TERAKOWSKA DOROTA Letters (1982-84)

A poignant picture of life in Poland in the period after December 13. 1981: Five letters from Dorota Terakowska to Ryszard Ruschill in Munich concerning material aid to the needy in the country, dated 18 Jan. 1982 to 12 June 1984 in Cracow. Letters on sheets form. A4, from 1 to 3 pages, two handwritten letters, three - in typescript.

DorotaTerakowska directs correspondence to her schoolmate Richard Ruschill, a composer. In I 1982 Terakowska writes about the difficult situation of some families during martial law, such as: "a young girl with a 2-year-old daughter, who was suddenly left alone - perhaps for a few months - [...] the only so-called breadwinner in the family was her husband, temporarily absent from home." - one can guess that he was interned. She also devotes the content of her letters to her family: her husband Maciej Szumowski "ceased to be " editor-in-chief of "Gazeta Krakowska," both of them were forcibly vacationed, they do not know when or to what job they will return. Terakowska began writing children's books, the first was about to appear in print."We have a dog - a dog," she adds, which is pure madness these days. In the next letter, the author gives the addresses of 10 families, generally journalists, who, faced with layoffs in editorial offices, were left without sources of income. The next letter contains four more addresses. The author mentions a book of reports ("General Rehearsal") that is to be published, and hopes to publish translations of her cartoons in the West, this would solve"all the material troubles" of the family. A letter from March 1984 thanks him for a package that included oranges, bananas, lemons.... "The oranges and bananas fell victim to their [the children's] gluttony in three days, justified by the fact that they had not seen these fruits for about two or three years."(Among the children who devoured the fruit was then fourth-grader Malgorzata Szumowska, later a film director.) Later in the letter, Terakowska writes: "At our place, no change. Maciek [Szumowski] has a disability pension, I make a living by knitting sweaters to the order of numerous ladies. For the time being, there is still no chance of publishing some kind of book [...] by people like me. Damn knows what's going to happen with it next [...]. Creative prospects for the next few years - none". A few months later, the situation hasn't changed: "I earn a small salary by knitting sweaters [...]. And Maciek is still on a pension and looking for opportunities to make extra money. Well, moral choices have to be paid for, but satisfaction remains, which we value more highly than a comfortable material existence."

The collection is completed by correspondence from the beneficiaries (14 letters, including from the Polish Composers' Union, the Pruszkow Educational Institution, and private individuals). They thank Ryszard Ruschill for the parcels of groceries he sent, write about their needs and the difficulties of supply in Poland, and do not hide their emotion and gratitude for the selfless help.

Correspondence in office folder with handwritten title "Helping others".