Andrzej Szczypiorski (1924–2000)

Szczypiorski (1928-2000) was, among other things, a partisan in WWII who also took part in the Warsaw Uprising. He was arrested and imprisoned at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, where he survived until 1945. I mention that background by way of explaining my reaction to this book. The story is an allegory, a parable that explains how totalitarianism can arise. Three years after the plague kills a substantial number of local citizens in 1458, the town of Arras descends into a frenzy when show more a valuable horse dies after its owner is supposedly cursed by his Jewish neighbor. The Jews kills himself before a trial can take place but the townspeople proceed to rob, exile, and kill not only the local Jews but anyone who expresses sympathy for them, criticizes the new orthodoxy, or, finally, shows any “aberrant” behavior. I could not read this book without immediately thinking of Germany (and Italy) in the 1930s. Szczypiorski narrates this tale through the eyes of Jan, a Christian intellectual who participates in the mass hysteria only to find himself suspected of heresy. He recoils from his mentor, Father Albert, a proto-fascist demagogue, but when his other role model, David, Bishop of Utrecht, absolves all the citizens of their sins, Jan recognizes the horrifying consequences of unquestioning acceptance of authority. Beautifully told, terrifying in its reality, highly recommended. show less

It took me longer than I anticipated to become as fully immersed in this work as in the first book of his that I read, A Mass for Arras (reviewed here). But when I did I came away enormously impressed—again—with this author, a Polish Catholic who writes about Jewish/Polish relations. A man who took part in the Warsaw Uprising in WWII, was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp, was an activist for Solidarity, and was imprisoned by the Polish Communist government, and who—it appeared show more after his death—may have collaborated with the secret police under Stalin. The book tells of the arrest and brief imprisonment of the title character. Each chapter examines in detail the life of one of the various people—Pole, Jew, Nazi, Catholic nun, and others—who had a role in her release. The stories are vividly told, occasionally philosophical, and always deeply moving. An exceptional work, highly recommended. show less

This is a very sad but enjoyable novel set in Poland and Warsaw in 1943. The novel brings together Polish history and the Polish character and attitudes through the thoughts of various people, all of which have contact with Mrs Seidenman, a blue-eyed and blond-haired Jewish woman. Mrs Seidenman has changed her name and has false papers. Andrzej Szczypiorski manages to get an excellent balance between the dark sadness of those days and the humour as individuals engage with each other and show more carry on some sort of normal life. The author shows incredible compassion for everyone, Jews, Germans and Poles and makes a good attempt to get inside the head of the different characters in the novel. Szczypiorski was born in 1924 and took part in the 1944 uprising and so the novel feels authentic in the scenes it portrays. It is good to read a war novel from a Polish perspective and this was an excellent read. show less

Meh. This book presents many very intriguing characters, but the author seems so wrapped up in his own ideas about Poles and the future of Poland that he seems to forget he is supposed to be telling a story here. There is no story. There is no suspense.

You already know from the beginning that Mrs. Seidenman will be rescued, because it says so on the dust jacket. (And, contrary to what the dust jacket says, the rescue was not "dramatic." It wasn't like they stormed the jail Bastille-style or show more anything like that. Her friends simply got a German man to go to the jail and say he knows her and she's not a Jew.) You already know she will survive the war and live to an old age. In fact, you already know the fate of every single character in the story before long, because whenever one is introduced the author immediately tells you what their life will be like later and how and when they will die.

Most of the book consists of various people from all walks of life, all connected in some way with Mrs. Seidenman, giving speeches. These are either internal or external monologues and they go on for pages. And much of this is interesting, even profound, but the fact is that while the characters are standing around philosophizing, nothing is happening and there is no plot to speak of.

This book is good, perhaps, if you want to want know the history and social climate of Warsaw in 1943, but it is a piss-poor excuse for a novel. show less