Letter to Kazimierz Twardowski written 05.10.1923

Author Roman Ingarden

Category outgoing correspondence, Polish researchers

Archive Joined Libraries WFiS UW, IFiS PAN and PTF

Date of creation 5.10.1923

Related places Berlin, Toruń

Reference code in archive PTF Rps 02.1, t. XII

Resource type letter

Subject matter organizational issues, personal issues, publication issues

Field phenomenology, philosophy

Tags #autobiography, #Berlin, #Commission on the Vistula, #dissertation on essential questions, #doctoral diploma, #Edmund Husserl, #ideal objects, #illness of a father, #Kazimierz Twardowski, #manuscript, #Niemcy, #polemics concerning the existence of ideal objects, #Roman Ingarden, #Roman Kajetan Ingarden, #school work, #Tadeusz Czeżowski, #Tadeusz Kotarbiński, #Toruń

Toruń 5/10/1923

Most Honourable Professor!

Along with this letter, I’m sending the text of the polemic with Prof. Kotarbiński concerning the existence of ideal objects, which is meant to constitute an addendum to my dissertation ‘On Essential Questions’. I was still typing this text as of the end of August and was just waiting until I could prepare a summary of the dissertation itself and then send everything together at the beginning of October. Meanwhile, for the past month, I’ve hardly been able to work at all. Around 10 September, my father came to see me, and on the second day after his arrival he fell seriously ill. He’d caught a cold during the Commission on the Vistula and developed bilateral pneumonia. Since he’s 72 years old and has emphysema, immediately the situation looked very dangerous. For a time – stretching out over more than a week – we thought that despite all the efforts of his doctors, it wouldn’t be possible to save Father. Fortunately, Father’s system seemingly overcame the disease, because there’s been some improvement and in any case the immediate danger has passed. Since, however, this is so-called broncho-pneumonia, not croupous pneumonia, the disease may still drag out longer before it improves to the point of his being completely out of danger.

Father’s serious illness required the most solicitous care on our part. Moreover, at the worst possible time, I had to interrupt my school work and, during the whole period of illness, to give up my work at home – especially since my wife is exhausted from her recent confinement, and now from several weeks of anxiety, troubles, and nightmares.

Thus I’ve barely managed to review the text of the polemic with Prof. Kotarbiński, and I’m sending it so that you’ll have the whole dissertation at hand.

I’ll send the summary by the 15th of this month at the latest; I hope that Father’s condition will improve to the point that I’ll be able to work a bit.

I enclose expressions of profound esteem

Roman Ingarden

Did Prof. Czeżowski give any kind of answer concerning my doctoral diploma?

Husserl wrote to me recently ‒ very cordially. Apparently, he was summoned to Berlin, but refused the offer.