Czesław Centkiewicz
Encyclopedia
Czesław Jacek Centkiewicz (1904–1996) was a Polish
engineer, explorer, writer and journalist. He is best known for a number of books he authored (or co-authored with his wife Alina Centkiewicz) on history of exploration of polar areas and the daily life of Inuit peoples.
to Stanisław and Stanisława née Bresteczer. In 1924 he graduated from Saint Kazimierz Gymnasium and then the University of Liège
in Belgium. An engineer by trade, until World War II he worked at the State Meteorological Institute in Warsaw. With that institution he organised and led the first Polish expedition to the Bear Island in 1932. Soon afterwards he also published his first books: an account of saving the SS Chelyuskin's crew (1934) and a reportage on Anaruk, a young Eskimo boy (1937).
During World War II
he remained in Warsaw
and after the Warsaw Uprising
of 1944 he was arrested by the Germans and deported to the Neuengamme
concentration camp. After the war he became a director of a large power plant cluster in Lower Silesia (in Jelenia Góra
) and at the State Hydrological-Meteorological Institute. In 1950 he returned to Warsaw where he continued to promote the exploration of polar areas and published numerous books on that topic. During one of his lectures on polar exploration he "re-discovered" Jan Nagórski
, a Polish polar explorer who had been presumed dead since 1917. Most of his books were co-authored by his wife Alina. He died July 10, 1996 in Warsaw, and was buried at the Wólka Węglowa cemetery in Warsaw.
As many of his books were targeted at younger readers, in 1970 he received the Order of the Smile. He was also awarded with numerous state medals. His Anaruk, chłopiec z Grenlandii (Anaruk, a boy from Greenland) remains an obligatory book for children in Polish schools.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
engineer, explorer, writer and journalist. He is best known for a number of books he authored (or co-authored with his wife Alina Centkiewicz) on history of exploration of polar areas and the daily life of Inuit peoples.
Biography
Czesław Jacek Centkiewicz was born October 18, 1904 in WarsawWarsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
to Stanisław and Stanisława née Bresteczer. In 1924 he graduated from Saint Kazimierz Gymnasium and then the University of Liège
University of Liège
The University of Liège , in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium, is a major public university in the French Community of Belgium. Its official language is French.-History:...
in Belgium. An engineer by trade, until World War II he worked at the State Meteorological Institute in Warsaw. With that institution he organised and led the first Polish expedition to the Bear Island in 1932. Soon afterwards he also published his first books: an account of saving the SS Chelyuskin's crew (1934) and a reportage on Anaruk, a young Eskimo boy (1937).
During 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...
he remained in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
and after the Warsaw Uprising
Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance Home Army , to liberate Warsaw from Nazi Germany. The rebellion was timed to coincide with the Soviet Union's Red Army approaching the eastern suburbs of the city and the retreat of German forces...
of 1944 he was arrested by the Germans and deported to the Neuengamme
Neuengamme
The Neuengamme concentration camp, a Nazi concentration camp, was established in 1938 by the SS near the village of Neuengamme in Bergedorf district within the City of Hamburg, Germany. It was in operation from 1938 to 1945. By the end of the war, more than half of its estimated 106,000 prisoners...
concentration camp. After the war he became a director of a large power plant cluster in Lower Silesia (in Jelenia Góra
Jelenia Góra
----Jelenia Góra is a city in Lower Silesia, south-western Poland. The name of the city means "deer mountain" in Polish, Czech and German. It is close to the Krkonoše mountain range running along the Polish-Czech border – ski resorts such as Karpacz and Szklarska Poręba can be found...
) and at the State Hydrological-Meteorological Institute. In 1950 he returned to Warsaw where he continued to promote the exploration of polar areas and published numerous books on that topic. During one of his lectures on polar exploration he "re-discovered" Jan Nagórski
Jan Nagórski
Jan Nagórski , also known by his Russified name of Ivan Nagurski was a Polish engineer and pioneer of aviation, the first person to fly an airplane in the Arctic and the first aviator to perform a loop with a flying boat....
, a Polish polar explorer who had been presumed dead since 1917. Most of his books were co-authored by his wife Alina. He died July 10, 1996 in Warsaw, and was buried at the Wólka Węglowa cemetery in Warsaw.
As many of his books were targeted at younger readers, in 1970 he received the Order of the Smile. He was also awarded with numerous state medals. His Anaruk, chłopiec z Grenlandii (Anaruk, a boy from Greenland) remains an obligatory book for children in Polish schools.