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Edition 25 (2021) WinnerWork: Kajś. A Tale of Upper Silesia
A reportage-style book that examines Upper Silesian history, memory, and identity through testimony and source material.
A reportage-style book that examines Upper Silesian history,…
regionidentityhistorytestimony
Zbigniew Rokita
ズビグニェフ・ロキタ
Zbigniew Rokita
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1989-04-04 (Gliwice)
- Nationality
- Poland
- Languages
- Polish
- Residence History
- Katowice
Career
- Occupations
- journalist, writer, reporter, playwright
- Active Years
- 2012-
- Affiliations
- Unia Literacka, Tygodnik Powszechny (contributor)
- Memberships
- Unia Literacka
- Nominations
- Angelus Central European Literature Award nominee (Kajś)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jagiellonian University | Institute of Russian and Eastern European Studies | — | — | — | Poland |
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Nike Literary Award | Kajś. A Story of Upper Silesia | — | Nike Literary Award committee | 受賞(審査員および読者の二重受賞) |
| 2020 | Leopold Unger Scholarship | — | — | Leopold Unger Scholarship | 受賞 |
| 2024 | Samuel Bogumił Linde Prize (Toruń–Göttingen Twin Cities Prize) | — | — | City of Göttingen / Toruń (organizers) | 受賞(共同受賞) |
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Królowie strzelców. Football in the Shadow of the Empire
2018 non-fiction / reportageA reportage about Eastern Europe in the 20th and 21st centuries seen through the links between sport (mainly football) and politics. Research included fieldwork in Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania and Hungary.
- [theatre] Królowie strzelców (theatrical adaptation) / Piotr Ratajczak
- Ukrainian translation (Oleksiy Chupa)
Kajś. A Story of Upper Silesia
2020 reportageA long-form reportage about Upper Silesia, exploring its history, culture and identity by interweaving regional memory and personal stories.
Odrzania. A Journey Through the Recovered Territories
2023 reportage / essayA travelogue through the territories incorporated into Poland after 1945 (the 'Recovered Territories'), reflecting on postwar history and contemporary identity of inhabitants in a poetic reportage style.
Na końcu języka
2015 essays / short piecesA collection of short essays and texts containing observations about language, memory and region.
Rzeczpospolita atlantycka. Jan Nowak-Jeziorański (ed.)
2014 edited volume / contributionAn edited publication (contributions) dealing with themes related to Eastern Europe.
Bibliography
- Rzeczpospolita atlantycka. Jan Nowak-Jeziorański (ed.), Kolegium Europy Wschodniej, Wrocław 2014
- Na końcu języka, Fundacja Sąsiedzi, Białystok 2015
- Królowie strzelców. Piłka w cieniu imperium, Wydawnictwo Czarne, Wołowiec 2018
- Kajś. A Story of Upper Silesia, Wydawnictwo Czarne, Wołowiec 2020
- Odrzania. A Journey Through the Recovered Territories, Wydawnictwo Znak Litera Nova, Kraków 2023
Adaptations
- Theatrical adaptation of Królowie strzelców (Teatr Nowy in Zabrze)
- Play 'Nikaj' premiere (Teatr Zagłębia, Sosnowiec)
- Play 'Weltmajstry' (Teatr Korez)
- Monodrama 'Kocham Cię proszę pana' (Teatr Korez)
Translations of Works
- Królowie strzelców — Ukrainian translation (translator: Oleksiy Chupa)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- reportage style emphasizing on-site reportingnon-fiction with poetic essayistic elements
- Recurring Motifs
- borders and regionalityexploration of identitymemory of historypolitics through sport
Legacy
One of the leading contemporary Polish reportage writers. Awarded the Nike Literary Award for Kajś, he is recognized for in-depth explorations of regional history and identity. His work extends into theater, giving him influence in both literary and theatrical spheres.
Academic Societies
- Unia Literacka
Archives
- National Library of Poland (Warsaw) holdings
In Popular Culture
- Known as a supporter of Piast Gliwice and Szombierki Bytom
Quotes
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"Kajś concerns a matter fundamentally important to our history, a consciousness that should be widespread; it reveals a sunken Atlantis in the heart of Europe."
Source: Tadeusz Nyczek (laudation for the Nike Literary Award) (2021)
Trivia
- He is a supporter of Piast Gliwice and Szombierki Bytom.
- His wife is the actress Barbara Lubos.
- Lives in Katowice.