1st International Aphorism Conference

Magnum In Parvo


24 - 25 October, 2025, Wrocław

About the Event

1st International Aphorism Conference in Wrocław – a unique event! Outstanding creators of aphorisms and leading researchers of short literary forms from around the world will meet for the first time. Speakers from several countries, including: Poland, USA, Germany, Italy, Serbia, Israel, Finland, North Macedonia, Romania and Bulgaria will share their knowledge and passion.

We invite you to two days full of inspiring lectures, concerts and shows of almost five hundred-year-old old prints of the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and the Aphorisms of Hippocrates. This is a celebration of aphorism that cannot be missed!

Where

University of Wrocław, Insititure of German Philology, Nankiera 15b, 50-140 Wrocław

When

October 24 – 25, 2025

Event Schedule

Day 1.

October 24, 2025, Friday
09:00 am

Opening Lecture

Special Guest: Prof. James Geary, USA Harvard University – A Defense of Aphorisms

09:45 am

Plenary Lectures

Hosted by renowned academics and writers from around the world.

01:00 pm

Lunch break

Hour long break for lunch.

02:00 pm

Plenary Lectures

Continuation of the lectures.

04:00 Pm

Chamber music concert - Oratorium Marianum

The concert will be held at the Oratorium Marianum, Plac Uniwersytecki 1, 50-137 Wrocław.

Day 2.

October 25, 2025, Saturday
09:00 am

Discussion Panel

Speaker: Yahia Lababidi, USA, aforysta, pisarz

09:45 am

Plenary Lectures

Lecture informing about the scholarship programs of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

Hosted by renowned academics and writers from around the world.

12:15 pm

Presentation of Old Prints

o “Aphorisms of Hippocrates” from 1685, Amsterdam
o “Meditations of Marcus Aurelius” from 1543, Venice

01:00 pm

Lunch Break

Hour long break for lunch.

02:00 pm

Results of the Limeryk literary competition

The chairman of the competition jury is prof. Jan Miodek.
Committee members:

  • Andrzej Majewski
  • Urszula Zybura
03:00 pm

Plenary Lectures - continuation

Plenary Lectures - continuation

04:00 pm

Barbara John vernissage

Dinner

06:00 pm

Aphorism evening at KMiL with a competition

Dinner

07:00 pm

Occasional dinner

Dinner

details about the

Conference

During the segment of plenary lectures the following prelections will be held:

  • Prof. James Geary, USA Harvard University – A Defense of Aphorisms
  • Rainer Adolphi, Technische Universität Berlin: “Die Zeit des Aphorismus. Eine Textform in Zeiten der Krise” (The
    Time of Aphorism. A Text Form in Times of Crisis)
  • Fabrizio Caramagna, writer, Italy, Università degli Studi di Torino. “Relazione tra aforisma e poesia” (Relation
    between Aphorism and Poetry)
  • Aleksandar Cotric, writer, Serbia – title to be determined
  • Yahia Lababidi, writer, USA – title to be determined
  • Jurgen Wilbert, Friedemann Spicker: co-founder and President of the German Aphorism Archive (DAphA)
    (https://www.fspicker.de/dapha/): “Zeitgenössischer deutscher Aphorismus” (Contemporary German Aphorism)
  • Mikhail Kuzmin, writer – On Some Trends in Aphorisms at the End of the 20th and Beginning of the 21st Century
  • Wojciech Kunicki, University of Wrocław: “Antoine de Rivarol und seine Rezeption bei Ernst Jünger, Carl Schmitt
    und Carl Eugen Gass” (Antoine de Rivarol and His Reception by Ernst Jünger, Carl Schmitt, and Carl Eugen Gass)
  • Stefan Markowski, writer, North Macedonia – The Role of Language and Rhetoric
    in Literature, Marketing Campaigns, and Aphorisms in Shaping Perceptions and Behaviors.
  • Marina Aristo Markovic, writer, Serbia – “Aforizam kao književna forma” (Aphorisms as a Literary Form)
  • Ewa Matkowska, University of Wrocław: “Ekphrasis als Träger ästhetischer Inhalte am Ende des 20. Jahrhunderts”
    (Ekphrasis as a Carrier of Aesthetic Content at the End of the 20th Century)
  • Tomasz Małyszek, University of Wrocław: “Aforystyczne definicje Franza Kafki” (Aphoristic Definitions of Franz
    Kafka)
  • Marcin Miodek, University of Wrocław: “Krótkie formy literackie w propagandzie lat 40. XX w. na łamach prasy
    dolnośląskiej” (Short Literary Forms in the Propaganda of the 1940s in the Lower Silesian Press)
  • Valeriu Butulescu, writer, Romania – title to be determined
  • Janne Tompuri, writer, University of Helsinki, Secretary of the Finnish Aphorism Society: “Aphoristic
    Incompleteness – Truth and Knowledge in Aphorisms”
  • Wojciech Wiercioch, writer, aphorist, Poland: title to be determined
  • Paweł Bąk, University of Wrocław: “Kürze und Prägnanz des Aphorismus aus linguistischer und translatorischer
    Sicht” (Brevity and Conciseness of Aphorisms from a Linguistic and Translational Perspective)
  • Krzysztof Bilica, writer, musicologist, Poland – title to be determined
  • Maria Tarnogórska, University of Wrocław: “Born Quotes. Wisława Szymborska as an Aphorist”
  • Utz Rachowski, German writer: “Fasse Dich kurz! Denn das Leben ist es” (Be Brief! Because That is Life) –
    presentation of prose fragments
  • Luiza Rzymowska, University of Wrocław: “The Use of Sentences in Oratory – on the Example of Polish Speeches”
  • Urszula Zybura, poet, aphorist, Poland: „If aphoristic is a woman?”
  • Maria Endreva, Sofia University, Dep. of German and Scandinavian Studies, Bułgaria – „Der
    Aphorismus und das Fragment im theoretischen Denken der deutschen Romantik am Beispiel
    von Friedrich Schlegel und Rahel Varnhagen” (Aphorism and fragment in theoretical considerations
    German romanticism on the example of Friedrich Schlegel and Rahel Varnhagen)
  • Dorota Heck, University of Wrocław: Aphorisms Hidden in Critical and Philosophical Essays.
    Case Studies of Andrzej Kijowski and Leszek Kołakowski
  • Andrzej Majewski, writer, aphorist, Poland: “The End of the Work-Connection – Censorship or Political
    Correctness?”
 
 

Additionally, as part of the conference, the following event will take place:

Scientific Sessions:

  • Historical-Theoretical Session
  • Translational Session
  • Practical Session (authors’ presentations)
  • Young Researchers Session

Accompanying Events:

  • Literary Evening with Authors – conference dinner
  • A literary competition for aphorism and limerick.
    The chairman of the jury is Professor Jan Miodek.
  • Chamber Music Concert
  • Presentation of Old Prints:
    o “Aphorisms of Hippocrates” from 1685, Amsterdam
    o “Meditations of Marcus Aurelius” from 1543, Venice

A detailed schedule of all events and lectures will be specified at a later date.

Organisers

  • Institute of German Philology, University of Wrocław
  • Institute of Slavic Philology, University of Potsdam
  • Societas Humboldtiana Polonorum

Organising Comittee:

  • Andrzej Majewski (Wrocław), Chair
  • Prof. Ewa Matkowska (Wrocław), University of Wrocław
  • Prof. Mirosław Miller (Wrocław), Central Board of SHP Wrocław
  • Dr. Marcin Miodek (Wrocław), University of Wrocław
  • Andrzej Ociepa (Wrocław), long-time Director of the Public Library in Wrocław

Scientific Committee:

  • Prof. Wojciech Kunicki (Wrocław), Chair
  • Dr. Jörg Bernig (Radebeul/Dresden), German poet and essayist
  • Dr. hab. Ewa Matkowska, Prof. UWr (Wrocław)
  • Utz Rachowski (Plauen/Vogtland), German writer
  • Dr. hab. Luiza Rzymowska (Wrocław)
  • Dr. Friedemann Spicker (Konigswinter), co-founder and Vice-President of the German Aphorism Archive (DAphA)
    (https://www.fspicker.de/dapha/)
  • Jurgen Wilbert (Hattingen), German aphorist
  • Dr. Ewa Wojno-Owczarska (Warsaw)

Localisation

The Conference will take place in the building of the Institute of German Philology situated by the address: Nankiera 15b.

Our Sponsors

Full list will be added soon.

Come and listen to lectures told by incredible writers and scientists from around the world.

All interested parties are kindly requested to review the conference program and are invited to participate!