"Koniec świata o ósmej" ("End of the World at Eight O'Clock") is an early (1947) science fiction novelette by Polish writer

Stanisław Lem Stanisław Herman Lem (; 12 September 1921 – 27 March 2006) was a Polish writer of science fiction and essays on various subjects, including philosophy, futurology, and literary criticism. Many of his science fiction stories are of satirical ...

. Professor Farragus claims that he discovered a "matter detonator" substance, which, when heated, starts a

chain reaction A chain reaction is a sequence of reactions where a reactive product or by-product causes additional reactions to take place. In a chain reaction, positive feedback leads to a self-amplifying chain of events. Chain reactions are one way that syst ...

causing the destruction of all matter. Irritated by a non-recognition of his fundamental discovery, and mockery, he decides to prove he is right by destroying the Universe.

Publication history

It was first printed in ''Co Tydzień Powieść'', Katowice, 1947, no.67, p. 2-12. The collection ''Dzienniki gwiazdowe'' (''The Star Diaries''), Warszawa, Iskry, 1957, includes a revised version under the title "Koniec świata o ósmej (Bajka amerykańska)", although it is not related to

Ijon Tichy Ijon Tichy (Polish pronunciation: ) is a fictional character who appears in several works of the Polish science fiction writer Stanisław Lem: initially in ''The Star Diaries'', later in ''The Futurological Congress'', ''Peace on Earth (novel), Peac ...

, the protagonist of the ''Star Diaries''.

Wojciech Orliński Wojciech Orliński (born 24 January 1969 in Warsaw) is a Polish journalist, writer, and blogger. Between 1997 and 2021 he was a regular columnist for Gazeta Wyborcza. He has written several books, including an alternate history novel, an encyclo ...

writes that ''Koniec...'' and two other stories were added to the collection simply because there was not enough volume for a book with Tychy's stories only. In 1974 it was translated into Russian as "Конец света в восемь часов. Американская сказка" (by ) in the anthology "Симпозиум мыслелётчиков" In 1979 it was translated into German as "Weltuntergang um acht" in the collection ''Die Falle des Gargancjan''. In 1986 it was translated into Italian as "Fine del mondo alle 8". In 1989 it was translated into Latvian as "Pasaules gals pulksten astoņos vakarā" The early version was reprinted in Lem's selection of early works '' Lata czterdzieste / Dyktanda'' (2005, ).

Adaptations

In 1958 a TV play ''Koniec świata o godzinie ósmej'' was released by

Telewizja Polska Telewizja Polska S.A. (; "Polish Television"; TVP), also known in English as the public Polish Television is a Polish state media corporation. It is the largest Polish television network, although viewership has been declining in the 2010s. Sinc ...

, in which starred as Farragus. In 1969

Polskie Radio Polskie Radio Spółka Akcyjna (PR S.A.; English: Polish Radio) is Poland's national public-service radio broadcasting organization owned by the State Treasury of Poland. History Polskie Radio was founded on 18 August 1925 and began making ...

premiered a radio play based on the story. In May 2015, Polish TV broadcast the play ''Koniec świata o ósmej'' created by theatre "Sfinks" (an attempt of the revival of the scene "Sfinks" of the . Previously "Sfinks" aired this play on December 19, 1963. "Lista emisji Teatry Telewizji, rok 1963"
(retrieved October 5, 2018)

References

{{Stanisław Lem Works by Stanisław Lem 1947 short stories Science fiction short stories Mad scientists of Stanisław Lem

Publication history

Adaptations

See also

References