Dlaczego-Zginal-Karl-Von-Spreti on kapuscinski.info

Why Did Karl von Spreti Die? — Polish Editions and ISBN Numbers

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Below is a working list of Polish editions of Ryszard Kapuściński’s “Why Did Karl von Spreti Die?” ISBN numbers are included only where they could be reasonably confirmed in bibliographic and publishing sources.

Polish Editions

First Edition Year of publication: 1970 Publication date: December 1970 Publisher: Książka i Wiedza Print run: 10,000 copies ISBN: no confirmed number

Second Edition Year of publication: 2010 Publication date: March 2010 Publisher: Czytelnik ISBN: 978-83-07-03222-1

"The Death of an Ambassador" — Review of "Why Did Karl von Spreti Die?"

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Author: Roman Samseal. Source: Nowe Książki no. 8, 1971. Date of publication: 30 April 1971.

Ryszard Kapuściński’s book Why Did Karl von Spreti Die? is a political and historical essay of a particular kind. The author calls it a “reportage” in the preface, and there is no reason to dispute the genre of a work that is an attempt to answer the question: why was the West German ambassador, Count von Spreti, murdered in Guatemala? The very choice of subject declares its intent: to say something new in Polish international journalism about Latin America.

Excerpts from "Why Did Karl von Spreti Die?"

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Guatemala is not a country of eternal spring — it is a country of eternal tyranny. We are a people oppressed and compelled to silence. A people closed in upon themselves, who neither speak nor sing: our silence is made up of songs we were never allowed to sing. On our sad land, a cheerful song would sound like a gunshot.

Luis Cardoza y Aragon, Guatemala — las lineas de su mano

Why Did Karl von Spreti Die?

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0000

First Edition. Year of publication: 1970. Print run: 10,000 copies. Cover price: 6 zł

Preface to the book:

I am aware that this reportage contains shocking passages, and I therefore consider it necessary to state that every sentence is based on documents, and my personal impressions constitute only a marginal part of the whole.

This is a reportage about the kidnapping and death of Count Karl von Spreti, the West German ambassador in Guatemala.