O rzece, która wylewa. Literatura i nowa pamięć o powodzi

Program Beethoven 1, NCN

Barcz presents an exemplary overview of literary works – most written after the war – concerning the River Oder and the theme of the flood. Works by writers such as Hans Niekrawietz, Horst Bienek, Olga Tokarczuk, Tomasz Różycki and Janusz Rudnicki contribute to our understanding of how people describe the process of coming to terms with the river’s flooding. Barcz discusses how memory helps us understand powerlessness and adapt to the threat of flooding. Deep familiarity with the river, being in touch with its elemental nature, suggests that the best practices and actions in the case of an impending flood – or even an actual one – build on cooperation and of giving way to the river. This is clearly emphasized in the aquacentric trend within ecocriticism.