![Andrzej_Szczypiorski_grave](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Andrzej_Szczypiorski_grave.JPG)
Andrzej Szczypiorski (; 3 February 1928 – 16 May 2000) was a
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
novelist
A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others asp ...
and
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...
. He served as a member of the Polish legislature, and was a
Solidarity activist interned during the
military crackdown of 1981. He was a secret police agent in the 1950s.
Life
He was son of , a political activist, historian and mathematician, and Jadwiga née Epsztajn. Szczypiorski had a sister Wiesława (1924–1945). He spent his childhood in
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
Szczypiorski studied at
an underground university called the "flying university" due to the regular changing of its location for safety. He was a partisan of the Polish
People’s Army, and a participant of the
Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising ( pl, powstanie warszawskie; german: Warschauer Aufstand) was a major World War II operation by the Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. It occurred in the summer of 1944, and it was led ...
.
After the Uprising he was arrested and condemned to imprisonment at the
Sachsenhausen concentration camp
Sachsenhausen () or Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg was a German Nazi concentration camp in Oranienburg, Germany, used from 1936 until April 1945, shortly before the defeat of Nazi Germany in May later that year. It mainly held political prisoner ...
, where he survived until 1945.
In 1946–1947 he studied political science in the Warsaw Consular Diplomatic Academy. In 1948–1956, Szczypiorski worked as an editor in the Katowice Silesian Theater. During this period, in 1952, he made his literary debut in the magazine "Życie Literackie" using the pseudonym 'Maurice S. Andrews' and was inducted into the
Polish Writers' Union
The Polish Writers' Union or the Union of Polish Writers ( pl, Związek Literatów Polskich, ZLP) was established at a meeting of Polish writers and activists in Lublin behind the Soviet front line, during the liberation of Poland by the Red Arm ...
. He won the
Austrian State Prize for European Literature The Austrian State Prize for European Literature (german: Österreichischer Staatspreis für Europäische Literatur), also known in Austria as the European Literary Award (''Europäischer Literaturpreis''), is an Austria
Austria, , bar, Ö ...
in 1988.
In 1956–1958, he was selected to serve in the Polish Embassy to
Denmark
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, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
, after which he returned to work as an editor on the radio and for publications. He later served as a member of the Polish legislature. He was also a
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador is an official postnominal honorific title, title of authority, legal status and job description assigned to those goodwill ambassadors and advocates who are designated by the United Nations. The United Nations Intern ...
.
Prior to his death, Szczypiorski converted to
Calvinism
Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...
, and is buried in the
Protestant Reformed Cemetery in Warsaw
The Evangelical Reformed Cemetery in Warsaw ( pl, Cmentarz ewangelicko-reformowany) is a historic Calvinist Protestant cemetery in Wola, a district in the west of Warsaw, Poland.
Details
The cemetery was established in 1792 and is located in the ...
.
After his death it became known that Szczypiorski was a collaborator of the
Polish communist secret police in the years of
Stalinism in Poland.
Publications
Source:
* 1961: ''Czas przeszły'' (The Past Time), Iskry, Warsaw.
* 1966: ''Podróż do krańca doliny'' (Journey to the End of the Valley), Iskry, Warsaw.
* 1967: ''Karol Świerczewski – Walter. W 20 rocznicę śmierci'', ZG ZBoWiD, Krajowa Komisja Dąbrowszczaków: „Sport i Turystyka”, Warsaw.
* 1968: ''Niedziela, godzina 21.10: wybór felietonów radiowych'', 1964–1967, Czytelnik, Warsaw.
* 1971: ''Msza za miasto Arras'', Czytelnik, Warsaw.
* 1980: ''Trzej ludzie w bardzo długiej podróży'' (Three People On A Very Long Journey), Czytelnik, Warsaw.
* 1983: ''Z notatnika stanu wojennego'', Polonia, London.
* 1986: ''Początek'' (The Origin), Instytut Literacki, Paris.
* 1990: ''Amerykańska whiskey i inne opowiadania'' (American Whiskey and Other Stories), Kantor Wydawniczy SAWW, Poznań.
* 1991: ''Noc, dzień i noc'' (Night, Day and Night), Kantor Wydawniczy SAWW, Poznań.
* 1994: ''Autoportret z kobietą'' (Autoportrait with a Woman), Kantor Wydawniczy SAWW, Poznań.
* 1999: ''Gra z ogniem'' (Playing with Fire), Sens, Poznań.
Awards and honours
* 1972: Polish
PEN-Club Prize
* 1988:
Austrian State Prize for European Literature The Austrian State Prize for European Literature (german: Österreichischer Staatspreis für Europäische Literatur), also known in Austria as the European Literary Award (''Europäischer Literaturpreis''), is an Austria
Austria, , bar, Ö ...
* 1989:
Nelly Sachs Prize
The Nelly Sachs Prize (German: ''Nelly Sachs Preis'') is a literary prize given every two years by the German city of Dortmund. Named after the Jewish poet and Nobel laureate Nelly Sachs, the prize includes a cash award of €15,000. It honour ...
* 1994:
Herder Prize
* 1995:
Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts
* 1995:
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...
* 1997:
Order of Polonia Restituta
The Order of Polonia Restituta ( pl, Order Odrodzenia Polski, en, Order of Restored Poland) is a Polish state order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on foreigners for outstanding achievement ...
by the President of the Republic for his services to Poland
See also
*
Polish literature
Polish literature is the literary tradition of Poland. Most Polish literature has been written in the Polish language, though other languages used in Poland over the centuries have also contributed to Polish literary traditions, including Latin, ...
*
List of Polish writers
Notable Polish novelists, poets, playwrights, historians and philosophers, listed in chronological order by year of birth:
* (''ca.''1465–after 1529) Biernat of Lublin
* (1482–1537) Andrzej Krzycki
* (1503–1572) Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski
...
Notes
References
University of Silesia in Katowice University Gazette Article, 2000
{{DEFAULTSORT:Szczypiorski, Andrzej
1928 births
2000 deaths
Writers from Warsaw
Polish Calvinist and Reformed Christians
Converts to Calvinism
Polish male writers
Members of the Senate of Poland 1989–1991
Knights Commander of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)
Herder Prize recipients
Armia Ludowa members
Warsaw Uprising insurgents
Sachsenhausen concentration camp survivors
Child soldiers in World War II