Skamandryci (1918-1920)

The Skamandryci were a group of Polish poets active from 1918 to 1920. Key representatives included Antoni Słonimski, Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, Kazimierz Wierzyński, Jan Lechoń, and Julian Tuwim.

Their program and characteristics included:

1. Lack of a unified artistic stance or concrete program
2. Strong emphasis on connecting poetry with contemporary life and everyday experiences
3. Aim to make poetic expression accessible to a wide audience
4. Introduction of concrete imagery in poetry and expression of optimistic joy of life
5. Preference for everyday themes, appealing to the common person
6. Use of colloquial language in poetry, opposing avant-garde poetic groups
7. Focus on simple language and addressing primarily ordinary people
8. Celebration of life with a touch of mysticism

Highlight: The Skamandryci founded a literary cabaret in the "Pod Pikadorem" café in 1919 and launched their magazine "Skamander" in 1920.

Example: Besides writing poems, they also created political puppet shows, song lyrics for cabarets, feuilletons, and satirical verses to reach a broader audience.

Vocabulary: Skamandryci - A group of Polish poets active in the early 20th century, known for their accessible style and focus on everyday themes.

Futuryści

The Futurists were a radical avant-garde movement that emerged in the early 20th century, with roots in Italy and Russia before spreading to Poland. They were known as "destroyers of museums and libraries" and "vanquishers of tradition".

Key aspects of Futurism included:

1. Advocacy for creating new forms in art, literary expression, and lifestyle
2. Criticism of the old and focus on modernity
3. Fascination with new discoveries and modern technology
4. Praise for civilization and technological development
5. Liberation from orthographic restrictions and creation of neologisms
6. Aggression and revolution in artistic expression
7. New morality and rejection of the present and tradition

Definition: Futuryzm - An avant-garde movement that advocated for radical innovation in art and literature, embracing modernity and rejecting traditional forms.

Polish Futurist representatives included:

1. Anatol Stern
2. Aleksander Wat
3. Stanisław Młodożeniec
4. Tytus Czyżewski
5. Bruno Jasieński

Example: Bruno Jasieński's "Manifest w sprawie ortografii fonetycznej" (Manifesto on Phonetic Orthography) deliberately used spelling errors to shock readers and demonstrate freedom from accepted canons.

Highlight: Futurists aimed to universalize language and recreate it, often disregarding orthographic rules and creating neologisms.

Comparison: Futuryści vs Awangarda Krakowska

While both movements shared some similarities, they also had distinct differences:

Similarities:

• Opposition to tradition
• Emphasis on the influence of civilization on art

Differences:

• Awangarda Krakowska adhered more closely to norms regarding syntax and language use
• Futurists were more radical in their approach to language and artistic expression

Vocabulary: Awangarda Krakowska - A Polish avant-garde literary movement focused on urban themes and structured poetic expression.

Vocabulary: Futuryści - A more radical avant-garde movement that sought to completely revolutionize art and language.

Awangarda Krakowska (1922-1927)

The Awangarda Krakowska was a literary group active from 1922 to 1927, associated with the Krakow-based magazine "Zwrotnica". This avant-garde movement consisted of five key members, including Tadeusz Peiper, who was considered the "pope of the avant-garde".

Their program was centered around the concept of "3M": Miasto (City), Masa (Mass), and Maszyna (Machine). These elements formed the core of their artistic manifesto:

1. The city represented society and celebrated experiences and impressions.
2. Mass referred to people.
3. Machine symbolized technological progress and development as human creations that simplify life.

The Awangarda Krakowska program emphasized:

• Praise for modernity and its dynamics
• Fascination with urban transformation and city aesthetics
• Embracing emotions evoked by city life and technology
• Contrasting the chaos of nature with the order of the city
• Rejecting the concept of poetic inspiration in favor of viewing the poet as a craftsman or engineer of words
• Recognizing metaphor as the primary means of expression, using few words and neologisms
• Advocating for art to keep pace with contemporary life

Highlight: The city was seen as a source of artistic inspiration, with Tadeusz Peiper drawing poetic comparisons between urban elements and natural beauty.

Example: Peiper likened shop windows to cathedral chapels and tram rails to shining river waves, illustrating the new canons of beauty in urban landscapes.

Quote: "Jego wiersz miał być zagadką. Poeta nie powinien mówić wprost, ale używać wielu metafor." (His poem was to be a riddle. The poet should not speak directly, but use many metaphors.)