King Matt The First

Król Maciuś #1

by Janusz Korczak

This moving fable follows the adventures of Matt who becomes king when just a child and decides to reform his country according to his own priorities. Ignoring his grown-up ministers, he builds the best zoo in the world and decrees that children should be given chocolate every day. He fights in battles, braves the jungle, and crosses the desert, but perhaps the most life-altering thing of all is that the lonely boy king finds true friends. This timeless book shows us not only what children's literature can be, but what children can be.King Matt the First was written by Janusz Korczak, a Polish orphanage director who died in Treblinka after refusing to abandon the children he cared for.

Genres: Fiction, Polish Literature, Childrens, Classics, Poland, School, Young Adult

348 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1923

About the author

Janusz Korczak was a Polish-Jewish children's author, pediatrician, and child pedagogue, also known under the pseudonym "Stary Doktor".
He was born Henryk Goldszmit in Warsaw on July 22, 1878. During his youth, he played with children who were poor and lived in bad neighborhoods; his passion for helping disadvantaged youth continued into his adulthood. He studied medicine and also had a promising career in literature. When he gave up his career in literature and medicine, he changed his name to Janusz Korczak, a pseudonym derived from a 19th century novel, Janasz Korczak and the pretty Swordsweeperlady.
In 1912, Korczak established a Jewish orphanage, Dom Sierot, in a building which he designed to advance his progressive educational theories. He envisioned a world in which children structured their own world and became experts in their own matters. Jewish children between the ages of seven and fourteen were allowed to live there while attending Polish public school and government-sponsored Jewish schools, known as "Sabbath" schools. The orphanage opened a summer camp in 1921, which remained in operation until the summer of 1940.
Besides serving as principal of Dom Sierot and another orphanage, Nasz Dom, Korczak was also a doctor and author, worked at a Polish radio station, was a principal of an experimental school, published a children’s newspaper and was a docent at a Polish university. Korczak also served as an expert witness in a district court for minors. He became well-known in Polish societyand received many awards. The rise of anti-Semitism in the 1930's restricted only his activities with Jews.
In 1934 and 1936, Korczak visited Palestine and was influenced by the kibbutz movement. Following his trips, Korczak was convinced that all Jews should move to Palestine.
The Germans occupied Poland in September 1939, and the Warsaw ghetto was established in November 1940. The orphanage was moved inside the ghetto. Korczak received many offers to be smuggled out of the ghetto, but he refused because he did not want to abandon the children. On August 5, 1942, Korczak joined nearly 200 children and orphanage staff members were rounded up for deportation to Treblinka, where they were all put to death.

Source: Janusz Korczak Communication Center and U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

Reviews

[Lorenzo Berardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as I know, King Matt the First is a novel for children like no one other around. I was particularly glad to get this book as a present from my girlfriend.
Being rather fond of Polish literature lately, I have to confess how I had never heard before about this book as well as its author.
This ignorance of mine made the surprise even greater.

And yet King Matt is apparently a milestone in children books in Poland, while Janusz Korczak himself was a famous pedagogist with an interesting personal story and brave ideas on how to educate the young generations.

What I appreciated of this book is the way it treats its young readers. There is no need to hide unpleasant things of life like war, death or even bad-mouth speaking behind a marzipan made curtain. Korczak explains many things in a patient and peculiar way skilfully managing to don't be didactical or paternalist.
Of course there is a moral also behind "King Matt the First" but children are required to get it by themselves, page after page.
At the same time boys (this book may bore girls, I guess) grew up somehow with Matt who's not the succesful young hero he could have been, but as a child makes mistakes and sometimes behaves irrationally and with impulsiveness.

Another thing I liked is Korczak ability in being modern. He wrote this book in the 1920s and set up war descriptions based partly on WWI put also anticipating some aspects of WWII. There are automobiles, planes, strategic seaports to get and a key-role played by the mass media.
And I was almost falling off from my chair when I read about "red flags" punctuating a strike parade and being explained has "the flag of workers worldwide". Finding those lines in a children book without any socialist message hidden somewhere was a pleasant thrill.

As a reader of the English version, I had the impression of a very good and careful translation with just a few forgetfulnesses while leaving some things in original Polish and others not. I mean, I don't think many people out of Poland knows that the "kielbasa" is a kind of sausage, while choosing to change the name of the protagonist from Maciuś to Matt, I don't get why other typical names such as Tomek, Felek, etc. were left the same.

But, hey! This is just pedantry of mine: on the whole I highly enjoyed this book. And if I had a 5-6 years old son/daughter I would probably try to read him/her the adventures of King Matt the Reformer. There would surely be many questions to answer in order to explain how many grown-up things work, but whys are the salt of childhood.

[Hazel Lee · Rating 1 out of 5]

I do not understand the love for this book.

King Matt the First is a story about a prince who becomes king at a young age. Obviously he has no idea what a king is supposed to do, so he starts off doing wacky things like making a huge doll for a random girl he meets, then runs off to war to play soldier. Later he creates a children's parliament, where children can govern themselves however they see fit, which of course leads to all sorts of trouble. Somewhere in the middle he befriends an African king named Bum Drum (I wish I were kidding) who wears bones in his hair and eats the flesh of men.

I understand the book is a product of its time, so even though the blatant racism was really distracting for me, I won't comment on it. I think what really bugged me about this book was that the characters all seemed flat and stupid. Especially the children. They all acted as if they were seven or younger, which didn't make any sense since clearly older children were also supposed to be present. I teach children for a living, and the children in this book didn't seem believable to me at all.

The narrator's voice was also extremely annoying. It seemed wooden and condescending all at once, which is odd if you consider the fact that the story is told from a third-person omniscient POV.

Honestly, I felt more moved after reading the blurb about the author on the back cover than I did after reading the actual book.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 5 out of 5]

King Matt the First by Janusz Korczak is one of those gems picked at random from the library. The title caught my eye and although the cover art and blurb made it sound hokey, I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did even though it brought me to tears in a couple places.

Although my library puts the book in the children's section, I'd call it an adult book that happens to have a child protagonist. The book was first published in 1923 and was one of twenty novels by child advocate Henryk Goldszmit writing under the pen name Janusz Korczak. To learn more about his life and his mission, read the Boylan Blog post.

Matt becomes king at the tender age of five when his ailing father dies. He's just old enough to remember the good times when both his parents were alive. He's smart enough to know that his advisors plan to use him as a tool for their own agendas until he's of age. He also knows he has a lot to learn before he can be an effective monarch.

This 300 page novel chronicles the rise and fall of King Matt the First. His kingdom goes through war, through peace, the threat of another war and social justice reforms on the home front. Much of what King Matt tries to accomplish especially for his fellow children mirror the author's own causes.

[Manybooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

So yes indeed, I do very much celebrate Polish physician Janusz Korczak for not abandoning the Jewish orphans under his care, for willingly accompanying them to the Treblinka Death Camp and thus of course and sadly also to his doom.

But my admiration for Janusz Korczak the man does not unfortunately also extend to his 1923 children's novel King Matt the First (Król Macíus in the original Polish). Sure, the featured basics of young Matt's story are sufficiently interesting, and in many ways Janusz Korczak does with King Matt the First provide a brilliant satirical social criticism of monarchial inheritance based primarily on genetics and birth, as the author, as Korczak certainly clearly demonstrates that even with all of his many good and even occasionally bordering on brilliant ideas, Matt as a young boy is not at all ready and mature enough to be king, to sit on the throne as king and is thus also doomed and almost predestined to fail rather miserably.

However, even with my appreciation of Janusz Korczak's general anti monarchy based on birth message, sorry, but I simply cannot and will not in any manner accept or make excuses for the blatantly overt racism of King Matt the First and in particular the nasty stereotyping and bigotry which Janusz Korczak metes out against ALL Africans and ALL of Africa. For in my humble opinion, this is NOT just casual racism due to European ignorance but something I for one do feel is textually quite deliberate and thus also so uncomfortable and annoying for me as a reader that I cannot and will not consider King Matt the First with more than two stars and to only recommend both King Matt the First and Janusz Korczak as an author for academic purposes and not really at all for any type of pleasure reading.

And indeed and furthermore, the only reason why my rating for King Matt the First>/u> is still two stars and not one star is mainly because I do much admire Janusz Korczak as a person even though the anti African racism encountered in King Matt the First truly and utterly makes me both furious and physically nauseous.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most fascinating things about this book is that it was written by a Polish paediatric doctor and educator who introduced many orphanages into Poland. The sad and courageous thing is that during WWII, he refused to leave his orphans as they were being sent to their deaths in a gas chamber. The book has great aspects and interesting characters, but it ends in a very strange way for a children's book. I love the characters of the African Cannibal King Bum-Drum and his daughter Klu-Klu.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!! This book is about a little boy Matt and his father is sick. His mother is dead and his father dies. Matt becomes king at a young age. He has to go to a lot of meeting with his ministers and he secretly goes to war with his friend Felek, and he wins the war. And later on two more wars. Everyone loves King Matt. He goes on lots of adventures but later on he comes to an unexpected surprise that no one would ever want to encounter.

[Davit · Rating 5 out of 5]

წიგნი წიგნად ხომ საოცარია, მაგრამ ყველა დამწყებმა მთარგმნელმა და მწერალმა უნდა წაიკითხოს ეს სრულიად გადასარევი ქართული თარგმანი - ლოლა ქადაგიშვილის. ნამდვილი სასწავლო საშუალებაა, როგორი მოქნილი და ლამაზი შეიძლება იყოს ქართული ენა.

[za_pomniane · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7 gwiazdki

Bardzo przyjemna. 🥰

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Matt's father dies, the young boy - so young that he cannot yet write - finds himself crowned king, and embarking upon a journey that will take him from the battle-field to the state room, from the glittering capital cities of his neighbor kings, to the African jungle domain of the cannibal King Bum Drum. With many false starts - having his annoying ministers arrested, for instance, and then realizing he can't govern without them - Matt sets out to reform his country, establishing a constitutional monarchy, and (most revolutionary of all) attempting to ensure that children's rights are protected, by creating a Children's Parliament alongside the adult one, in order to give young people a voice. But despite all of his sincere efforts, Matt discovers too late that reforming (as the "Sad King" had warned him) is a dangerous business, and that envy, fear and discontent are powerful forces in the world...

Originally published in 1923, as Król Maciuś Pierwszy ("King Macius the First"), this classic of Polish children's literature is notable, not just for the story it contains - a story which incorporates its creator's ideas about pedagogical reform - but for the identity of its author. Janusz Korczak was the pen-name of Polish-Jewish pediatrician, author, and educational theorist Henryk Goldszmit, who, in the years prior to WWII, ran both a Catholic and a Jewish orphanage, and who, when offered a chance to escape the ghetto, and the Nazi Final Solution, refused to abandon the young Jewish orphans in his care, going to his death, with them, at the Treblinka death camp. Korczak's own story has been retold for children in such books as The Champion of Children: The Story of Janusz Korczak , and his immensely influential ideas about child development can be found in such works as When I Am Little Again and The Child's Right to Respect .

That said, this is a deeply flawed book, ethically speaking, and I am rather surprised to see how infrequently any of the online reviews I have been reading, see fit to challenge (or even mention) the overt racism to be found in its pages. Bruno Bettelheim, who wrote the introduction to my edition, at least acknowledges that some might find the content problematic, although he goes on the offer the standard defense/apologia, claiming that King Matt the First was simply the product of its own time, and that people back then, in 1920s Poland (and elsewhere in Europe, one presumes) simply didn't know any better, when it came to the peoples of Africa, and (to a lesser extent) the 'Orient.' Ignorance as an excuse for... well, ignorance. And prejudice. I'm a little less blithe about the issue, however, and couldn't read any of the passages about the 'savage' 'cannibals' of Africa, without wincing. It isn't that they are depicted as terrible people - as Bettelheim correctly points out, King Bum Drum, and his daughter Klu Klu, are the only royals who don't betray Matt, and are depicted as genuinely moral - but the constant sense of patronizing condescension, the way in which Matt sets out to 'educate' them, and correct their cultural mistakes, is intensely grating, and constantly threw me out of the story. The preoccupation with cannibalism that can be seen in Korczak's work, even if tempered with a kinder depiction of the cannibals than is usually seen, is itself a marker of a colonialist mindset - yes, there were cannibals in Africa, but I'm not sure how widespread the practice was, and certainly do not believe that every culture and kingdom on the continent (as depicted here) was involved, until shown the error of their ways by the more civilized Europeans - and seems to surface rather frequently in the children's literature written before a certain point.

Still, I'm not one of these people who believes that ethically imperfect works of literature should be abandoned, if they have something to offer, artistically or intellectually, and despite the issue of the Africans' depiction here, I did find much of interest in King Matt the First, and am not sorry to have read it. The idea of giving children a say in their own governance, as enacted in the story, mirrors Korczak's methods in running his orphanages, which had parliaments as well. The notion that 'civilization,' as embodied by European monarchy, leads to a less moral people than the 'barbarism' of Africa - an argument that I think the author is making, and which might stand as an anti-racist counter-point to the unfortunate nature of his depiction of non-Europeans - is ground-breaking, for its time. I cannot say that I rushed through the book - sometimes I found it something of a struggle to stay involved - but then, I imagine that young readers might relish a tale in which the young are in charge (even if the results prove disastrous!), and the adults must obey. All in all, a book worth reading, if one bears in mind that it has problematic aspects. I would recommend it - with the caveat that adults should be available to discuss the outdated aspects of the tale - to young readers who enjoy adventure stories, and to anyone who appreciates more philosophical children's books.

[Alexander Theofanidis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ένα μαγικό παραμύθι (δυστυχώς από καιρό εξαντλημένο στην Ελλάδα) για το μικρό Βασιλιά Ματία τον Πρώτο, που αναλαμβάνει τις τύχες ενός βασιλείου σε πολύ νεαρή ηλικία και καταλήγει εξόριστος παρά το γεγονός ότι ήταν ο καλύτερος βασιλιάς της εποχής του, ενώ μέσα από πειραματισμούς, επιτυχίες και αποτυχίες, ακόμη και τη συμμετοχή του στον πόλεμο, έχει ωριμάσει...
Αν το βρείτε μεταχειρισμένο, μη διστάσετε να δώσετε κάτι παραπάνω για να εξασφαλίσετε ένα εξαιρετικό βιβλίο για τα βλαστάρια σας.

~~~~~~

Η ίδια η προσωπικότητα του συγγραφέα τα λέει όλα: Κατά τη διάρκεια του Β' Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου, το εβραϊκό ορφανοτροφείο που διηύθυνε μεταφέρθηκε στο γκέτο της Βαρσοβίας. Αν και η διασημότητα και η ανγνωρισιμότητά του του έδωσαν πολλές ευκαιρίες να γλιτώσει, αρνήθηκε να εγκαταλείψει τα παιδιά. Σκοτώθηκε στο στρατόπεδο συγκέντρωσης/εξόντωσης της Τρεμπλίνκα μαζί με τα παιδιά που προστάτευε.

[Pete · Rating 2 out of 5]

came to janusz korczak via something graeme wood tweeted and while korczak's bio is awesome: this book has not aged well. there are some cool things here: the slow maturation of matt from naive orphan king to increasingly tragic young adult, sort of like _the little prince_ but actually about you know, about being a ruler. but the antique racism/stereotyping that keeps coming up makes this hard to appreciate. there is something here but i'm not going to do the work of excavating it and washing all the shit off it.

[Rasaxx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liūdna ir graudi pasaka - nepasaka. Parašyta vaikams, bet tinka ir suaugusiems. Nors autorius Karalių Motiejuką parašė 1923 m. (Oho beveik prieš šimtą metų), o atrodo, kad viskas kaip iš tikro gyvenimo: karaliai, ministrai ir kiti veikėjai. Niekas gyvenime nesikeičia...

[Yi-Sheng · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful and sad; a portrait of a child monarch attempting to found a utopia on a world too politically similar too our own. An amazing and neglected work of fiction.

[Inna Zolotar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Дуже повчальна історія, яку нам, громадянам України, варто було читати перед президентськими виборами 2019-го.

[Tauras · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kiek prailgusi knyga. Ypač tikintis, kad kaip pasaka ji bus lengvesnė.

Tiek vertimu (pvz. juodaodžiai vadinami negrais), tiek istorijos struktūra jaučiasi, kad kūrinys yra senas. Galbūt čia asmeninis polinkis, bet modernių vaikiškų kūrinių tarpe yra kur kas lengviau atrasti įdomesnių istorijų.

Motiejukas kaip veikėjas nėra labai įdomus. O kadangi tai kūrinys pirmiausia vaikams - kiti veikėjai turi dar mažiau gylio. Galbūt yra įmanoma surasti įdomių siužetų, pamokymų ar minčių. Tačiau kuomet knyga yra beveik 400 puslapių - tie pavieniai deimančiukai paskęsta fone.

[Agata - Panna Bookowa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

[DixieJo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am about two-thirds finished with this book. I love it and would give it five stars - but need to warn my peers out there. There are a few swear words worth editing if reading aloud but it doesn't go on through the book (one chapter that I have read needed editing.)

As I read I imagine a kindly aging man reading this story aloud to the orphans as the Author is said to have done. I am touched at how well he weaved the trial of times into the story without actually talking about it. (the Holocaust.) The Un-acceptance of others because of differences, groups of adults/people/countries joining other groups for justified/unjustied reasons, as well as how it all may have/must have seemed to the children of the Holocaust - all written in a way children will understand.

Don't get me wrong, this story is not about the Holocaust, but written around that time. The Author was a powerful advocate for children, taught them that they too had power. This message is clear in the book as well. Janusz Korczak was offered freedom at least twice but refused to abandon the children and walked gleefully with them hand in hand to the train that took them to the camp where they were all gassed together. He was a Hero.


POST READING REVIEW
I have to say I nearly lost interest in the end because I couldn't imagine where the story was going or the happy-ever-after would come together. But I forced myself to finish. Now that I am finished I have a new understanding... I didn't want it to be over. I knew how the story ended all along and I didn't want it and knew that I had no power to change it. That said, it is one of those books that you close and hold to your chest when you are finished as if you could hug the characters or author themselves with such an act.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

"King Matt the First" could easily be one of my favourite books when I was a child. Now unfortunately I have seen too much in order to ignore the overpowering white supremacy that for sure is not healthy to be put in child's mind. Seriously - almost all the African kings - wild, uneducated and cannibals. All the Oriental kings just want to be friends with European (well lets say central for the book) kings. No other wishes. Just to make friends and serve. And the central kings are the ones making decisions, changing events, trying to keep the power over African and Oriental kings. Oh yes, and to invade neighbour's country of course.

And athough I have a deep respect towards Mr. Korczak who sacrifised his life in order to be together with the children he educated in the hardest times ever, it is still a bit weird how he put down people who look different. A bit of irony here, no?

Besides that, I really admire the honesty of the book. I like that there are no sugarcandy type of stories that would show how amazing and wise children can be in ruling a country. Actually that would be a disaster! And Korczak portrayed percisely that. Also, some war scenes were like cut from the works of Erich Maria Remarque. And I'm wondering about the ending. Why did author chose to go that direction. Did he really hoped for the second part? Well, there are some storylines unsolved, so this could be the case. Nevertheless, not another happy sugarstory, but a food for thought. Especially to children, the main targetgroup. And hats off for that.

[Nate D]

File under: books I loved in grade school and then forgot about. I vaguely recall that this tale of 9-year-old king surprised me at the time for actually conveying real insight into politics, power, and war, in a very non fairy-tale-like manner. But on the other hand, this would have been as compared to Redwall, so who knows.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of a young boy who becomes king and wants to reform his country. He wants to make it a better place for children to live (a worthy goal, in my opinion), but he does not have the wisdom to know how to go about this. He makes some good laws but also some foolish ones. He is brave and he tries hard. I found the author's background quite interesting and heroic.

[Ivana M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorka i tužna knjiga. Siroti Maćuš, taman što je, sticajem okolnosti, dospeo u svet u kome je sve dozvoljeno, surova stvarnost ga uči pravoj istini, a to je da je dečji san o apsolutnoj slobodi lišenoj autoriteta laž, da ne možeš idealima protiv sistema, protiv ljudske prirode... Još jedna potvrda da su međuratni pisci za decu apsolutni kraljevi mračnjaštva i subverzije.

[denudatio_pulpae · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spostrzeżenie pierwsze: ta książka była moją lekturą bodajże w IV klasie podstawówki i nie pamiętałam z tej książki absolutnie nic.

Spostrzeżenie drugie: czy "Król Maciuś Pierwszy" w ogóle nadaje się na bycie lekturą szkolną?

Jestem dość mocno zaskoczona ponowną lekturą książki Janusza Korczaka. Spodziewałam się sztampowej historii dla dzieci o naszym rodzimym małym księciu, która nie wzbudzi we mnie żadnych szczególnych emocji. W obecnych czasach trudno jednak przejść obojętnie wobec sposobu opisywania czarnoskórych bohaterów tej książki. Jak czytałam fragmenty takie jak:
"Ledwo Maciuś stanął na ziemi, gdy podbiegło do niego jakieś kudłate zwierzątko i z całej siły pochwyciło go za szyję. Kiedy Maciuś postał chwilę i już przestało mu się kręcić w głowie i migać przed oczami — rozpoznał tuż koło twarzy kędzierzawą głowę murzyńskiego dziecka; a gdy dziecko podniosło głowę i spojrzało mu w oczy, Maciuś poznał od razu córkę królewską, małą miłą Klu-Klu".
to byłam po prostu zażenowana. Może kiedyś to aż tak nie raziło, nie wiem.

Sprawę rządów małego Maciusia (brrr, to zdrobnienie irytowało mnie przez całą książkę) pominę bez większego komentarza, bo chyba dla nikogo nie będzie zaskoczeniem, że jak da się władzę dzieciakom (lub dorosłym, którzy nie grzeszą szczególną mądrością), to nic dobrego z tego wyjść nie może.
5/10

[Nazarii Zanoz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Досить цікаві і несподівані повороти, болюча тема постійних війн, в чомусь є трохи навіть духу Швейка, але мінімум. Корчак порушив чи не всі складні питання міжвоєнного періоду: і ставлення до инших (їх тут називають "дикунами" і хочуть перевчати, але загалом меседж і якщо згадати, що це Інтербеллум, то все справді дуже прогресивно ап-ту-тайм), і робітничі рухи, і права дітей, і героїня, котра допомагає Мацюшеві, дівчинка-африканка, котра швидко всьому вчиться і дуже пробивна та безстрашна. Історія про складність викликів і виборів, котрі стоять перед людьми, що владарюють, і окремо перед дитиною, котра усвідомлює поступово ношу. І ніби все непогано, і гарно прописано з точки зору дитячої оптики, але от якось опис і вибрана оптика загалом мені не дуже

[Preili Pipar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laste raamatu kohta on see päris tõsine ja isegi kurb raamat. Noore kuninga Maciuse soovid on siirad ja armsad, aga ta loodab ja arvab, et kõik lapsed on olemuselt tema moodi ja soovivad samuti head ja häid tulemusi. Aga tuleb välja, et enamik lapsi on hoopiski isekad. Ja täiskasvanud samuti. Ei olegi võimalik teha nii, et alati kõik oleksid rahul.

[Nikodem Jaworski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dałbym więcej, ale nigdy nie widziałem tak rasistowskiego języka w książce…

[PawlusIV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Młody król chce reformować i zmieniać świat na lepsze, ale ludzie są interesowni i chcą wykorzystać niedoświadczonego władcę.

Ciekawy i wnikliwy opis rzeczywistości, chociaż narracja jest z perspektywy dziecka, książka jest pełna bardzo dojrzałych (i przykrych) przemyśleń.

Biedny mały Maciuś.

[Kacper]

Dzieci palą papierosy, są architektami kolonializmu i grają o tron. Banger.

[José Luis Valenciano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Han sido escritos ya muchos libros que, con apariencia infantil y aspecto de fábula, muestran una historia que no es más que el fiel reflejo de la sociedad de su tiempo y sirven, parapetándose en el uso de países imaginarios y personajes ficticios, para denunciar determinadas actitudes y tendencias. Ejemplos sobran, como los archiconocidos Viajes de Gulliver de Jonathan Swift o la Rebelión en la granja de George Orwell -Hombre al que admiro por no haberse dejado seducir por los cantos de sirena del comunismo estalinista, que atrajo a tantos "bienpensantes" intelectuales occidentales que no vieron, o no quisieron ver, la realidad. esta actitud crítica le valió el resquemor de una izquierda poco crítica y muy pagada de sí misma-.

Pero no voy a diseccionar ninguno de los títulos anteriores, bien conocidos y cuya lectura recomiendo encarecidamente, sino que presentaré una obra relativamente desconocida por el gran público: El Rey Matías I, de Janusz Korczak (1878-1942).

Publicado por primera vez en 1923, tuvo un éxito inmediato en Polonia, su país natal, y es considerado como una velada alegoría de la historia polaca. El autor, de ascendencia judía y cuyo verdadero nombre era Henryk Goldszmit, nació en el seno de una familia acomodada, pero la prematura muerte del padre le obligó a trabajar desde una temprana edad. Ello no le impidió llegar a licenciarse en medicina y labrarse una sólida fama literaria. Dedicó toda su vida a la pediatría y la pedagogía, pues los niños eran su gran pasión. Fue un firme defensor de sus derechos, rechazando cualquier tipo de violencia o de jerarquía basada meramente en la edad y afirmando que los niños deben ser escuchados, pues ellos son los que mejor conocen sus propias necesidades. Se le considera un precursor de diferentes corrientes de la pedagogía moderna, aunque nunca llegara a crear un corpus teórico sistemático. Su muerte es recordada por la lección de humanidad que dio. Durante la ocupación alemana de Polonia, se le ofreció en diferentes ocasiones la oportunidad de escapar, pero no quiso abandonar a los niños del orfanato judío que dirigía. Así, fue realojado con ellos en el Gueto de Varsovia, hasta que se dio la orden de evacuación del Gueto Pequeño y el traslado al campode exterminio de Treblinka, donde falleció junto con los niños que cuidaba.

El libro en sí es una buena muestra del pensamiento del autor, pues el rey pasa de ser un pequeño huérfano sin voz ni voto, a un preadolescente que ha adquirido experiencia con la práctica y que se ha dado cuenta por sí mismo de la necesidad de instruirse y contar con los demás, además de tener pocos prejuicios. Pero no sólo eso, sino que también saca a la luz los entresijos del gobierno de un estado y la complejidad de las fuerzas que interactúan al interno del mismo y se pone en tela de juicio, para el caso de la monarquía, la capacidad de actuar y tomar decisiones de modo independiente y sin rendir cuentas a nadie del monarca.

Estalla una guerra al inicio del libro, por la imprudencia de sus ministros, que no contaron con su opinión y actuaron a sus espaldas, manteniéndole alejado de la realidad. Por fortuna, traba amistad con un chico de su edad, Felix, quien se convertirá en su fiel aliado, que le mantendrá informado de la realidad exterior. Gracias a él, el joven rey Matías se escapa de palacio y va de incógnito a servir en la guerra, viendo los horrores de la misma, siendo capturado y a punto de ser ejecutado como espía. La descripción de las batallas, las estrategias militares y la situación del frente, que se vuelve estacionario desde el principio de la guerra, y no es roto sino tras mucho tiempo y grandísimas bajas, son, sin lugar a duda, las de la Batalla de Verdún. Aunque el joven rey logra vencer y se muestra clemente con los vencidos (lo que le echarán en cara sus ministros, por no pedir reparaciones), claro mensaje del autor a evitar los excesos revanchistas que el Tratado de Versalles impuso a una derrotada Alemania en 1919, el país está arruinado. El paralelismo con la Europa que quedó tras la Gran Guerra es innegable: Tejido industrial e infraestructuras destruidas, campos no trabajados, carestía de productos de primera necesidad y necesidad de pedir dinero prestado.

En tiempo tan complicados, desarrolla su firme propósito de reformar el país y crear una monarquía constitucional. El autor pone de manifiesto la dificultad de llevar a cabo reformas de cualquier tipo, pues la tradición y la costumbre son siempre trabas poderosas y, de no lograr un mínimo consenso y explicar que se pretende, la oposición a las mismas será frontal. Se describe el trabajo de formación de una Asamblea Constituyente y dos Parlamentos, el de los niños y el de los adultos; el modo de elección y quién puede ser elegido; la formación de los grupos parlamentarios; las discusiones de la Cámara y el trabajo del Presidente de la Cámara; la capacidad del Rey de proponer y del Parlamento de decidir, etc.

La descripción de la diplomacia y lo que se puede obtener de ella si se actúa con tiento y se tiene un buen servicio de inteligencia, es magistral. Logra, de uno de los reinos a los que derrotara, que le ceda una salida al mar. Consigue también la amistad de un rey africano (posiblemente un paralelismo con Etiopía), que le da oro para poder financiar sus reformas. Aunque Korczak no escapa a algunos estereotipos de su tiempo, al caracterizar como salvajes caníbales a los africanos (y de paso al joven Rey Matías como la persona que lleva la civilización a estos pueblos), es cierto que lo hace sólo para poder mostrar, a medida que se desarrolla el libro, que este prejuicio es infundado e injusto. Se opone así, sin nombrarlas, a las tesis sobre el determinismo biológico predominantes en la época y deja entrever que, cualquiera de los considerados "salvajes", puede ser una persona instruida; que no existe ninguna incapacidad natural para aprender. Si existen diferencias es más bien por la falta de medios y personal. En relación a esta tesis, recomiendo el libro La falsa medida del hombre del antropólogo Stephen Jay Gould, que ahonda en mayor detalle sobre la historia, evolución y desacreditación de teorías que establecían una jerarquía de razas y de capacidad intelectual.

Esta amistad con un "rey negro" que le envía oro, despierta los recelos de sus vecinos, que intentan boicotearle. Aparecen los "reyes amarillos", que son equiparados en trato a los europeos. La referencia a China y Japón no puede ser más clara. Aquí se mantienen neutrales, no así los "reyes blancos", especialmente el hijo de uno de los antiguos vencidos, que ahora quiere la revancha. La entente que forman y el reparto de territorios recuerdan en mucho a las Particiones de Polonia, lo que no es casualidad.

Otra preocupación del autor que aparece en el libro era las condiciones de alojamiento de la población en general, y particularmente de los niños, y el impacto las condiciones de trabajo y alimentación en su salud. Las aglomeraciones urbanas producidas durante la revolución industrial crearon el caldo de cultivo perfecto para la extensión de todo tipo de enfermedades. Acabar con las viviendas sin una adecuada ventilación ni luz entrada de luz solar, la ausencia de saneamientos y el hacinamiento en los hogares, fue una de las principales batallas de muchos movimientos políticos de la época para una mejor calidad de vida de la clase obrera.

Por supuesto, no todo lo que se describe es bueno. El poder se acaba subiendo a la cabeza de Félix, su antiguo aliado, quien además se corrompe. Los espías aparecen como instrumento habitual entre todos los países, pero no por una especial desconfianza entre ellos, sino como prevención; se producen traiciones y encarcelamientos... como el mundo real.

La imagen que dibuja el autor de la prensa, podría reproducirse hoy, noventa años después, y ser perfectamente reconocible. Su papel no es sólo informar, sino crear y dirigir la opinión pública, fijando la agenda política. Como hoy, la línea editorial de cada periódico determina las noticias que se dan, y su tratamiento. No intenta defender la objetividad de la prensa, cosa que dudo que exista, sino que, para estar bien informado, hay que leer más periódicos que aquel que le dice a uno lo que le gusta oir.

En suma, no sabría si recomendar que este libro lo lean los niños, para que aprendan sobre política sin saberlo, o a los adultos, para que descubran si de verdad saben de política o si lo que ellos llaman conocimiento, no son más que prejuicios. En España fue publicado por Espasa-Calpe en su colección Austral Juvenil hace ya años, pero creo que se encuentra descatalogado. Si tienen la fortuna de conseguirlo, les adelanto que lo disfrutarán.

[Jesper Svensson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jag var i Warszawa och behövde en ny bok att läsa. Gick in i en bokhandel på Krakowskie Przedmieście-gatan och letade efter en polsk författare – översatt till engelska. Kom ut med Janusz Korczaks "King Matt the First" utan att riktigt inse att det var en barnbok. Men jag ångrade mig inte.

När pappa kungen dör är Matt så liten att han inte ens hunnit lära sig skriva. Den lille Matt (Mattias på svenska) får ärva kronan, och han omgärdas av ministrar och hovfolk som på olika sätt försöker styra honom. Men ganska snart kommer Matt på att eftersom det är han som är kung så är det ju faktiskt han som bestämmer.

Matt visar sig vara en ganska klok kung. Som tyvärr snart hamnar i krig med illasinnade grannländer. Men han reder ut det. Han bestämmer att alla barn ska få godis och gungbrädor. Han gör en expedition till Afrika, blir vän med vildarna och börjar bygga ett zoo med vilda djur. Han inrättar ett parlament för barn. Tyvärr möter även Matts regim motstånd och utmaningarna hopar sig…

”King Matt the First” publicerades ursprungligen år 1923. I det perspektivet är det en påfallande modern barnbok. Författaren ser världen med barnens ögon och ifrågasätter vuxenvärldens normer. Matts kaxighet och förmåga att överlista sina ministrar för tankarna till Pippi Långstrump. Och trots att vuxna läsare inte är målgruppen, så finns här en hel del godbitar även för oss ("Diplomacy means lying all the time, so that your enemy has no idea of what you're really doing").

Beskrivningen av Matts besök hos den afrikanske kungen Bum Drum och hans människoätande folk är, milt uttryckt, inte så woke. Men vägs upp av Klu Klu, den afrikanske kungens dotter, som visar sig vara både smart och modig (ja, och bra på att klättra i träd…). Klu Klu blir vän med Matt och följer med honom till det lilla centraleuropeiska land som han styr. Där introducerar hon en del progressiva genusteorier: "How come boys and girls wear different kinds of clothes here? That's barbaric. No wonder the girls here are so awkward. You can't climb a tree or hop a fence in a dress. The stupid dress always gets caught on something." Klu Klu har också svar på tal när hennes kamrater i Europa storögt utropar: "She may be a girl, but she outdoes all the boys. Good God, can you imagine what African boys are like?" "Just the same as the girls”, svarar Klu Klu: ”not the least better – It's only European girls who have long hair and wear long dresses, and that's the reason they can't do things."

Janusz Korczak var polsk jude. Han var läkare och drev flera barnhem i Warszawa. I ett av dem fanns en egen domstol, ett parlament och en tidning – precis som i kung Mattias land. När kriget bröt ut och nazisterna tog kontroll över Polen vägrade han bära den gula judestjärnan. Han vägrade också fly landet – han kunde inte tänka sig att lämna sina barnhemsbarn i sticket.

1942 kom nazisterna för att deportera barnen till utrotningslägret Treblinka. Än en gång hade Korczak – eller Henryk Goldszmit, som var hans riktiga namn – en chans att lämna barnen och fly. Än en gång vägrade han. Han klädde barnen i deras bästa kläder och packade med dem deras favoritböcker, så de inte skulle behöva vara rädda. Han sade åt dem att de skulle åka till landet. Tåget gick, och sedan var Henryk Goldszmit och hans barn borta för alltid. Men böckerna han skrev finns kvar, och jag är glad att jag valde just "King Matt the First".

[Grant · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Purported Classic that, Despite its Occasional Charm, has Little to Offer Modern Readers

I had never heard of this book until a family member sent it my way, and the book's historically great reception made me really excited to read it aloud to my daughter! Though the book had several charming parts, I'm afraid it's aged particularly poorly and required significant self-censorship while I read it aloud. Here are the highlights:

*BRIEF SYNOPSIS: King Matt assumes his parents' throne at a young age (about 8) and engages in a variety of adventures in his efforts to become the leader his country (especially the children of his country) deserve. He sneaks away from the palace to fight in the frontline of trench warfare, leads expeditions into unknown territories, and implements a variety of reforms that grant his country's children a greater voice in the management of the government.

*UNFORTUNATELY IRREDEMABLE: Let's not sugar-coat it; this book is full of comments and asides that reflect early 20th-Century Eurocentric racism and sexism. There are a few moments when Korczak's characters make efforts to repudiate these views, but enough of them go untouched to leave it clear that Korczak, like all of us, is a product of the prejudices of his generation. Among other things, the offensive references to non-European peoples and the things that girls "should" and "shouldn't" do/like are ubiquitous. I had to significantly alter the words I read aloud from those I read on the page to "save it" for my family, and there was enough editing required that I wouldn't feel comfortable recommending this book to others.

*CHARMING (THOUGH INSUFFICIENT) BITS: Though I stand by my opinion that this book now has little to offer modern children, I can see how it originally won its reputation as an above-average children's book. I gave it 2 stars rather than 1 for the sake of these pieces. Here are a few of the better parts:
-The book is at its best when Korczak grants us penetrating insights into childrens' psyche. This is best manifested, I think, in a scene in which one delegate to the Children's Parliament raises a motion that children should have more pockets. When asked why, the child explains that his father has 13 pockets and a house full of drawers and cabinets, but that his parents get angry at him when he misplaces things despite the fact that he only has 2 pockets himself. This insight is one of many that did make me laugh and think while reading.
-Klu Klu (a princess whom Matt befriends) is Korczak's (insufficient) answer to thwart the racism and sexism I described above. She is by far the best character in the book as she doesn't stand for the bigotry and expectations of others. She shuns social mores that would restrain her and is the smartest and bravest of them all. A book all about Klu Klu would be better!
-Matt himself is defined by his nobility and willingness to sacrifice for his people's well-being. He's an engaging protagonist throughout.

Again, I can see why this book was once a classic but I can't now recommend it in good faith. The time has fortunately come for something better.