Józef Hen – literacka podróż pomiędzy epokami

Józef Hen is an extraordinary writer in the full sense of this word, partly because he combines several eras in his writings. He was brought up in the spirit of positivism, which marked its presence after the January Uprising of 1863–1865 and which declined in the first few years after regaining independence. This was the time when Józef Hen (then still called Józek Cukier by his peers from Warsaw’s Nowolipie Street) entered adulthood and followed the example of his father, also a writer. Later, his works and the way he formulated his thoughts and put them on the paper were shaped by the experiences of the World War II. The most fruitful period in Hen’s work was the postwar period (1945–1989), when his talent, despite all the barriers and limitations, managed to flourish. The writer continued his titanic work after the 1989 breakthrough, marking and maintaining his place in the pantheon of outstanding Polish writers of the 20th and 21st century. His experiences, including the most difficult ones from the years 1939–1945, were expressed not only in his books, but also in several movies based on his prose. Józef Hen is a monumental figure whose works constitute one of the foundations of modern literature. He is also a great moral authority and spiritual leader for many Polish readers and cinema fans.