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

gynecologist Gynaecology or gynecology (see American and British English spelling differences) is the area of medicine concerned with conditions affecting the female reproductive system. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, which focuses on pre ...

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'' (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 and sex life in Poland.

Life

She was born to father Jan Tymoteusz Braun, a teacher and mother Anna (''née'' Żylińska) of the

Ciołek coat of arms Ciołek ( Polish for " bull calf") is a Polish coat of arms, one of the oldest in medieval Poland.Oleg Jardetzky: ''The Ciolek of Poland''. Graz/Austria: Akademische Druck-u. Verlagsanstalt, 1992, s. 244. . It was used by many ''szlachta'' (nobl ...

. 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 Academy Awards, 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'' (199 ...

, an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

-winning set decorator and costume designer. She was a co-founder of the Society of Sensible Maternity, in which she worked on infertility treatment and birth control. She was chief of first in Poland Dispensary of Sensible Maternity in Institute of Mother and Child in

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

. During the 1970s, she was chief of Cytodiagnostic Laboratory of Family Planning 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.

Commemorations

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

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta (, ) 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 alien (law), foreigners for outstanding achievements in ...

. The Park of Love in

Lubniewice Lubniewice () 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 since the establishment o ...

and the square in

Łódź Łódź is a city in central Poland and a former industrial centre. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is located south-west of Warsaw. Łódź has a population of 655,279, making it the country's List of cities and towns in Polan ...

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 an actual person or group of people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudrama films and histo ...

'' Sztuka kochania. Historia Michaliny Wisłockiej'' ("The Art of Loving: The Story of Michalina Wisłocka") directed by Maria Sadowska. Wisłocka was played by Magdalena Boczarska.

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 Polish women scientists Polish sexologists 20th-century Lutherans