[RABSKA Zuzanna, CHUDEK Józef] Correspondence of Zuzanna Rabska to Józef Chudek. 5 letters from 1947-1951

A set of correspondence from Susanna Rabskaya (1888-1960), bibliophile, poet and writer to Jozef Chudek (1908-1996), writer, bibliophile, prominent book expert.

The set consists of the following objects:

1. postcard, inscribed 2 pp. Dated. 6 AUG [1951]. Józef Chudek Hotel Bristol Warsaw.
[Dear Sir. It will be my pleasure to welcome you on Sunday among my friends...I join bows and bibliophilic greetings...]. Dimensions 10.5 x 14.2 cm.

2. handwritten letter 1 p. and addressed envelope. Date. Warsaw 25.11.[19]51 Jozef Chudek Hotel Bristol Warsaw.
[Dear Sir. I kindly request you to return "Poland and Belgium" - I believe that this brochure is no longer needed by you...]. Dimensions 15.5 x 13.2 cm.

3. postcard, inscribed 1 p. Dated. 27.5(?).47. addressed to Jozef Chudk, Consulat de Pologne, Bruxelles.
[Thanking you for the card (it's a pity it's not a letter...) I send you cordial greetings from our coast. Tomorrow I return to work...would there be a job opportunity with you for a young b. able person (4 languages) close to my heart, who does not want to freeze and starve here this winter...]. Dimension 10 x 15 cm.
Rabska inquires about the possibility of work for a young talented person close to her. She assures of respect and expects contact.

4 - Post card. Dated. 27 DEC [1947]. Addressed to Jozef Chudek, 114, rue Souveraine, Bruxelles.
[To the distinguished gentleman I thank you most kindly for your kind remembrance, wishes, beautiful exlibrises [...] Duck turned green with envy at the sight of the exlibrises !!!]. Dimensions 9.5 x 14 cm.
The author wishes an imminent meeting with Chudek in the coming 48th year.

5. handwritten letter 1 pp. B. of date and place. Addressed to Joseph Chudek (?).
[Dear Sir - Upon my return from Cracow, where I spent Christmas I found a nice Finnish parcel. Why was it Finland that was awarded to me? I prefer variety to seriality, that's how it has always been...]. Dimension 20,2 x 15 cm.
As an expression of gratitude he encloses 6 "honest" ex-librises.
He expresses himself in an unfavorable way about Edward Chwalewik, who did not mention her collection in his book on Poland's war losses ("Old cymbal Chwalewik [...] did not mention my collection. And there were about 4,000 pieces. There is no cure for sclerosis!". She recalls that she spoke of Chudek in the company of the Koper family.

Zuzanna Rabska, née Kraushar (born September 22, 1888 in Warsaw, died October 23, 1960 there) - Polish poet, writer, translator.

Jozef Chudek - born November 5, 1908 in Zelechow, in an intelligentsia family; son of Jozef Chudek and Helena née Sokolowska. In 1915 he left with his parents for Russia and stayed in Rostov-on-Don. In 1918 he returned to Poland. He settled in Warsaw, where he attended the J. Lelewel Gymnasium and received his high school diploma in 1927. He made his debut in 1925 with poems Jedzie po błoniu and Piosenka, published in "Płomyczek" (No. 13). In 1926-29 he prepared numerous hagiographic and popular-historical articles for "Gazeta Polska" in Koscian. From 1927 he studied Polish Studies at Warsaw University, and after receiving his degree in 1931, he continued his studies in cultural history and sociology (until 1935). During this time, he participated in the activities of the Polish Studies Circle and the "S" Art Club. In 1932-33 he edited the magazine "News of Interest and Use"; he also published numerous articles in this magazine. He published poetic works sporadically in "Kurier Literacko-Naukowy" (1931-32, 1934, 1936) and "Rodzina Polska" (1933-35, also signed Zin Hudek). From 1935 he worked at the Warsaw University Library as a warehouse manager. In 1938 he received his master's degree on the basis of his thesis Wiktor Lenkiewicz - a monograph of an epigone. During the German occupation he stayed in Warsaw and continued to work at the Library. He cooperated with the Office of Information and Propaganda of the Home Army. He collected underground prints. He also continued his literary work, publishing poems in underground publications. After the fall of the Warsaw Uprising, he was deported to the Appeldorn camp. After his liberation in 1945, he moved to Brussels, where for several months he edited the weekly "Polish Chronicle" together with Tadeusz Sarnecki. From the fall of 1945 he worked at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland. In 1945-47 he was chairman of the J. Lelewel Democratic Club in Brussels. From 1948 he served as head of the Polish Consulate in Luxembourg. After returning to Poland in 1951, he initially worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in 1952-74 at the Polish Institute of International Affairs in Warsaw. From 1957 he was an active member of the Society of Friends of the Book. In 1968-77 he cooperated with the editors of the "Literary Yearbook" as the author of the section From biobibliographical materials on deceased writers. He died on February 18, 1996 in Warsaw. [bio after website - link - https://pisarzeibadacze.ibl.edu.pl/haslo/1677/chudek-jozef-marian ]