Schulz in „Rój”

Abstract

After writing Cinnamon Shops, Bruno Schulz faced the need to find a publisher. We know that thanks to the protection of Zofia Nałkowska, he managed to publish his debut book with the Rój publishing house located in Warsaw. However, before it happened, he had been unsuccessfully looking for a publisher willing to take the risk of publishing a sophisticated book by an unknown author. To examine this problem, the author of the article investigates the condition of the Polish book market in the 1930s, examining surviving documentation and memories. He also analyzes what Schulz expected from his publisher and the terms under which his book was released. Finally, he attempts to calculate the benefits and losses that Schulz incurred by publishing the book with the Rój publishing house.