An educator and novelist, he acted within the Polish resistance during the Nazi occupation to protect colleagues and children at risk, actions that later earned him the title of Righteous Among the Nations in 1982.
Early Life and Education
Born in 1903 in Zwierzyniec, Podlaskie Voivodeship, Igor Newerly originated from a mixed Czech-Russian family. His grandfather, Józef Newerly, held the title of Master of the Hunt at the court of Tsar Nicholas II. During his youth, Newerly suffered the loss of a leg. He pursued legal studies at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv but was forced to leave due to political pressure. After an arrest in Odessa, he moved illegally to Poland in 1924, later completing studies at the Free Polish University.
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Newerly built a career in pedagogy in Warsaw, beginning a long professional association with Janusz Korczak in 1926. Between 1932 and 1939, he worked for the publication Mały Przegląd. His efforts included shielding Jewish colleagues from the Nasz Przegląd daily, such as Kuba Hersztein, and transporting Lejzor Czarnobroda to safety after an escape attempt from a train headed to Treblinka. In 1943, the Gestapo arrested Newerly, leading to his incarceration at Pawiak prison and subsequent internment in the Majdanek, Auschwitz, Oranienburg, and Bergen Belsen concentration camps.
Literary and Screenwriting Career
Following the war, Newerly returned to his work in education and literature, becoming a member of the Polish Writers' Union. His literary output includes the novel Pamiątka z Celulozy, published in 1952, which served as the source material for the films Celuloza and Pod gwiazdą frygijską. His body of work encompasses several books such as Chłopiec z Salskich Stepów, Leśne morze, and Zostało z uczty bogów. He also contributed to cinema as a screenwriter, notably for the 1957 production Król Maciuś I.
Fast facts
- Born: 1903, Zwierzyniec, Podlaskie Voivodeship
- Died: 1987, Warsaw
- Languages: Polish, Russian
- Awards: Righteous Among the Nations (1982)
- Key Works: Pamiątka z Celulozy, Zostało z uczty bogów
- Burial Site: Powązki Military Cemetery
- Son: Jarosław Abramow-Newerly
Questions readers ask
What was Igor Newerly's connection to Janusz Korczak?
Newerly served as Korczak's secretary beginning in 1926 and assisted him at his orphanage during the Nazi occupation.
Where was Igor Newerly imprisoned during World War II?
He was held at Pawiak prison in Warsaw and subsequently moved through Majdanek, Auschwitz, Oranienburg, and Bergen Belsen.
Achievements
- Medal of the 10th Anniversary of People's Poland
- Order of the Banner of Work
- Righteous Among the Nations — 1982
- Commander of the Order of Polonia Restituta
- Worked as writer, journalist and screenwriter
- Educated at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and Free Polish University
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