Ethnic Identity and Anti-Semitism Tadeusz Słobodzianek Stages the Polish Taboo Bryce Lease

On 10 July 1941, in a small village in the northeast of , up to 1,600 local were rounded up by their neighbors, locked inside a small barn, and burned to death. Traditional Polish historiography attributed the guilt for the now infamous to the Nazis. But Jan T. Gross’s 2001 study, Neighbors: The Destruction of the Jewish Community in , Poland, places the responsibility for the massacre firmly with the local community. The publi- cation of Gross’s monograph caused mass outrage, provoking to identify the debate around the pogrom as the most important and long-standing in post-Communist Poland

Figure 1. The children, dancing in their classroom. Michael Gould, Lee Ingleby, Rhys Rusbatch, Tamzin Griffin, Justin Salinger, Sinead Matthews, Jason Watkins, Amanda Hale, Edward Hogg, and Paul Hickey in the Royal National Theatre production of Our Class, September 2009. (Photo by Robert Workman)

Bryce Lease is Lecturer in Drama at the University of Exeter, UK. His research interests include contemporary European theatre directors, migration, queer and feminist theory, and non-Western alternative sexuality. Having published extensively on Polish theatre, Bryce is currently completing a monograph, Contemporary Polish Theatre. [email protected]

TDR: The Drama Review 56:2 (T214) Summer 2012. ©2012 New York University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 81

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82 Bryce Lease The allegationswerereducedtotheassemblingofJewsin townsquare;thefactthatthey diately followed World War II, testimonieswere confusedandwitnessesonlybrieflyquestioned. ground freedomfighters(Gross2006:250). Inthetrial againstsomeofthevillagersthatimme- because itdidnotfitintothedominantheroicnarrativethat locates Polesasvictimsandunder of communalguilt(2009). The storyoftheJedwabne massacrehasbeensuppressedforsolong Billington wroteinhisreviewofOurClassforTheGuardian thattheplayisaforcefuldepiction tion ofPoland’spoliticalandsociallifeafter1989” (2002:32). CriticsintheUKagree. Michael that comingtotermswithananti-Semiticpastisakeyelement in “the processofdemocratiza- though thispercentagedecreasedto27percentin2010(CBOS 2010:2). Michlicmaintains Opinii Społecznej, CBOS)foundthat45percentfeltantipathy towardsJews(CBOS2005:2), 2004). A surveycarriedoutbytheCenterforPublicOpinionResearch(CentrumBadania showed that40percentofPolesbelieved “the countryisstillbeinggovernedbyJews” (Weiss wide surveyofpublicopinioninthepopularnewspaperWprost, publishedasrecently2004, of thevillageitself, whohavefeltpersecuted. ists, forwhattheyhaveseenasalackofemphasisplacedonPolishheroism;andtheinhabitants what hasbeenportrayedastheirculpabilityinJedwabneandsurroundingareas;thenational- Commission fortheProsecutionofCrimesagainstPolishNation;CatholicChurch, for case” (2009). This includedjournalists;historians;theInstituteofNationalRemembrance’s (2002:1). As LeonardNeugernotes, “Many PoleshavefeltdeeplywoundedbytheJedwabne the storybearsastrikingresemblancetoJedwabnenarrative. Polish, whenalocalvillagerdonswhitesilkscarf. Evenifonefailstoidentifythisstagesign, Nevertheless, theaudienceisgivenonepointedreferencetoJedwabne, whichmeanssilkin duction, theassortmentofregionalBritishandIrishaccentsusedheightenedthisimpression. isolated toonegeographicalposition, butratherfunctionsas “somewhere inPoland.” Inpro- leaves outanymentionofeitherJedwabneornearbyRadziłów, sothatthediegeticvillageisnot tion andfunctionsasasurveyof20th-centuryPolishhistory(2010). The playwrightpointedly tor workingfromCatherineGrosvenor’stranslation, confirmedthattheplaymixesfactandfic- on anumberofhistoricalaccountstheJedwabnepogrom(2009a:5). Ryan Craig, theadap- less, intheacknowledgmentnotestoprintedscript, Słobodzianekindicatesthatherelied London, promotestheworkofnewwriters, hasinsistedthattheplayispurefiction. Never­ who istheheadofLaboratoriumDramatuin , which, liketheRoyalCourtin Adam MickiewiczInstitute, intendedtoacquainttheUKwithPolishculture. Słobodzianek, Class —aspartofthe “Polska! Year” klasa —Our organizedbythe anek’s polemicaltextNasza Semitic attitudesprevalentamongbothCatholicnationalistsandCommunistsalike. Jewish-Polish relationshavebeenuneasysincetheendof World War II, strainedbytheanti- documented, andbalancedstudyofthevillage. ’sbookMyzJedwabnego (We fromJedwabne;2004), themostthorough, well-­ Other significantinspirationsinclude Agnieszka Arnold’sfilmSaçsiedzi for theUKproductionandcoverimageEnglishtranslation(Słobodzianek2009a). tors ofthemassacre, astheoriginalinspirationforplay, whichwaslaterusedas­ book in2000, hecitesaschoolphotographfromJedwabne, showingbothvictimsandperpetra­ 2. 1. In September2009, theRoyalNational Theatre inLondonproduced Tadeusz Słobod­ Jewish conflict but a Polish-Polish conflict in whichJews are included (Słobodzianek in Pawłowski 2008). . In response, Słobodzianek commented after the Israeli is not about a Polish- production that this story between Jewish Poles and non-Jewish Poles, but this is standard in Poland, where Jews are considered non-­ The term “Jewish-Polish relations” might seem awkward in this debate, referring as it does to a distinction mentaries have revealed about the responsibility the bitter truth of the townsfolk” (Billington 2009). up Słobodzianekto date within the play. also brings the story The characters discuss how “books and TV docu - The play’ssubjectmatterremainsconfrontationalandtraumaticinPolandeventoday. The materialfortheplayderivesfromdivergentsources. Though SłobodzianekreadGross’s 1

(Neighbors; 2001), and publicity 2 A nation - A zi­ ethnic the­ - Tadeusz Słobodzianek’s Our Class 83 - - - citizens trying to

As part of the workshop process, the actors also watched Claude Lanzmann’s film Shoah the actors As part of the workshop process, follows the lives of 10 classmates, born between 1918 and 1920. and 1920. born between 1918 lives of 10 classmates, of Our Class follows the The narrative and Company Touring Actors former artistic director of the London-based Bijan Sheibani, that the acting style of the British per Joanna Derkaczew remarked in formers was an effective form of reportage in which the actors directly addressed the audience formers was an effective form of reportage Sheibani ruminated over the challenges facing the In an interview with Dan Rebellato, (2009). could Rebellato asked how these dead people actors in switching from past to present tense. are always a Sheibani observed that flashbacks speak to an audience about their lives (2009b). detailed there is a forensic quality to the present tense, While problem in contemporary staging. Sheibani was aware that the highly emotive language. the flashbacks use but undemonstrative, and com- historical content made it crucial for the actors to understand the political situation, Because some of mented that the power of the performance lay in the personal relationships. Sheibani focused workshops on these characters had known each other since they were born, Biographies were mapped out the personal histories in the context of larger historical events. with political circumstances in mind (Sheibani 2009b). Sheibani asked the actors to describe personal (1985) as well as documentaries about Jedwabne. happened in memories in order to investigate the way in which they talk about things that have “It’s been interesting how detailed we are when a horrific event might have hap- their own lives. How we remember things the bombings in London or 9/11. “like Sheibani remarked, pened,” in the details that one tries to find meaning or understand- It’s TV flickering slightly. like the Although the text is organized as a series of (2009a). ing in the events that have happened to us” Catholics are firmly identified as Poles, though this national status is less stable for the Jewishthis national status is though as Poles, firmly identified Catholics are and other made of linen tailored and colorful, are more expensive, The Jews’ costumes students. the Jews From the outset, agrarian clothing. Poles wear simple, while the ethnic fine materials, Hollywood cinema at the back of the flirting ostentatiously and discussing are shown as liberal, classmate openly announces his One Jewish Poles are praying at the front. classroom while the was a central issue that arose used to describe the separate communities The language atheism. ­ where the play was staged, Craig observed that in the UK, process. during the rehearsal within that identity there are differ and to see themselves as British first, tend for the most part them- identify hand, other the on play, this in Jews and Poles The (2010). religions and races ent These identities unfold through and religion rather than nationality. selves in terms of ethnicity As each char of each event. emphasis placed on the distant location autobiography with specific Often shifts from past to present. the action events in the past tense, acter relates key personal but moments later they relate, to recall the details of each memory characters have to strain speaking in the present tense. “live,” in the memory as if it were they become immersed first Sheibani Theatre. directed Our Class for the Royal National Award, winner of the Olivier artistic director of the Royal National Nick Hytner, came across the play via a phone call from Theatre the Israeli National Hytner initially received the play from Habima, Theatre (RNT). The production style and adap- and asked Sheibani if he would consider staging it. Aviv Tel in through a series of workshops at the tation of the literal translation emerged simultaneously that Our Class is mainly a memory play (2009a). Sheibani commented Theatre studio. National “then you snap into and up to 70 years before, The characters have to recall what happened and ­ go from someone trying to come to terms with what happened You the memory. and then which is in itself an incredibly dramatic thing to watch, understand what happened, would allow the The production required a design that (2009a). you go into the actual scene” moment the action is on a kibbutz in Israel and the One actors to change location quickly. This continual shift in time and space, apartment. York a Polish pigsty or a New next moment, Sheibani: How presented the first major question about staging for between past and present, at the speed of thought? does one design a show that moves so quickly, were then forced into a barn and burned to death was left out of the hearing. It became a sham It became a left out of the hearing. burned to death was forced into a barn and were then victims (56). trial with no Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02October 2021

84 Bryce Lease won thebattle” (Craig2010). Craig alsospokeindepthaboutthe importanceoflanguagein guistic precision. This madetheadaptationprocessexhaustive, as “every singlewordusedhad they havedied, listening” (2009). time, howwouldhefeel? Lineslikethatindicatethecharactersshouldremainonstage after television channels. “If herhusbandof50yearshearsthisfrombeyondthegrave forthefirst admits thatthegreatestmomentinherlifewasmovingtoan oldfolk’shomeandhaving51 living charactersandtheghoststhathauntthem. Craig citedoneexampleinwhichawoman staging, Sheibani’sdecisiontokeepthedeadonstageallows forcrucialmediationbetweenthe Tadeusz Kantor’sTheDeadClass(1976). Although Słobodzianek’stextgivesvery few cluesto dramatic canon, andforSłobodzianek, theghosts oftheincineratedJewslinkhisplaywith text: aschoolroom, courtroom, marketsquare, andcinema. he perceivedtheshapeofpieceasarectangle, areflection ofthespacesmentionedin that theactorswereinventingscenesoutofvirtuallynothing. Sheibanibegantonoticethat was mimed(Sheibani2009b). The wallsandfloor wereaustereandmonochrome, emphasizing bered hewasdrinkingabottleofbeer, ittooktoolongtogoandpickupapropsothebottle with, butthesewerefinallyexcludedbecauseoftiming. Forexample, whenacharacterremem- designer inrehearsalledtoanumberofdiscoveries. The actorshadmanypropstostartout dead satandobservedtheaction, refusingattimestoremainontheirside. The inclusionofthe The actorshadtostepoveritmovefromtheplayingspacerowofchairswhere when recallingparticularlypainfulevents. performance intoscenes. With theentirecastpresent, actorsisolatedthemselvesatcenterstage “lessons” attachedtospecificdates, Sheibaniallowedthestorytorunwithoutbreakingup Our Class, September 2009. (Photo by Robert Workman) Jason Watkins, Amanda Hale, Edward Hogg, and Paul Hickey in the Royal National Theatre production of Figure 2. Michael Gould, Lee Ingleby, Rhys Rusbatch, Tamzin Griffin, Justin Salinger, Sinead Matthews, In rehearsals, Craigand Słobodzianekfoughtovereachwordinanefforttoachievelin - “[G]hosts thatcannotbeassuagedorplacated” (Kurkiewicz 2010)areastapleofthePolish On BunnyChristie’sset, araisedtwo-footboundaryseparatedthelivingfromdead. Tadeusz Słobodzianek’s Our Class 85 there — for exam- — whom they have known 3 much of the Jewish population saw him as their much of the Jewish population saw him as — and Craig singled out this “lesson” as one of the difficulties in translating this story. one of the difficulties in translating this story. as “lesson” and Craig singled out this —

With the exception of Jakub Katz, characters are only referred to by their first names in the play. play. the in names their first by to referred only are characters Katz, Jakub of exception the With - and by extension nation of community, of this interrogation tension at the heart The ethical Craig had to engi- and portraying this 80 years of Polish history, In adapting the script to be more surprised by the connection between Craig felt a non-Jewish audience was likely Gross identifies the Soviet occupation of Poland in September 1939 as a trope for anti-­ Gross identifies the Soviet occupation of Poland in September 1939 as a trope for 3.

- and the iden the bonds of a community relationship between from the particular stems hood, calling population at large, The class comes to represent the Polish tity of the individual. a num- 80 years spanned in the text, Over the itself. “nation” concept of attention to the very The name of the community. personal sacrifices are legitimized in the ber of violent acts and community by stating their names their station within the hierarchy of the classmates designate small conflicts Even though they each experience and their father’s professions. while the Catholics pray Jews are sent to the back of the classroom at one point the ple, the Catholic boys falls in love with a one of In fact, their interaction. is nothing that prohibits Jewish classmate. the importance of a histori- a non-Polish audience could understand neer a mode in which the death of For example, and didactic writing. cal moment without having to endure blunt was a tol- Piłsudski in Polish-Jewish relations. Marshal Piłsudski in 1935 was a crucial moment and judged citizens not on their ethnicity but on their erant leader who opposed anti-Semitism support for the Both the Depression and the increase in loyalty to the state (Snyder 2004:144). (which supported the Polonization of non-ethnic Poles or Endecja party National , populations living in the country and feared Jewish and Belorussian Ukrainian, such as German, death marked Piłsudski’s in Poland in the 1930s. economic supremacy) amplified anti-Semitism a negative turn in Polish-Jewish relations protector have immediate connotations that would likely Alluding to 1935 in a Polish production would the program included a timeline of the lessons For this reason, be lost on a British audience. such events as Piłsudski’s death Yet for the performance, and significant events in Polish history. of the historical situation but rather an indication did not necessarily require an in-depth survey of the emotional stakes for the characters. “there was talk of Craig noted, “In my Jewish family,” ethnic Poles and anti-Semitic violence. three In one scene, (2009). other than the Germans” atrocities committed by European cultures Jakub Katz, classmate, Catholics brutally beat to death their Jewish the play. “You’ve really only got the words. A tiny bit of set, a tiny bit of costumes. Everything Everything tiny bit of costumes. a set, tiny bit of A the words. only got really “You’ve the play. that Sophie however, observed, Sheibani it in an empty space.” could set We is in the words. at of Polish culture, the particular tone crucial role in evoking music performed a Solomon’s (2009a). and melancholic once celebratory their whole lives. This event, cited in the text as 23 June 1941, the date of the German invasion cited in the text as 23 June 1941, This event, their whole lives. In the program we are told that the Soviet Security incites a local pogrom. of Soviet Poland, immediately taken over by the Nazis on this date Services (NKVD) offices in Jedwabne were In the performance, linking the eruption of anti-Semitism to this regime change. (RNT 2009), that a fellow Jew, Katz is warned by Menachem, there is no clear indication of time. however, The characters sense danger and portray this felt something is happening and he must hide. rendering the political at the danger without overt reference to this chronological timeline, level of the personal. Poland are noting that the Jewish people of eastern Semitism in much Polish historiography, The underlying often seen as having enthusiastically welcomed the Soviet army (2006:185). and this prejudice is reflected through a premise of this assertion links Jews with , claims that Jews erected a Catholic, Heniek, number of incidents enacted in the performance. that both Jews and acknowledges a fellow classmate, Władek, Army. an arch to welcome the Red Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02October 2021

86 Bryce Lease in standardhistorytextbooksthattheJewsenthusiasticallywelcomedRed Army. the SovietParadise, letthemkeepit” (Słobodzianek2009a:33), subvertingtheassertionfound who describeshowpeoplehadtoqueueforhoursbasicsupplies. Katzproclaims, “If thisis perhaps mostimportantforthisdiscussionistheperspectiveofJewishclassmateJakubKatz, lining, despiteCavendish’sobservation, theabusePolessufferedunderoccupation. Yet Catholic, whodetailsaviolentbeatinghesufferedatthehandsofSovietguards Soviets areanenemytostandagainstindefenseofthemotherland. We alsomeetRysiek, a and Catholiccanenjoyabeertogether, thoughhelaterchangeshismindanddecidesthatthe We observe Władek, whofirstenjoystheoccupationbecausenooneisrichorpoorandaJew pation. Inthespanofjustafewmoments, theaudienceisgiventhreeseparateperspectives. “hostility betweencollaboratorsandresistance-fighters” thateruptsasaresultoftheoccu- relatively significanttreatment. MichaelBillington, ontheotherhand, clearlyidentifiesthe mance thatdealswithover80yearsinjustthreehours, theperiodinPolishhistoryisgiven pation tojusttwoscenesresultsin “glib andapproximatedialogue” (2009). Yet foraperfor inhabitant ofthevillageclaimstohavelivedinonethosethreehouses(2009b). hang theredflag, butasSłobodzianekcommentedintheprogramnotes, todayeverylong-time cific actualhistoricalincident. InJedwabne, therewereonlythreePolishhousesthatdidnot regation, inwhichaJewisnotidentifiedasPole;yet Władek’saccountalsoreferstoaspe- Poles hungredflagsoutsidetheirhouses. Theseremarksreflectanembeddednotionofseg-

was murderedbytheSovietsand tellshim, “Gutt, youwillhelpusputthe Jewsinordnung” (45), is notfoundandthe Amskommandent takesZygmuntbythehandafterhearingthat his father would findaletterhehadwrittentoStalin, testifying to hisloyaltytheNKVD. Theletter the SovietsarereplacedbyoccupyingNazisherecountshis fearthatthe Amskommandent the victims” (2008). Zygmuntinstigatesthegang rapeofhisJewishclassmate, Dora, andafter many yearswehavebeenburiedinthehistoryofmartyrdom: thePolesarejustheroesor points out, “Perhaps our[Polish]fearofdiscovering thebadsidesofpastshowsthatfor narratives thatstereotypePolessolelyasvictimsandnever perpetrators. As Alicja Zielin;ska alike whileinformingonhisfellowethnicPoles, contradicts popularRomanticandnationalist identifications ifitistoretellitshistoryitself(inMichlic 2002:9). Poles assolely(passive)victims. Grossvehementlyasserts thatPolandmustshedpreciselysuch in thebiographyofPolandpresentedOurClass, however, troublesthecharacterizationof assumption isthatvictimsare, bynature, incapableofwrongdoing. The inclusionofZygmunt ity. JanBłons; heroes and/orvictims. The collectiveimageofthePolesasvictimsplacesthemaboveculpabil- basis ofconceptualization” (2002:28). Within this “monumental ­ and creating ‘a goodfeelingwithinthecommunitytowhich­ the traditionalmodelgoingbacktonineteenthcentury, wherein­ umental nationalhistoryplaysinasociety. MichlicarguesthatNowak’sposition “subscribes to tropes. The Polish historian Andrzej Nowak has focused in his writing on the positive role mon- small towns” (2006:185). here asadisplacementofthecollaborationwithNazisPolishpeasantsandresidents sistent collectivememoryofallegedJewishcollaborationwiththeSovietsdoesnotfunction makes thatmanyPolishscholarsfindcontentiouseventoday: “Onewonderswhethertheper ferent perspectivesontheSovietoccupationpresentedinplaybringtomindaclaimGross 4. In hisTelegraph quotations will be cited only by page number. production at the Cottesloe Theatre, September 2009 through 2010 (Słobodzianek 2009). January Subsequent All quotations from Zygmunt, acharacterwhobetrayshiscountrytimeand again, spyingforSovietsandNazis The playalsobringstotheforelureofvictimhoodembeddedwithinPolishnational ki maintainedthatPoles “want tobealso review, Our Class Dominic CavendishassertsthatthereductionofSovietoccu- are from the adaptation by Ryan Craig, which was used in the National Theatre — and only history” Polesaredepictedas historian belongs’ form the historian belongs’formthe — ­ victims” (1987:321). The defending national honor defending nationalhonor — clearly out- 4 The dif - The - - Tadeusz Słobodzianek’s Our Class 87 ska 2008). ska 2008). the focus — as “a rationaliza- as — , September 2009. 2009. September Class, Our Figure 3. Abram (Justin Abram 3. the Figure between barrier the on sits Salinger) Royal the in letter Zygmunt’s to listens he as living the and dead of production Theatre National Workman) Robert by (Photo he was by —

In production, Zygmunt In production, after the Sheibani problematized Polish victimhood by placing a pile of ashes on the stage on German culpability or the conflation of Jewish and Communist identity or the conflation of Jewish and Communist on German culpability (2002:27). Polish neighbors” for the crime committed by their ethnic tion and justification offen- proved to be the most His sive character for audiences. easy villain. actions make him an both writers and direc- However, such com- tor were keen to avoid allowing fortable , stageeach character equivalent This was also the case for time. a Jew who survives Menachem, and then tortures and murders former classmates as a UB officer for the Soviets in order to take revenge for the In death of his wife and child. Menachem’s the UK production, was undermined “victimhood” by his physicality far the largest man onstage. Słobodzianek maintained that he was not interested in identify- ing whether the Jews or the Poles informed more to the NKVD; of evil that leads to certain actions (in Zielin; rather he wished to show the mechanism how - , In Our Class as victims in the theatre (2009). Craig noted that Jews are often depicted behavior that defies categories Jews and Poles display is privileged. neither side of the story ever, an essay by a clinical psychologist included in the pro- As such as protagonist and antagonist. “Racial victims and perpetrators are bound together in a perverse intimacy: gram notes suggests, (Herman 2009). but who is a hero and who a villain is not clear cut” hatred may have lit the fuse, requires a blurring of past crimes. The lesson is obvious: the pretense of innocence audience encounters for the first time after the intermis- which the barn is burnt to the ground, ashes when the Poles agree to allow Rachelka to convert Characters first walk through the sion. Rachelka hovers outside the ashes ethnic assimilation. identifying the ashes with to Catholicism, Władek Her wedding dance with until her name is changed to the more Christian Marianne. this disturbance of the ashes of the Jewish victims that It is precisely crosses through the ashes. again prompting Dora’s return dies on the ashes, calls Dora back from the dead space: Rysiek an ethnic Pole living the ashes when begging Zocha, and Menachem walks across to the living, A spotlight then highlights the ashes escape Poland. for help to on a farm outside the village, Menachem stands alone Finally, during Menachem’s NKVD interviews with the guilty Poles. them on the ashes while the Christians plead their innocence from the barrier that separates the actors continue to walk through the Throughout the remaining action, from the dead space. up into the air until they settle on their costumes. sending them ashes of the murdered Jews, implying that he will be complicit in the . Later, Zygmunt is one of the villagers one of the villagers Zygmunt is Later, in the ethnic cleansing. he will be complicit implying that piled describes the bodies, He into the barn. and forces them round up the local Jews who helps corpses into to cut the charred he has to take an axe so tangled that of the other, one on top even more reprehensible Zygmunt’s behavior What makes them. in order to bury smaller pieces in the mid-1930s, America immigrated to Jewish classmate who writes to a former is a letter he Michlic, relies on Słobodzianek Here, Nazis. the pogrom on the casts the blame for in which he approach primary themes in the defensive Polish-nationalist who categorizes two Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02October 2021

88 Bryce Lease Class by Tadeusz Słobodzianek. Directed by Bijan Sheibani, September 2009. (Photo by Robert Workman) Michael Gould (Wladek) and Rhys Rusbatch (Rysiek) in the Royal National Theatre production of Figure 4. Running through the ashes of the incinerated Jews. Amanda Hale (Rachelka das wereindirectconflict. both ZionistandCommunistagendassimultaneously, despitetheobviousfactthatsuchagen- ology supportingzæydokomunaistypicallyparadoxical. The Jewswere accusedofsupporting against Jewsforfearthattheywouldbeseentosupporting theSovietsbyproxy. The ide- the KielcepogromwhenCatholicbishopsrefusedtospeakagainst postwarviolencedirected conflation ofJewandCommunistinPolishsociety, whichbecameparticularlytroublingafter the Polishnotionofzæydokomuna spiracy! Polandisnotdeadyet!” (28)attheopeningof theSoviet-backedcinema, hearticulates the 20thcentury. When Rysiek screamsouttohisclassmates, “Death totheCommie-Jewcon- linked toanti-Semitism. This conflationwasone oftheprimaryexcusesforanti-Semitismin collusion inpogroms, purges, andanti-Semiticviolence? script provocativelyasks:CantraditionalformsofnationalismacknowledgetheguiltPolish extensive andcrueloccupations. Słobodzianekistestingtheelasticityofthismythology. His among nations, adefenderoftheweak, amythologythathassustainedPolishsolidaritythrough that occurredinJedwabnewereabreakwiththeromanticethosframedPolandassavior literature thatframedthePolesasheroicfightersforindependence. Pogromssuchastheone a people. InPoland, nationalismhaslargelybeenconstructedaround19th-centuryRomantic 5. ment that was pointedly not Communistic. Palestine, the UK, the US, and Australia. Gross also makes the point that Israel was creating a system of govern- anti-­ Gross (2001) details a number of differences between Zionism and Communism. Furthermore, Stalin’s open As theactionunfolds, weseethemannerinwhichanti-Communism becomesindelibly What isatstakeinthisdebateoverPolishculpabilitythenotionofacollectiveidentity Semitism became a doctrine of Soviet policy in postwar Russia, which led many Jews to immigrate to 5 ExamplesofzæydokomunaarepervasiveinOurClass. After theJews Judeo-Communism). Grosshaswrittenextensivelyonthis ( — later Marianna), Our Our Tadeusz Słobodzianek’s Our Class 89 -

6

Not until 1997 was a law passed in Poland entitling Jews to recover property stolen during the war (Gerstenfeld (Gerstenfeld war the propertyduring stolen recover to Jews entitling Poland in passed law a 1997 was until Not 2003:192). Zocha, who hides her Jewish classmate Menachem throughout the war, is a complex charac- who hides her Jewish classmate Menachem throughout the war, Zocha, the oppo- those who hid Jews during the war were exonerated or praised, West While in the - as if the latter is some , anti-Semitism to Polish argument correlates Zygmunt’s 6. ter who refuses to take sides. In Sheibani’s production, she is not presented as an “idealized her she is not presented as an In Sheibani’s production, ter who refuses to take sides. (2009). to a classmate” “someone driven by loyalty rather as but as Billington points out, oine,” an action that he witnesses the murder of Jakub Katz, Menachem asks Zocha to hide him after on Dora, she sees his wife, Soon after Zocha hides Menachem, triggers the pogrom in the barn. being forced to clean the grass from the cob- holding her newborn infant, her hands and knees, Dora with the rest of the village’s Jewish inhabitants. blestones with a spoon in the main square Zocha After Dora’s death in the barn, but Zocha refuses. asks Zocha to hide her baby for her, for hiding him which further suggests her motives begins a sexual relationship with Menachem, were not altruistic. a standard Zocha’s experience during the war sheds light on site was often true in Poland. Jews shelter to It was common practice for Poles who gave small-town response to hiding Jews. that Menachem Abram tells Zocha When 2006:252). keep it secret from their neighbors (Gross she is alarmed Among Nations medal, the Righteous has arranged from Israel for her to receive her reaction. cannot understand Americanized, who is now fully Abram, rather than honored. ‘Saved Jews “When it came out in the papers I hid Jews my husband was livid. Zocha recounts, you screwing him you Were Where’ve you hidden it? What did you do with the gold? did you? Among Nations medal were Many Poles who won the Righteous Jew-loving whore?!’” (91). Antonina how for example, Michlic reports, socially ostracized as a result (Gross 2006:260). who sheltered Jewish fugitives for 26 months between 1942 and her husband, Wyrzykowska and eventually violently attacked by their neighbors. severely abused, were harassed, and 1945, the couple was finally forced to leave the Jedwabne After moving on three separate occasions, this shame for harboring Jews to a distant past, Słobodzianek does not confine area (2002:4).

how dependent upon the former. We find a similar attitude prevalent during the years imme- prevalent during the a similar attitude find We upon the former. how dependent differentiating violence, A perverse morality guided anti-Semitic WWII. diately following frowned in general, A thief was, and robbing their corpses and households. between killing Jews as an act of nationalist loy- it was vindicated was not only tolerated, though murder upon, for After murdering Katz, of dead Jews recurs throughout the performance. The pillaging alty. that in the aftermath of the Jewish Władek remembers checks his pockets. Zygmunt instance, were searched for gold fillings. the corpses’ mouths outside of the village, massacre in the barn and those who pillaged the to strip, asks the Poles cleaning up the bodies Amskommendant The from the German “nasty shock” Władek indicates that they deserve this bodies are punished. that while killing Jews was Gross has suggested brutal beating that follows. commander and the “generated envy” plundering merely be appreciated by fellow citizens,” “a behavior that could dead Jews is invoked after Rachelka most moving portrayal of the robbery of The (2006:109). Rachelka a wed- As each Catholic classmate gives Władek. converts to Christianity and marries as the dead class- we are reminded of the Jews from whom the gift was first stolen ding present, gift is a Zygmunt’s stage to the land of the living. mates cross the barrier and return center Abram; Rysiek’s stolen from stolen from Dora; Heniek’s gift is a silver tray, silver candlestick, stolen stolen from Jakub; Zocha’s gift is a tablecloth and napkins, gift is a silver sugar bowl, from Rachelka herself. are brought to the barn to be murdered, Heniek tells the others to get a nice big bat and help a nice big bat and help tells the others to get Heniek to the barn to be murdered, are brought they will be taken to assembled Jews that says to the Lenin to rest; Zygmunt to lay Comrade of collaborating with the consequences will see for themselves in Łomzæa where they the ghetto the Soviets. Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02October 2021

90 Bryce Lease Cavendish claimsheisofPolish decent, andinanefforttoqualifyanyanti-Semiticbehavior and Jews” (2009). There areanumberofproblemswithCavendish’sargument. Firstofall, unshakeable misgivingsabouthowtheplayportraysrelationship betweenPolishCatholics to see Tadeusz Słobodzianek’sOurClassattheNational Theatre wouldbequalifiedbysome the National Theatre reallysuchareliablehistorylesson?” andsubtitled: “A recommendation disturbing, however, isDominicCavendish’sarticlefortheTelegraph,entitled “Is ologist, notarealhistorian, claimingthathisscholarship hasbeen “largely discredited.” More is aworkoffiction” (2009). Thissamecommentator goesontoaccuseGrossofbeingasoci- Class, “Whatever demonsthereare, itisveryunlikely tobeonesthatbelongPoles[...T]his fied as “Bell, London,” wrote ontheEvening Standardwebsite regardingtheproductionof Our ist responsefrommanycriticsaswellPolishhistorians. town (Nathan2009). Słobodzianek insistswasanactofdefianceagainsttheJewishmemorialonoutskirts ment wasthenerectedtocommemoratethosePolesdeportedSiberiabytheSoviets, which vants ofZionism[...,]communists, moralrelativists” (5). InthecenterofJedwabne, amonu- name’ intheworldarethosewholabeledastraitors, oppressorsofthePolishnation, ser Rev. MichałCzajkowski, whoreflected, “ThosewhoreallylovePolandandserveher ‘good Poland” (Czajkowski2001:5). This symptomaticreactionfromthedefensivecampcame past; yetatthesametime, itwascondemnedas “a nationalscandaldefilingthegoodnameof comed asbothproofofthenewdemocraticprocess, deferentialtothecountry’smulti-ethnic (Słobodzianek 2009b). There weretwoprimaryreactionstothepresident’sapology:itwaswel- Słobodzianek comparedtotheKluKluxKlaninPolishnewspaperGazetaWyborcza the GoodNameofJedwabne(KomitetObronyDobregoImieniaJedwabne), agroupthat Kwas;niewski apologizedtotheJewsonbehalfofnation(2001). attended thecommemorativeceremonyatwhichnewplaquewasrevealed. Controversially, of Poland, Aleksander Kwas;niewski, andotherCatholicpoliticalPolishluminaries until 2001thatthemarkerwaschangedtoincludePolishcollaboration. The then-­ which stoodjustoutsideofJedwabne, wasasubjectofseriousdebateinPoland. Itwasnot place theNazisandPoliceOfficersburned1600Jewstodeath.” Thiscommemorativeplaque, violence encouragedJewstoemigrate. minatory anti-SemitismoftheNazis” (2006:252). Rather, forabrief periodafter WWII, such tolerance formurderingJews “in themoraleconomyofpost-warPolishsocietywithexter voked theattackbymerelybeingJews. Grossmakesclear, however, thathedoesnotequatethe twist, theJewskilledinKielcepogromwereblamedfortheirownmassacre, havingpro- thizers sothatPoleswouldnothavetofacetheirownculpabilityintheHolocaust. Inabizarre Jews wereencouragedtoemigrateoutofPolandorelsepersecutedasCommunistsympa- of whichthepresenceJewswasareminder(2006:259). Inatacitplanofdissimulation, their collaborationwiththeNazianti-Semiticterroraswellshameatownvictimhood, that thecontemptPolesfeltforJewsstemmedfromadoublesenseofguilt the pastatadistance. join her. DespitethefactthatRachelka’sentirefamilyisburiedatsite, sherefuses, keeping the graveyardwhereJewswereburiedafterburningofbarn, sheinvitesRachelkato but addressesitagainwhenZochacomesbacktovisitthevillagein1980s. Wishing tosee

7. Gross’s scholarshiparoundanti-SemitisminPolandhasreceived adefensive, national- The villagersboycottedtheeventand, inresponse, foundedtheCommitteetoDefend When Zochavisitsthesiteofpogromshefindsaplaquewithinscription: “At this In theconcludingremarksofFear: Anti-Semitism inPoland after Auschwitz , Grossmaintains 2002) and Peter Stachura (2008). This includes, but is not limited to, (2001), (2001), Tomasz Szarota (2000, 7 OnebloggerintheUK, identi- Our Classat president — guilt from - - Tadeusz Słobodzianek’s Our Class 91 - journalist John Nathan traveled to Nathan traveled journalist John when student unrest led to the massive purge of — which included four new plays. The anniversary of these purges sparked which included four new plays. —

: “It is also clear that had Jedwabne not been occupied by the Germans, the Jews Germans, had Jedwabne not been occupied by the “It is also clear that : Neighbors

When Cavendish criticizes Słobodzianek for not representing Germans onstage, though Germans onstage, Słobodzianek for not representing When Cavendish criticizes a number of suppressed incidents that frame The fall of Communism in 1989 meant that A number of Jewish publi- recent events have precipitated greater tolerance in Poland. Yet of Jedwabne would not have been murdered by their neighbors” (in Gross 2001:47). By invok- (in Gross 2001:47). have been murdered by their neighbors” of Jedwabne would not to legitimize his projection of Cavendish attempts and incompletely, ing Gross strategically “If all evidence about arguing that: this reaction, Gross anticipates Yet guilt onto the Nazis. if we only and even during the war had disappeared, what took place between Poles and Jews strata of Polish we would still be able to tell the broad knew the particulars of the Nazi crimes, joined in the spoliation of the Jewish neighbors” society took advantage of Nazi policies and Tomasz Cavendish’s argument mirrors the position of the famous Polish historian (2006:260). be found who expressed his hope in one interview that historical evidence would Szarota, were responsible for the massacre in Jedwabne to show that the Germans and not the Poles the psychological need to see the Polish community as vir “shows which Michlic claims (2002), Jedwabne with Słobodzianek, he interviewed a 70-year-old resident who insisted, “There is no who insisted, resident he interviewed a 70-year-old with Słobodzianek, Jedwabne “Gross should change on to say The man went not the Poles.” are guilty, question the Germans “He tells me to pretended to hold up a gun: simulating a Nazi soldier, The villager, his book.” 2009). (in Nathan What do you do?” take the Jews to the barn. the purpose of the performance as an he fails to see force on the scene,” “an active they were in a right-wing Catholic journal’s (A similar criticism arose identity. interrogation of Polish The Germans gave the order on production [see Gruszka-Zych 2010].) review of the Polish quotes Gross Cavendish that all the Jews be destroyed. us, Cavendish reminds 10 July 1941, from the unveiling of the The play reflects this mode of thinking in its reference to (2002:29). tuous” event in Mirroring the real-life the fictional village. memorial to the murdered Jews erected in sena- MPs, the Mayor, Ambassador, the the ceremony was attended by the President, Jedwabne, themselves refused to participate. but the villagers people from the arts, tors, massacre of Jewish a These included Jedwabne, Polish-Jewish relations entered public debate. expulsion of the the 1968 WWII, the that followed partisans in Koniuchy in 1944, Michał Kaminski, erected by Polish Pope John Paul II. Auschwitz cross that was and the Jews, the rightwing Party (Prawo i member of the European Parliament with - has compli and Reformists, Sprawiedliwos;c) and Chairman of the European Conservatives demanded that the Polish nation apologize for the “If you cated relations by commenting, to apologize then you should also require the Jewish people crimes committed in Jedwabne, apol- Kaminski also demanded an Eastern Poland.” for what some Jewish communists did in (in officers and citizens ; massacre of Polish POW ogy from the Russians for the 1940 Katyn Aaronovitch 2009). Jewish cations are available in Polish and there are a great many activist organizations today: and the Theatre, Kaminska State E.R. the Judaica Foundation, Historical Institute, Warsaw have the Polish government and the city of Significantly, Jewish Cultural Center. a memorial In 2006, funded the Museum of the History of Jews to be built in the capital city. In the was erected at the site of the pogrom in on the 60th anniversary of the massacre. and a number of plays have been written dealing with many works of literature last few years, published an issue ded- the theatre journal Notatnik Teatralny In 2009, Polish-Jewish relations. icated to the anti-Semitic events of 1968 Jews from Poland by the Poles during the war, he writes that firsthand accounts of the horror of the Soviet and of the horror of that firsthand accounts he writes during the war, by the Poles “traumatizing and that life was prove a refugee, grandmother, from his German occupations histo- nationalist Polish detailed in traditional is precisely the reasoning This (2009). terrifying” expe- and suffering on the basis of coercion in pogroms which excuses participation riography, When Times WWII. during Poles on a mass scale rienced by an important political debate and today the government is beginning the process of allowing an important political debate and today the government is beginning the process Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02October 2021

92 Bryce Lease attention. responding toJanGross, whichhasbeenstagedinanumberofartgalleries. ing withthissubjectmatter, suchasZofiaLipecka’sAfterJedwabne (2008), avideoinstallation out fromtheseexamples(2010). There havealsobeenanumberofnon-theatreartworksdeal- Poles. KubikowskifeelsthatitisthevirtuosityofOurClass’scompositionmakes Bat Yam/ (2007). Habima, theNational Theatre inIsrael, and Teatr Współczesny in Wroclaw coproduced Witold Gombrowiczsetina Warsaw ghettowasstagedatthe Teatr Dramatycznyin Warsaw paradoxes offate aims her tobeashuman, guilty, ordinary, andheroicasanyoneintheaudience. Itisthroughthese Warlikowski usesvideoprojectionsinperformancetonormalizethetragichero, toreveal story inOurClass. Apolonia, likeZocha, alsoreceivestheRighteous Among Nationsmedal. in theIsraeliarmyandshootsayoungPalestiniangirl was laterexecuted. The sonofRyfka Goldfinger, whowassavedby Apolonia, becomesasoldier Apolonia Machczyn;ska, motherofthree, whohid20JewsduringtheGermanoccupationand (Euripides and Aeschylus) andcontemporary(HannahKrall)material. The storyfollows (A)Pollonia in Polish-Jewishrelations. Another notableworkisKrzysztof Warlikowski’s hugelysuccessful Łukasz Rudzin;skiclaimedthattheperformancereinforcedhowmuchworkthereistobedone The situationiscomplicatedbythefactthatmothercountry, Poland, hasaSemiticchild. The ­ a motheranddaughterwithdifferentworldviewswhofaceoneanotheracrossgenerations. beliefs, andstereotypesaboutJews, suchaszæydokomuna. The performancerevolvesaround by MarcinLiberatthe Teatr Współczesny inSzczecin, dealtwithxenophobicattitudes, Dramatu; andanadaptationofIwona, ksie (Clinging;2009),Piotr Rowicki’sPrzylgniecie whichcameoutofSłobodzianek’sLaboratorium in Lublin, awardedattheNationalCompetitionforStagingofPolishContemporaryPlays; drama inGdynia2008;Niccoludzkie(Nothinghuman;2008), producedatIn Vitro Theatre staged inBielsko-Biała, whichreceivedthemainprizeatfestivalofPolishcontemporary ing withthePolishpersecutionofJews, whichincludeZ expelled Jewstorecovercitizenship. Tomasz Kubikowski(2010)identifiedrecentplaysdeal- Słobodzianek repliedthatitwas becausetherewasnofinancing. Yet theplaydid finallyhavean play hadnotbeenproducedin Polandwheretheshowwouldhaveatherapeuticdimension, according to Tomasz Kubikowski(2010). When MonikaKoszewskaaskedin2009whythe Słobodzianek aboutstagingaperformance, butwerenotgiventherightstoproduce play duce theplaybecausesubject wastaboo. This ismisleading. Polishdirectors approached and thatithadnotpremieredinPoland. It wasoftenimpliedthenooneinPolandwouldpro - ing aperformance(Sikorska-Miszczuk2010). one. Kowalewskiapologizedandaddedthatifhehada smallersecondstagehewouldriskstag- received negativereviews, Kowalewskiwasafraidthatthe audiencewouldn’tacceptanother by TuviaPolish-Jewish relationsintherepertoire(LastJew inEurope Tennenbaum),which Miszczuk thatthesubjectoftextwas “too heavy.” Having already stagedoneplayabout a­ with adiscussionbetweentheplaywrightand Anna Bikont, authorofWe fromJedwabne. Kow­ Warsaw. The textwasacceptedandthere wasapublicstagedreadingdirectedbyIwo Vedral, was commissionedbyMaciejKowalewski, theformerartistic directorofthe Teatr na Woli in Poland. Forexample, (Themayor;2008) MałgorzataSikorska-Miszczuk’splayBurmistrz lew­ Of therecentworksdealingwiththesethemes, twoproductionsinparticulardeserve In 2009, theBritishmediafocusedonfactthatOurClass had beenproducedinLondon There havebeensomecomplicationstoproducingworkonPolish-Jewishrelationsin butsuddenlychangedhismind,ski wasreadytostageBurmistrz explainingtoSikorska- — unbreakable bondbetweenchildandparenthasitssymboliccontextmarkedinthetitle. the desublimationofheroandmythsacrificeinPolishculture, andtheethical Utwór omatceiojczyz;nie (2009), whichalsointerrogatesPoland’ssuppressedpast, weavingtogetherancient (2008), whichinterrogatedthecomplexpostwarrelationsbetweenJewsand — that onefindsalinktoSłobodzianek’sproject. (Song ofthemotherandmotherland;2010), directed ç zæniczka Burgunda(Ivona, PrincessofBurgandia) — æ yd (TheJew;2008)by Artur Pałyga, a developmentsimilartoMenachem’s stand by Tadeusz Słobodzianek’s Our Class 93 - in shockingly sim- Figure 7. Abram (Paweł Pabisiak) as as Pabisiak) (Paweł Abram 7. Figure New in immigrant Jewish successful a Wacowski Piotr by (Photo City. York Rudzki) Daniel and — yet this attention was somewhat mixed. On yet this attention was somewhat mixed. — In September 2010 Słobodzianek controver 8 of murderers and the murdered — Figure 6. Heniek (Marcin Sztabiński) Sztabiński) (Marcin Heniek 6. Figure Piotr by (Photo Dean. Catholic a as Rudzki) Daniel and Wacowski

A number of important directors have worked at the theatre, including Andrzej Wajda, Roman Polanski, and and Polanski, Roman Wajda, Andrzej including theatre, the at worked have importantof number A directors Art Festival. Mime International the of home the also is it August, Every KazimierzKutz. , which won the Nike Prize in 2010, was the only play ever nominated for Poland’s which won the Nike Prize in 2010, Our Class, 8.

official Polish premiere at the Festival of Literature in Warsaw in October 2010 at the Teatr na Warsaw in October 2010 at the Literature in official Polish premiere at the Festival of a longtime collaborator of Słobodzianek. It was directed by Ondrej Spišák from Slovakia, Woli. light which consistently avoided- Woli, na Teatr , Given the potential notoriety of Our Class opened Will), (Theatre of the Woli na Teatr was the ideal venue for the premiere. weight plays, has a reputation for producing plays with Lomnicki in 1976, Tadeusz by the renowned actor politically sensitive or penetrating themes. sially replaced Maciej Kowalewski as artistic director of Teatr na Woli after the Warsaw City Warsaw after the Woli na Teatr director of sially replaced Maciej Kowalewski as artistic producing his who they considered an impresario only interested in Council fired Kowalewski, own plays. a cash award Słobodzianek received winner of the Nike, As a most prestigious literary award. of 100,000 PLZ and substantial media attention that the choice of this drama was another example of Barbara Gruszka-Zych wrote one hand, which the very fashionable literary trend to force Poles to apologize for sins against the Jews, the Grazæyna Borkowska, On the other hand, undermined the significance of the award (2010). stated that Słobodzianek was awarded for his ability to paint the head of the jury that year, story of the executioners and victims The decision to give a Nike award to Our Class has significant political ple language (2010). Anna Bikont had also of Polish anti-Semitism. as it is a public acknowledgement connotations, , a book which , from Jedwabne been nominated for the Nike in 2004 for We “making the for commended Abramson Professor of at , Figure 5. The Teatr na Woli production production Woli na Teatr The 5. Figure Słobodzianek’s Tadeusz for posters classmates’ the highlighted klasa Nasza (Przemysław Menachem professions. Israeli an as pictured Sadowski) and Wacowski Piotr by (Photo soldier. Daniel Rudzki) Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02October 2021

94 Bryce Lease generally hailedasawiselessoninethicsandPolishhistory. JoannaSzcze were inhumane. endeavor, astheactorsneededtohaveempathyfortheircharactersevenwhen characters gone through, toputthemselvesinthatpreciseethicalposition(2009b). This wasacomplicated the BritishandIrishactorsworkingonthismaterialwastoimaginewhatcharactershad as well” (SłobodzianekinDerkaczew2010a). sonal relationshipwiththehistory, andcommented, “In somerespectsthismighthavebeenjust Słobodzianek observed, wasabletograspcertainuniversaldimensions, withouthavingaper in Polandbetween1918and1989ashewasunfamiliarwiththehistoricalcontext. Yet Sheibani, brought upinLiverpoolandLondon, askedalotofquestionsabouteverythingthathappened occupation, thusresonatedwithhisownpast. Sheibani, ontheotherhand, asaBritish-Iranian and singSovietanthems. The largestsectionoftheplay, whichtakesplaceduringtheSoviet the Sovietinvasionin1968firsthand. Asachild, Spišákwasforcedtomarch, weararedtie, Spišák belongstothegenerationwhoexperiencedbrutalCommunistindoctrinationafter the twoproductions, BijanSheibaniinLondonandOndrejSpišák Warsaw. As aSlovakian, study ofJedwabneatthattime. win theprize, whichmightreflecttheprevalentapprehensionaboutpraisingorrewardinga context oftheslaughterveryrealandimmediate” (inGewertz2007). However, Bikontdidnot the ground. ing wasaccompaniedbysounds offireasthebarncontainingJewsJedwabneburned to space abovethestage, trapping thecharactersbetweenfloorandceiling. Thisstag- sions asthebarrierbetween playingareaandthedeadspace, descendedfromthe fly light, thussignalingimpending tragedy. At theintermissionalarge rectangle, thesamedimen- a warmyellowglowtocoldwhite wash, whichslowlynarrowedtoaclaustrophobic stripof for theirhumiliation, thechairswerereturnedtodead spaceandthelightschangedfrom the Teatr Dramatycznyin Warsaw. When thePoles decidedtotakerevengeontheRussians 1988 adaptationofMickiewicz’sDziady, inwhichspiritsofancestorsinvitedtheaudienceinto at thebeginningofnarrative. This gestureechoed theopeningofJerzyGrzegorzewski’s for woodenchairs, whichwereliftedoverabarrierfrom thedeadspaceintoplayingarea allowed spacetoremainlargelyundefined. InSheibani’s production, thesetwasbareexcept tain scenes, suchasMenachem’sinterrogations, to indicateadefinitelocation, whereasSheibani cer for consistently madeconnectionswiththedesksinKantor’sTheDeadClass —allowed four rowsofschooldeskswithchairs. Spišák’sdecision touseschooldesks time period(2010). reconstruct asimplestoryofpeoplewithoutplacinganyemphasisongeographicallocationor vate livesoftengivewaytopolitics. Resistingtheimpulsetowardsnationalism, Spišáksoughtto pertinence tointer-ethnic conflictsacrosstheworldtoday, anditsuniversalmessagethatpri- play werenot “our class” (2011). Yet Spišákhadsoughttoemphasizethe­ lage, andthatforcosmopolitanintellectualsin Warsaw, thePolishpeasantryrepresentedin audience feltalienatedfromthetextandfailedtoempathizewithcharactersaruralvil- as victims(seeGruszka-Zych2010). PolishnovelistIzabelaFilipiakarguedthattheeliteurban tled “It’s NotOurClass,” attending onopeningnight. OnedefensivereviewfromanationalisticCatholicmagazine, enti- (2010b). The playalsoreceivedsomepoliticalcoverage, asPoland’sPrimeMinisterwasseen Joanna DerkaczewcommentedthatJedwabnerepresentstheculminationofPolishhistory suffering andforgivenessfromhistorythatmovesstraightintothesceneofourlife” (2010); Wyborcza The criticalresponsetothePolishpremierewaslargelypositive, andtheproductionwas Sheibani wasawareofthisdifferenceinperspectiveandnotedthatthebiggestchallengefor In arecentinterview, Słobodzianekcontrastedtheculturalbackgroundsofdirectors The setforthePolishproductionwasconfinedtoawooden floor, awallwithdoor, and that “OurClassopensquestionsaboutcrimeandpunishment, guiltandcondemnation, claimedthatPoleswereshownasvillainswhiletheJewstreated story’s versatility:its ç sna wroteinGazeta — the Polishmedia - - Tadeusz Słobodzianek’s Our Class 95 - status of that which has not yet been circumscribed or of that which has not yet been circumscribed —

gated by language and abridged by memory? In both productions, the characters never changed costumes over the course of 60 years. course of 60 years. costumes over the never changed the characters In both productions, executor of Słobodzianek’s asserted that Spišák was an obedient Joanna Derkaczew (2010b) facing each other from oppo- with the dead in the round, Sheibani staged the performance and the audience feels each character has their own apocalypse, notes, Wyszomirski As Piotr The most insightful criticism of the Polish production came from Marcin Kos;cielniak Unlike Spišák, Sheibani chose to retain physical distance between the actors. While Jakub Sheibani chose to retain physical distance between the actors. Unlike Spišák, Changes in tone and action were indicated by the physical gestures and voices of the actors, voices of the actors, gestures and indicated by the physical tone and action were Changes in class, in the UK indicated While the costumes of the play. to age over the course who appeared combat gear. a soldier’s cassock and Rysiek Heniek wore a priest’s on profession. Spišák focused who announced “children” the actors as of the performance, that at the beginning This meant partic- It was destinies. the uniform of their already locked into for the future were their dreams man’s military outfit in the schoolroom. trapped in a grown Rysiek ularly poignant seeing which account of events, in no way conflicted with the text’s simple as the staging vision, staged Polish history as a pro- Spišák truth over historical authenticity. favored psychological the door: the cross gave way to the regimes through symbols affixed above cession of occupying “compounding dangerous divisions” replaced by the sickle and hammer, which was swastika, (Derkaczew 2010b). to choose sides during political occupations between Poles forced Theatre workshops. the National This decision evolved out of area. site sides of the playing the experience as a moment decided that playing in the round reflected The cast and director Sheibani remarked people describing rather than acting memories out. of collective imagining, way an audience witnesses: the public congregates that theatre in the round reflects the natural used a pro- on the other hand, Spišák, 2009b). around events on the street in a circle (Sheibani and upstage downstage reserved for the living scenium stage broken into two separate spaces, behind the living stressed the immensity of suffer The placement of the dead for the dead. neither Słobodzianek’s writing nor Even so, as if they are surrounded by a world without values. bring anything new conceptually or artistically Wyszomirski, according to Spišák’s direction, even went so far as to Wyszomirski to the debate surrounding Polish culpability for Jedwabne. though perhaps appealing as an aesthetic argues that, He attack the abilities of the performers. multiple characters (none of whom become are distin- the play’s diffuse focus on composition, on Derkaczew argues, one-dimensional narrative (2010). guished over the others) creates a flat, is not concerned with storytelling; rather it seeks to that Słobodzianek’s work the other hand, point out public ignorance and incite radicalism in public debates (2010b). structured around a number of landmark Though the story is clear and transparent, (2010). ing and the enormous burden of guilt overwhelming the narrative, serving as a reminder that serving as a the narrative, ing and the enormous burden of guilt overwhelming no consolation; There is no hope, of ancestors. it takes several generations to heal the trauma associated with an impoverished retirement in TV watching mindless there is only the dull, the school furniture of childhood was By the end, the years after the collapse of Communism. but the The final bell rang, stuffed with the dead. empty and the doorway was like a dark mouth reminiscent of an This staging decision is never end (Derkaczew 2010b). “lessons of history” which received , playwright on Słobodzianek’s Merlin earlier collaboration between director and in 1994. critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival him with language; there is never an indication Katz is beaten to death the actors only threaten standing sev- all the actors remain clothed, when Dora is raped, Similarly, of physical violence. Kos;cielniak argued Even so, the physical contact. The audience has to imagine eral feet apart. as their detail of the characters’ private thoughts, that Słobodzianek gave us too much intimate is he claims, Reported memory, or mystery. reported memories left no room for ambivalence such as Kos;cielniak’s raise questions about the ­ claims Yet experienced as absolute (2010). do we or regret, guilt, For if the actors can lucidly report their desire, of trauma in language. then lose the experience of trauma itself miti­ Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02October 2021

96 Bryce Lease songs (Wyszomirski 2010). There wereinfactseveralmomentswhenlaughtererupted. The mance concludedthatitwasinteresting reading, whileothersmerelylaughedatthechildren’s in historicaldebate. Some youngpeoplewhoparticipatedintheworkshopbefore perfor history wasvehementlyagainst treatingtheatreperformancesortextsasauthoritativevoices tion; someacademicsbickered over theplay’srelevance;andaspecialistinthisareaofPolish against accusationsofprofessionalfavoritism. Strze wrote areplybyemailpostedontheRaszewski Theatre Institutedatabase(e-teatr.pl) calling under Słobodzianek’sartisticdirection, wouldonlyproduce afixedlistofartists. Słobodzianek Demirski 2010). Regardless, Strze criticism ofSłobodzianek’s “cowardice” woulddecrease theirchancesofsuccess(Strze (Long livethewar!!!)(2009), director MonikaStrze tion, agreeinginsteadtoaspecialshowing. InanopenlettertoaPolishnewspaper, thetheatre of 50,000PLZ. Controversially, SłobodzianekwithdrewOurClassfromtheofficialcompeti- won theNikeprize(Zalesin;ski2010). The festivalofnewwritingcarriesanimpressiveaward Contemporary PlaysR@PortinGdynia2010followingallthemediaattentionafterplay impact (Kos;cielniak2010). the blowscharactersinflictoneachotheronlyevertouchairandnevermakeanyphysical the exchangeengenderedbyliveperformance. This isreflectedinthe “noble” staging, inwhich Because thisformtreatstheaudienceasstudents, theybecomestuckina “lesson” thatprecludes ity oflanguageasymptomtheinabilitytofaceeitherexecutioners’orvictims’history. uation of “pure facts.” IncontrasttotheheadofNikejury, Kos;cielniakfindsthesimplic- Because Słobodzianekstringentlyavoidstheappearanceofbias, wearehauntedbytheinsin- Kos;cielniak findsfaultwiththesimplicitywhichtexthasbeenbothwrittenandstaged. unreliable andmanipulated, andobjectivetruthispositionedasautopia(Rudzin;ski2010), tion, doubt, variability, anddiversity. While somecriticsenjoythemodeinwhichmemoryis reporting amassmurderoranordinaryschoollesson, theformisneverbroken. ate wordorsignal, highlightedbyastagingthatseekstohonorthescript. Whether theclassis builds andexplodesonstagewithmathematicalprecision. Foreacheventthereistheappropri- actions flowswiftly, accentsarepreciselydistributed, thejokesareeffective, andthetension Nevertheless, Kos;cielniakisquicktopointoutthatSłobodzianekamastercraftsman:the mances, unambiguouslyputtingforthhisownsubjectiveinterpretationofhistoricalevents. (2010). This assertionreferencesKantor, whowasalwaysexplicitlypresentinhisownperfor bility ofSłobodzianek’sownvoiceintheplay, andaccuseshimofbeingan “author inhiding” dence effectivelyrendershimacourtjudge. Kos;cielniakwasalsotroubledbythelackofvisi- in thisnarrativeandwhattoleaveoutwerenotneutral, andthistaskofeditinghistoricalevi- ing astraightforwardhistorylesson. HesuggeststhatSłobodzianek’schoicesofwhattoinclude ing symbolsofpower, Kos;cielniakpointsout, theaudienceispositionedasa “class” receiv- “explain” thetruthtoatheatreaudiencethatistreatedasonebody. Sittingoppositetheshift- ing styleandthestripped-downsetting, whichdefinesthesceneasaspaceof “disclosure” to might contaminatetheclearstreamoftime-basednarrative. This isreflectedintheact- such storytelling, accordingtoKos;cielniak, isthatitswidechannellacksanydiversions line functionslikeaoffallingdominoes, chronologicalandconsistent. The problemwith sels fortheplaywright’sexplicitmaximsaboutPolishness. The causeandeffectofthestory- dates, Kos;cielniakfeltthecharacterswerereducedtosubordinatesofgrandnarrative, ves - protectiveness ofhisreputation. Strze from thecompetitionsignaledSłobodzianek’sfearoflosing competitionandhisover-­ Nevertheless, theshow divided theaudienceinGydnia:afewpeoplegaveitstanding ova- There wasgreatanticipationaroundOurClassattheFifthInternationalFestivalofPolish However, this “appropriateness” ofthetheatricallessonoccludeshelplessness, hesita- ç pka andDemirski’sargumentcontradictoryconfusing, whiledefendinghistheatre ç pka andtheplaywrightPawełDemirskiinsinuatedthatthiswithdrawal a playcompetingatthefestival, andrecognizedhowvoicing their ç pka andDemirskiwentontosuggestthatthe Teatr na Woli, ç pka andDemirskiwrotedirectedNiech zæyjewojna!!! ç pka and - - Tadeusz Słobodzianek’s Our Class 97 - - causes — a reference that passed with- a reference — as seen today in various example in Poland around the poor distribution of the film in Italian cin- — , an Italian daily newspaper affili- , (2007) provoked a dispute in Avvenire Katyn;

The only knowledge many people in the UK had of Jedwabne was associated with Michał The only knowledge many people in the the violence and anti-Semitism in 1989, From the late 1940s until the end of Communism funniest scene for young people came from a melodramatic reference to Henryk Sienkiewicz’s Henryk Sienkiewicz’s reference to came from a melodramatic for young people funniest scene students for all Polish required reading of the Cross, The Knights out note for audiences in the UK. Audiences in Poland also responded to the allusions to Polish to the allusions to Poland also responded Audiences in audiences in the UK. out note for makes refer or poem that song, a nursery rhyme, concludes with “lesson” Each Romanticism. ence to such great Polish historical figures as Copernicus and Sienkiewicz. These sections of These sections and Sienkiewicz. figures as Copernicus great Polish historical ence to such than Rather performance. adapted for the British the most liberally were often in verse, the text, using and poems without emotion, the actors recited the songs these texts, evoking nostalgia for Juliusz Kurkiewicz remarked of bored children in a nursery school. large gestures reminiscent “col- intertwined with the poems, that the language of these popular of the London production “leads to a particular alienation effect” speech of the rest of the play, violent” naïve and loquial, nursery rhymes with great childlike the actors performed these production, In Spišák’s (2010). It is important them in school. having learned audience found humorous, which the emotion, national literature rather than Jewish classmates who proudly quote this to note that it is the - This caused audi line of descendants. Abram lists his long the final scene, In the ethnic Poles. UK the laughter was a response to the While in the Poland and the UK. ences to laugh in both in Poland, as it does in the US, that signal cultural adaptation there, list of non-Jewish names with genealogy as audience’s chuckling at the Jewish fascination Kos;cielniak interpreted the derogatory (2010). Minister David Cameron; yet after the London Kamin;ski’s political alliance with British Prime of guilt with Słobodzianek remarked that the British are prepared to admit their share premiere, The per and this openness makes them a responsive audience. regard to colonial imperialism, Słobodzianek Theatre did a lot for the good name of Poland, formance at the Royal National of Eastern Poland. on the cruelty of the Soviet occupation for example, shedding light, insists, has received as many reviews in the media (Pawłowski It is significant that no other Polish play to think that the text deals that it would be provincial however, The playwright stresses, 2009). of people living on the same it shows the drama Rather, with the guilt of Poles and Jews alone. Despite the tragedy. become participants in circumstances, through various historical who, land, will only Słobodzianek maintains that Our Class the universalism underlying this comment, but in schools in Jedwabne and other not in Paris or London, meet its goal when it is produced, from Jedwabne were invited down to Teachers similar towns in Podlasie (in Koszewska 2009). but to resist The aim was not to offend or to open old wounds, performance. Warsaw watch the would like Słobodzianek Ideally, the debate. complacency and provoke people to contemplate of teachers, with a meeting the tragedy occurred, the play to be performed on the spot where Koszewska 2009). and children (in historians, residents, that as long as Gross maintains of public discourse. experienced by Jews in Poland was left out its Jewish neighbors the country will live in infamy Poland is unable to mourn the deaths of that if the Poles do not take on this subject others Słobodzianek insists Likewise, (2006:258). our conscious- because it is a fundamental obligation of need to face it, “We will do it for them: and also awareness [...] of where a person lives, both individual rights in general regardless ness, and that I will still have a sense of guilt, ska 2008). Roman Pawłowski observed that Our Class was Roman Pawłowski observed (in Zielin;ska 2008). hatred and aggression” (2009). not the only Polish work that incited political discussion in Europe in recent times Andrzej Wajda’s ated with the Roman , and Słobodzianek’s productions roused political debate in Wajda Pawłowski argues that emas. totalitarianism, unresolved culpability, Europe through their examination of traumatic events, The relationship between Kaminski and British Prime Minister and its effects on individuals. the British David Cameron led to a number of attacks on the Conservative prime minister in Pawłowski concluded that Theatre’s production. which roused interest in the National media, Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 by guest on 02October 2021

98 Bryce Lease cess throughwhichthePolishnationwillrememberandreworkasuppresseddarkpast. The storyofthelivesthese10classmates, bothCatholicandJewish, isessentialtothepro- rele­ ­others shouldconstituteawarningforthefuture” (2001). ElwiraGrossmansummarizedthe ing onthememoryofusasheroesisourduty;passingPolishcrimesagainst mented thatPoleshavearesponsibilitytopassontheirheritagefuturegenerations: “pass- does aboutthepastitself(2002:1). The progressiveCatholicintellectual, JarosławGowin, com- memory (2009). Słobodzianek and Wajda havecontributedtoaseriousdebateaboutEurope’sofficialhistorical Gerstenfeld, Manfred. 2003. Myths: Europe’sCrumbling The Post-Holocaust Originsof Today’s Anti-Semitism. Filipiak, Izabela. 2011. “Jewish Themes inContemporary PolishLiterature.” PanelatthePolishLiterature Derkaczew, Joanna. 2010b. “Osierocona klasa.” GazetaWyborcza . wyborcza.pl/1,75475,8536943,Osierocona_ Derkaczew, Joanna. 2010a. “Przestrzen; dogrania.” GazetaWyborcza , 29June. www.e-teatr.pl/pl/artykuly Derkaczew, Joanna. 2009. “My, znaszejklasy.” GazetaWyborcza, Czajkowski, Michał. 2001. “Czysta Nierzaçdnica. Dlaczegonalez æy przepraszac;zaJedwabn.” Tygodnik Craig, Ryan. 2010. Interviewwithauthor. RoyalNational Theatre, London, 9 August. Craig, Ryan. 2009. “Adapting OurClass.” Jewish RenaissanceMagazine, 22September. www.jewish Centrum BadaniaOpiniiSpołecznej. 2010. StosunekdoInnych Narodów:KomunikatBadan; Centrum BadaniaOpiniiSpołecznej(CBOS). 2005. StosunekdoInnych Narodów:KomunikatBadan; Cavendish, Dominic. 2009. “Is OurClassattheNational Theatre reallysuchareliablehistorylesson?” The Borkowska, Grazæyna. 2010. “Nike 2010. Cosie Błonz;ki, Jan. 1987. “The PoorPolesLookattheGhetto.” Polin Billington, Michael. 2009. “Our Class.” TheGuardian, 24September. www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2009/sep Aaronovitch, David. 2009. “I suggestaneveningatthetheatre, Mr. Cameron.” TheTimes, 2November. References discussion going. (2010) The pointisnottooffersomekindof “solution,” “truth” or “settlement” buttokeepthe Poland. Itisagenuineattemptathealingthenationalmemoryviapersonalmemories. I wouldarguethatOurClassisatrulypatrioticgestureofparamountimportanceto it alsoofferscouragetofacewhathasbeendenied, silencedordistortedfortoolong. which thePolishorganismcannotfunctionproperly. Itinvitesabravelookbackbut [T]he playislikeamemoryawakenedanditalsohealthydoseofoxygenwithout As JoannaMichlicadvocates, ofthepast tellsmoreaboutpresentsocietythanit thememory Jerusalem: JerusalemCenterforPublic Affairs, , and World JewishCongress. Since 89Conference(discussant). UniversityCollegeLondon, 10November. klasa.html (5January2012). /97556.html (5January2012). 7328297,My__z_naszej_klasy.html (5January2012). Powszechny renaissance.org.uk/jr-out-loud.htm (16 August 2010). Other Nations:ResearchFindings]. Warsaw: CBOS. Toward OtherNations:ResearchFindings]. Warsaw: CBOS. really-such-a-reliable-history-lesson.html (7 April 2010). Telegraph, wyborcza.pl/1,75402,8458926,Nike_2010__Co_sie_stalo_z_tamta_klasa_.html (9 January2012). /24/our-class-michael-billington-review (7 April 2010). www.e-teatr.pl/pl/artykuly/82072.html?josso_assertion_id=C0A8DB051BDD5914 (9January2012). vance ofthisperformanceinPoland: 9 November. www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/6530381/Is-Our-Class-at-the-National-Theatre- 21, 27(May):5. ç ?” stałoztamtaçklasa?” 4:231. 4 December. wyborcza.pl/1,75475, Gazeta Wyborcza, 3October. http:// [Attitudes Toward [Attitudes

Tadeusz Słobodzianek’s Our Class 99

14 July. 15 November. wyborcza 15 November. 6 July. wyborcza.pl/1, 6 July. 18 December. wyborcza.pl/1, 18 December. 56–57. Gazeta Wyborcza, Gazeta Wyborcza, 18 January. archiwum.rp.pl/artykul/319944_ 18 January. c;.” ç www.e-teatr.pl/en 18 November. ; Niedzielny, ; c 31 January: 4. 4. 31 January: , Rzeczpospolita, zeł.” zeł.” ç adapted by Ryan Craig, trans. Catherine Grosvenor. London: Catherine Grosvenor. trans. Craig, adapted by Ryan www.jewishtheatre.com/visitor/article_display.aspx 10 October. Gazeta Wyborcza, Gazeta Wyborcza, dzi saçsiadom zgotowali ten los.” ç Gazeta Wyborcza, Gazeta Wyborcza, komplikowac; odpowiedzi.” ç Our Class, Jewish Theatre Theatre Jewish News, http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/theatre/article

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100 Bryce Lease Szarota, Tomasz.2000. Strze Strzembosz, Tomasz.2001.kolaboracja.” “Przemilczana Stachura, Peter. 2008. “Jedwabne: A Replyto Antony Polonski&JoannaMichlic.”Journal The History: Spišák, Ondrej. 2010. “Ondrej SpišákoNaszejklasie.” Teatrna Woli. www.labodram.pl/index.php?option Snyder, Timothy.2004. Weiss, Szewach. 2004. “Z Szcze Szarota, Tomasz. 2002. “Jedwabne bezstereotypów.” Tygodnik Powszechny, 12May. www.tygodnik.com.pl www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/suppl/10.1162/DRAM_a_00168 To view supplementalmediarelatedtothisarticle, pleasevisit Zielin;ska, Alicija. 2008. “Tadeusz Słobodzianeko ‘Naszej klasie.’” Poranny, 30May. http://www.poranny.pl Zalesin;ski, Jarosław. 2010. “R@port naplus.” Polska DziennikBałtycki, 29November. www.e-teatr.pl/pl Wyszomirski, Piotr. 2010. “Produkcyjniak traumatycznyalbopróbaczytana, czylikłopotliwelekcjehistorii.” klasywychodzinajaw/menuid-402.html (4January2012). Polityczna, 22November. www.krytykapolityczna.pl/StrzepkaDemirski/Listwktorymbraknaszej 2012). (4 January Historical Association, 39,of 1. www.glaukopis.pl/pdf/czytelnia/JedwabneReplyToAntonyPolonsky.pdf (9 January2012). =com_content&view=article&id=851:ondrej-spiak-o-qnaszej-klasieq&catid=65:aktualnosci&Itemid=251 /104307,druk.html (4January2012). /numer/275517/szarota.html (9January2012). /apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080530/ROZMOWY/592698555 (7March2012). /artykuly/106916.html?josso_assertion_id=8D0E6B89058BD476 (4January2012). Gazeta S 2012). (9 January ç pka, Monika, andPawełDemirski. 2010. “List, wktórym braknaszejklasywychodzinajaw.” Krytyka ç sna, Joanna. 2010. “To jestnaszaklasa.” GazetaWyborcza, 18October. www.e-teatr.pl/pl/artykuly wie Æ ç tojan;ska, U proguzagłady. Zajs Sketches fromaSecret War. NewHaven, CT: Yale UniversityPress. 26 November. www.e-teatr.pl/en/artykuly/106849.html (4January2012). .” ydzi podflagaçbiało-czerwona.” Æ cia antyzæydowskieipogromy wokupowanej Europie. Warsaw: Sic!. ; Rzeczpospolita, Wprost, 9 January. www.wprost.pl/ar/?O=54667 27–28 January: A6–A7.27–28