Tadeusz Sulimirski
Encyclopedia
Tadeusz Sulimirski was a Polish-born historian
and archaeologist, who emigrated to the United Kingdom soon after the outbreak of World War II
in 1939. He is best known for his works on the ancient Sarmatians
.
He studied in Lwow University (now Lviv, Ukraine), where he received his doctorate for his work in prehistory
and anthropology
. He was a lecturer of prehistory in Lwow University from 1933 to 1936, and then became professor of prehistoric archaeology at the Jagiellonian University
in Kraków
.
With the outbreak of World War II
in 1939 he left Poland
and went into exile to the United Kingdom
, where in 1941 he became secretary general in the Ministry of Education of the Polish government in exile
. In that position he wrote a number of geopolitical propaganda articles calling for the expansion of Poland to the west through the annexation of German territory lying east of the Oder River, on the grounds that in early medieval times those territories had been part of the early Polish state.
From 1958 he was professor of Central
and Eastern Europe
an archaeology in the Institute of Archaeology
of the University of London
. He gave lectures and seminars in many European countries in 1952-1965, and in a number of United States
universities during a tour in 1968-1969. He continued to travel and lecture after retirement.
Professor Sulimirski died on June 20, 1983. He was survived by his wife, Olga Sulimirski; five children, Felicia Janiszewska (Boba), Maria Romanowska (Ninia), Witold Sulimirski, Charles Sulimirski (Karol), George Sulimirski (Jerzy); and 15 grandchildren, including Witold's children, Ela Sulimirski Landegger who lives in Canada, Adam Sulimirski in Florida, and
Edward Sulimirski who lives in England; Karol's children all live in the USA, Roger, Mark and Renata.
:
He contributed to many international journals and encyclopedic works, and also wrote a number of publications on central and eastern European prehistory, mainly in Polish:
During the Second World War, he published the geopolitical propaganda work Poland and Germany: Past and Future, (London and Edinburgh, West-Slavonic Bulletin, 1942)
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and archaeologist, who emigrated to the United Kingdom soon 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...
in 1939. He is best known for his works on the ancient Sarmatians
Sarmatians
The Iron Age Sarmatians were an Iranian people in Classical Antiquity, flourishing from about the 5th century BC to the 4th century AD....
.
He studied in Lwow University (now Lviv, Ukraine), where he received his doctorate for his work in prehistory
Prehistory
Prehistory is the span of time before recorded history. Prehistory can refer to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it refers to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing...
and anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
. He was a lecturer of prehistory in Lwow University from 1933 to 1936, and then became professor of prehistoric archaeology at the Jagiellonian University
Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University was established in 1364 by Casimir III the Great in Kazimierz . It is the oldest university in Poland, the second oldest university in Central Europe and one of the oldest universities in the world....
in Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
.
With 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...
in 1939 he left Poland
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...
and went into exile to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where in 1941 he became secretary general in the Ministry of Education of the Polish government in exile
Polish government in Exile
The Polish government-in-exile, formally known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile , was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which...
. In that position he wrote a number of geopolitical propaganda articles calling for the expansion of Poland to the west through the annexation of German territory lying east of the Oder River, on the grounds that in early medieval times those territories had been part of the early Polish state.
From 1958 he was professor of Central
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
and Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
an archaeology in the Institute of Archaeology
Institute of Archaeology
The UCL Institute of Archaeology is an academic department of the Social & Historical Sciences Faculty of University College London , England. It is one of the largest departments of archaeology in the world, with over 80 members of academic staff and 500 students...
of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. He gave lectures and seminars in many European countries in 1952-1965, and in a number of United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
universities during a tour in 1968-1969. He continued to travel and lecture after retirement.
Professor Sulimirski died on June 20, 1983. He was survived by his wife, Olga Sulimirski; five children, Felicia Janiszewska (Boba), Maria Romanowska (Ninia), Witold Sulimirski, Charles Sulimirski (Karol), George Sulimirski (Jerzy); and 15 grandchildren, including Witold's children, Ela Sulimirski Landegger who lives in Canada, Adam Sulimirski in Florida, and
Edward Sulimirski who lives in England; Karol's children all live in the USA, Roger, Mark and Renata.
Membership
- Society of Antiquaries in London
- Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and IrelandRoyal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and IrelandThe Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland is the world's longest established anthropological organization, with a global membership. Since 1843, it has been at the forefront of new developments in anthropology and new means of communicating them to a broad audience...
- Polskie Towarzystwo Archeologiczne i Numizmatyczne
- Prehistoric Society London-Cambridge
Publications
Tadeusz Sulimirski is best known for his seminal work on the SarmatiansSarmatians
The Iron Age Sarmatians were an Iranian people in Classical Antiquity, flourishing from about the 5th century BC to the 4th century AD....
:
- The Sarmatians (vol. 73 in series "Ancient People and Places") London: Thames & Hudson, 1970. (Also published in the USA by Praeger, and translated into Polish in 1979.)
He contributed to many international journals and encyclopedic works, and also wrote a number of publications on central and eastern European prehistory, mainly in Polish:
- Kultura wysocka, 1931,
- Polska przedhistoryczna, vol. 1 (1955), vol. 2 (1959) - on Prehistoric Poland
During the Second World War, he published the geopolitical propaganda work Poland and Germany: Past and Future, (London and Edinburgh, West-Slavonic Bulletin, 1942)