Zdzisław Najder
Zdzisław Najder (Polish pronunciation: [ˈʑd͡ʑiswaf ˈnajdɛr]; 31 October 1930 – 15 February 2021[1]) was a Polish literary historian, critic, and political activist.
He was primarily known for his studies on
Educated in Poland and England, Najder had worked as a professor in Poland and abroad before his exile from Poland in 1981. During most of that exile, he worked for Radio Free Europe. Sentenced to death in absentia in his native land, he did not return to Poland until the overthrow of its communist regime, whereupon he became an active political adviser.
Najder's 1983 biography of Conrad, substantially revised in 2007, is regarded as a definitive work in Conrad scholarship. He was married to the Polish-British literary translator, Halina Carroll-Najder.[2]
Life
Early life
Born in Warsaw, Poland, on 31 October 1930, Najder studied at
Najder taught at Warsaw University as a professor of literature,[4] co-edited the Polish monthly literary journal Twórczość (Creation), and was a member of the Polish Academy of Sciences' Institute for Literary Studies.[3]
Exile
When
The first citizen of the
Conrad scholarship
Najder's interest in Polish-born author Joseph Conrad long predates his exile; in 1998, Barry Langford for
In addition to other publications on Conrad, in 2007 Najder rewrote Joseph Conrad: A Chronicle, issued as Joseph Conrad: A Life (Camden House). The rewrite included substantial new content reflecting Najder's continued research into Conrad's biography.[9]
Repatriation
In 1989 Poland's communist government was voted out of power, and the Solidarity trade union's Tadeusz Mazowiecki was appointed Prime Minister.[11] Najder's conviction for treason and espionage was overturned.[12] Najder returned to his homeland, serving as a key adviser to Lech Wałęsa during his presidency (1990–95) and a senior adviser to Jan Olszewski during his term as prime minister (1991–92).[3][13]
In 1992 he became central to a controversy in Poland when
In addition to his political activities in Poland, Najder also returned to Polish academia, taking a University of Opole position as a professor of English literature.[3] In 2009 Najder was awarded by the Committee for French-German-Polish Cooperation (Weimar Triangle) - together with Ambassador Stéphane Hessel (France) and Countess Freya von Moltke (Germany) - with the Adam Mickiewicz Prize for merits in the French-German-Polish reconciliation. Laudatio: Professor Rita Suessmuth, former President of the German Bundestag.[17]
Select bibliography
- Najder, Zdzisław (1983). Joseph Conrad: A Chronicle. Smithmark Pub. ISBN 9780813509440. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- Najder, Zdzisław; ISBN 978-0-521-25082-5.
- Najder, Zdzisław (1997). Conrad in Perspective: Essays on Art and Fidelity. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-57321-4.
- Najder, Zdzisław (2007). Joseph Conrad: A Life. Camden House. ISBN 978-1-57113-347-2.
References
- ^ Nie żyje Zdzisław Najder, były dyrektor Radia Wolna Europa (in Polish)
- ^ Adamowicz-Pośpiech, Agnieszka (2017). "In Memoriam Halina Najder (1926-2017)". Yearbook of Conrad Studies. 12: 183–185. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Zdzislaw Najder". Hoover Institution Archives. Archived from the original on 15 September 2006. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ a b Casey, Andrew (25 September 1984). "Radio Liberty Gets a Feeling of Shackles on Its Freedom". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ a b "Polish Court Decrees Death For Radio Free Europe Aide". The New York Times. United Press International. 30 May 1983. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ a b c Said, Edward W. (11 December 1983). "The Remaking of a Writer". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ "Polish Court Sentences Pacifists". Record-Journal. 24 December 1985. p. 15. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ Langford, Barry (19 June 1998). "Ancient Views on the Mariner". Times Higher Education. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ a b Hand, Richard (5 October 2007). "Still Potent Force in the Art of Darkness". Times Higher Education. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ Engelberg, Stephen (28 November 1990). "Evolution in Europe: Will Poles Scuttle Economic Plan?". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ "US Reaction to a New Prime Minister in Poland". Making the History of 1989. Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media (CHNM) at George Mason University. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ a b Nival, Anne (22 March 1996). "Press Community in Solidarity With Banned Editor". Transitions Online. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ "Pact with Russia Angers Some Poles". The New York Times. 22 May 1992. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ a b Perlez, Jane (27 February 1996). "Warsaw Journal;Poland's Free Press Hero? Or Editor in Mischief?". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ Hundley, Tom (18 February 1996). "In 'Funny, Terrifying' Twist, Polish Journalists Defend the Unthinkable". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ Paweł Machcewicz, Andrzej Paczkowski - "Tajny agent". "Rzeczpospolita" nr 236 z 2005
- ^ Committee for French-German-Polish Cooperation