Warsaw Archives - Zielony Balonik

The Institute of English Studies in Warsaw

October 29, 2025 by Ken Cockburn

The Institute of English Studies in the Faculty of Modern Languages at the University of Warsaw has received a collection of books about Scotland and by Scottish authors from the estate of the late Dr. Robert Lindsay Hodgart, who fulfilled an academic career as an urban geographer at the University of Edinburgh. He had strong personal links with Warsaw and Poland through marriage and on retirement was able to devote more time to experiencing Poland.

A small selection of the collection was on display in the Faculty Library during the Scotland in Europe Conference 22-24 October 2025. It was an eye catching and colourful point of interest along one of the wide corridors of the stylish building in Ulica Dobra opposite the magnificent Main Library of the University of Warsaw.

Pages of books in different languages are represented on its exterior and in its interior. A lovely place to visit when in Warsaw and to relax in the botanical gardens and in the roof top gardens.

Krystyna Szumelukowa
28 October 2025

Netflix Lalka

October 2, 2025 by Ken Cockburn

From Robert, our unofficial Warsaw correspondent:

On a walk today, near Nowe Miasto, we came across the site of a film set which was under construction for the Netflix production of Lalka (The Doll).

We have all read the book and will remember the shop! The one in the attached photos is made from polystyrene slabs.

I hope a storm does not occur before the film is completed.

The International Book Fair Warszawa May 2025

June 21, 2025 by Ken Cockburn

The cheerful back cover to the brochure tells its own story. Over a long weekend in Warszawa the enthusiasm for books was visible with tents outside in Plac Defilad, stalls inside the Palace of Culture and an overflow into the Modern Art Gallery next door. Younger ones out numbered the older readers everywhere with literally hundreds of publishers present, many of whom had corralled their authors to put in an appearance. The partnership this year with the Republic of Korea as the special guest was not out of place and very much a sign of the times as Poland is a a dynamic global actor on the world stage.

The size of the pavilions seemed also to be a reflection of the changing world of publishing. To my surprise the Czytelnik stall was one of the smallest with just room for two people, one of whom was Adam Zamoyski quietly signing the occasional book and politely interested in our reading of Isabella the Valiant, but camera shy. In contrast, the super size pavilion housing NieZwyklą Książkę was heaving with dramatic books for the younger generations. The beautiful book covers were enticing, many of which were emblazoned with English titles. Świat Książki also pulled in the crowds but it was easy to do as they launched the latest book Kandydat by Jakub Żulczyk, the day before the first round of the recent presidential election. The queues awaiting his arrival were long. But I managed the photo before he had a chance to sit at the signing desk escorted by his suitably attired entourage! He was not camera shy! I am waiting for the translation of the book into English.

Jakub Żulczyk signing a copy of his new book Kandydat

I was delighted to see that I could buy a new edition of Śłowka by Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński which includes the Piosenki Zielonego Balonika. My companion book for my visit to Warszawa was Russia’s Neighbour: the New Poland by Bernard Newman published in 1946. I wanted to recall his commentary of that time alongside my new encounters in 2025. The result is a desire to return to the book fair next year!

Krystyna Szumelukowa

September 30, 2024September 30, 2024 by Ken Cockburn

Robert McMillan writes from Warsaw:

The ZB website has a few photos relating to Prus’s Lalka and the related walk in Warsaw. I also remember Jenny commenting on the absence of any photos relating to the heroine. Here are some relevant photos I took last week, including one with a route map.

See also the main page about the book here, with our thoughts on it.

Warsaw Fictions

November 22, 2023November 22, 2023 by Ken Cockburn

Our de facto Warsaw correspondent Robert recently sent these photos relating to Lalka (The Doll) by Bolesław Prus, which we read in 2021, along with this commentary:

“No doubt most of you will remember when we read the classic book ‘Lalka’.

“This morning we came across the 2 carved information plaques in the attached photographs. Each one is about a main character from the book. Curiously, the text assumes that these fictional characters DID live in the premises with attached plaques.”

Wokulski is the main protagonist, who owns the shop in which Rzecki works – and while said shop plays a central role there’s a lot more to the book than shopkeeping.

Maciej Hen

August 7, 2023 by Ken Cockburn

After our last post about Robert McMillan meeting Jozef Hen, this post is about Basia McMillan meeting Maciej Hen. (Robert and Basia are married; Jozef and Maciej are father and son.)

Basia writes:

“Recently I attend the Polish National Library’s very well attended annual picnic in Warsaw. While there I spent some time talking woth two authors.

“Firstly Zyta Rudzka who has won a number of prestigious prizes for her work – including this year the Nike (comparable to the Booker) for her latest book. She informed me that one of her books, Slicznotka Doktora Josepha, has recently been translated into English by Antonia Lloyd Jones and will be published in the USA next year. Obviously, a possible book for us to read once it becomes available.

“I also talked to Maciej Hen – our second encounter as we had a long meeting with him and Grazyna last year.”

Jozef Hen

June 6, 2023 by Ken Cockburn

One of our members, Robert McMillan, is currently in Warsaw where he recently attended an event looking at the work of Jozef Hen.

Last year we read his Nowolipie Street, about his experiences of growing up in Warsaw in the 1920s and 30s.

Robert writes, “I managed to have a short conversation with him… Despite being nearly 100 years old he was quite sharp and understood English.”

You can read our (very appreciative) thoughts on Nowolipie Street here.

Books in Warsaw

December 5, 2022December 5, 2022 by Ken Cockburn

One of our members, Robert McMillan, has been sending disptaches from Warsaw. Here are some of his book-sightings.

“Taken in tunnel under The Royal Castle – the 4th book fair we have attended this year in Warsaw.”

“Taken in Czytelnik (a ‘reading’ centre established many years ago) dining room showing an interesting way of displaying books.”

“These two photos were taken from the entrance of a wonderful second-hand bookshop in Solec Warsaw. The owner, a diminutive woman, had an encyclopaedic knowledge of her books; when asked if she had a copy of Witlin’s Salt of the Earth she promptly answered – no.”

Some books that are there but out of sight…

“I think this photo taken in the hallway of the splendid Warsaw University Library shows how the system of student requests for particular books can be dealt with, i.e. make your request online, the book is deposited in one of the deposit drawers and the student uses an emailed code to open the appropriate door. No dialogue between student and staff required!”

And finally some books that seem to be there but aren’t.

“If like us, you book lovers are faced with overflowing bookcases gradually filling up your accommodation, here is a possible solution – photograph the bookcases and replace them with flat screen displays as exemplified by the photo above. I know Basia would never agree – except, of course, for my books!”