The recognition of Anna Iwaszkiewicz as Righteous Among the Nations in 1988 highlights her efforts to save Polish Jews during the German occupation. While she maintained a career as a writer and translator, her life spanned a complex period of Polish history, beginning with her birth in Brwinów in 1897 and concluding at her death in 1979.
Early Life and Education
Born to industrialist Stanisław Wilhelm Lilpop, Anna spent her formative years navigating personal upheavals after her mother, Jadwiga Stankiewicz, departed the family. Her upbringing was managed by her father and her aunt, Aniela Pilawitz. Between 1915 and 1918, she resided in the Russian Empire, spending time in Moscow and Kyiv. During this period, she attended the Moscow Polish University, where she cultivated an interest in theater, music, and the mastery of foreign languages including French, Russian, and Polish.
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In 1922, after ending a prior engagement to Prince Krzysztof Radziwiłł, she married the poet Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz. This union facilitated her entry into influential artistic circles. The couple had two daughters, Maria and Teresa. Despite facing personal struggles with depression, which she managed through her faith as a member of the Latin Church, she maintained a prolific literary output. She published essays on authors such as Marcel Proust, Joseph Conrad, and Thomas Mann, often utilizing the pseudonym Adam Podkowiński.
Wartime Actions and Literary Legacy
Her translation portfolio included works by Michel Butor, Alain-Fournier, Jules Verne, Thomas Marton, and Alfred North Whitehead. Her final publication, the 1978 book Nasze zwierzęta, preceded the posthumous release of her detailed journals and memoirs in 2000, which documented her experiences with figures like Karol Szymanowski.
Fast facts
- Born: 1897, Brwinów
- Died: 1979, Villa in Stawisko
- Citizenship: Poland
- Awards: Righteous Among the Nations (1988)
- Languages: French, Polish, Russian
- Religion: Latin Church
- Burial place: Cemetery in Brwinów
Questions readers ask
Was Anna Iwaszkiewicz recognized for her wartime actions?
Yes, she and her husband Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz were honored as Righteous Among the Nations in 1988 for hiding Jews at their home in Stawisko.
What were her primary literary contributions?
She was a translator of French and English literature and an author of essays and memoirs, including the 1978 book Nasze zwierzęta.
Achievements
- Righteous Among the Nations — 1988
- Worked as writer and translator
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