Polish-Silesian bestselling writer refused to allow his works to be published in Russia

Polish-Silesian writer Szczepan Twardoch refuses to allow any publication of his novel “The King” in Russia until the war in Ukraine ends. According to historian and journalist Roman Kabachiy, a personal acquaintance of Twardoch, his decision was prompted in part by the Aug. 24 missile attack on Kramatorsk, which injured Monika Andrushevskaya, a volunteer and war crimes documenter. The two are friends.

Roman Kabachiy reported that a Russian translator asked Twardoch for permission to publish his book in that country, but the writer firmly refused. In a social media post, which Facebook initially removed, the author wrote: 

“Yesterday, on Ukraine’s Independence Day, a Russian ‘Iskander’ missile nearly killed my friend, who was simply passing through Kramatorsk’s center. We’ll discuss literature when you stop shooting at my friends. Until then, I’ll do everything I can to help my friends kill Russian soldiers in Ukraine. And when they all return to Russia, either alive or as cargo 200, then we can discuss publishing my books in Russian.”

As reported earlier, Reuters adviser Ryan Evans was killed, and several journalists, including Ivan Lyubish-Kirdey, were injured during Russia’s attack on the Sapphire Hotel, which is adjacent to the city hospital in Kramatorsk.

Szczepan Twardoch is one of the leading figures in contemporary Polish literature, and the author of the bestselling novels “Morphine,” “Drach” and “The King.” He has received numerous honors for his work, including the Brücke Berlin Preis, Le Prix du Livre Européen and the Nike Literary Award’s Audience Award. His novels have been sold in more than a dozen countries. “The King of Warsaw” is his first work to be translated into English. A TV series based on the novel is in production by Canal+. He is an expert in the Silesian language (ethnolect) and culture, as well as weaponry. Twardoch lives in Pilchowice, near Gliwice in Upper Silesia.

Copy editing: Ben Angel