The State Literary Award was a Polish literature award during the interwar period.[1][2] It was awarded starting in 1925 for a work published in the previous three years. The award was given by a five-person jury, consisting of three representatives from the largest creative unions, a critic, and a representative of the ministry, all chosen by the current Minister of Religious Affairs and Public Education.[3]
In 1933, the award was modified to recognize an author's entire body of work, with special attention to the last five years.[4] The monetary component of the award was gradually increased, reaching 20,000 PLN in 1930, while in 1925 it was only 5,000 PLN.[5][6]
The first recipient of the award (18 January 1925) was Stefan Żeromski (for Wiatr od morza [The Wind from the Sea]).[7][8] In later years, the award was presented in December. The last laureate of the award during the Second Polish Republic was Artur Górski , who was honored in December 1938 for his long-standing literary work.[5]
The Minister of Religious Affairs and Public Education also awarded similar prizes in the fields of fine arts and music.[4]
An award with a similar name (The Badge of the State Award in Literature, often colloquially referred to as the State Literary Award)[9][10][11] was also awarded during the Polish People's Republic by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. It was divided into three levels.[12]
The highest authority was undoubtedly held by the Literary Award of the Minister of Religious Affairs and Public Education, established in 1925, also known as the State Literary Award.
The most important was the State Literary Award (officially: the Literary Award of the Minister of Religious Affairs and Public Education).
December 22, 1938. The State Literary Award (5,000 PLN): Artur Górski, for his long-standing literary activity, and in particular for his recent works, which address fundamental issues of contemporary Polish life in a profound and sincere manner.
Initially, the prize was 5,000 PLN. In 1927, it was raised to 10,000 PLN, in 1929 to 15,000 PLN, and in 1930 to 20,000 PLN.
The most outstanding work of Morcinek from those years was Pokład Joanny (Joanna's Hold). For it, the author received the Second-Class State Literary Award in 1951. Let's look at who received awards that year and for what. The year before, Leon Kruczkowski received the First-Class award for Niemców (The Germans), but Tadeusz Konwicki received the Third-Class award for Przy budowie (During the Construction), Jan Wilczek for Numer 16 produkuje (Number 16 Produces), Wiktor Woroszylski for the poetry collection Śmierci nie ma (There Is No Death) and for Poemat o generale Świerczewskim (Poem about General Świerczewski), and Bogdan Hamera for the novel Na przykład Plewa (For Example, Plewa). At the same time as Morcinek, Halina Rudnicka received the Second-Class award for the novel Uczniowie Spartakusa (The Students of Spartacus), Janina Broniewska for Ogniwo (The Link), and Aleksander Ścibor-Rylski for Węgiel (Coal), all Third-Class awards.
Although the author was awarded the State Literary Award of the Third Degree in 1953 for her book.