Adam MICKIEWICZ - The Books of the Polish Nation and the Polish Pilgrimage [Literary Institute, Rome, 1946]

Rome, 1946. Literary Institute. 13x20 cm, 101 pages, (1), leather binding, original paperback cover preserved. Good condition (stains on the paperback cover).

A unique manifesto written in a biblical style, addressed to Poles scattered across the globe following the defeat of the November Uprising. In it, Mickiewicz presented a vision of Poland as a chosen nation whose sufferings have a sacrificial dimension—he compared the partitions of Poland to the Passion of Christ and its future liberation to the Resurrection. The work became one of the pillars of Polish messianism, proclaiming that Poland, faithful to the Christian faith and the idea of freedom, has a special mission toward other nations. Although some in the émigré community criticized Mickiewicz for excessive idealization and for basing morality exclusively on religiosity, the *Books* quickly gained immense popularity; they were printed illegally in Poland and translated into many languages. This was the second book (the first being Sienkiewicz’s *Legions* ) published by the émigré Literary Institute, which was still based in Rome at the time. Foreword by Gustaw Herling-Grudziński.