Political images versus literary creations of Wojciech Korfanty. A comparative comparison

Abstract

The author analyses the images of Wojciech Korfanty created from the beginning of his political career
until its end. He focuses on the portraits created in works of literature and journalism, confronting them
with those created during political campaigns. He distinguishes five images depicting the Silesian politician in a favourable light (defender of the Upper Silesian people in the German Empire; plebiscite commissioner and insurrectionary leader; political leader in the Second Polish Republic; prisoner of the Polish
Republic; Christian leader and defender of the Polish Alsatians) and five negative images (detriment to the
interests of the Church, workers and the nation; disturber of the social order and fratricide; gravedigger
of the uprising; enemy of Józef Piłsudski and his supporters; embezzler and pretend Christian politician).
The author concludes that the changing images of Korfanty, including those created after his death, are
a result of changing political narratives and cultural trends (apart from poems and novels, cartoon stories,
theatre plays and feature films devoted to the Silesian politician were produced).