Contemporary editions of personal documentary literature. The diaries of Iwaszkiewicz, Gombrowicz and… Andrzejewski

Abstract

The article analyses the relationship between the publication of the diaries of three 20^th-century writers and the popularity of their works amongst contemporary readers. Using the example of the publication of Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz’s diaries (published 2007–2011) in the edition prepared by Agnieszka and Robert Papieski, the study demonstrates how professionally compiled personal documentary literature played a key role in restoring the writing of the author of Panny z Wilka [The Maids of Wilko] to the literary canon in the first decade of the 21^st century. As a contrasting phenomenon, the failure to recognise and catalogue Jerzy Andrzejewski’s diaries has been described; this has led to the memory of this writer gradually fading from the public consciousness. In contrast, a counterpoint to the above considerations is the case of the edition of Witold Gombrowicz’s diaries, which were published in three volumes as part of his collected works (2024). As these works were already familiar to readers, their re-publication did not significantly increase interest in this writer’s work. However, during the discussion of this edition, questions were raised as to the extent to which they meet the criteria required of a complete works edition.