Pan Twardowski

Pan Twardowski (

The tale of Twardowski exists in various versions, and forms the basis for many works of fiction, including the humorous ballad "Pani Twardowska" by Adam Mickiewicz.^[2] The folklore is commonly assumed to have been heavily inspired by the similar German story of Faust, with which there are many parallels.

Legend

The legend of Pan Twardowski has inspired a great many Polish, Czech, Ukrainian, Russian, and German poets, novelists, composers, directors, and other artists.

One of the best known literary works featuring Pan Twardowski is the humorous ballad Pani Twardowska by Adam Mickiewicz (1822). In this version of the story, Twardowski agrees to be taken to Hell on condition that the Devil spends a year living with his wife, Pani Twardowska. The Devil, however, prefers to run away and thus Pan Twardowski is saved. In 1869 Stanisław Moniuszko wrote music for the ballad.

Other works based on the legend include:

• Pan Tvardovsky, an opera by Alexey Verstovsky, libretto by Mikhail Zagoskin (1828);
• Pan Tvardovsky, Zagoskin's short story from the collection An Evening on the Khopyor (1834);
• Mistrz Twardowski [Master Twardowski], a novel by Józef Ignacy Kraszewski (1840);
• Tvardovsky, a ballad by Semen Hulak-Artemovsky;
• Pan Twardowski, a ballet by Adolf Gustaw Sonnenfeld (1874);
• Pan Tvardovski, an opera by Ivan Zajc (1880);
• Twardowski, a
  poem by Jaroslav Vrchlický
  (1885);
• Mistrz Twardowski, a
  poem by Leopold Staff
  (1902);
• Pan Twardowski, a ballad by Lucjan Rydel (1906);
• Pan Tvardovsky, a film by Ladislas Starevich (1917);
• Pan Twardowski, a ballet by Ludomir Różycki (1921);
• Pan Twardowski, a film by Wiktor Biegański (1921);
• Pan Twardowski, czarnoksiężnik polski [Pan Twardowski, a Polish sorcerer], a novel by Wacław Sieroszewski (1930);
• Pan Twardowski, a film by Henryk Szaro, screenplay by Wacław Gąsiorowski (1936);
• Pan Twardowski oder Der Polnische Faust [Pan Twardowski or The Polish Faust], a novel by Matthias Werner Kruse (1981);
• Dzieje Mistrza Twardowskiego (The Story of Master Twardowski), a film by Krzysztof Gradowski (1995).
• Twardowsky, a short sci-fi film from Polish Legends series directed by Tomasz Bagiński (2015)^[4]
• Hearts of Stone, an expansion to RPG game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015), has a main storyline heavily inspired by the legend.

Pan Twardowski is also a popular character in the

Places associated with Pan Twardowski

Pan Twardowski is said to have lived in or near

Across Poland, there are a number of inns and pubs called Rzym ("Rome"), all of which claim to be the one where Pan Twardowski met the devil. The oldest of these inns date back to only the late 17th century, about 100 years after Twardowski's time. The one in Sucha is probably the best known of these inns.

In the

It is also said that Pan Twardowski spent some time in the city of Bydgoszcz, where, in his memory, a figure was recently mounted in a window of a tenement, overseeing the Old Town. At 1:13 p.m. and 9:13 p.m. the window opens and Pan Twardowski appears, to the accompaniment of weird music and devilish laughter. He takes a bow, waves his hand, and then disappears. This little show gathers crowds of amused spectators.

See also

• Faust
• Pan Tadeusz
• Simon Magus
• The Smith and the Devil
• Theophilus of Adana

References

Further reading