Wanda Leopold (13 October 1920 – 8 October 1977) was a Polish author, medical doctor, and social science activist known for her study of English writings beginning in
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Maurit ...
, specifically
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
.
A translator as well as a literary critic, she stressed the artistic qualities of creative writing. She was a scholar of Polish culture, literature, and language. Her book, "O literaturze Czarnej Afryki," (On The Literature of Black Africa) was the first Polish introduction to
African literature
African literature is literature from Africa, either oral ("orature") or written in African and Afro-Asiatic languages. Examples of pre-colonial African literature can be traced back to at least the fourth century AD. The best-known is the ''Keb ...
that was written in both English, and
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
. Some of her first critical essays were on
Chinua Achebe,
Cyprian Ekwensi
Chief Cyprian Odiatu Duaka Ekwensi (26 September 1921 – 4 November 2007) was a Nigerian author of novels, short stories, and children's books.
Biography
Early life, education and family
Cyprian Odiatu Duaka Ekwensi, an Igbo, was born in ...
, and
Wole Soyinka
Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka (Yoruba: ''Akínwándé Olúwọlé Babátúndé Ṣóyíinká''; born 13 July 1934), known as Wole Soyinka (), is a Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist in the English language. He was awarded t ...
.
Early life
Wanda Leopold was the daughter of
George Ivanovski who was a minister and senator of the Second Republic. Her uncles were:
Wacław Ivanovsky -
Belarus
Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by R ...
ian social activist and politician,
Tadeusz Ivanovo (Tadas Ivanauskas) - Professor of Biology at the University of Vilnius, Kaunas and lawyer Stanislav Ivanovo. Her uncle was
Bronisław Ziemięcki - pre-war minister and mayor of
Lodz. In 1938, she graduated from high school and 'Jawurkówny Kowalczykówny' (i.e. School for Rural ). In 1938-1939, she studied law at
the University of Warsaw. While in school, she worked in the Association of Polish Democratic Youth, where she met her future husband,
Stanislaw Leopold. During the war from 1940–1944, she began studying at the Faculty of Polish, a secret of the University of Warsaw. She befriended the then
Tadeusz Borowski
Tadeusz Borowski (; 12 November 1922 – 3 July 1951) was a Polish writer and journalist. His wartime poetry and stories dealing with his experiences as a prisoner at Auschwitz are recognized as classics of Polish literature.
Early life
Borow ...
. She and Stanislaw went on to have one child, Joan (b. 1943 - d. 1945). During the
Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising ( pl, powstanie warszawskie; german: Warschauer Aufstand) was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance movement in World War II, Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. It occ ...
, her husband was killed commanding the first battalion on 28 August 1944. About a year later her daughter died. After returning to Warsaw, she met the painter, Kajetan Sosnowski. Later on, Leopold married
Kajetan Sosnowski
Kajetan Sosnowski (1913–1987) was a Polish abstract painter.
External linksTimeline of Life - Kajetan Sosnowski
Martin Martin may refer to:
Places
* Martin City (disambiguation)
* Martin County (disambiguation)
* Martin Township (disambiguation)
Antarctica
* Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land
* Port Martin, Adelie Land
* Point Martin, South Orkney Islands
Austral ...
- actor, director and poet (b. 1952).
Career
Leopold was a member of the research staff for the Center of Social and Cultural Problems of Contemporary Africa, at the
Polish Academy of Sciences
The Polish Academy of Sciences ( pl, Polska Akademia Nauk, PAN) is a Polish state-sponsored institution of higher learning. Headquartered in Warsaw, it is responsible for spearheading the development of science across the country by a society of ...
. Rather than most of the other scholars who were in her field, (linguists or anthropologists), she was a specialist in the history of literature and a literary critic. She specialized in the study of English writing, with a focus of West Africa (specifically Nigeria). Her first critical essays were focused on
Chinua Achebe,
Cyprian Ekwensi
Chief Cyprian Odiatu Duaka Ekwensi (26 September 1921 – 4 November 2007) was a Nigerian author of novels, short stories, and children's books.
Biography
Early life, education and family
Cyprian Odiatu Duaka Ekwensi, an Igbo, was born in ...
, and
Wole Soyinka
Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka (Yoruba: ''Akínwándé Olúwọlé Babátúndé Ṣóyíinká''; born 13 July 1934), known as Wole Soyinka (), is a Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist in the English language. He was awarded t ...
.
After losing her husband and daughter, she began working at the
Baltic Institute in Torun.
Later, she returned to
Warszaw and in 1946 she graduated from the Polish program at Warsaw University under the guidance of prof.
Julian Krzyzanowski and began an assistantship at the Polish philology at
the University of Breslau (1946-1948). Then, she later became an assistant in the Polish Department at Wrocław University.
After returning to Warsaw she worked at the Institute of Literary Research (1948-1952). She published literary critiques, in the "Forge" and "New Culture," as well as writing 'radio plays' for children. In the editorial "Forge" she met painter
Kajetan Sosnowski
Kajetan Sosnowski (1913–1987) was a Polish abstract painter.
External linksTimeline of Life - Kajetan Sosnowski
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 Army ...
.
Major publications
* ''O literaturze Czarnej Afryki'' ("On the literature of Black Africa")
Written in Warsaw in 1973, this text included a detailed survey that illustrated the many inter-relations between African and European literatures.
* ''Antologia poezji afrykańskiej'' ("Anthology of African Poetry")
This anthology of African poetry offered a selection of many African poets who wrote in English, French, Portuguese, and Swahili. A major topic of discussion was the issue of cultural identity among African writers. The polish translations were also praised for their high artistic quality.
* ''Myślę, że jestem ... O Stanisławie Jerzym Lecu''
* ''Jezyk i literatura Afryki Wschodniej'' ("Language and Literature of East Africa")
In this text she emphasized the importance of artistry in creative and imaginative writing. She also discussed Swahili literary traditions.
* ''Drogi i manowce afrykanskiej literatury. Z badan nad problemami kszaltowanie sie swiadomosci kulturowej w niepodlegych krajach Czarnej Afryki'' ("Roads and Erratic Pathways of African Literature. Studies on the Rise of Culture Consciousness in the Independent Countries of Black Africa").
* ''Kolonializm Niemiecki w Kamerunie i Jego Wspolczesne Oceny'' ("German Colonialism in Cameroon and its Present-Day Appraisal")
In this text, she discussed the little-known period of German colonization of Cameroon and indigenous opposition to German colonialism led by the Cameroon citizens who had studied in Europe. It also includes an analysis of the problems of colonial education and its consequences today.
* ''Chinua Achebe i narodziny powiesci nigeryjskiej'' ("Chinua Achebe & The Rise of the Nigerian Novel")
This text discussed
Chinua Achebe and some of his works.
* ''Wspolczesna powiesc nigeryjska--problemy kszaltowania sie nowej swiadomosci w pisarstwie Cypriana Ekwensi'' ("The Nigerian Social Novel: Problems in the Formation of a New Consciousness in
Cyprian Ekwensi
Chief Cyprian Odiatu Duaka Ekwensi (26 September 1921 – 4 November 2007) was a Nigerian author of novels, short stories, and children's books.
Biography
Early life, education and family
Cyprian Odiatu Duaka Ekwensi, an Igbo, was born in ...
's Writings")
* ''Nigeryjski dramaturg--o tworczosci dramatycznej
Wole Soyinka
Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka (Yoruba: ''Akínwándé Olúwọlé Babátúndé Ṣóyíinká''; born 13 July 1934), known as Wole Soyinka (), is a Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist in the English language. He was awarded t ...
'' ("The Nigerian playwright: On Wole Soyinka's Dramatic Writings")
Chart of contributors to African vernacular and literature
Known colleagues
*
Tadeusz Borowski
Tadeusz Borowski (; 12 November 1922 – 3 July 1951) was a Polish writer and journalist. His wartime poetry and stories dealing with his experiences as a prisoner at Auschwitz are recognized as classics of Polish literature.
Early life
Borow ...
was a known colleague of Leopold. They knew each other from 'wartime' classes.
They worked on editing and researching texts together while they maintained a close friendship.
* Albert S. Gerard
worked with Leopold on his published work, European-language Writing in Sub-Saharan Africa, before she passed away.
Activism
In 1943, Leopold was a cyclist and a departure liaison to the whole country in the 6th division of the AK (Information and Propaganda Bureau of Domestic Distribution).
Also, during the
Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising ( pl, powstanie warszawskie; german: Warschauer Aufstand) was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance movement in World War II, Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. It occ ...
, she fought and served as a liaison officer of the 6th division of the Home Army.
In February 1968, she participated in the meetings of the Warsaw branch of the
Polish Writers Union concerning a protest against censorship by the picture played at the Warsaw National Theatre. The presentation of "
Forefathers' Eve" directed by
Kazimierz Dejmek
Kazimierz Dejmek (17 May 1924 – 31 December 2002) was a Polish actor, theatre and film director, and politician. During his career he managed the New Theatre in Łódź (since 2008 named after him), the National Theatre, Warsaw, and the Teatr P ...
was concerned.
Later, in 1975 she was a signatory of the letter protesting against changes in the constitution of PRL ( Letter 59 ). Then, in 1976 she wrote a letter to the Parliament on the appointment of a commission to clarify the incidents of
Radom and Ursus, as well as working with
the Workers Defence Committee.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leopold, Wanda
1920 births
1977 deaths
Polish writers