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Stanislaw Baranczak, 68, Polish Underground Poet, Dies Stanislaw Baranczak, 68, Polish Underground Poet, Dies
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Stanislaw Baranczak, a Polish poet and essayist who defied state censors to write about living under Communist oppression and who later emigrated to the United States, where he taught at Harvard, wrote in English about living in exile and translated Polish masters into English and English masters into Polish, died on Dec. 26 at his home in Newton, Mass. He was 68.Stanislaw Baranczak, a Polish poet and essayist who defied state censors to write about living under Communist oppression and who later emigrated to the United States, where he taught at Harvard, wrote in English about living in exile and translated Polish masters into English and English masters into Polish, died on Dec. 26 at his home in Newton, Mass. He was 68.
He had Parkinson’s disease, but the immediate cause of death was pneumonia, according to Clare A. Cavanagh, a friend who collaborated with Mr. Baranczak on several translations.He had Parkinson’s disease, but the immediate cause of death was pneumonia, according to Clare A. Cavanagh, a friend who collaborated with Mr. Baranczak on several translations.
A writer who combined broad learning with sly incisiveness, Mr. Baranczak was widely considered a “dissident” poet for his subtly acerbic political poems and his activism. In the 1970s he was banned from publishing in Poland, though he continued to write for underground outlets, and his work became a samizdat pass-around.A writer who combined broad learning with sly incisiveness, Mr. Baranczak was widely considered a “dissident” poet for his subtly acerbic political poems and his activism. In the 1970s he was banned from publishing in Poland, though he continued to write for underground outlets, and his work became a samizdat pass-around.
He lost his university teaching job after helping to found the Workers Defense Committee in support of laborers who had been injured during or persecuted after the June 1976 riots in Warsaw, set off when the government raised the prices on many food staples.He lost his university teaching job after helping to found the Workers Defense Committee in support of laborers who had been injured during or persecuted after the June 1976 riots in Warsaw, set off when the government raised the prices on many food staples.
In 1982, shortly after he arrived in the United States, Mr. Baranczak discussed the dissident label in pointed fashion in a speech in Boston, describing a science fiction story by the Polish writer Stanislaw Lem about a society in which everyone lived under water.In 1982, shortly after he arrived in the United States, Mr. Baranczak discussed the dissident label in pointed fashion in a speech in Boston, describing a science fiction story by the Polish writer Stanislaw Lem about a society in which everyone lived under water.
“Bubbling sounds were the only acceptable means of communication, the official propaganda emphasized the advantages of being wet, and occasional breathing above water was considered almost a political offense — although everyone had to do it from time to time,” Mr. Baranczak wrote, adding: “I can’t help thinking of this short story every time I hear the word ‘dissident.’ Does someone who simply wants a breath of fresh air deserve to be called a dissident?”“Bubbling sounds were the only acceptable means of communication, the official propaganda emphasized the advantages of being wet, and occasional breathing above water was considered almost a political offense — although everyone had to do it from time to time,” Mr. Baranczak wrote, adding: “I can’t help thinking of this short story every time I hear the word ‘dissident.’ Does someone who simply wants a breath of fresh air deserve to be called a dissident?”
The Lem story provides the title for Mr. Baranczak’s best-known prose collection, “Breathing Under Water and Other East European Essays” (1990), which includes shrewd assessments of the Polish literary figures Witold Gombrowicz and Bruno Schulz; the theatrical writing of Karol Wojtyla (before he became Pope John Paul II); the autobiography of Lech Walesa, the leader of the Solidarity labor union who would later become president of Poland; and letters from prison by Vaclav Havel, the Czech dissident writer who was elected president of Czechoslovakia.The Lem story provides the title for Mr. Baranczak’s best-known prose collection, “Breathing Under Water and Other East European Essays” (1990), which includes shrewd assessments of the Polish literary figures Witold Gombrowicz and Bruno Schulz; the theatrical writing of Karol Wojtyla (before he became Pope John Paul II); the autobiography of Lech Walesa, the leader of the Solidarity labor union who would later become president of Poland; and letters from prison by Vaclav Havel, the Czech dissident writer who was elected president of Czechoslovakia.
It is a collection of “always intelligent, often sparkling essays,” Richard Bernstein wrote in The New York Times Book Review. “The subjects are diverse, but what draws them together thematically is their status as exemplars, as points of light in a landscape kept dark by the requirements of repression and conformity.”It is a collection of “always intelligent, often sparkling essays,” Richard Bernstein wrote in The New York Times Book Review. “The subjects are diverse, but what draws them together thematically is their status as exemplars, as points of light in a landscape kept dark by the requirements of repression and conformity.”
In another volume, “Selected Poems: The Weight of the Body” (1989), written in English, Mr. Baranczak ruefully addressed the sharp divide in the life of a writer in exile. The poem “Curriculum Vitae,” for example, declares, in part:In another volume, “Selected Poems: The Weight of the Body” (1989), written in English, Mr. Baranczak ruefully addressed the sharp divide in the life of a writer in exile. The poem “Curriculum Vitae,” for example, declares, in part:
My skills and accomplishments, unappreciated here:My skills and accomplishments, unappreciated here:
my East European expertise in how to remain silent while arrested ormy East European expertise in how to remain silent while arrested or
how to fool the censor,how to fool the censor,
my repeated championship of my housing project in standing in linemy repeated championship of my housing project in standing in line
Mr. Baranczak also wrote a book-length study of the Polish poet Zbigniew Herbert, and he translated the work of Polish writers into English, including, with Seamus Heaney, the 16th-century poet Jan Kochanowski, and, with Ms. Cavanagh, the 1996 Nobel laureate Wislawa Szymborska.Mr. Baranczak also wrote a book-length study of the Polish poet Zbigniew Herbert, and he translated the work of Polish writers into English, including, with Seamus Heaney, the 16th-century poet Jan Kochanowski, and, with Ms. Cavanagh, the 1996 Nobel laureate Wislawa Szymborska.
In the other direction, from English to Polish, he was singularly prolific, translating much of Shakespeare, the verse of Robert Herrick, John Donne, E.E. Cummings, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost and Philip Larkin, among other poets, and even light verse and song lyrics.In the other direction, from English to Polish, he was singularly prolific, translating much of Shakespeare, the verse of Robert Herrick, John Donne, E.E. Cummings, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost and Philip Larkin, among other poets, and even light verse and song lyrics.
“He translated everyone,” Ms. Cavanagh said in an interview on Friday. “The metaphysicals to Bob Dylan to Ogden Nash.”“He translated everyone,” Ms. Cavanagh said in an interview on Friday. “The metaphysicals to Bob Dylan to Ogden Nash.”
Born in the city of Poznan, Poland, on Nov. 13, 1946, Mr. Baranczak was raised by his mother, a dentist, after his parents separated when he was very young. He earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in philology at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan and was teaching there when his political activities cost him his job.Born in the city of Poznan, Poland, on Nov. 13, 1946, Mr. Baranczak was raised by his mother, a dentist, after his parents separated when he was very young. He earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in philology at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan and was teaching there when his political activities cost him his job.
He eventually regained his post as Solidarity gained political traction. By then Harvard had offered him a job in the department of Slavic languages and literatures, but he was unable to accept it for nearly three years because the Polish government denied him a visa. He arrived at Harvard in 1981 and remained on the faculty until Parkinson’s disease forced him to retire in the late 1990s. He eventually regained his post as Solidarity gained political traction. By then Harvard had offered him a job in the department of Slavic languages and literatures, but he was unable to accept it for nearly three years because the Polish government denied him a passport. He arrived at Harvard in 1981 and remained on the faculty until Parkinson’s disease forced him to retire in the late 1990s.
Mr. Baranczak is survived by his wife, the former Anna Brylka, who teaches Polish at Harvard; a sister, Malgorzata Musierowicz; a son, Michael; and a daughter, Anna.Mr. Baranczak is survived by his wife, the former Anna Brylka, who teaches Polish at Harvard; a sister, Malgorzata Musierowicz; a son, Michael; and a daughter, Anna.
“He paid a great price for his views, for his unwavering attitude,” Malgorzata Omilanowska, the Polish minister of culture and national heritage, said of Mr. Baranczak in an interview with The Associated Press after his death. “He dedicated his whole life to literature, to poetry. His work will always be an important part of Poland’s culture.”“He paid a great price for his views, for his unwavering attitude,” Malgorzata Omilanowska, the Polish minister of culture and national heritage, said of Mr. Baranczak in an interview with The Associated Press after his death. “He dedicated his whole life to literature, to poetry. His work will always be an important part of Poland’s culture.”