The Geography of Polish Literature: Recognizing the East

Nasilowska discusses encounters with the East as portrayed in late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century Polish literature, focussing on Waclaw Sieroszewski and Antoni Ferdynand Ossendowski. Experiences of forced settlement in Siberia, or of finding oneself in Asia as a consequence of historical circumstances, gave rise to a literary trope that anticipated such academic fields as cultural anthropology or international relations. As a rule, Polish writers did not identify with the Imperial (in this case mainly Russian) point of view. Their chances of survival depended on cooperation with various indigenous national and ethnic groups, and on accepting their own cultural difference. This is not to say that Polish culture was not Eurocentric, as is evident from incidents of anti-Chinese sentiment. Nonetheless, Polish writers painted a complex picture of Asia. Although the Russian Revolution hampered their curiosity and exploration, echoes of their earlier experiences were heard until the late 1920s.