Authors

Discussion

The paper examines the concept of "lost home" through the parallel experiences of two Central European intellectuals who became refugees during World War II: Stanisław Vincenz, a Polish Catholic writer, and Benno Lieberman, a Jewish lawyer. Despite their different backgrounds, both men shared similar social status and origins in the Eastern Carpathians before fleeing in 1939—Vincenz to Western Europe and Lieberman to British Mandate Palestine.

The analysis builds on Tadeusz Sławek's theory of "oikology" (the science of houses and homes), which considers three elements of "home": location, space (including cultural aspects), and "doing" (human activity). The paper proposes adding memory as a fourth essential element. Through analysis of Vincenz's literary work, particularly his story about Mr. Tytus, the author demonstrates how constructive memory of home can serve as a foundation for creative work and resilience in exile.

The paper contrasts two approaches to dealing with lost home. Vincenz transformed his loss into creative energy, writing most of his works in exile while maintaining extensive correspondence with friends. His concept of "constructive longing" allowed him to create a symbolic safe space in memory that supported his continued productivity. Lieberman, however, attempted to rebuild home physically by establishing a shelter for Jewish refugees in Nahariya. Despite his efforts, he struggled with the absence of the social and cultural space that defined his original home.

The paper concludes by highlighting how the Jewish experience of lost home during World War II carried an additional dimension of loss, as both physical places and cultural spaces were completely annihilated. This fundamental difference challenges the universal applicability of "constructive memory" as a coping mechanism for refugees, suggesting that the experience of the lost home may be too intimate and unique for meaningful generalization.