Letter from Kazimierz Ajdukiewicz written 19.06.1948

EDITORIAL OFFICES OF

PHILOSOPHICAL QUARTERLY

Poznań 19/6/48

My Dear Friend!

               I’d like to come to Cracow at the end of June in connection with publishing issues. However, it depends on whether I’ll be able to see Glücksmann between the 27th and 29th of June. At the same time, I’m writing about this to Gromska, whom I asked to arrange things with Gl.

               Given the likelihood that I’ll be coming, I’d like to make use of the invitation to give a lecture in Cracow at the Academy. I’m thinking about the Academy because I’m counting on it to finance my travel expenses. It makes no difference to me whether it’s at the philosophical commission or the Department, so long as the money is there. I suggest a date of 28 June. The theme of the lecture: ‘Change and contradiction’. I ask you, then, after receiving this letter, to telephone Gromska, who will tell you whether Glücksm. will be in Cracow at that time, and thus whether my trip to Cracow will come off.

If so, be so good as to let me know where my lecture is going to be. I’m assuming that my application may have been filed too late and that the lecture … not be set up [O1] within the framework of the Academy. In that case, I’m prepared to give it at the Philosoph. Soc. I also ask you to kindly inform me how the matter has been arranged. I’m planning to make the trip to Cr. on the morning of the 27th and stay until noon on the 29th.

               I’m sending you Fr Kłósak’s manuscript along with my opinion. I was very surprised to receive a letter from the editor of Phil. Quar. I’d written to you the week before to the effect that I had a paper ready, entitled ‘On the concept of existence’, which I wanted to publish in the Quarterly, and asked whether it wasn’t too late for it to appear in the upcoming issue of Quarterly. I received ‒ in the letter you sent in which you reported, inter alia, your dissatisfaction with the magisterium[O2]  in methodology that I had ‘defended’ ‒ no answer to this question. Soon afterwards I receive Father Kłosak’s manuscript along with a letter in which the editors foresee the possibility of printing his work in the upcoming issue. I drew no conclusions from this, other than that you are devilishly busy and have no time to spare for the careful reading of letters, something which – if only because of my own style of life – I understand perfectly.

               I congratulate you on the Academy award; I’m pleased at the proof of recognition that you’ve received, and that you’ve become richer by 50,000, which you deserve for your dedicated work in the field of philosophical organisation.

I enclose a receipt for the 8,000 that was sent me. At the same time I ask you to … send me a statement of the expenses for Studies (I mean the expense for the honoraria, as I have the rest), because the Ministry requests a calculation of the price of the volume to be submitted by 30/6.

               Cordial greetings attached by Your Kazimerz

[O1]Brakujący tekst w wersji polskiej. Może won’t be set up/can’t be set up [?]
[O2]Dokładne znaczenie niejasne w tym miejscu – master’s dissertation [?]