The literary output of Wanda Chotomska and Miron Białoszewski in the weekly „Świerszczyk-Iskierki” (1953–1954)

Abstract

The paper is dedicated to the works of the writing duo – Miron Białoszewski and Wanda Chotomska in the period of their cooperation with the children’s weekly „Świerszczyk-Iskierki”. The output, which consists of several dozen literary works that are varied in terms of genre and theme (including socialist realist poems, “production” readings and reportage), has not yet been published in the collection of Białoszewski’s works and has not been registered in any bibliographies of the poet. The topic of social realist works for children by Chotomska and Białoszewski has never been the subject of broader literary-historical or press studies (with the exception of the literary sketches by Marta Bukowiecka and Mariusz Zawodniak). Nevertheless, according to the author of the paper, these forgotten texts are not only a valuable supplement to the knowledge concerning the early work of Białoszewski and Chotomska, but also an important testimony of the activity of children’s press under the conditions of the Stalinist regime.
The source material of the article includes several texts signed with pseudonyms: „Wanda Miron”, „W. Miron”, initials: „W.M.”, as well as with the authors’ names: „M. Białoszewski”, published in the volumes of the weekly „Świerszczyk-Iskierki” from the period 1953–1954. While studying the specifics of the functioning of a writing duo on the pages of a children’s magazine, the author refers to the findings of bibliologists and press specialists (e.g. M. Rogoż, Z. Sokół, B. Staniów, J. Papuzińska), as well as literary experts (e.g. Z. Jarosiński, M. Zawodniak, B. Olszewska).