The death of Stalin in 1953 and the events of " Polish October" (1956) was promising the democratic changes including greater autonomy from USSR and reduction of censorship. In the 1950s, the Polish culture was very open towards the Jewish minority: Poland was one of the biggest source of Jewish books and the Cultural Society of Polish Jews was very active. While I haven't read the book and I don't know the exact circumstances, the OP in his own answer was right that since the late 1950s there was a steady grow of anti-Semitism in Poland, which indeed has culminated in the forced emigration of Polish citizens with Jewish roots after the events in the March of 1968. So then Why does Beniek attend catechism? Have I missed something in the narrative? Or does the social and cultural situation of Polish Jewry in the late 1960s explain why Beniek's parents send him to the preparatory classes for First Communion? What would that explanation be? Since Beniek's parents don't have any crosses in the house, are known to be Jewish, and move to Israel, it doesn't seem likely that they are preparing for a conversion to Christianity. Beniek drops out entirely from the narrative after this chapter. 15)Ī kinder lady tells Ludwik that Beniek's family has moved to Israel. The woman who opens the door says, unkindly: Confused, Ludwik later goes to Beniek's house to look for him. 9–10)īeniek undergoes all the preparation for First Communion alongside Ludwik, but fails to show up at the rite itself. I had never really seen anyone else's, and wondered whether there was something wrong with mine, whether this is what Mother meant when she said Beniek was different. But most confusingly, it was naked at the tip, like the acorns we played with in autumn. His nipples were larger and darker than mine his penis was bigger, longer. 9)Ī few days later, when the boys take a bath together, Ludwik notices that Beniek is circumcised: Now come, both of you, the food is getting cold." (p. Beniek is a good boy, and he is going to Communion. Granny appeared by the kitchen door, holding a rag. "He couldn't really be part of the family." "You know, Beniek is different from us," she said with a sneer. Later, because he wants to be with Beniek all the time, he asks his mother if Beniek can move in with them. During his only visit to Beniek's house, Ludwik notices the absence of crucifixes. The boys become close while attending the preparatory lessons for First Communion together. In Chapter 1 of Tomasz Jedrowski's Swimming in the Dark, set in the late sixties or early seventies, the protagonist Ludwik describes his childhood crush on a friend, Beniek.
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