Michał Dadlez (ed.), *Heljon*. An Art and Literary Monthly. Vol. I, No. 1 [1924]

Title: Heljon. An Art and Literary Monthly. Vol. I, November 1924, No. 1.

Editor-in-Chief: Michał Antoni Dadlez (1895–1965) [Polish literary historian, poet, educator, and Home Army soldier].

Publisher: Kraków, “Heljon” Publishing Company. Printed in Ciechanów at the “Dźwignia” printing house.

Year of publication: 1924.

Format: 31 cm.

Volume: 32 pp., [2] plates.

Binding: Paperback.

The first issue of “Heljon” appeared in November 1924, a few months after Władysław Grabski’s currency reform. Following a period of hyperinflation, this reform replaced the Polish mark with the złoty. Amid such uncertain market conditions, many short-lived artistic initiatives emerged. The catalog of the Czartoryski Princes’ Library lists this issue as likely the only one ever published. This large-format issue combines literature with graphic art. It contains two original prints: a drypoint by Mieczysław Jurgielewicz and a color linocut by Paweł Mazanek titled “Helianthus.” The magazine’s name and the title of the print refer to the sun—the Greek god Helios and the sunflower. The circle associated with the magazine later published the “Heljon Almanac,” featuring works by, among others, Jerzy Braun, Jan Sztaudynger, Adam Polewka, and Witold Zechenter. Among them were poets, satirists, and journalists who later became well-known in Kraków.

Michał Antoni Dadlez was born on January 4, 1895, in Rawa Ruska, the son of Dr. Julian Dadlez. He was a doctor of Polish studies, a historian of Polish literature, a poet, and a teacher. During the occupation, he served in the Home Army under the pseudonyms “Bogoria” and “Andrzej.” During the Warsaw Uprising, he fought in Powiśle as part of the “Krybar” Combat Group, within the Information and Propaganda Bureau. He died on June 11, 1965, in Warsaw and is buried at Powązki Cemetery.

Provenance: on the front cover, there are pencil notes regarding duplicates, indicating that the piece was previously circulated in a library or antiquarian bookshop; otherwise, it bears no stamps.

This is the inaugural issue of a short-lived Kraków monthly magazine, complete with two original prints. A must-have for collectors of interwar Polish prints, Kraków-related items, and rare art periodicals.

The front paper cover is preserved, in good condition, with surface soiling and dust; the back cover is missing. The block is completely loose, having fallen apart into loose sheets due to the spine adhesive crumbling, though the text and plates remain fully intact. The paper is stiff, with numerous small spots, acid discoloration, and soiling on the margins. Both prints are free of tears, repairs, and cutouts. This piece requires bookbinding restoration.

Catalog ID: 14249-31-A-X