Wladyslaw Bartoszewski
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Władysław Bartoszewski (b. February 19, 1922 in Warsaw, Poland), politician, social activist, journalist, and writer.
Member of the Polish resistance Armia Krajowa (codename Ludwik) during World War II, took part in the Warsaw Uprising, member of Zegota. In 1940-1941 prisoner of Auschwitz Concentration Camp. Imprisoned by the communist regime twice in 1946-1948 and 1949-1954, falsely accused of spying, rehabilitated in 1955. As journalist worked for Roman Catholic weekly Tygodnik Powszechny, headed Polish PEN-Club (1972-1982), tought modern history at Catholic University of Lublin, cooperated with Radio Free Europe. Imprisoned during the 1981 - 1983 martial law in Poland.
Served as ambassador of Republic of Poland in Austria (1990-1995), minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland in 1995 and 2000. From 1997 until 2001, Bartoszewski was a senator in Senat, the upper house of the Polish parliament. Since June 2001, he has been the chairman of an organization committed to preserving the memory of past victims of wars and persecution, the Rada Ochrony Pamieci Walk i Meczenstwa [1] (http://www.radaopwim.gov.pl/). He is also the chairman of the International Auschwitz Council [2] (http://www.auschwitz.org.pl/html/eng/muzeum/rada_muzeum.html).
Awards
During the years 1983-1990, he was guest lecturer in Munich, Eichstaett, and Augsburg. He has been granted many academic titles, including that of professor, which he was awarded in 1983 by the Bavarian government, as well as honorary doctorates in philosophy and humanities from four universities. In 1986, he was granted the Commander's Cross with a star of the Order of Polonia Restituta by the president of the Polish government in exile for his work in the field of Polish-Jewish relations. In 1995, he was awarded the Order of the White Eagle and in 2001 the Great Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Germany for his contribution towards the reconciliation of Germans, Poles, and Jews.
He was one of the first Poles to receive the Righteous Among the Nations medal in Jerusalem in 1963. In 1991, he was granted honorary Israeli citizenship.
Publications
- 1968 Warsaw Death Ring: 1939-1944, Interpres.
- 1969 Righteous Among Nations: How Poles Helped the Jews 1939-1945, ed. with Zofia Lewin, Earlscourt Pub, UK, ISBN 033342378X.
- 1970 The Samaritans: Heroes of the Holocaust, ed. with Zofia Lewin, Twayne Publishers, New York.
- 1988 The Warsaw Ghetto: A Christian's Testimony, Beacon Press, ISBN 0807056022.
- 1991 The Jews in Warsaw: A History, ed. with Antony Polonsky, Blackwell Publishing, ISBN 1557862133.
- 1991 The Convent at Auschwitz, George Braziller, ISBN 0807612677.
See also
Template:Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Polandpl:Władysław Bartoszewski de:Władysław Bartoszewski