Poland and the Conrad problem : the controversy over Joseph Conrad-Korzeniowski's patriotism

The following article is a contribution to the history of Conrad’s critical appraisals in Poland. It refers to the most contentious issue, which arouses a plethora of emotions and controversies. There are critics who claim that within this context some compatriots pursued a legalistic process against Conrad. Because this literary "trial" does not seem to have been resolved defi nitively, I decided to shed a diff erent light on it by drawing from Karol Ludwik Koniński, a critic and publicist of the interwar period whose role is that of an unbiased expert (what’s most important: he did not get involved in the arguments about Conrad). In his numerous articles Koniński articulates his insightful and substantial opinions regarding patriotism, on the one hand, and deviation from it, on the other hand. The below article examines a problem fi rst posed (in a rather unfortunate way) by Eliza Orzeszkowa at the end of 19th century, but from various intertwining perspectives: historical, moral, psychological and biographical. This multilateralism facilitates the most objective approach to this complicated issue, as well as helps to eschew various simplifi cations and stereotypes. Hence, in Koniński’s hypothetical expertise, one fi nds surprising statements about Conrad and his approach to the Polish cultural heritage