Zatrzymane w pamięci. Epistolograficzne studium wojennego dramatu
Retained in Memory: An Epistolary Study of a War Drama

Summary/Abstract: The reviewer has referred to the goal of the book, which (according to its author) has been to describe and codify the labor-camp/prison letter in its theoretical and practical aspects. Significant features of the research include a description of the interaction between the letter writer and the addressee, as well as an analysis of the functions both of the epistolary dialogue and of the interpersonal relations involved.The source material for Lucyna Sadzikowska’s analysis consists of unique collections of laborcamp and prison letters from the period 1939–1945. They were written in different concentration camps in Poland and across Europe. Their analysis is an integral part of discovering and describing (from different research perspectives and with the help of various methodologies) the war drama, as it arose from the experience of totalitarianism. Due to their individual character, letters written in constitution camps constitute an exceptional testimony of the fate of all the victims who suffered humiliation in these places. In a sense, the letters of prisoners are an echo of the inner struggle for justice, and can be seen as attempts to preserve human dignity. Interestingly, the author of the book has invented an inspiring method of reading this type of epistolary literature, contextualizing the analysis in terms of the individual fate of the senders and the addressees.In the opinion of the book’s reviewer, the source documents (published in the form of annexes) are truly invaluable. They include Franciszek Ogon’s camp letters (Annex I) and the reminiscences of Alojzy Fros about Franciszek Ogon (Annex II).The reviewer rates high both the content and the scholarly features of the monograph and emphasizes that, on the basis of intriguing epistolary material, Lucyna Sadzikowska has created a successful and interesting synthesis, which takes into account various interpretive perspectives. In this way, the book may be seen as an effort to contribute to the emendation of the shortage of such publications in Polish literary studies.

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