Stefan Grabiński


Stefan Grabiński was a Polish writer of fantastic literature and horror stories. He was very interested in parapsychology, magic and demonology and in the works of the German Expressionist filmmakers. He is sometimes likened to Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft, although his works are often surreal or explicitly erotic in a way that sets him apart from both.

Biography

Grabiński was born in Kamionka Strumiłowa, then part of Poland, situated by the Bug River. His family was well off as his father, Dionizos, was a local judge, but Stefan's childhood was marred because of his proneness to various illnesses. He often read while lying in bed, which made him slightly reclusive and nurtured his bias in favor of dark fantasy and mysticism. After his father's death, the family moved to Lviv.
He graduated from the local high school in 1905, then studied Polish Literature and philology at the former Jan Kazimierz University, which is presently the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. While a student there, he discovered that he had tuberculosis, which was common in his family.
As he was an ardent pantheist, fond of Christian mysticism and Eastern religious texts, as well as Theosophy and demonology, this discovery only enhanced his occult worldview and approach to writing. Upon graduating in 1911, he began work as a secondary school teacher in Lviv. During this time, he also traveled extensively, visiting Austria, Italy, and Romania. From 1917 to 1927, he was a teacher in Przemyśl.
He first began to write short fiction in 1906 and his mother was his first reader and critic. A collection of short stories, Exceptions: In the Dark of Faith, written under the pen name Stefan Żalny became his self-published debut in 1909. These tales have never been judged highly. The general opinion being that his hyperbolical, at times anachronistic literary style couldn't be appreciated by the majority of his readers. His second volume of short stories, On the Hill of Roses, was published nine years later, and received modest critical approval.
However, this book impressed Polish decadent writer and literary critic Karol Irzykowski. They became good friends, and Irzykowski supported Grabiński's career. In 1920, Grabiński presented a collection of his mystic railway stories called The Motion Demon. Eventually, the following collections of short stories appeared: Pilgrim’s Madness, An Incredible Story and The Book of Fire. His longest prose work, Passion, written in 1930, was inspired by his trip to Italy, most notably Venice.
The symbolic imagery of Grabiński's works was embodied by eerie creatures, such as incubi, witches, doppelgängers, spirits of various sorts, and mysterious messages from the underworld. His fiction is usually considered bizarre because it is permeated with magic, occult eroticism, parapsychological effects, and Oriental mysticism.
A quote from his short story "Saturnin Sektor", is said to reflect his usual state of mind: "I cannot free myself from that strong, commanding voice which speaks to me, or from that mysterious power which pushes aside objects, contemptuous of their size; I am still wearied by endless monotonous roads that led nowhere. That is why I am not a perfect spirit, only an 'insane person', someone who arouses in normal people pity, contempt or fear. But I do not complain. Even like this, I am better off than those of healthy mind.”
His tuberculosis worsened and he was forced to spend more time seeking treatment. In 1931, he settled in the resort and spa town of Brzuchowice where, despite some recent financial return for his writings, he increasingly fell into obscurity and was abandoned by most of his friends. In 1936, he died in extreme poverty in Lviv and is buried there at.

Reception

His work was largely forgotten until after World War II. In 1949 two of his short stories were reprinted in a collection edited by Julian Tuwim. In 1950s, some of his works were reprinted, and literary historian wrote a monograph on his work. Later his stories were promoted by the science-fiction critic, and some appeared in the, published by Wydawnictwo Literackie. In an interview, Lem admits the influence of Grabiński's horror stories on his early works, including "Terminus".
In the 1980s some of his works were translated to German. At that time a number of his stories have been translated into English by Miroslaw Lipinski, first self-published or published in small press, until in 1993 they were released by Dedalus Press as The Dark Domain. Further stories of his have been translated since: In Sarah's House: Stories, The Motion Demon '', On the Hill of Roses and Masters of the Weird Tale: Stefan Grabinski.
He has been referred to as "Polish Poe" or "Polish Lovecraft".
His story "Szamota's Mistress" was adapted to film as part of a B Movie trilogy called Evil Streets''.

Novels

  • Salamandra
  • Cień Bafometa
  • Klasztor i morze
  • Wyspa Itongo

    Short stories

  • "Puszczyk"
  • "Szalona zagroda"
  • "Wampir"
  • "Pomsta ziemi"
  • "Klątwa"
  • "Podzwonne"
  • "Na wzgórzu róż"
  • "Sad umarłych"
  • "W willi nad morzem"
  • "Cień"
  • "Czad"
  • "W domu Sary"
  • "Szary pokój"
  • "Po stycznej"
  • "Zez"
  • "Problemat Czelawy"
  • "Ślepy tor"
  • "Projekcje"
  • "Pani z Białego Kasztelu"
  • "Ksenia"
  • "Maszynista Grot"
  • "Błędny pociąg"
  • "Sygnały"
  • "Smoluch"
  • "Ultima Thule"
  • "Saturnin Sektor"
  • "Fałszywy alarm"
  • "Król Nenufar"
  • "Cud Żywii"
  • "Za rychło"
  • "Biały Wyrak"
  • "Muzeum dusz czyśćcowych"
  • "Dziwna stacja"
  • "Zemsta żywiołakow"
  • "Kochanka Szamoty"
  • "Strych"
  • "Pojednanie"
  • "Zmora"
  • "Projekcje"

    Collections

  • Z wyjątkow. W pomrokach wiary
  • Na wzgórzu róż
  • Demon ruchu
  • Szalony pątnik
  • Niesamowita opowieść
  • Księga ognia
  • Namiętność

    Plays

  • Willa nad morzem
  • Zaduszki

    Titles in English

Translated by Mirosław Lipinski:
  • The Dark Domain, Dedalus Classics
  • On the Hill of Roses, Hieroglyphic Press
  • The Motion Demon, CreateSpace
  • Passion, NoHo Press
  • Masters of the Weird Tale
Translated by Wiesiek Powaga:
  • In Sarah's House, CB Editions
  • The Dedalus Book of Polish Fantasy Contains two stories by Grabiński
Translated by Anthony Sciscione:
  • ''Orchard of the Dead and Other Macabre Tales''