Photograph courtesy of Czesław Białczyński, retrieved from the website dedicated to the Author (accessed: September 28, 2020).
Stanisław Pagaczewski
, 1916 - 1984
Born and educated in Cracow. MA in Polish philology at the Jagiellonian University. Member of Polish Writers’ Union. During WW2 he was hiding from the Gestapo because of his involvement in underground education. After the war worked as a journalist and writer, mainly of books for children; also wrote poetry. An enthusiast of Polish mountains, he wrote several guidebooks and was an active member of the Polskie Towarzystwo Turystyczno-Krajoznawcze [Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society]. For his children’s books he was awarded the Order of the Smile – an international award given by children to adults for their pro-children activities. Among his books, the most popular is the trilogy about the adventures of the Wawel Dragon (Smok Wawelski) and his friends: Porwanie Baltazara Gąbki [Abduction of Baltazar Gąbka], 1965; Misja profesora Gąbki [Mission of Professor Gąbka], 1975, and Gąbka i latające talerze [Gąbka and Flying Saucers], 1979. The books refer to an important Polish legend about Prince Krak (the founder of Cracow) and the Wawel Dragon who lived in a cave at the foot of Wawel Hill and terrorized the city. One day a poor cobbler decided to defeat the monster. He stuffed a lamb with sulphur and placed it in front of the Dragon’s cave. The Dragon ate it and soon became thirsty so he went to the Vistula River and drank and drank until he exploded. The brave man married the Princess, and they lived happily ever after. Pagaczewski made Prince Krak and the Dragon the main characters of his books, changing the legend and presenting Krak and the Dragon as friends. The trilogy was translated into English, French, Hungarian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Slovak. The first and second volumes were made into an animated television show produced by Studio Filmów Rysunkowych Bielsko-Biała [Animated Film Studio in Bielsko-Biała].
Sources:
Website about Pagaczewski and his books (accessed: September 28, 2020).
"Stanisław Pagaczewski", in Lidia Becela, ed., Kto jest kim w Polsce 1984? Informator biograficzny, Warszawa: Interpress, 1984, 711.
Czesław Białczyński, Stanisław Pagaczewski (1916-1984) – autor Przygód Profesora Gąbki – Jego Kraków i Góry Harów, bialczynski.wordpress.com (accessed: September 28, 2020).
Bio prepared by Daria Pszenna, University of Warsaw, dariapszenna@student.uw.edu.pl
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