Historia pisana na własnej skórze

The article discusses some aspects of an autobiography by Karol Modzelewski. Its general theoretical- literary approach exposes the domination of the aspect of testimony in the text. The creation of the subject points to an area of autobiography as a venue of a role of an active participant in historic events with a role of a professional historian. As a result an addressee of the book also seems basically double: it is a reader showing a cognitive approach, interested in the newest history as well as a citizen critical of the present, sharing the faith in the sense of revolutionary actions along with the author. The methodological horizon of Modzelewski’s reflection has been outlined by nonclassical historiography (particularly in its anthropological version). Thus academic competence of a mediaevalist meets here the experience of a participant and a researcher of the post-war history. At last, a perspective of a personal sensitivity exposes the importance of shame as a meeting-place for an individual fate and the collective fate. In this sense the public activity of Karol Modzelewski might be depicted as a response to shame.