Abstract
The article deals with the centennial celebrations of Pushkin′s birthday, organized in 1899 by the Polish newspaper Kraj. The celebrations have already attracted several researchers′ attention, but so far no extensive use has been made of the newspaper′s archive (preserved in the Polish National Library in Warsaw) to reconstruct in detail the background of the event. The material gives a broader view on the organizing Ugoda-movement′s measures to promote the idea of Polish-Russian reconciliation in both countries. Of special interest is the organizing committee′s attempt to involve Polish authors (e. g. Sienkiewicz, Orzeszkowa, Prus) and other people affiliated with literature. The Kraj′s archive reveals the well-coordinatetd efforts towards them and simultaneously the widespread sympathy that many members of the literary environment felt for reconciliatory approaches. Nevertheless the resulting contributions to the celebrations should be interpreted not only as a revelation of moderate political attitudes and referring to literature of the belief in a friendship between Pushkin and Mickiewicz. Most of the centennial greetings carry another immanent message: The call for respect of Polish culture.
© by Akademie Verlag, Berlin, Germany