Masterpiece in focus: The doll inspires students in Poland!

Masterpiece in focus: The doll inspires students in Poland!

In May and June 2025, the Karl Dedecius Foundation hosted two significant events centered around the novel “Lalka” (German translation: “The Doll”) by Bolesław Prus. The occasion was the new translation of the work by the translators Lisa Palmes and Lothar Quinkenstein, who wanted to use these events to offer a deeper insight into the challenges of literary translation.

On May 27, 2025, over 500 students from 14 schools in Poland took part in a webinar held on Zoom. The participating schools came from cities such as Katowice, Gryfice and Łódź, among others. During the webinar, Palmes and Quinkenstein discussed not only their translation work, but also the fascination that the novel has for modern readers.

The subject of translation

The topics of the webinar particularly included the challenges of translating a 130-year-old novel for a contemporary audience, as well as the concepts of working in tandem. The students had the opportunity to ask questions directly to the translators, which underlined the interactive nature of the event.

The second event took place on June 10, 2025 at the Collegium Polonicum in Słubice. Both students from the Adam Mickiewicz University Academic High School and students from the Collegium Polonicum were present here. The interactive workshop focused on contemporary translations of literary classics and the decisions translators have to make in this context. The participants received valuable insights into the process of creating the new translation and were able to understand the perspective of the translators.

Bolesław Prus and “Lalka”

Bolesław Prus, born Aleksander Głowacki on August 20, 1847 in Poland, is considered one of the most important representatives of Polish critical realism. His work “Lalka” was written between 1887 and 1889 and was published in 1890. The book is now considered by many, including Nobel Prize winner Czesław Miłosz, to be the greatest Polish novel. Important themes in the novel are the unhappy love between the protagonist Stanisław Wokulski and the noblewoman Izabela Łęcka as well as the depictions of social conditions in 19th century Warsaw.

“Lalka” has already been translated into 28 languages ​​and has been adapted into films several times. The French and English call it “The Doll,” the title referring to a less significant incident involving a stolen toy, but often closely associated with the character of Izabela Łęcka. Prus' intense interest in depicting the society of the time is particularly evident in the careful development of the setting and characters.

Wokulski, who comes from an impoverished aristocratic background and starts out as a waiter, becomes, through a series of strokes of fate, a wealthy businessman who rises into the aristocratic circles. His unhappy love story with Izabela not only reflects his personal frustrations, but also addresses the social inertia of his time.

In "Lalka" the failure of Wokulski, who fights for the affection of a woman who feels torn between him and another man, Starski, is vividly addressed. The novel, which continues to fascinate readers today, impresses with the depth of its characters and observations of everyday life.

In conclusion, it can be said that the events organized by the Karl Dedecius Foundation have not only reignited interest in Prus' work, but also shed light on the importance of translation work. Further information about the events can be found on the website Karl Dedecius Foundation, while further information about Bolesław Prus and his literature is available Wikimedia as well as on Wikipedia can be found.