Michalina Anna Wisłocka (; née Braun; 1 July 1921 – 5 February 2005) was a

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

gynecologist Gynaecology or gynecology (see spelling differences) is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, forming the combined area ...

sexologist Sexology is the scientific study of human sexuality, including human sexual interests, behaviors, and functions. The term ''sexology'' does not generally refer to the non-scientific study of sexuality, such as social criticism. Sexologists app ...

, and author of ''

Sztuka kochania ''Sztuka kochania'' (Polish title; literally ''The Art of Loving'') published in English as ''A Practical Guide to Marital Bliss'') is a popular sex manual written by the pioneering Polish sexologist Michalina Wisłocka, first published in 1978. Th ...

'' (verbatim: ''The Art of Loving'', English edition ''A Practical Guide to Marital Bliss'', 1978), the first guide to sexual life in a communist country. Her book became a bestseller, with a total circulation of 7 million copies, and started greater openness about matters of

sex Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones (ova, oft ...

and

sex life In human sexuality, a sex life is a sector of a person's day-to-day existence which may involve sexual activity or represent the absence of sexual activity. In general parlance, the term can have many sub-meanings and social layers, but generally ...

in Poland.

Life

She was born to father Jan Tymoteusz Braun, a teacher and mother Anna (''née'' Żylińska) of the Ciołek coat of arms. She had two younger brothers: Andrzej (a writer) and Jan (a sumerologist). Her niece was

Ewa Braun Ewa Braun (born 2 August 1944) is a Polish Oscar winning set decorator, costume designer and production designer. She has been working in production design since the 1960s. Her most famous productions are ''Europa, Europa'' (1990) by Agnieszka Ho ...

, an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

-winning set decorator and costume designer. She was a co-founder of the Society of Sensible Maternity, in which she worked on

infertility Infertility is the inability of a person, animal or plant to reproduce by natural means. It is usually not the natural state of a healthy adult, except notably among certain eusocial species (mostly haplodiploid insects). It is the normal state ...

treatment and

birth control Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth contr ...

. She was chief of first in Poland Dispensary of Sensible Maternity in Institute of Mother and Child 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 the 1970s, she was chief of Cytodiagnostic Laboratory of

Family planning Family planning is the consideration of the number of children a person wishes to have, including the choice to have no children, and the age at which they wish to have them. Things that may play a role on family planning decisions include marita ...

Society. Wisłocka died in the Solski Hospital in Warsaw due to complications from a heart attack. On 11 February 2005, she was interred at the

Evangelical Cemetery of the Augsburg Confession in Warsaw ( pl, Cmentarz ewangelicko-augsburski w Warszawie), The Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery of the Augsburg Confession in Warsaw is a historic Lutheran Protestant cemetery located in the Wola district, western part of Warsaw, Poland. Details The Evange ...

Commemorations

On September 9, 1997, she was awarded the Knight's Cross of the

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta ( pl, Order Odrodzenia Polski, en, Order of Restored Poland) is a Polish state decoration, state Order (decoration), order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on al ...

. The Park of Love in

Lubniewice Lubniewice (german: Königswalde) is a small town in Sulęcin County, Lubusz Voivodeship, western Poland, with 2,059 inhabitants (2019). It is the administrative seat of Gmina Lubniewice. History Middle Ages The area formed part of Poland sinc ...

and the square in

Łódź Łódź, also rendered in English as Lodz, is a city in central Poland and a former industrial centre. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is located approximately south-west of Warsaw. The city's coat of arms is an example of canti ...

are dedicated to her memory.

Cultural depictions

Wisłocka's life is depicted in the 2017

biopic A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudra ...

'' Sztuka kochania. Historia Michaliny Wisłockiej'' ("The Art of Loving: The Story of Michalina Wisłocka") directed by

Maria Sadowska Maria Sadowska (born 27 June 1976 in Warsaw),Filmpolski.plMaria Sadowska also credited as Marysia SadowskaTopClub.plMarysia Sadowska or simply as Marysia, is a Polish pop singer, music producer, screenwriterRMF FMMarysia Sadowska and film direct ...

. Wisłocka was played by

Magdalena Boczarska Magdalena Jadwiga Boczarska (; born 12 December 1978) is a Polish actress who has appeared in more than 25 feature films since 2001. She has twice received the IFFI Best Actor Award (Female): Silver Peacock Award, at the 41st and the 44th Intern ...

Publications

* ''Technique of pregnancy prevention'' (1959) * ''Methods of preventing pregnancy'' (1976) * ''The Art of Love'' (1978), * ''Culture of Love'' (1980) * ''Kaleidoscope sex'' (1986), * ''The Art of Love: twenty years later'' (1988), * ''Art of Loving: vitamin "M"'' (1991), * ''Success in Love'' (1993), * ''Malinka, Pansy and Hansel'' (1998), * ''Love for life: memories of carefree'' (2002),

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wislocka, Michalina 1921 births 2005 deaths Polish obstetricians and gynaecologists Polish Lutherans Women sexologists 20th-century women scientists Polish sexologists 20th-century Lutherans

Life

Commemorations

Cultural depictions

Publications

See also

References