Zdzislaw Najder
Encyclopedia
Zdzisław Najder is a Polish literary historian, critic and political activist. He is primarily known as a pre-eminent scholar on the work of author Joseph Conrad
and for his positions as adviser to Lech Wałęsa
and Jan Olszewski
as well as for serving as chief of the Polish language section of Radio Free Europe
.
Educated in Poland and England, Najder had worked as a professor in Poland and abroad before his exile from Poland in 1981, during the majority of which he worked with Radio Free Europe. Sentenced to death in absentia in his native land, he did not return until the overthrow of its communist regime, whereupon he became an active political adviser.
Najder's 1983 biography of Conrad, substantially revised in 2007, is regarded as an important work in Conrad scholarship.
and served on staff for the Polish Academy of Sciences
' Institute for Literary Studies.
was declared on December 13, 1981, Najder was at Oxford University as a visiting scholar. Choosing not to return to his native land, Najder took a position in Germany with Radio Free Europe (RFE), becoming chief of its Polish language section in April 1982. In response, the Polish government under the leadership of Wojciech Jaruzelski
condemned him to death in absentia
, accusing Najder of spying for the United States intelligence services. Two years later, his Polish citizenship would be stripped.
The first citizen of the Eastern Bloc
recruited for such a role, Najder influenced the RFE to more sharply criticize Poland's communist regime
, launching a program that envisioned the country without communism: The Poland that Could Be. Najder remained with the post until 1987.
: "Exile, the strong affinity with French and British culture, the sense of Poland as a place lost to Russian power, the remorseless effort to keep working and writing in environments less than perfect – these things bind Mr. Najder to Conrad…." Said went on to laud the book, asserting that "It is correct, I think, to say that what we get in it is the first, almost rigidly antinomian portrait we have had of him, with the discrepancies and contradictions of fact, character and esthetic laid out starkly, the impossibilities of situation left unadorned, the inexplicable vagaries of career and temperament encouraged to speak for themselves more powerfully than ever before." The book became, according to Richard Hand
in THE, "instantly a key work in Conrad studies", while Najder himself earned renown as a pre-eminent Conrad scholar.
In addition to other publications on Conrad, in 2007 Najder rewrote of Joseph Conrad, a Chronicle, issued as Joseph Conrad, a Life (Camden House). The rewrite included substantial new content reflecting Najder's continued research into Conrad's biography.
's Tadeusz Mazowiecki
was appointed Prime Minister. Najder's conviction of espionage was overturned. Najder returned to his homeland, serving as a key adviser to Lech Wałęsa during his presidency (1990–1995) and a senior adviser to Jan Olszewski during his term as Prime Minister (1991–1992).
In 1992, he became central to a controversy in Poland when Jerzy Urban
published in left-wing Polish weekly tabloid magazine NIE
a document purported to have been written by Najder in 1958 claiming that he would cooperate with Communist secret police. Urban was accused and convicted of violating Poland's state secrets act. Najder denied ever having worked with the police, although he admitted that they had contacted him.
In addition to his political activities in Poland, Najder also returned to Polish academia, taking a position at the University of Opole
as a professor of English literature.
Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad was a Polish-born English novelist.Conrad is regarded as one of the great novelists in English, although he did not speak the language fluently until he was in his twenties...
and for his positions as adviser to Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa is a Polish politician, trade-union organizer, and human-rights activist. A charismatic leader, he co-founded Solidarity , the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and served as President of Poland between 1990 and 95.Wałęsa was an electrician...
and Jan Olszewski
Jan Olszewski
Jan Ferdynand Olszewski is a Polish lawyer and political figure. He is best known for serving as Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland from 1991 to 1992....
as well as for serving as chief of the Polish language section of Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is a broadcaster funded by the U.S. Congress that provides news, information, and analysis to countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East "where the free flow of information is either banned by government authorities or not fully developed"...
.
Educated in Poland and England, Najder had worked as a professor in Poland and abroad before his exile from Poland in 1981, during the majority of which he worked with Radio Free Europe. Sentenced to death in absentia in his native land, he did not return until the overthrow of its communist regime, whereupon he became an active political adviser.
Najder's 1983 biography of Conrad, substantially revised in 2007, is regarded as an important work in Conrad scholarship.
Early life and academic career
Born in Warsaw on October 31, 1930, Najder studied at Warsaw University (1949–1954) and Oxford University (1959–1969), earning doctoral degrees in philosophy and Polish literature. He added a second doctoral degree in Polish literature in Poland in 1978. Najder served at Warsaw University as a Professor of Literature, stood as coeditor of the Polish monthly literary journal TwórczośćTwórczość
Twórczość is a Polish monthly literary journal, first published in 1945. Since 1 April 2000, Twórczość has been published by the state-funded Book Institute ....
and served on staff for the Polish Academy of Sciences
Polish Academy of Sciences
The Polish Academy of Sciences, headquartered in Warsaw, is one of two Polish institutions having the nature of an academy of sciences.-History:...
' Institute for Literary Studies.
Exile
When martial law in PolandMartial law in Poland
Martial law in Poland refers to the period of time from December 13, 1981 to July 22, 1983, when the authoritarian government of the People's Republic of Poland drastically restricted normal life by introducing martial law in an attempt to crush political opposition to it. Thousands of opposition...
was declared on December 13, 1981, Najder was at Oxford University as a visiting scholar. Choosing not to return to his native land, Najder took a position in Germany with Radio Free Europe (RFE), becoming chief of its Polish language section in April 1982. In response, the Polish government under the leadership of Wojciech Jaruzelski
Wojciech Jaruzelski
Wojciech Witold Jaruzelski is a retired Polish military officer and Communist politician. He was the last Communist leader of Poland from 1981 to 1989, Prime Minister from 1981 to 1985 and the country's head of state from 1985 to 1990. He was also the last commander-in-chief of the Polish People's...
condemned him to death in absentia
In absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
, accusing Najder of spying for the United States intelligence services. Two years later, his Polish citizenship would be stripped.
The first citizen of the Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
recruited for such a role, Najder influenced the RFE to more sharply criticize Poland's communist regime
Polish communism
Polish communists can trace their origins to early 20th century, as is the case in nearby countries. The first significant Polish Marxist was Stanisław Brzozowski ....
, launching a program that envisioned the country without communism: The Poland that Could Be. Najder remained with the post until 1987.
Conrad scholarship
Najder's interest in Polish-born author Joseph Conrad long predates his exile; in 1998, Barry Langford for Times Higher Education (THE) described it as "four decades of biographical and critical research". In 1983, Najder published a definitive biography of Conrad, Joseph Conrad, A Chronicle (Smithmark), which drew comparisons of the two by literary critic Edward SaidEdward Said
Edward Wadie Saïd was a Palestinian-American literary theorist and advocate for Palestinian rights. He was University Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University and a founding figure in postcolonialism...
: "Exile, the strong affinity with French and British culture, the sense of Poland as a place lost to Russian power, the remorseless effort to keep working and writing in environments less than perfect – these things bind Mr. Najder to Conrad…." Said went on to laud the book, asserting that "It is correct, I think, to say that what we get in it is the first, almost rigidly antinomian portrait we have had of him, with the discrepancies and contradictions of fact, character and esthetic laid out starkly, the impossibilities of situation left unadorned, the inexplicable vagaries of career and temperament encouraged to speak for themselves more powerfully than ever before." The book became, according to Richard Hand
Richard Hand
Richard Anthony Hand , is an English classical guitarist.-Education:Hand was educated from 1972 to 1977 at Gresham's School, Holt , and the Royal Academy of Music, where he was an open scholar and won the Julian Bream Prize, the String Players' Award and the Recital Diploma.-Career:On graduating, he...
in THE, "instantly a key work in Conrad studies", while Najder himself earned renown as a pre-eminent Conrad scholar.
In addition to other publications on Conrad, in 2007 Najder rewrote of Joseph Conrad, a Chronicle, issued as Joseph Conrad, a Life (Camden House). The rewrite included substantial new content reflecting Najder's continued research into Conrad's biography.
Repatriation
In 1989, the communist government of Poland was voted out of power and Solidarity trade unionTrade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
's Tadeusz Mazowiecki
Tadeusz Mazowiecki
Tadeusz Mazowiecki is a Polish author, journalist, philanthropist and Christian-democratic politician, formerly one of the leaders of the Solidarity movement, and the first non-communist prime minister in Central and Eastern Europe after World War II.-Biography:Mazowiecki comes from a Polish...
was appointed Prime Minister. Najder's conviction of espionage was overturned. Najder returned to his homeland, serving as a key adviser to Lech Wałęsa during his presidency (1990–1995) and a senior adviser to Jan Olszewski during his term as Prime Minister (1991–1992).
In 1992, he became central to a controversy in Poland when Jerzy Urban
Jerzy Urban
Jerzy Urban , also known as: Jerzy Kibic, Jan Rem, Klakson born Jerzy Urbach, is a Jewish-Polish journalist, commentator, writer and politician, editor-in-chief of the weekly Nie and owner of the company which owns it, Urma.-Before 1989:Urban was born in Jewish family in Łódź. His father was an...
published in left-wing Polish weekly tabloid magazine NIE
NIE (weekly magazine)
NIE is a Polish weekly magazine published in Warsaw since 1990. Its political line is left. The newspaper is known to be very critical of right wing and religion, especially Catholicism. It publishes lot of satirical texts, containing very vulgar vocabulary. The editor-in-chief and owner of NIE is...
a document purported to have been written by Najder in 1958 claiming that he would cooperate with Communist secret police. Urban was accused and convicted of violating Poland's state secrets act. Najder denied ever having worked with the police, although he admitted that they had contacted him.
In addition to his political activities in Poland, Najder also returned to Polish academia, taking a position at the University of Opole
University of Opole
Opole University is a university in Opole. It was founded in 1994 from a merger of two other educational institutions.It has eight faculties:* Faculty of Philology;* Faculty of History and Pedagogy,* Faculty of Theology,...
as a professor of English literature.