Witold Gombrowicz

Witold Gombrowicz was born in a small village near eastern border of Poland (actually Ukraine) in relatively rich, noble family. He studied law and french literature at Warsaw university in Poland, from 1926 to 1932. During his studing he was sort of bon-vivant strongly involved in cultural and social life of Warsaw establishment. After finishing his education, he was employed by Polish Ministry of International Affairs as a translator. There he met his best friend Wladyslaw Gierdoyc[?]. In 1935 he published several short novels. They were, however found strange and unpopular in Warsaw cultural establishment. His first success was a novel Ferdydurke which became famous because of strong critics by nationalistic part of Warsaw establishment. Several days before II World War[?] he bought a ticket for trial trip of very first polish transatlanitic ship called Stefan Batory. During this trip the Germany suddenly invided Poland. Stafan Batory's trip was finished in Buenos Aires,Argentina, where all civilian passengers of the trip were forced to take off. Many of them, including Gombrowicz had to stay in Argentina for longer due to the lack of money to come back to Poland. First, Gombrowicz was invited by Argentinian part of his friend (Giedroyc) family, to wait for the end of war in their estate, but after German invasion on France, it started to be obvious that war mayght take some time. Gombrowicz settled down in Buenos Aires for next 25 years. He was working as teacher of french language in a private secondary school. At the same time, he met his future wife Rita, who was a member of Buenos Aires artistic bohema. After II World War Gombrowicz as a son of rich land-owner could not come back to Poland ruled by communist government. His novels and dramas were on "black list" in Poland until late '70, however, they were published in Polish by his friend Witold Giedroyc, who established in '50 polish publishing house called Kultura[?] in Paris, [{France]]. Many books published by Kultura were then smuggled to Poland, so Gombrowicz works were well known in Poland. Giedroyc translated also Ferdydurke and Transatlantyk to french. In late '50 Transatlantyk was put on stage in Paris and the drama was found very interesting by many french theatre critics and Gombrowicz became relatively famous in France. In 1965 Gombrowicz left Argentina and settled down with his wife in Paris.

His works are famous because of the deep psychologism, a strong "smell" of absurd and paradox, and anti-nationalism.

His most famous novels and dramas:

• Ferdydurke (1937) - a novel
• Trans-Atlantyk (1953) - a drama
• Pornografia (1960) - a novel
• Historia (1962) - a drama
• Kosmos (1967) - a novel
• Pamietniki - written in 1939-1967, published in Poland in 1991.

Many of his novels and dramas has been translated into English, French, German, Spanish and Japanesse. The recent English translation of Ferdydurke (by Danuta Borchardt) is quite excellent, as is the curious translation of Trans-Atlantyk (Carolyn French chose to translate it into faux 17th century English).