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PARTISAN REVIEW
prose writers of today's Poland; his numerous short stories,
published since 1957 and depicting the lowest levels of Polish every–
day life, earned him the status of a "controversial" writer and
countless conflicts with the state censorship. Andrzej Zagozda and
the brilliant poet, novelist, and essayist Adam Zagajewski (born in
1945) both belong to a younger generation of writers who entered
the literary life significantly around 1968, the year of a famous stu–
dents' protest in which most of them took an active part. (Andrzej
Zagozda is the pseudonym of a young political writer whose identity
is obvious to anyone familiar with his views and style.)
It
is not acci–
dental that all authors represented here have been coeditors of and
contributors to
Zap is,
the first uncensored literary quarterly in the
Eastern bloc, published since 1976 by the Independent Publishing
House" NOWa." All of them have participated for a long time now,
as authors, editors , lecturers, in what I earlier called a self-education
of Polish society. And they still do-even from behind the barbed
wire. Or perhaps I should say: all the more from behind it.
Andrzej Zagozda
STANISLAW BARANCZAK
July 14, 1982
LETTERS FROM BIALOLEKA PRISON
You asked me for my response to General Jaruzelski ' s
proposal that I go abroad for good, that I emigrate. This is a benefit
conferred only on those who are interned. Neither the sentenced,
nor the imprisoned, nor even the normal citizens who were not
deemed suitable for internment may apply to leave the country.
Well, the answer to your question is relatively simple-no, I do
Both letters were translated by Agni eszka Kolakowska and we re rece ived from the
Committee in Support of Solidarit y in New York City.
