Fiction 
(1945–2021) – poet, essayist and prose writer. Adam Zagajewski made his debut in the late 1960s, co-founding a poetic group called “Nowa Fala” (New…
View profile
Back to Authors
Fiction
Stefan Grabiński
Samples
The Book Institute offers translation of excerpt from Stefan Grabiński’s work in French. Interested parties are kindly invited to contact us.
(1887–1936) – one of Poland’s leading exponents of pre-war fantastical writing, often called the ‘Polish Edgar Allan Poe’ or the ‘Polish Lovecraft’.
He graduated from the University of Lviv in Classical and Polish Literature, and worked as a Polish teacher in Lviv’s secondary schools. He wrote horror stories.
His short stories are the most acclaimed, having brought him popularity in his lifetime. His artistic imagination had two main features: first, a love of the railroad, which he made into a symbol of modernity and unstoppable movement, and second, an interest in occultism, shaped through his fundamentalist mother.
Grabiński’s greatest works are generally considered to be ‘Demon ruchu’ (The Motion Demon), whose first edition had nine tales of horror, and second had twelve. They were joined by the theme of the railway – their settings are stations, stationmasters’ huts, platforms and trains. Grabiński’s style uses a heavy dose of realism to depict his settings and a great deal of specialist knowledge of railway vocabulary; moreover, there are clearly repeating eccentric portraits, odd protagonists that encounter inexplicable phenomena and catastrophes. In Demon of Motion we see evidence of the author’s fondness for the occult, but it emerges fully in ‘Księga ognia’ (Book of Fire). Here Grabiński explores almost all possible incarnations of the fire motif: a fiery religious faith, fire of the inquisition, desire and eroticism, hellfire, fireworks, firefighting. We have yet to have a critical and readers’ response to Grabiński’s dramas, which have not been widely shown.
He also had a modest output of literary criticism, exploring the genesis of literature and problems in writing, including fantastical prose. In 1931, right after retiring, he received the City of Lviv Literary Award. His name was recommended by Karol Irzykowski and Jerzy Eugeniusz Płomieński. Irzykowski was among the first to appreciate Grabiński’s work. After World War II, Artur Hutnikiewicz praised him as well.
This award gave the ailing artist the longing to write – it let him pay his debts and get back on his feet. This did not last long. Grabiński died five years later, on 12 November 1936, poor and forgotten. He was buried in Lviv.
Bibliography
prose:
- Z wyjątków. W pomrokach wiary, Lwów: Księgarnia Maniszewskiego i Meinhardta, 1909.
- Na wzgórzu róż, Cracow: Księgarnia J. Czerneckiego, dawniej Księgarnia Spółki Wydawniczej Polskiej, 1918.
- Demon ruchu, Warsaw: Księgarnia J. Czerneckiego, 1919.
- Szalony pątnik, Cracow: Krakowska Spółka Wydawnicza, 1920.
- Demon ruchu, przedmowa Józef Jedlicz, Lwów: „Lektor” Instytut Literacki, 1922.
- Niesamowita opowieść, Lwów: Wydawnictwo Dzieł Pogodnych, 1922.
- Księga ognia, Łódź: Księgarnia Polska, 1922.
- Salamandra, Lwów: Wydawnictwo Polskie, 1924.
- Cień Bafometa, Lwów: Wydawnictwo Zakładu Narodowego im. Ossolińskich, 1926.
- Klasztor i morze, Warsaw: F. Hoesick,1928.
- Namiętność(L’appassionata), Warsaw: Renaissance-Universum, 1930.
- Wyspa Itongo, Warsaw: F. Hoesick, 1936.
- Niesamowite opowieści, selection and edition: Janusz Wilhelmi, Warsaw: Czytelnik 1958.
- Niesamowite opowieści, afterword: Stanisław Lem, Cracow: Wydawnictwo Literackie, 1975.
- Nowele, introduction: Artur Hutnikiewicz, Cracow: Wydawnictwo Literackie, 1980.
- Utwory wybrane, vol. 1. Nowele, selection, introduction and commentary: Artur Hutnikiewicz, Cracow: Wydawnictwo Literackie, 1980.
- Utwory wybrane, vol. 2. Cień Bafometa, selection, introduction and commentary: Artur Hutnikiewicz, Cracow: Wydawnictwo Literackie, 1980.
- Utwory wybrane, vol. 3. Wyspa Itongo: powieść, selection, introduction and commentary: Artur Hutnikiewicz, Cracow: Wydawnictwo Literackie, 1980.
- Niesamowite opowieści, Warsaw: „Iskry”, 1981.
- Demon ruchu, afterword: Krzysztof Varga, Warsaw: „Lampa i Iskra Boża”, 1999.
- Klasztor i morze, introduction and edition: Jakup Knap, Cracow: Agharta, 2011.
- Maszynista Grot. Z mojej pracowni, introduction: Paweł Komar, Lublin: Wydawnictwo KUL, 2011.
- Demon ruchu i inne opowiadania, Poznań: Zysk i S-ka, 2011.
- Na wzgórzu róż, ed. Elżbieta Sarwa, Sandomierz: „Armoryka”, 2012.
- Pani z Białego Kasztelu i inne opowiadania, Przemyśl: Wydawnictwo Kabort, 2012.
- Wichrowate linie (utwory rozproszone), introduction and edition: Jakub Knap, Cracow: Agharta, 2012.
- W pomrokach wiary. Opowieści niepokojące, Cracow: Agharta, 2013.
- Sad umarłych, Sandomierz: Armoryka, 2016.
- W pomrokach wiary, Sandomierz: Armoryka, 2016.
- Wyspa Itongo, Sandomierz: Armoryka, 2016.
- Księga ognia, Sandomierz: Armoryka, 2016.
- Namiętność, Sandomierz: Armoryka, 2016.
- Demon ruchu, Sandomierz: Armoryka, 2016.
- Szalony pątnik, Sandomierz: Armoryka, 2016.
- Znaki niesamowite, Toruń: C&T, 2018.
- Muzeum dusz czyśćcowych. Opowieści niesamowite, selection and afterword: Maciej Płaza, Czerwonak: Vesper, 2018.
- Demon ruchu oraz inne opowiadania, Warsaw: Wydawnictwo CM, 2018.
- Włosy krzyczące na głowie. Polska nowela fantastyczna, introduction: Wojciech Grabowski, Kajetan Maria Jaksender, ill. Wojciech Grabowski, Cracow: Wydawnictwo Eperons-Ostrogi, 2019 (various arthists).
- Salamandra, Warsaw: Wydawnictwo CM, 2019.
- Wyspa Itongo, Warsaw: Wydawnictwo CM, 2019.
- Cień Bafometa. Powieść fantastyczna, Toruń: C&T, 2020.
- Szalony pątnik, Cracow: Wydawnictwo IX, 2023.
- Demon ruchu, zilustrowała Rita Kaczmarska, Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Dwie Siostry, 2024.
- Muzeum dusz czyśćcowych. 1, Czerwonak: Vesper, 2024.
- Szalona zagroda, vol 2, selection and edition: Rafał Nawrocki, Czerwonak: Vesper, 2024.
- Dzieła zebrane, Cracow: Wydawnictwo IX, 2024.
- Błonia tajemnicy, scenariusz i adaptacja Mateusz Wiśniewski, Warsaw: Kultura Gniewu, 2025 (an anthology of comic strips based on selected works by Grabiński).
- Księga ognia i inne opowiadania, Ożarów Mazowiecki: Świat Książki, 2025.
drama:
- Ciemne siły (willa nad morzem). Dramat w trzech aktach, Przemyśl: Wydawnictwo Polskiej Książnicy Naukowej, 1921.
- Dramat fantastyczny w 3 aktach, 1927.
- Dramaty, słowo wstępne Richard Sokoloski. Lublin: Norbertinum, 2016.
Translations
English:
- The Dark Domain [collection of short stories], trans. Mirosław Lipiński, Sawtry: Dedalus Classics, 1993.
- The Motion Demon [Demon ruchu], Mirosław Lipiński, Ashcroft: Tree Press, 2005.
- In Sarah’s House [W domu Sary], trans. Wiesiek Powaga, London: CB Editions, 2007.
- On the Hill of Roses [Na wzgórzu róż], trans. Mirosław Lipiński, Burgess Hill: Hieroglyphic Press, 2012.
- The Motion Demon [Demon ruchu], trans. Mirosław Lipiński, Scotts Valley, California: CreateSpace, 2013.
- L’appassionata [Namiętność (L’appassionata)], trans. Mirosław Lipiński, New York: NoHo Press, 2014.
- Masters of the Weird Tale: Stefan Grabinski, trans. Mirosław Lipiński, Lakewood, Colorado: Centipede Press, 2021.
- Orchard of the Dead and Other Macabre Tales, [Sad umarłych. Opowieści niesamowite], trans. Anthony Sciscione, Richmond: Valancourt Books, 2023.
French:
- La Voie de garage [Ślepy tor], trans. Madame Halicka, w: Fantastique: 60 récits de terreur, wyb. Roger Caillois, Paris: Le Club français du livre, 1958.
- La Voie de garage [Ślepy tor], trans. Madame Halicka, w: Anthologie du fantastique, t. 2, wyb. Roger Caillois, Paris: Gallimard, 1966.
- La Maîtresse de Szamota [Kochanka Szamoty], trans. Pierre Van Cutsem, Paryż: Le Visage Vert, 2018.
- La Voie de garage [Ślepy tor], trans. Pierre Van Cutsem, Paris: Le Visage Vert, 2018.
German:
- Das Abstellgleis [Ślepy tor], trans. Klaus Staemmler, Frankfurt–Berlin: Insel Verlag, 1971.
- Das Abstellgleis und andere Erzählungen [Ślepy tor i inne opowieści], trans. Klaus Staemmler, Frankfurt: Suhrkamp, 1978.
- Das graue Zimmer. Unheimliche Geschichten [Szary pokój. Opowieści niesamowite], trans. Eckert, K. Kelma, Berlin: Verlag Volk und Welt, 1987.
Italian:
- Il villaggio nero. Racconti fantastici [Czarna wioska. Opowieści fantastyczne], trans. Andrei Bonazzi, Mediolan: Edizioni Hypnos, 2012.
Japanese:
- Hi no sho [Księga ognia], trans. Fumino Shibata, Tōkyō: 2017.
Russian:
- Избранные произведения в 2 томах [Dzieła wybrane w dwóch tomach], trans. zbiorowe, Moskwa: Enigma, 2002.
- Демон движения [Demon ruchu], trans. Wasilij Iwanowicz Sprinsk, Moskwa: Prestiż Buk, 2021.
- Иллюзии и причуды [Iluzje i kaprysy], tłum Wasilij Iwanowicz Sprinsk, Moskwa: Prestiż Buk, 2023.
- Сад умерших [Ogród umarłych], Wasilij Iwanowicz Sprinsk, Moskwa: Prestiż Buk, 2025.
Spanish:
- El demonio del movimiento y otros relatos de la zona oscura [Demon ruchu], trans. Katarzyna Olszewska Sonnenberg, Madryt: Ediciones Valdemar, 2017.
Ukrainian:
- Духи старого Львова [Duchy starego Lwowa], trans. Zbiorowe, Lwiw: Piramida, 2001.
- Демон Руху. Книга вогню [Demon ruchu], trans. Larisa Andrievska, Kyjiw: Znannia, 2018
- Саламандра [Salamandra], collective translations: Kharkiw: Folio, 2018.
More Authors
See all authors
(1966) – reporter, newspaper journalist (formerly also TV and radio journalist), lecturer. Mariusz Szczgieł is a graduate of the Faculty of Journalism and Political…
View profile
(b. 1977) – a prose writer and columnist. Considered one of Poland’s foremost horror writers, Orbitowski has developed a unique style, joining the horror…
View profile
(b. 1955) – writer, translator from English, Italian and French. Magdalena Tulli is the daughter of Ludovic, an Italian translator (Polish to Italian), and…
View profile
(b. 1960) – a poet, prose writer, essayist, translator, journalist, literary critic, author for children and young adults. He graduated in Italian Studies from…
View profile
(b. 1983) – a prose writer, dramaturg and creator of radio plays. He is a dramaturgy graduate at the Theatre Directing Faculty at the…
View profile