The Sentence
Franciszek Strzelecki and Czesław Majda set off in pursuit of a fugitive. They are to execute him. They have done far more despicable things in their lives. Besides, the man they are tracking is most likely a collaborator. There's no shame in killing such a man. Strzelecki and Majda wander through villages, forests, and meadows. They know they're close. They feel excitement, but an indefinable fear begins to grow in their hearts.
The novel was published in Polish by Wydawnictwo Cyranka and premiered on 4 August 2025. It is available in print and will be available as an e-book. Cover design by: © Plakiat | Maks Bereski
To purchase the print version, click here.
Under the patronage of Kraków UNESCO City of Literature
Depth
When did Eichmedien become Nakomiady? When did Rastenburg become the town of Rastembork, and when did it become Kętrzyn? When did Carlshof transform into Karolewo? And Groß Stürlack into Sterławki?
The novel Depth describes the fates of several generations of a family originating from the former East Prussia, where for centuries Polish, Mazurian, German and Lithuanian identities have mixed. It tells the stories of Grandma Janka, the aristocratic Gudrun and her beloved Max, a German surgeon, Aunt Gertraud, and Janka’s son Wolf. Finally, there is Alicja, the youngest of the family, an anthropologist who has to face the decision of selling her family home, which is full of memories and marked by mystery. We follow their stories from the Second World War, the downfall of Königsberg and Rastenburg, the Soviet invasion, through Communist Poland, up until today where the region faces a new refugee crisis.
The book was longlisted for the 2023 Grand Continent Prize. It was awarded the Krakowska Książka Miesiąca Prize in January 2024. In May 2024 it won the Wawrzyn Literary Award of Warmia-Masuria (double award: the main prize and the reader’s choice). It was longlisted for the Nike Literary Award 2024 and shortlisted for the Joseph Conrad Literary Award. The author and translator, Andreas Volk also received a residency / stipend from Stiftung Genshagen in Germany.
The book was translated to German by Andreas Volk and will be published on September 15th, 2025 by Voland & Quist. For more information click here.
The world theater premiere, directed by Alek Niemiro, will take place on September 28th, 2025 at Theater Konstanz. For more information click here.
The novel was published in Polish by Wydawnictwo Cyranka and premiered on 4 September 2023. It is available in print and as an e-book. Cover design by: © Plakiat | Maks Bereski
To purchase the print version, click here.To purchase an e-book, click here.
This project was made possible thanks to the financial support of the Kraków UNESCO City of Literature Prize conducted by the Kraków Festival Office from the funds of the Municipality of Kraków