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Secondary sourceBook

Szandor Petöfi - Wojak Janosz

Władysław Sabowski

A 19th-century Polish translation of Petőfi's poem János Vitéz by Władysław Sabowski.

A Polish translation of Petőfi's poem, showing his early reception abroad.

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Front cover of a bound book with a dark brown and black marbled paper cover in reddish-pink swirls, and a plain brownish-grey spine on the left side with cloth-like texture. The corners show wear and the edges are worn.
Władysław Sabowski (trans.), Szandor Petöfi - Wojak Janosz.

About this source

What it is

This is a bound book containing a Polish translation of Sándor Petőfi's poem János Vitéz, translated by Władysław Sabowski in the 19th century.

Why it matters

This translation shows how Petőfi's work spread beyond Hungary soon after his death, reaching Polish readers. It reflects the historical connection between Poland and Hungary, a bond also embodied by General Bem, under whom Petőfi served during the Hungarian revolution.

Look closer

  • Why might a translator choose to bring a foreign poet's work to a new audience?
  • What does the worn condition of the book's cover suggest about how it was used over time?
  • How might translation change the way a poem is understood by new readers?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Sándor Petőfi on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Handwritten manuscript on aged, yellowed paper titled 'Nemzeti dal' in cursive Hungarian script, with crossed-out lines and revisions, a round stamp at left and a dated stamp at lower right, and a signature at the bottom right.Book

Primary source

Nemzeti dal

Sándor Petőfi · 13 March 1848

Printed broadside of the poem Nemzeti dal (National Song) by Sándor Petőfi, in Hungarian, two columns of verse with a handwritten dedication note in cursive at the bottom and the signature Petőfi Sándor.Document

Primary source

Nemzetidal broadside

Sándor Petőfi · 15 March 1848

Front cover of the first edition of János Vitéz by Sándor Petőfi. Title reads 'JÁNOS VITÉZ, Irta PETŐFI SÁNDOR, Ára 40 kr. p.p.' with a drawing of a hussar on a rearing white horse, with a village and river in the background. Printer's line at bottom: 'Nyomt. Gumm Vnél, Pesten'.Book

Primary source

János vitéz

Sándor Petőfi · 1845 (written 1844)

Black-and-white portrait of a young man with dark, swept-back hair, dark jacket, and light-colored cravat, looking at the viewer with a serious expression. He holds a dark object at lower left. The image is grainy and scratched.Photograph

Primary source

Sándor Petőfi

Gábor Egressy · 1844

Oil painting of a young man with a dark pompadour hairstyle and a thick curled mustache, wearing a dark jacket, white collar and red cravat, against a warm golden-brown background. Signature and date in red at lower right.Painting

Primary source

Portrait of Sándor Petőfi

Orlai Petrich Soma

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