Published in Lithuania in 2007, Herkus Kunčius’s collection of texts tells the stories of blinded individuals who, out of ideological loyalty or sheer foolishness, commit terrible acts. An Estonian soldier bravely fulfilling his internationalist duty during the Prague Spring. A prosecutor fighting against the corruption of contemporary artists. Lithuanian partisans reminiscing with a tear in their eye about rape and cruelty. Domestic violence and world violence merge here into a horrific, terrifying mix.

Herkus Kunčius (born 1965 in Vilnius) – prose writer, essayist, playwright, and author of radio plays. Winner of numerous literary awards. Graduate of the Vilnius Academy of Arts. He has worked as an editor and art critic for the cultural magazines “Krantas” and “Literatūra ir menas.” Author of about twenty volumes of prose translated into English, Danish, German, Russian, Slovenian, and Swedish. His texts have been featured in Polish magazines such as “Literatura na świecie,” “Tekstualia,” and “Korespondencja z ojcem.” Known to Polish readers through books such as “My Bambino Struggle” (2001), “Lithuanian in Vilnius” (2014), “Lithuanian Pictures” (2019) published by the Workshops of Culture, and “Stalin’s Iron Glove” (2023).

Participants: Herkus Kunčius – author, Zuzanna Mrozikowa – translator, moderated by Iwona Reichardt