Bruno Schulz

Bruno Schulz was a Polish-Jewish writer, literary critic, painter, and graphic artist, born on July 12, 1892, in Drohobycz (then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, present-day Ukraine). He is considered one of the most original figures in 20th-century Polish literature. He studied architecture at Lwów Polytechnic and visual arts in Vienna. He worked most of his life as an art teacher in his hometown. His literary work, relatively small but highly impactful, consists mainly of two collections of interconnected stories: Sklepy cynamonowe (The Cinnamon Shops or The Street of Crocodiles, 1934) and Sanatorium pod Klepsydr? (The Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass, 1937). His stories, often described as surreal and poetic, explore themes of childhood, memory, myth, and transformation, with rich and metaphorical language. He also left a large number of drawings and etchings, which often complement the themes of his prose. During World War II, Schulz was confined to the Drohobycz ghetto. He was shot dead on November 19, 1942, by a Gestapo officer while returning home with a loaf of bread. Much of his work, including a novel titled The Messiah, was lost during the war.

Books from Bruno Schulz:

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