Górnicze wątki etnologiczne i zawodowe w zagłębiowskiej powieści Zofii Bukowieckiej „Historia o Janku górniku” z roku 1896

Abstract
In 1896, in Warsaw a novel called “Historia o Janku górniku” (The Story of Janek, the Miner) was published. The book, directed to teenage readers, was written by Zofia Bukowiecka, an education activist and a writer, living at the time in Dąbrowa Górnicza, where her adult son, Stanisław, a lawyer, held a responsible position in one of the local coal mines. Social relations of her son and her own observations encouraged the writer to note down her knowledge of life and work of the miners of Zagłębie in the form of a lighthearted novel. The book was commemorated in the history of the Polish literature as the first novel devoted to mining. The plot is relatively simple and suitable for the book’s audience: to Dąbrowa Górnicza there comes a ten-year-old orphan, Janek Poleski, expecting to meet there his distant relatives. Unfortunately, in vain. After many adventures he ends up in the house of Mrs Wolska, a shopkeeper in Dąbrowa, who he had met on the train. The plot oftentimes becomes a pretext to touch on the most important issues connected with mining like the coal formation process, the history of mining, measuring works, mining accidents, miner’s funeral as well as an account of local legends and miners’ songs. Thus, this inconspicuous novel may prove a valuable source for ethnologists and culture experts dealing with professional ethics of miners’ community. The article focuses on the figure of significant yet completely overlooked nowadays writer, while also containing in depth analysis and interpretation of the above mentioned novel.
Description
Citation
Okoń, J. (2013). Górnik Polski. Zeszyty Naukowe Muzeum Górnictwa Węglowego, 7, 69-115.
Belongs to collection