part television series called Saxony trilogy, which was filmed in 1983 /84 and 1987 in the GDR by DEFA under the title of Saxony shine and Prussia's Glory - including a new version of the Countess Cosel. Directed by Hans -Joachim Kasprzik.

In Dresden, a Kraszewski Museum exists. This is located in the Radeberger suburb, inhabited in the former by J. I. Kraszewski Land North Road 28

Influence on the Lithuanian literature

The Lithuanian people stood for centuries under Polish influence. Similarly, the Finnish epic Kalevala, the Estonian and Latvian Kalevipoeg Lāčplēsis created Kraszewski ( Lithuanian Juozapas Ignotas Kraševskis ) a three-part epic Anafielas ( 1840-1845 ) from Lithuanian mythological sources. He led in its Polish version already many quotes in Lithuanian language. The first part was translated into Lithuanian Audrius Vištelis. This Witolorauda ( action of Witold ) has, according to Scholz the rank of a Lithuanian national epic. A German translation by A. Zipper followed in 1881.

Also in 1881 wrote Kraszewski a novel about the struggle of the Lithuanians against German knights under the title Ksiądz ( The priest ).

German translations (selection)

• "Master Twardowski. The Polish Faust ", a translation of Hans Max, Vienna without year.
• " Morituri ", translation by Philip Löbenstein, Leipzig 1878.
• " Jermola the potter ", translator unknown, Berlin, 1947.
• " As Mr. Paul courted. As Mr. Paul married ", translated by Malvina country Berger, Leipzig without year.
• " Travel leaves ", translation of Caesar Rymarowicz, Berlin without year.
• "Diary of a young nobleman ", translation of Henryk Bereska, Berlin 1955.
• "Beloved of the King", translation by Waldemar Krause, Rudolstadt 1956.
• " King August the Strong", translation of Kristiane light field, Leipzig 1997.
• " Countess Cosel ", revision of an old anonymous translation of Elfriede Bergmann, Philipp Reclam jun. Leipzig, 1977 ( Authorized edition in two volumes, Vienna, Pest, Leipzig, A. Hart Life 's Verlag 1880) (Part 1 of Saxony trilogy )
• " Flemming's List", translated by Hubert Sauer - Zur, Leipzig 1996.
• " Brühl ", translation of Alois Hermann, Rudolstadt 1952. (2nd part of the trilogy Saxony )
• "From the Seven Years' War ", translation of Alois and Liselotte Hermann, Rudolstadt 1953. ( 3rd part of the trilogy Saxony )
• "The governor of Warsaw ", translation of Kristiane Lichtenfeld, Berlin, 2003.
• " The Jew ", translator unknown, year and place unknown.
• " The two old", translator unknown, Warsaw without year.
• " The Poet and the World", translated by W. Constant, Berlin without year.
• " A heroic woman," translation of Julius Meixner, Stuttgart 1885.

Secondary literature

• Elzbieta Szymanska / Joanna Magacz: Kraszewski Museum in Dresden, Warsaw 2006, ISBN 83-89378-13-2.
• Zofia Wolska-Grodecka/Brigitte Eckart: Kraszewski Museum in Dresden, Warsaw 1996 ISBN 83-904307-3-8.
• Elzbieta Szymanska / Ulrike Bäumer: In Memory of Kraszewski Museum in Dresden, without place and year.
• Victor Krellmann: Love Letters with ebony black ink. The Polish poet Kraszewski in the Dresden exile, In: Philharmonic leaves 1/2004, Dresden 2004.
• Friedrich Scholz: The Literatures of the Baltic States. Their origin and development. West German publisher, Opladen 1990. ISBN 3-531-05097-4