Mieczysław Grydzewski (27 December 1894 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 ...

– 9 January 1970 in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

) was a Polish historian and journalist, founder and editor-in-chief of ''Wiadomości Literackie'' ('The Literary News') weekly. ''

Wiadomości ''Wiadomości'' (, ) is a Polish daily television news program that was produced by public-service broadcaster Telewizja Polska (TVP) and was broadcast on TVP1 from 18 November 1989 until 19 December 2023. The main edition was broadcast dail ...

'' was continued as a major

émigré An ''émigré'' () is a person who has emigrated, often with a connotation of political or social exile or self-exile. The word is the past participle of the French verb ''émigrer'' meaning "to emigrate". French Huguenots Many French Hugueno ...

journal during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and until 1981. During his life in Poland and abroad, Grydzewski published numerous books, journal articles, compendiums and other works, often anonymously or under assumed names. Grydzewski was born as Mieczysław Grützhändler into a

middle class The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. C ...

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

family. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he began to study law at the

University of Moscow Moscow State University (MSU), officially M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University,. is a public research university in Moscow, Russia. The university includes 15 research institutes, 43 faculties, more than 300 departments, and six branches. Al ...

. At the

University of Warsaw The University of Warsaw (, ) is a public university, public research university in Warsaw, Poland. Established on November 19, 1816, it is the largest institution of higher learning in the country, offering 37 different fields of study as well ...

, working under the direction of Marceli Handelsman, he obtained a doctorate of philosophical sciences. His 1922 dissertation was on the subject of French-Polish relations during the reign of

Stanisław August Poniatowski Stanisław II August (born Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski; 17 January 1732 – 12 February 1798), known also by his regnal Latin name Stanislaus II Augustus, and as Stanisław August Poniatowski (), was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuani ...

Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń or NCU (, UMK) is located in Toruń, Poland. It is named after Nicolaus Copernicus, who was born in Toruń in 1473. History The beginnings of higher education in Toruń The first institution of higher ...

. Grydzewski's biography at the Archive of Emigration (in Polish)
Archiwum Emigracji, Mieczysław Grydzewski
/ref> In 1920, during the

Polish–Soviet War The Polish–Soviet War (14 February 1919 – 18 March 1921) was fought primarily between the Second Polish Republic and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, following World War I and the Russian Revolution. After the collapse ...

, together with Jan Lechoń and

Julian Tuwim Julian Tuwim (13 September 1894 – 27 December 1953), known also under the pseudonym Oldlen as a lyricist, was a Jewish-Polish poet, born in Łódź, then part of the Russian Partition. He was educated in Łódź and in Warsaw where he studied ...

, Grydzewski reported for service at the Press Office of the Polish Supreme Command. From 1920, Grydzewski published and edited the ''

Skamander Skamander was a Polish group of experimental poetry, poets founded in 1918 by Julian Tuwim, Antoni Słonimski, Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, Kazimierz Wierzyński and Jan Lechoń. Initially unnamed, in December 1919 it adopted the name ''Skamander'' ...

'' monthly. In 1924, together with Antoni Borman, he founded ''Wiadomości Literackie'', the most important Polish literary weekly of the

interwar period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period, also known as the interbellum (), lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days) – from the end of World War I (WWI) to the beginning of World War II ( ...

. From 1926, it had a version for foreign readership, entitled ''La Pologne Litteraire''. In 1936, Grydzewski published the monthly ''Przyjaciel psa'' ('Friend of the dog'). At the outbreak of war in September 1939, Grydzewski fled Poland and arrived in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

; after France's capitulation he went to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, where he stayed for the rest of his life. In

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

Grydzewski started publishing ''Wiadomości Polskie, Polityczne i Literackie'' ('The Polish News, Political and Literary'); ''Wiadomości Polskie'' was continued in

. The periodical was restricted by the

Polish government-in-exile The Polish government-in-exile, officially known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in exile (), was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent Occupation ...

in September 1941 (for example, its distribution in the

Polish Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland (, ; abbreviated SZ RP), also called the Polish Armed Forces and popularly called in Poland (, roughly "the Polish Military"—abbreviated ''WP''), are the national Military, armed forces of the Poland, ...

was forbidden) because of the published criticism of the Sikorski–Mayski agreement, and closed down by the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

authorities (who withdrew its allowance of paper) in February 1944. In 1946, Grydzewski resumed the publication under the title ''Wiadomości'', which he continued with Borman until 1966.

. Grydzewski's biographical information at the Archive of Emigration (in Polish)
Archiwum Emigracji, Grydzewski - heurysta i erudyta
/ref> After 1957, Grydzewski established a contest and yearly prize for the best Polish book published outside of Poland and the best work printed in ''Wiadomości''. ''Wiadomości'' remained in print until 1981, under the editorship of Stefania Kossowska and the literary prize until 1990.

Publications

* ''Na 150-lecie rzezi Pragi (4 listopada 1794). O próbie rehabilitacji Suworowa'', London 1945 * ''150-lecie rzezi Pragi. Włochy: 2. Korpus'', 1945 * ''Silva rerum. Teksty z lat 1947–1969''. Gorzów Wielkopolski 1994 * ''Szkice''. Warsaw 1994

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grydzewski, Mieczyslaw 1894 births 1970 deaths 20th-century Polish historians Polish male non-fiction writers Polish newspaper editors Polish people of Jewish descent Polish emigrants to the United Kingdom