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Bolesław Taborski (7 May 1927 – 6 December 2010) was a Polish poet, literary and drama theoretician, essayist, prolific translator of English and Polish, and a long serving
BBC Polish Section The BBC Polish language, Polish Section ( pl, Sekcja polska BBC) was one of the foreign-language services of the BBC World Service. It existed between 1939 and 2005. History A decision to establish the BBC Polish Section was made on 3 September 19 ...
editor and presenter. He chronicled and translated into English the work of some of the most notable Poles of the
Post-war era In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period c ...
of the 20th century, such as
Lech Wałęsa Lech Wałęsa (; ; born 29 September 1943) is a Polish statesman, dissident, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who served as the President of Poland between 1990 and 1995. After winning the 1990 election, Wałęsa became the first democrati ...
, Jan Kott, and
Jerzy Grotowski Jerzy Marian Grotowski (; 11 August 1933 – 14 January 1999) was a Polish theatre director and theorist whose innovative approaches to acting, training and theatrical production have significantly influenced theatre today. He was born in Rzesz ...
. His undoubted influence on modern theatre has yet to be assessed in detail. He had a personal friendship with
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
which grew out of their shared interest in literature and the fact that Taborski was his literary translator into English.


Early life

Taborski was born in
Toruń )'' , image_skyline = , image_caption = , image_flag = POL Toruń flag.svg , image_shield = POL Toruń COA.svg , nickname = City of Angels, Gingerbread city, Copernicus Town , pushpin_map = Kuyavian-Pom ...
. During the
occupation of Poland Occupation commonly refers to: * Occupation (human activity), or job, one's role in society, often a regular activity performed for payment *Occupation (protest), political demonstration by holding public or symbolic spaces *Military occupation, t ...
in
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 ...
, he was a member of the
underground resistance Underground Resistance (commonly abbreviated to UR) are an American musical collective from Detroit, Michigan. Producing primarily Detroit techno since 1990 with a grungy four-track musical aesthetic, they are also renowned for their militant p ...
both in
Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
and
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 ...
where he took part in the uprising in 1944. In its aftermath he became a
prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...
in
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
. After liberation he decided to stay in the West.


Literary career

In 1946 he arrived in the United Kingdom. After graduating in English Literature and Drama at Bristol University, he joined the editorial board of the Polish magazine, '' Merkuriusz Polski Nowy''. He was a member of the émigré poetic movement ''Kontynenty''. For thirty years from 1959 he was on the staff of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
service to Poland, among other programmes, editing and presenting the Sunday arts broadcast, latterly known as ''The Arts by the Thames'' ("Sztuka nad Tamizą"). His extensive translation output includes translating the work of
Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...
, Robert Graves,
Philip Larkin Philip Arthur Larkin (9 August 1922 – 2 December 1985) was an English poet, novelist, and librarian. His first book of poetry, ''The North Ship'', was published in 1945, followed by two novels, ''Jill'' (1946) and ''A Girl in Winter'' (1947 ...
and Robert Lowell into Polish. Probably his most influential translation into English was professor Jan Kott's ''Shakespeare our Contemporary'', which inspired theatrical directors for a generation, people like,
Peter Brook Peter Stephen Paul Brook (21 March 1925 – 2 July 2022) was an English theatre and film director. He worked first in England, from 1945 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, from 1947 at the Royal Opera House, and from 1962 for the Royal Sha ...
and
Charles Marowitz Charles Marowitz (26 January 1934 – 2 May 2014) was an American critic, theatre director, and playwright, regular columnist on Swans Commentary. He collaborated with Peter Brook at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and later founded and direct ...
. He also worked with
Jerzy Grotowski Jerzy Marian Grotowski (; 11 August 1933 – 14 January 1999) was a Polish theatre director and theorist whose innovative approaches to acting, training and theatrical production have significantly influenced theatre today. He was born in Rzesz ...
to make him more accessible to an English speaking audience. Taborski was himself the author of several texts on theatre. Taborski's translations into English also include the plays of Karol Woytyła,
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
. He came to know Woytyła personally and travelled to Rome where they discussed literature for over a decade.


Awards

He received the Koscielski Award in 1977. This was followed in 1988 by the
Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz (; 24 February 188518 September 1939), commonly known as Witkacy, was a Polish writer, painter, philosopher, theorist, playwright, novelist, and photographer active before World War I and during the interwar period. ...
award.


Personal life

Bolesław Taborski married Halina, a professor and latterly, chancellor of the Polish University Abroad; they had a daughter. He was a long-standing member of the SPP, ''Polish Writers Association'' and of the
PEN A pen is a common writing instrument that applies ink to a surface, usually paper, for writing or drawing. Early pens such as reed pens, quill pens, dip pens and ruling pens held a small amount of ink on a nib or in a small void or cavity wh ...
club. He published a memoir of his time in the Warsaw uprising, ''Moje Powstanie - wtedy i teraz'' (1998).


Death

Taborski died in London, aged 83. His ashes were taken to the Pantheon of the Armia Krajowa in the
Powązki Military Cemetery Powązki Military Cemetery (; pl, Cmentarz Wojskowy na Powązkach) is an old military cemetery located in the Żoliborz district, western part of Warsaw, Poland. The cemetery is often confused with the older Powązki Cemetery, known colloquial ...
.


Selected bibliography


Main works

Poetry collections include: * ''Czasy mijania'' (1957) * ''Ziarna nocy'' (1958) * ''Przestępując granicę'' (1962) * ''Lekcja trwająca'' (1967) * ''Głos milczenia'' (1969) * ''Wybór wierszy'' (1973) * ''Duet'' (1975) * ''Sieć Słów'' (1976) * ''For the Witnesses'' (1978) * ''Obserwator cieni'' (1979) * ''Miłość'' (1980) * ''Cudza teraźniejszość'' (1983) * ''Sztuka'' (1985) * ''Cisza traw'' (1986) * ''Życie i śmierć'' (1988) * ''Dobranoc bezsensie'' (1991) * ''Przetrwanie'' (1998) * ''Poezje wybrane'' (1999) * ''Drzwi gnieźnieńskie/Gniezno Door'' (2000) * ''Ułamek istnienia'' (2002) * ''Nowa Era Big Brothera i inne wiersze'' (2004) * ''Plan B.'' (2007) * ''Mój przyjaciel Szekspir'' (2007) * ''Jedyne wyjście'' (2010)


Works related to Pope John Paul II


Translations of the plays of Karol Woytyła

* ''Job'' * ''Jeremiah'' * '' Our God's Brother'' * ''The Jeweller's Shop'' * ''Radiating Paternity''


Biographical sketches and poems

* ''Wprost w moje serce uderza droga wszystkich: o Karolu Wojtyle Janie Pawle II – szkice, wspomnienia, wiersze'' (2005) ("Everyone's Journey Makes My Heart Jump: About Karol Woytyła, John Paul II – Sketches, Recollections, Poems")


Selected works on theatre

* ''Nowy teatr elżbietański'' (1967), "The New Elizabethan Theatre" * ''Polish Plays in English Translations - A Bibliography'' (1968) * ''Byron and the Theatre'' (1972) * ''Karola Wojtyły dramaturgia wnętrza'' (1989) * ''Mój przyjaciel Szekspir'' (2007) ("My friend Shakespeare")Taborski, Bolesław. (2007). ''Mój przyjaciel Szekspir ...'' ''Seria Jubileuszowa XX-lecia Konfraterni Poetów''. London: Oficyna Konfraterni Poetów,


References


Further reading

* Wojciech Ligęza and Jan Wolski Ed. (2003). ''Przez lustra: Pisarstwo Bolesława Taborskiego'' * Janusz Drzewucki. (1988). "Kontemplacja i kontestacja". ''Pismo Literacko-Artystyczne'', nr 4


External links

* Śmieja, Florian on Taborski and John Paul II's literary creativity, http://www.cultureave.com/w-polskiej-sekcji-bbc-boleslaw-taborski-przepracowal-34-lata-redagujac-magazyn-artystyczno-literacki-tlumaczac-angielskie-sztuki-i-sporzadzajac-sprawozdania-z-festiwali-artystycznych-byla-to-ciezka/ accessed 10 February 2018 * Laureaci Nagrody im. Stanisława Ignacego Witkiewicza, winners of the Witkacy Award: {{DEFAULTSORT:Taborski, Bolesław 1927 births 2010 deaths Warsaw Uprising insurgents Alumni of the University of Bristol Polish male poets 20th-century Polish poets 21st-century Polish poets People from Toruń 20th-century Polish writers Literary translators Polish translators Translators from Polish Polish–English translators Shakespearean scholars Polish male writers Acting theorists Polish theatre critics Polish anti-communists Polish emigrants to the United Kingdom BBC radio presenters BBC newsreaders and journalists BBC World Service people Polish radio journalists Polish prisoners in Nazi concentration camps People associated with the magazine "Kultura"