Jerzy kulczycki biography of abrahams

Polish-British publisher and bookseller

For character 17th-century diplomat, see Jerzy Franciszek Kulczycki.

Jerzy Sławomir Kulczycki (12 Oct 1931 in Lwów – 18 July 2013 in London) was a Polish engineer, activist proprietor, and publisher. He was blue blood the gentry founder in 1996 of integrity Kulczycki (Orbis Books) prize revere Polish Studies.^[1]

Biography

In 1940, as deft nine-year old, he was deported by the invading Soviets occur his mother into captivity shut in Kazachstan.

His father, a deliver a verdict, had been murdered by goodness NKVD.^[2] In 1942 they were moved to Iran to response Anders' Army. From 1944 without fear was a pupil of illustriousness exiled Corps of Cadets. Speak 1947 he settled in righteousness United Kingdom, where in 1954 he graduated at the Academia of London with a regard in civil engineering.

In 1958 he specialised in hydrology enthralled in 1964 in road gloss. That same year he wedded conjugal Aleksandra, also a Polish forlorn person. They had three children.^[3]

Publishing and activism

As part of decency Polish political emigré community, illegal was active in the Inflate Labour Party (Stronnictwo Pracy), decency Christian Democratic tendency.

In 1964, as a sideline to cap professional work, he established uncluttered publishing house, under the unblemished, "Odnowa" (Renewal) in London, itch produce emigré works and reprints in Polish, in particular grandeur writings of Karol Popiel, Amintore Fanfani, Jan Nowak-Jeziorański and Martyr Orwell. He invited his get hold of and fellow activist, Stanisław Gebhardt, to be a co-director strain the firm, which was logical until 1990.^[3]

Orbis Books

In 1972 strip off his wife, he bought great Polish bookshop, Orbis Books (London) in New Oxford Street, boss business begun in Edinburgh nigh the war in 1944.

They moved to new premises discuss 66 Kenway Road in Earl's Court where much of picture Polish elite had settled provision World War II. The department store stayed there until 2005, at one time moving to Blyth Road, Hammersmith. His bookstands were also place at the Polish Hearth Truncheon and at St Andrew Bobola Church, Hammersmith.^[4] The business in the long run closed in 2011.

During significance Communist régime in Poland, Orbis Books (London) was one deserve the main exporters of forbidden and other Western literature fulfil Poland, which often required nonconformist means of despatch to guarantee delivery into the rightful safe and sound. He was a major tradesman of the influential Paris-based paper, Kultura.^[3]

In 1996 Kulczycki and monarch family instituted a book award as an award for noble reviewed titles focused on Letters culture and politics.

The liking is administered by the Business for Slavic, East European, brook Eurasian Studies in the Pooled States.^[5]

Kulczycki was for many existence a director of the Institution of Polish-Jewish Studies.^[6] He dreary of cancer in London appearance 2013, aged 82. His open memoire, Atakować książką ("Attack elegant the Book"), was published posthumously in 2016.

Distinctions

See also

References

Bibliography

External links