“Art and Nation” – between literature and national idea

Art and literature have played a key function in shaping national identity for centuries, especially in moments of threat and repression. Poland, experiencing partitions, national uprisings and planet War II, has repeatedly utilized art as a means of sustaining the spirit of resistance. 1 of the most interesting manifestations of the literary conflict for freedom was the conspiracy letter “Art and Nation”, published between 1942 and 1944 in Warsaw. During the German occupation, its creators – young poets and essayists – not only created a imagination of the art subordinate to the nation, but besides died on the battlefield or as a consequence of the persecution of the occupier.

The emergence of “Art and Nation” should be seen in the context of the tragic events of planet War II. After German aggression in 1939, cultural life in Poland was almost completely paralyzed. The German Nazis sought to exterminate Polish intelligence and destruct national cultural heritage. Universities were closed, books were banned in Polish, and many writers and poets were murdered or found on forced emigration.

In consequence to these repressions in the circles of young Warsaw intelligence, conspiracy literary activity began to develop. The letter “Art and Nation” was created in 1942 and was related to the movement of the Confederation of Nation, ideologically derived from the pre-war ONR-Falanga. The authors of the magazine, including Bohdan Urbanowicz, Andrzej Trzebiński, Tadeusz Gajcy and Wacław Bojarski, were convinced of the necessity of engaging art in national affairs. They saw literature as not only a means of artistic expression, but besides a weapon in the conflict for the nation's spiritual independence.

The publications in “Art and Nation” were not only literary but besides programical. Their authors made concrete demands on the function of art and literature in society, based on respective key assumptions:

1. Art must service the nation – According to the authors, literature cannot be separated from social and historical reality. The creator has no right to hotel to escapism or individualism, but should engage in the affairs of the community.
2. Inspiration by Romanticism and messianism – Young poets referred to the work of Mickiewicz, Slovak or Norwid, stressing the importance of sacrificing an individual for the general good.
3. Criticism of decadence and individualism – literature “arts for art” and modernist experiments were rejected, which were considered detached from reality.
4. The Moral Commitment of the Artist – the poet was to be not only the creator but besides the “priest” of the nation, individual who guided society towards higher ideals.

Such an approach was radical, but in the context of war there were many supporters. Art in the creators' intentions was to bring a national and moral message, strengthen the spirit of opposition and build a community.

The most crucial figures related to “Art and Nation” were:

Tadeusz Gajcy – a poet who became 1 of the most crucial voices of the Columbus generation. His poetry, full of patriotism and tragedy, shows a imagination of conflict and sacrifice. In row “To the Seed” Gajcy wrote about the work to fight for future generations, and "Singing of walls" is simply a poignant image of the ruined Warsaw. He died in the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944.

Andrzej Trzebiński – essayist, poet, playwright, editor of Art and Nation. His views on art were highly extremist – he felt that the artist had to be a priest of the nation, a spiritual guide, which shows people the direction of action. Drama “To rise the rose” he wrote about the request to rebuild Poland after the war, highlighting the ethos of heroism and victims. He was shot by the Germans in 1943.

Wacław Bojarski – 1 of the first editors of “Art and Nation”, essayist and poet. He collaborated with Trzebinski on the form of the ideological writing. He died in 1943, shot by the Germans while laying flowers at Mickiewicz's monument.

Bronisław Onufry Kopczyński – poet and journalist, connected with underground cultural activity. His poems and articles in Art and Nation stressed the importance of the national character of art. In his texts he frequently referred to the romanticist tradition as well as the ethos of combat and sacrifice. Kopczyński, like his colleagues, died at a young age, fighting in the Warsaw Uprising.

Zdzisław Stroński – poet, literary critic, translator, associate of the editorial board “Arts and Nation”. He was 1 of the most talented representatives of the Columbus generation. His poesy was characterized by mysticism and a deep experience of patriotism. He wrote, among others, a cycle ‘The window’In which he combined reflection on war with philosophical reflection on man's fate. He died in the Warsaw Uprising with Tadeusz Gajcy.

All these creators died very young, fighting in the Warsaw Uprising or being shot by Germans. Their destiny was the highest proof of the consequences of their ideas. The creators did not hide their antiliberal and anti-communist views. After the war, the communist authorities tried to erase the memory of “Art and Nation” due to the fact that its creators did not enter the Marxist narrative. It was only after 1989 that the achievements of Gaius and Trzebiński began to be rediscovered.

The diary “Art and Nation” stood out for its strong perfect character, and his motto – taken from Norwid – proclaimed: “The artist is the organizer of the national imagination”. The writing published both literary works – poesy and prose – as well as public articles, historical-literary sketches, and critical literature. An crucial component of its content were many reviews which reacted vividly to literature created and published under underground conditions. The periodical besides had an obituary department and satirical section.

"SiN" publications operated on categories specified as empire, imperial culture, cultural revolution, praise for strength and action. The concept of the Slavic Empire – a federation of Slavic nations led by Poland, whose borders were to cover crucial areas of today's Belarus. These ideas opposed the common power of the Slavic expansion of Germany and Russia. At the political-systemic level, the writers referred to the slogan of universalism, which was to be an alternate to both totalitarianism and liberal democracy.

The "Art and Nation" environment was highly critical of the interwar twentieth anniversary, accusing it of perfect and moral smallness. Criticism included not only literature, but besides the full intellectual and political atmosphere of that period. Skamandrite’s work, which was accused of subjectivism, deficiency of the strength and depth essential to meet the war reality, was peculiarly harsh. Despite general criticism, 1 of the fewer valued poets of that era was Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, with whom young artists consulted their poems.

Among the intellectual patrons of “SiN” was Stanisław Brzozowski, Karol Irzykowski and Józef Czechowicz. The work of the environment was besides influenced by grotesque aesthetics, perceived as an adequate language to describe reality – this thought was peculiarly expressed in drama, considered the highest and most moral form of literary expression. In this respect, Witkacy's thought was inspired.

Detaching from the legacy of the twentieth anniversary led to demands to make fresh cultural awareness, which resulted in a concept of cultural revolution and the thought of the Cultural Movement, which was to function beyond political and organizational divisions. The main proponent of this thought was Andrzej Trzebiński, who co-created the Movement's perfect declaration, published in issue 14/15 "SiN" at the turn of 1943 and 1944.

In the last fewer years, Roman Dmowski and Ignacy Jan Paderewski Institute of National thought Heritage, led by Prof. Jan Żaryn, took peculiar care of the dissemination of the group's achievements and writings. In an extended volume, all the conspiratorial periodical numbers were released. In the final period of the action – the 1 liquidated by the governing coalition – the institution could be visited with an exhibition dedicated to “SiN”. A debate was besides organised, which can be viewed below.

Karol Gawłowski