Adam Wawrosz
Encyclopedia
Adam Wawrosz was a Polish poet, writer, and activist from the Zaolzie
region of Cieszyn Silesia
. He is considered the most important writer of the folk literature of Cieszyn Silesia.
He was born in the village of Końska (now part of Třinec
) to a tailor
's family as the youngest of nine children. His father died in World War I
and his mother was left with seven children. After the death of his father Wawrosz was raised in the village of Tyra
, where he also attended local Polish elementary school. Wawrosz later graduated from a course for tailors in Sucha Górna
, and from a course in puppetry
in Stare Troki.
After the outbreak of World War II
Wawrosz volunteered in the Polish Army and fought in the Independent Operational Group Polesie
of general Franciszek Kleeberg
in the battle of Kock
in October 1939. He was later jailed by Nazis and subsequently incarcerated in Gross-Born, Sachsenhausen
and Dachau concentration camps
. After World War II he worked in Třinec Iron and Steel Works
. Wawrosz was an active member of the Polish Cultural and Educational Union
and in 1958–1962 was an artistic director of its Puppet Theatre "Bajka".
Wawrosz wrote in literary Polish
and Cieszyn Silesian dialect
. Texts written in dialect form a backbone of his works. The ones written in literary Polish are mostly documentary in character, as some of them were written in concentration camps. The ones written in dialect focus on the life of ordinary people of Cieszyn Silesia, their life, culture and traditions. Wawrosz wrote poetry, prose and also plays for amateur theatres.
Wawrosz's poetry from the concentration camps can be seen for example in the poem Lato (Summer) from Niezapominajki (Forget-me-nots) poetry collection.
Zaolzie
Zaolzie is the Polish name for an area now in the Czech Republic which was disputed between interwar Poland and Czechoslovakia. The name means "lands beyond the Olza River"; it is also called Śląsk zaolziański, meaning "trans-Olza Silesia". Equivalent terms in other languages include Zaolší in...
region of Cieszyn Silesia
Cieszyn Silesia
Cieszyn Silesia or Těšín Silesia or Teschen Silesia is a historical region in south-eastern Silesia, centered around the towns of Cieszyn and Český Těšín and bisected by the Olza River. Since 1920 it has been divided between Poland and Czechoslovakia, and later the Czech Republic...
. He is considered the most important writer of the folk literature of Cieszyn Silesia.
He was born in the village of Końska (now part of Třinec
Trinec
Třinec is a town in Frýdek-Místek District, Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It lies on the Olza River, in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia. The town has 37,405 inhabitants as of 2009, in 2001 17.7% of the population were Poles...
) to a tailor
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
's family as the youngest of nine children. His father died in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and his mother was left with seven children. After the death of his father Wawrosz was raised in the village of Tyra
Tyra (Trinec)
is a village in Frýdek-Místek District, Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic. It was a separate municipality but became administratively a part of Třinec in 1980. Tyrka flows through the village. It has a population of 445 and lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia....
, where he also attended local Polish elementary school. Wawrosz later graduated from a course for tailors in Sucha Górna
Horní Suchá
is a village in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has 4,503 inhabitants , Poles form 23.2% of the population....
, and from a course in puppetry
Puppetry
Puppetry is a form of theatre or performance which involves the manipulation of puppets. It is very ancient, and is believed to have originated 30,000 years BC. Puppetry takes many forms but they all share the process of animating inanimate performing objects...
in Stare Troki.
After the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Wawrosz volunteered in the Polish Army and fought in the Independent Operational Group Polesie
Independent Operational Group Polesie
Independent Operational Group Polesie was one of the Polish Army Corps that defended Poland during the Invasion of Poland in 1939. It was created on 11 September 1939 and was commanded by general Franciszek Kleeberg...
of general Franciszek Kleeberg
Franciszek Kleeberg
Franciszek Kleeberg was a Polish general. He served in the Austro-Hungarian Army before joining the Polish Legions in World War I and later the Polish Army. During the German Invasion of Poland he commanded Independent Operational Group Polesie...
in the battle of Kock
Battle of Kock (1939)
The Battle of Kock, was the final battle in the Invasion of Poland at the beginning of World War II. It took place between 2–5 October 1939, near the town of Kock, in Poland....
in October 1939. He was later jailed by Nazis and subsequently incarcerated in Gross-Born, Sachsenhausen
Sachsenhausen concentration camp
Sachsenhausen or Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg was a Nazi concentration camp in Oranienburg, Germany, used primarily for political prisoners from 1936 to the end of the Third Reich in May, 1945. After World War II, when Oranienburg was in the Soviet Occupation Zone, the structure was used as an NKVD...
and Dachau concentration camps
Nazi concentration camps
Nazi Germany maintained concentration camps throughout the territories it controlled. The first Nazi concentration camps set up in Germany were greatly expanded after the Reichstag fire of 1933, and were intended to hold political prisoners and opponents of the regime...
. After World War II he worked in Třinec Iron and Steel Works
Trinec Iron and Steel Works
Třinec Iron and Steel Works is a producer of long rolled steel products in Třinec, Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic. TŽ produces over a third of all steel produced in the Czech Republic . Since its establishment, Třinecké železárny's plants have produced more than 150 million tons of...
. Wawrosz was an active member of the Polish Cultural and Educational Union
Polish Cultural and Educational Union
Polski Związek Kulturalno-Oświatowy is a Polish organization in the Czech Republic. It represents the Polish minority in the Czech Republic together with the Congress of Poles...
and in 1958–1962 was an artistic director of its Puppet Theatre "Bajka".
Wawrosz wrote in literary Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
and Cieszyn Silesian dialect
Cieszyn Silesian dialect
Cieszyn Silesian dialect is one of the Silesian dialects. It has its roots mainly in Polish and has also strong Czech and German influences and even Vlachs' and Slovak. It is spoken in Cieszyn Silesia, a region on both sides of the Polish-Czech border. It lacks some official codification and...
. Texts written in dialect form a backbone of his works. The ones written in literary Polish are mostly documentary in character, as some of them were written in concentration camps. The ones written in dialect focus on the life of ordinary people of Cieszyn Silesia, their life, culture and traditions. Wawrosz wrote poetry, prose and also plays for amateur theatres.
Wawrosz's poetry from the concentration camps can be seen for example in the poem Lato (Summer) from Niezapominajki (Forget-me-nots) poetry collection.
Works
- Niezapominajki (1954, 1968) - poetry collection
- Na śćmiywku (1959) - prose
- Z naszej nolepy (1969) - prose
- Z Adamowej dzichty (1977) - posthumous selection of his poetic and prosaic works