One of the contemporary pieces by Alex Czetwertynski inspired by Ginczanka’s work. All Images courtesy the Museum of Literature
The Museum of Literature in Warsaw, Poland is hosting an exhibition that celebrates the life and work of Zuzanna Ginczanka, a fascinating and massively under-represented Jewish poetess from pre-war Poland, by presenting her work in conjunction with contemporary art inspired by her life.Born in Kiev in 1917, her family escaped the Bolshevik Revolution to Równe, Poland. Even as a child, she was exceptionally beautiful and naturally creative, charismatic, and fiercely independent. At 14 years old, she was published in her school magazine, displaying clear influence of Skamander, a group of experimental poets based in Warsaw that subverted the nationalistic atmosphere of Polish poetry of the time and restored poetry to the common man with the use of vulgarities and slang, while at the same time continuing Polish folklore and mythology traditions. Ginczanka was in contact with a leading member of the group, Julian Tuwim, who encouraged her to submit her work to a literary competition. The publication of that poem marks the beginning of her short-lived fame. She spent the years before the war as an active member of the literary scene in 1930s Warsaw, writing bold poetry and biting satire.
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When WWII broke out, Ginczanka moved to Lviv. When the Nazis occupied the city in 1941, she went into hiding for the two years, and fled to Kraków in 1943 when the owner of the house she was hiding in turned her in. She was arrested by the Gestapo and shot in 1944.Until the 1990s, she was highly under-appreciated by the literary community. Now, she's is being heralded as one of the original feminist poets of the pre-war era, a frequent addition to readings on feminist theory and gender studies. Izolda Kiec, author of the first monograph of Ginczanka’s work, explains, “Ginczanka did not need men’s recommendations in order to exist in the cultural world. She did not need any schemes of femininity… She did not need these schemes that would enclose her untameable nature and burning senses in a fashion store. She wanted to be a nature freed from the salon, breaking stereotypes, rebellious and calling for a real girls’ revolution.”The exhibition at the Museum of Literature will showcase archival material of her work, such as photos and manuscripts, side by side with contemporary artists who will metaphorically refer to her life and work in “an attempt [to] bring Ginczanka closer, to talk about her extraordinary creativity, imagination, memories, femininity and tragic biography.”
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