I want to talk about an different book. A serious and witty book, full of humor and anecdotes, about a book for those readers who like intellectual games and a bit absurd fun. I want to talk about the author, who seems like a distinguished gentleman, and the gentleman blinks at us communicating, chokes from laughter, and makes it clear that he hides a large secret behind his back.
And this is the mystery of the book, a creative work of large literary beauty, with fancy beauty and finesse communicative line. The title of this work is "War 1812", with the subtitle "quasi una fantasy", and the author is called Marek Baterovich, presently on immigration. Those of you who, as such, follow Polish literature may remember him as a subtle lyricist, as well as the author of respective prosator books, including a futuristic fresh entitled “The manuscript of Amalfi” and a fresh about the war state “The Seed rises in the wound”. Let us besides add that Baterowicz has published several, if not a dozen, anthology of Roman poetry. He presently lives in Australia.
But let's go back to the latest work by the writer. Although I called it a novel, I might as well call it a perverse literary essay or even a projection of a grotesque idea. Either way, it deserves “War 1812” to be praised. possibly the Beneficent Reader has figured out where the feature layer will go. due to the fact that if the war of 1812 is known – Napoleon and the attack on Russia. And I think this is where our cognition ends. Although we know that Napoleon had failed, we do not know that in another version of this war, he would have succeeded.
In the introduction Baterowicz writes: This communicative of another variant of the war of 1812 fits into the fashionable “alternative story” which has been cultivated by many authors for years. This game or intellectual fun even tempts historians. And it's about creating a imagination of past based on another verdicts of history.. And he goes on to think: ...what if Napoleon, alternatively of going to Moscow, marched to St. Petersburg? It was St. Petersburg that was the capital of Russia, and as early as 1712, all offices were moved there, and the intent of the raids in the past of the planet was the capitals. Meanwhile, Bonaparte chose to march to Moscow, although between Vitebsk and Smolensk (in August) he hesitated to go to Newa. Eventually, the fatal obsession to conquer Moscow (ville sainte!) became the origin of his disaster. This mystery has intrigued me for a long time, as well as many terrible decisions by the Emperor of France, who in 1812 acted as if he were throwing conflicting motives, yet choosing the worst solutions. It was as if he, besieged by any demons, perorated that he would not commit the madness of Charles XII, after which he went into the trap of time and space, drawn into it by Russian troops. And he could impose the kind and direction of the campaign, going to Petersburg (a shorter route!) by the Baltic countries, well-stocked.
However, he did not impose the kind and direction of the campaign. And Baterovich leads us in this direction, in which like another parallel Napoleon made decisions. And this is where fascinating, yet fantastic and highly interesting reflections begin. The author constantly brings us closer to dozens of heroes, and each of them has its own footnote, as a real figure, known and respected, which someway contributes to the improvement of the action. As I calculated these footnotes we will find as many as 136, besides bibliography was not lacking, so we have the impression that we are participating in at least a para-scientific project. And that's the beauty of this novel. At the wise association of facts and historical figures with literary fiction, which does not appear to be fiction at all, but gives the impression of a real planet of events that erstwhile occurred, which leads us towards a large and authentic historical finale.
So there is simply a lot here, as I have already said, intellectual fun as well as a wise, serious analysis of war strategies. The stylistics of this fresh balance between wise essays, parascientific work, and possibly even technological and a language of realistic narrative. A condition of fresh cognition approaches rational structures that submit to reasonable verification, but at the same time the spirit of humorous fiction floats over this prose.
To reflect the character of this song, let him briefly talk with his own voice. Baterovich writes: So the large Army was moving with the momentum of French corps and Polish legions, it was indeed a power in the continent and it has already repeatedly spread the armies of Tsar Alexander, and even the combined forces of Austria and Russia. Napoleon in the conflict of Austerlitz after a fewer hours crushed his opponent, forcing Alexander into a disgraceful reiterade. The Tsar escaped by gallop, and his troops besides sank in the lakes in haste, for the ice plates did not withstand the weight of men, cannons, and luggage. In December 1805 the winter sun lit this large defeat of the Russians and Austrians. Napoleon was an absolute emperor, for he ruled not only the arm of his soldiers, but besides their hearts. So they hit the enemy with impetuousness without comparison, and the emperor – like the conductor of the orchestra – united all his weapons and souls.
Naturally, I will not betray the end of this intellectual game, but I will add that the Polish subject plays a large function in it and tickles any of our national vanity. We are usually inclined to admire alien patterns, forgetting that we besides have interesting and crucial our own historical experiences. This fresh is read as a reliable historical document, and this credibility is confirmed by dozens of real, erstwhile existing large figures of political and military life – generals, colonels, professors, historians, princes, earls, playwrights, celebrated composers, writers, state councillors, patrons, members of the most crucial national and abroad bodies, Polish, Finnish, Swedish, Lithuanian, French, Russian...
I powerfully urge this novel. We will rejoice in our mind, learn about the colourful war scenes of 1812, and above all, we will enjoy a wise insight into the reality of the large past of the world. Just contact the publisher and the fresh will be in our house.
Marek Baterowicz – “War 1812” subtitled: Quasi una fantasy, Aqueduct, Club of Music and Literature, Wrocław 2025.
(review appeared in Citizen's Gazeta "The fact Is Interesting" No. 58 of 21 March 2025)
