World Literary Awards

← Back to Home

Marek Krajewski

マレク・クラエフスキ

Marek Krajewski

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1966-09-04 （Wrocław, Poland）
Nationality
Polish
Languages
Polish

Career

Occupations
writer, linguist, lecturer, librarian
Active Years
1991-

Education

University of Wrocław
Classics / Classics
Degree: MA
Period: 1985-1992
Year of Graduation: 1992
Country: Poland
University of Wrocław
Classics / Classics
Degree: PhD
Period: 1992-1999
Year of Graduation: 1999
Country: Poland
Doctoral degree in classical philology

Awards

Paszport Polityki
2005
Organization: Polityka magazine
Result: 受賞
Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis (Silver)
2015
Organization: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (Poland)
Result: 受賞
Georg Dehio Book Prize
2016
Organization: Georg Dehio Book Prize committee
Result: 受賞
Medal of the 100th Anniversary of Regaining Independence
2019
Organization: Office of the President of Poland
Result: 受賞
High Calibre Award
Organization: Polish crime-fiction awarding body
Result: 受賞
Witryna Award
Organization: Polish booksellers' organization
Result: 受賞
Book Institute Award
Organization: Polish Book Institute
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Death in Breslau

1999 crime fiction

Set in 1930s Breslau (now Wrocław), the first novel in the Eberhard Mock series follows a police officer investigating a grim crime; notable for its historical setting and dark urban atmosphere.

historycrimeurban darknessmoral conflict
Translations
  • English: Death in Breslau

The End of the World in Breslau

2003 crime fiction

Another entry in the Eberhard Mock series exploring the intersecting decay of society and crime, revealing the protagonist's inner life and the city's past.

decayhistorical legacycriminal investigation
Translations
  • English: The End of the World in Breslau

Plague in Breslau

2007 crime fiction

A novel in the series where an epidemic in Breslau intertwines with crime, exposing the city's dark side and human cruelty.

epidemicviolencehistorical background
Adaptations
  • [Film] The Plagues of Breslau / Patryk Vega (2018)
Translations
  • English: Plague in Breslau (novel; related film loosely based on the series)

The Minotaur's Head

2009 historical crime fiction

Part of the Edward Popielski series, this mystery ties classical motifs to a crime plot.

classical motifsmysterycrime
Translations
  • English translation available

Bibliography

  • Death in Breslau
  • The End of the World in Breslau
  • Phantoms in Breslau
  • Plague in Breslau
  • The Minotaur's Head
  • Mock
  • The Human Zoo
  • Demonomachia

Adaptations

  • Film 'The Plagues of Breslau' (Plagi Breslau) directed by Patryk Vega (2018)
  • Musical 'Mock. Czarna burleska' (2019, staged in Wrocław)

Translations of Works

  • Death in Breslau (English translation)
  • The End of the World in Breslau (English translation)
  • The Minotaur's Head (English translation)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
hard-boiled crime fiction rooted in historical settingsdark, detailed urban descriptionincorporation of classical literature motifs
Recurring Motifs
Breslau / the city's pastcorruption and moral decayclassical motifs (Greek myth etc.)violence and the darker side of humanity

Legacy

Marek Krajewski is an internationally recognized author of crime fiction set in interwar Breslau (now Wrocław). His works have been translated into more than 20 languages and adapted for film and stage. He has received multiple honors for his contributions to Polish culture.

In Popular Culture

  • Film 'The Plagues of Breslau' (2018) and the musical 'Mock. Czarna burleska' (2019) are among adaptations based on his works.

Quotes

  • By digging into layers of the past, I want to bring the face of the present into relief.
    Source: Interview (summary based on multiple sources)

Trivia

  • His novels have been translated into more than 20 languages.
  • The 2018 film 'The Plagues of Breslau' is loosely based on his series.
  • The musical 'Mock. Czarna burleska' premiered in 2019 inspired by his novels.
  • He was named an honorary citizen of Wrocław in 2023.