Jan Twardowski

This article is about the poet. See also Pan Twardowski.
Jan Twardowski, Warsaw (Poland), March 2000

Jan Jakub Twardowski (June 1, 1915 – January 18, 2006) was a Polish poet and Catholic priest. He was a chief Polish representative of contemporary religious lyrics. He wrote short, simple poems, humorous, which often included colloquialisms. He joined observations of nature with philosophical reflections.

Statue of Jan Twardowski by Wojciech Gryniewicz in Warsaw

Biography

Jan Twardowski was born on June 1, 1915 in Warsaw, Congress Poland. His parents were Jan Twardowski and Aniela Maria Konderska. Several weeks after his birth, due to the events of World War I, his family moved to Russia After 3 years, they returned to Warsaw. He finished middle school in 1935. In 1932 he began working with the youth newspaper "Kuźnia Młodych" ("Forge of the Young"). He had his own column there, for which he wrote poems, short stories, and interviewed various writers.

After middle school, he began studying literature at the Józef Piłsudski University (University of Warsaw). In 1937 he published his first book of poetry.

During World War II he took part in various operations organised by the Armia Krajowa and fought in the Warsaw Uprising.

After the war, he joined a seminary and began studying theology at the Warsaw University. He became a priest in 1948. In 1959 he became a provost of the Visitationist Church. His writings were published in a popular Polish Catholic magazine, Tygodnik Powszechny. He gained fame in 1960 after publishing his first poetry book, "Znak Ufności" ("The Sign of Trust"). In 1980 he received the PEN Club and Robert Graves lifetime achievement awards, and, in 1996, the Order Uśmiechu (The Order of the Smile). In 2000, Twardowski won the IKAR prize, and was rewarded with the TOTUS prize a year later.

Jan Twardowski died on January 18, 2006 in Warsaw. He was buried within the crypts of the Sanctuary of Divine Providence on the outskirts of the Polish capital, despite the fact that he wanted to be buried at the Powązki cemetery in Warsaw.

Works

A kneeler erected in the memory of Jan Twardowski, engraved with his last poem - Visitationist Church, Warsaw

Poetry:

Prose:

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Web pages titled "Jan Twardowski" (in English and Polish), at the Instytut Książki ("Books Institute") website , "Bibliography" sections, retrieved February 28, 2010

External links

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