- Paweł Jasienica
Paweł Jasienica was the
pen-name of Leon Lech Beynar (November 10 ,1909 –August 19 ,1970 ), a Polish amateurhistorian ,journalist ,writer , andsoldier .Biography
He was born in
Simbirsk ,Russia , to Polish parents, Mikołaj and Helena Maliszewski. His father, worked as a Russianofficial . Jasienica and his family lived inRussia andUkraine , until theRussian Revolution of 1917 , after which the family returned toPoland in 1920. He graduated in history fromStefan Batory University inWilno .He a was soldier in the Polish army during
World War II , and fought in the Invasion of Poland when Poland was invaded byNazi Germany . After the fall of Poland, he joined the Polish underground forcesArmia Krajowa (AK) and continued the fight against the Germans.Following the war he a was member of
Wolność i Niezawisłość (WiN, "Freedom and Independence") and fought against theSoviet s and Polishcommunist s in the unit ofMajor Zygmunt Szendzielarz "("Łupaszka")", and was wounded.He took his pen-name from the name of the place where he had received treatment for his injuries. As a civilian, he worked as a journalist and writer, and became famous for his popular historical books about
Piast Poland ,Jagiellon Poland and thePolish-Lithuanian Commonwealth . He was known for condemningnationalism , and for his personal courage. There are numerous anecdotes about how he was commended for his out-spokeness by the censors. These acts led to his being labelled a political dissident, for which he suffered government persecution.Many of his books have been translated into the
English language byAlexander Jordan and published byAmerican Institute for Polish Culture .He is buried in
Warsaw 's,Powazki Cemetery .Bibliography
*"Polska Piastów" (1960) (ISBN 83-06-01092-2), translated as "Piast Poland" (ISBN 1-881284-00-X)
*"Polska Jagiellonów" (1963) (ISBN 83-06-01092-2), translated as "Jagiellonian Poland"
*"Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów" (1967-1972) ISBN 83-06-01093-0, three tomes:
**"The Commonwealth of Both Nations: The Silver Age" (ISBN 0870523945)
**"Calamity of the Realm: The Commonwealth of Both Nations II" (ISBN 1-881284-03-4)
**"A Tale of Agony: The Commonwealth of Both Nations III" (ISBN 1-881284-04-2)
*"Rozważania o wojnie domowej" (1978), (ISBN 83-08-01350-3), "Thought on Civil War" - theoretically about Civil War inFrance , Bretony
*"Pamiętnik" (1986) (ISBN 83-07-02336-X), translated as "Diary" - started shortly before his death, not finished.
*"Tylko o historii" (ISBN 83-07-02208-8)
*"Polska anarchia" (ISBN 83-08-01970-6)
*"Ostatnia z rodu"
*"Myśli o dawnej Polsce"Quotes
:"My home is not my castle. I am not master of my own drawer."
:"I once knew a man, former
Armia Krajowa "cichociemny ", who wrote a diary. (...) Last time I heard of him he was mining for coal in places not far away from theNorth Pole .":"A man is defenseless against privileges."
References
* "Jasienica i inni ",
Marian Brandys , (ISBN 83-207-1492-3)
* "Paweł Jasienica: Fragment biografii, wrzesien 1939-brygada Łupaszki 1945",Bernard Wiaderny , (ISBN B0000EBLEJ)
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