Maritime Turn and the Sinking of Heweliusz

Abstract

The article formulates a postulate of a maritime turn in research and public debate in Poland, grounding it in the context of the ongoing folk turn. The text argues for the need to increase maritime awareness and moving some of national interest from traditional land subjects to issues connected with the Baltic Sea. In the first part, the author defines maritime awareness, references concepts from the field of maritime sociology, history of culture and economy so as to show the historical conditions behind land-based foundations of Polish mentality and Poland turning away from the sea. Simultaneously, changing human aspirations and counting maritime economy among challenges for the near future are taken into account. The second part analyzes the significance of Adam Zadworny’s nonfiction book Heweliusz. Tajemnica katastrofy na Bałtyku and the announced Netflix series for the popularization of maritime-related subjects within the postulated maritime turn. It shows that disasters, seen as “useful” in the sphere of communication, may play the role of a catalyst for communal forms of life, whereas when described at a temporal distance in texts of culture with broad public audience, they may co-create social climate favorable for the development of maritime
economy.