Somehow it turned out that writers do not particularly like each other. They express this reluctance from time to time in public posts on social media, and as I can see in the comments, not only for me, but also for a wide range of other recipients, this is a thrilling read. There is nothing to hide, it’s nice to look at finely expressed smaller or larger malice – because this is a vanishing art.
Szczepan Twardoch and Jacek Dehnel argue as beautifully as no one else
Złośliwi and Jacek Dehnel claim that the “coat wars” began when Jacek Dehnel criticized the novel “The King” by Twardoch for historical inaccuracies and, according to his knowledge, a distorted picture of the relationship between the Polish and Jewish communities in pre-war Warsaw. Let me quote here an archival statement from 2017, when Jacek Dehnel, as a reaction to Twardocha’s column, made a whole entry pointing out the mistakes that touched him. in which you imply dishonesty, just accept the reader’s criticism. And if you disagree with it, you can comment under the thread. I’m always happy to talk about literature, including literature that I don’t like.” To which Twardoch replied that “best regards”.
He also once wrote that he would not defend his novels, because he assumed that his books would defend themselves. But every now and then he does actually say something biting about a colleague.
print screen / Facebook / 23.08.23
The latest chapter of their public exchange of courtesy began with the fact that Szczepan Twardoch read in the comments under his text on the “Gazeta Wyborcza” website: “candidate for MP Jacek Dehnel said that he was not a count.” “I am shocked and saddened” – he emphasized and asked with fear “Will it soon turn out that he is not also Ananias?” He is concerned that Dehnel will not change his way of being because of running in the elections and political demands:
Isn’t (…) already indignant at the manners of less cultured passengers than he is? Will he now dance to Zenek Martyniuk at the election picnic in a shirt with the sleeves rolled up, sipping grilled sausage with beer from a plastic mug and addressing the gathered crowd as ‘dear’, chanting and posing for photos?
At the same time, he encourages people to vote for Jacek Dehnel and explains that he would love to see him in the Sejm “in a rhetorical clash with deputies Kowalski or Mejza, for example. Or how he thunders from the rostrum like Cicero against Catiline, threatening the President!”. Under this entry, one of the users of portal X (formerly: Twitter) asked if it was “environmental teasing” or “ordinary envy”. In response, Twardoch replied with an open heart: “Only envy. I’ve always dreamed of becoming a politician. Jacek succeeded … I can’t stand it.”
A rather cursory analysis of the entries on Twardoch’s Facebook page itself allows me to assume that these accusations do not have much in common with Dehnel’s literature or poetry. Here the issue is more about political views and ways of being. Mr. Szczepan usually writes about Mr. Jacek as “Ananiaszek” (remember: he is a character of a school boy disliked by other boys and very infantile from “Mikołajek”), because – quoting an entry from 2020 – “he is never wrong and in moral perfection he has surpassed everyone “.
print screen / Facebook / 23.08.23
Fortunately, Dehnel decided to respond to Twardoch’s latest entry. At first, he mocked him for the fact that when everyone deletes their Twitter accounts, he just creates them and notices that out of a dozen or so entries, as many as two are dedicated to him. He also emphasized that “he is not a count” and has definitely never been one, and he has never demonstrated “disgust at the common man”. Leaving aside the technical details of his start in the election and the more specific summary of the column for “Wyborcza”, in which he criticized the train passengers for seizing the entire compartment for himself, we further learn from his counter that most of Twardoch’s statements are, in his opinion, “quite krindz”.
He is also indignant that the writer, who emphasizes that he does not have left-wing views, is trying to arrange electoral lists of the Left. Further in the comments, Dehnel accuses the author of “Król” and “Morfina” of, for example, a superficial risercz (he compares it to the famous risercz of Ziemikiewicz), the need for attention, fixation on male genitalia (I attach screens for proof and Mr Jacek, forgive me, I will quote: ” In no book by a non-hetero author I have read as much about the sizes, shapes and possibilities of dicks as in the only book by Szczepan that I have read. So he definitely knows about it, everyone has his kink”), “war fetish” ( because “he loves to fly with a rifle or a shotgun, or whatever else”) and nicely tells one of his readers, who does not know Twardoch’s work, that “this is a writer capable of everything”.
print screen / Facebook / 23.08.23
Szczepan Twardoch vigilantly replied: “Dear Jacek, my current interest in your wonderful person stems from the fact that you are running for the Sejm, which I find very amusing, while wishing you all the best, because it would be a great experience to see you in the Sejm.” He also warned: “When you enter politics, you will have to accept being judged much more than you were as a writer and publicist. I don’t envy you that, but you wanted it, didn’t you?” He adds that he will not change his mind on several issues, but assures that he will support: “I remain very curious about your activities in this campaign, promising a lot after your public appearances.”
print screen / Facebook / 23.08.23
Jacek Dehnel, however, does not believe it, because he sarcastically wrote back in English: “Yes, sure.” At the same time, I would like to say that I subscribe to the comment of one FB user: “I would vote for Dehnel and Twardoch to the Sejm only and only in the hope of a better literary level of Polish parliamentary polemics.” PS Thank you to both great writers for the material for the text, the boss prefers to have content than not have it <3.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
