100 Notable alumni of
University of Warsaw
Updated:
The University of Warsaw is 21st in the world, 5th in Europe, and 1st in Poland by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 100 notable alumni from the University of Warsaw sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Frédéric Chopin
- Occupations
- musicianmusic educatorpedagoguevirtuosocomposer
- Biography
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Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period, who wrote primarily for solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown as a leading musician of his era, one whose "poetic genius was based on a professional technique that was without equal in his generation".
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David Ben-Gurion
- Occupations
- politiciantrade unionistzionist
- Biography
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David Ben-Gurion was the primary national founder and first prime minister of the State of Israel. As head of the Jewish Agency from 1935, and later president of the Jewish Agency Executive, he was the de facto leader of the Jewish community in Palestine, and largely led the movement for an independent Jewish state in Mandatory Palestine.
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Jarosław Kaczyński
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- 1967-1971 graduated with magister degree in jurisprudence
- Occupations
- politiciantrade unionistjuristactor
- Biography
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Jarosław Aleksander Kaczyński is a Polish politician. He co-founded the Law and Justice (PiS) party in 2001 with his twin brother and has served as its long-time leader since 2003. He served as Prime Minister of Poland from 2006 to 2007, and has twice held the post of Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, first from 2020 to 2022, and a second time from June to November 2023. He is considered to have been the eminence grise of Poland, when PiS formed the government in 2005–2007 and again in 2015–2023, with direct political influence over the prime ministers Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, Beata Szydło and Mateusz Morawiecki.
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Irena Sendler
- Occupations
- clinical nurse specialistresistance fighter
- Biography
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Irena Stanisława Sendler, also referred to as Irena Sendlerowa in Poland, nom de guerre Jolanta (15 February 1910 – 12 May 2008), was a Polish humanitarian, social worker, and nurse who served in the Polish Underground Resistance during World War II in German-occupied Warsaw. From October 1943 she was head of the children's section of Żegota, the Polish Council to Aid Jews (Polish: Rada Pomocy Żydom).
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Menachem Begin
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Menachem Begin was an Israeli politician, founder of both Herut and Likud and the sixth Prime Minister of Israel.
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Lech Kaczyński
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- 1967-1971 graduated with magister degree in jurisprudence
- Occupations
- legal scholarpoliticianlecturertrade unionistuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Lech Aleksander Kaczyński was a Polish politician who served as the city mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 2005, and as President of Poland from 2005 until his death in 2010. Before his tenure as president, he previously served as President of the Supreme Audit Office from 1992 to 1995 and later Minister of Justice and Public Prosecutor General in Jerzy Buzek's cabinet from 2000 until his dismissal in July 2001.
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Henryk Sienkiewicz
- Occupations
- screenwriternovelistshort story writerwriterjournalist
- Biography
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Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz, also known by the pseudonym Litwos ( Polish pronunciation: [ˈlitfɔs]), was a Polish epic writer. He is remembered for his historical novels, such as the Trilogy series and especially for his internationally known best-seller Quo Vadis (1896).
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Zygmunt Bauman
- Occupations
- sociologistopinion journalistuniversity teacherwriterphilosopher
- Biography
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Zygmunt Bauman was a Polish–British sociologist and philosopher. He was driven out of the Polish People's Republic during the 1968 Polish political crisis and forced to give up his Polish citizenship. He emigrated to Israel; three years later he moved to the United Kingdom. He resided in England from 1971, where he studied at the London School of Economics and became Professor of Sociology at the University of Leeds, later emeritus. Bauman was a social theorist, writing on issues as diverse as modernity and the Holocaust, postmodern consumerism and liquid modernity.
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Olga Tokarczuk
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- 1980-1985 studied clinical psychology
- Occupations
- psychologistscreenwriterlibrettistdonorwriter
- Biography
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Olga Nawoja Tokarczuk is a Polish writer, activist, and public intellectual. She is one of the most critically acclaimed and successful authors of her generation in Poland. In 2019, she was awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature as the first Polish female prose writer for "a narrative imagination that with encyclopedic passion represents the crossing of boundaries as a form of life". For her novel Flights, Tokarczuk was awarded the 2018 Man Booker International Prize. Her works include Primeval and Other Times, Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, and The Books of Jacob.
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Janusz Korwin-Mikke
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- In 1969 graduated with magister degree in philosophy
- Occupations
- bridge playerphilosopherYouTubernon-fiction writerjournalist
- Biography
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Janusz Ryszard Korwin-Mikke, also known by his initials JKM or simply as Korwin, is a Polish far-right politician, paleolibertarian and author. He was a member of the European Parliament from 2014 until 2018. He was the leader of the Congress of the New Right (KNP), which was formed in 2011 from Liberty and Lawfulness, which he led from its formation in 2009, and the Real Politics Union, which he led from 1990 to 1997 and from 1999 to 2003. He was the chairman of the party KORWiN until his resignation on 15 October 2022, and from 2019 to 2023 a member of the Sejm, elected from the electoral list of Confederation Liberty and Independence.
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Rafał Trzaskowski
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- In 1996 graduated with magister degree in English studies
- Occupations
- translatorpoliticianpolitical scientist
- Biography
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Rafał Kazimierz Trzaskowski is a Polish politician who has been serving as city mayor of Warsaw since 22 November 2018. He is also a political scientist specializing in European studies. He publicly supports European integration, the introduction of same-sex marriage, ecological transformation and a greater role for local governments in voivodeships.
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Agnieszka Osiecka
- Occupations
- poetsongwriterwriterjournalistlyricist
- Biography
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Agnieszka Osiecka was a Polish poet, writer, author of theatre and television screenplays, film director and journalist. She was a prominent Polish songwriter, having authored the lyrics to more than 2000 songs, and is considered an icon of Polish culture.
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Taco Hemingway
- Occupations
- rappersingersongwriter
- Biography
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Filip Tadeusz Szcześniak, better known by the stage name Taco Hemingway (earlier FV), is a Polish rapper, songwriter, and musician.
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Bronisław Komorowski
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- 1971-1977 graduated with magister degree in study of history
- Occupations
- politicianhistoriandissident
- Biography
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Bronisław Maria Komorowski is a Polish former politician and historian who served as the fifth president of Poland from 2010 to 2015. Komorowski previously served as Minister of Defence from 2000 to 2001. As Marshal of the Sejm, Komorowski exercised the powers and duties of acting president following the death of President Lech Kaczyński in a plane crash on 10 April 2010.
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Isaac Shamir
- Occupations
- diplomatpolitician
- Biography
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Yitzhak Shamir was an Israeli politician and the seventh prime minister of Israel, serving two terms (1983–1984, 1986–1992). Before the establishment of the State of Israel, Shamir was a leader of the Zionist militant group Lehi, also known as the Stern Gang.
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Antoni Macierewicz
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- 1966-1971 graduated with magister degree in study of history
- Occupations
- politiciantrade unionistdissidentopinion journalisthistorian
- Biography
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Antoni Macierewicz is a Polish politician and the former Minister of National Defence. He previously served as the Minister of Internal Affairs, Head of the Military Counterintelligence Service, and Minister of State in the Ministry of National Defence.
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Quebonafide
- Occupations
- rappersingersongwriter
- Biography
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Kuba Grabowski, better known by his stage names Quebonafide and Jakub Grabowski, is a Polish rapper, singer and songwriter. He is a member of the duos Yochimu and Taconafide, and the founder of the record label QueQuality. With over 350 thousand albums sold, he is one of Poland's best-selling rappers. His biggest success thus far – the Soma 0.5 mg album, recorded with the rapper Taco Hemingway – has sold more than 150 thousand copies. Also his solo album Egzotyka proved successful, selling over 150 thousand copies. His albums have repeatedly won the status of platinum, gold and diamond records. The rapper has authored such hits as 'Candy', 'Bubbletea' or 'Tamagotchi'. Five-time nominee for the Fryderyk award, with one victory for Soma 0,5 mg in the Hip-Hop Album of the Year category. In 2018, his album Egzotyka was nominated for Empik Bestseller award in the Polish Music category.
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Roman Dmowski
- Occupations
- writerpoliticiandiplomat
- Biography
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Roman Stanisław Dmowski Polish: [ˈrɔman staˈɲiswaf ˈdmɔfski] was a Polish politician, statesman, and co-founder and chief ideologue of the National Democracy (abbreviated "ND": in Polish, "Endecja") political movement. He saw the Germanization of Polish territories controlled by the German Empire as the major threat to Polish culture and therefore advocated a degree of accommodation with another power that had partitioned Poland, the Russian Empire. He favoured the re-establishment of Polish independence by nonviolent means and supported policies favourable to the Polish middle class. While in Paris during World War I, he was a prominent spokesman for Polish aspirations to the Allies through his Polish National Committee. He was an instrumental figure in the postwar restoration of Poland's independent existence. Throughout most of his life, he was the chief ideological opponent of the Polish military and political leader Józef Piłsudski and of the latter's vision of Poland as a multinational federation against German and Russian imperialism.
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Wojciech Cejrowski
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- Studied archaeology and sociology
- Occupations
- photographerjournalistexplorerwritersociologist
- Biography
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Wojciech Daniel Cejrowski is a Polish radio journalist, satirist, photographer, traveller, author of books and press publications, artistic director of the Discover World library, and member of The Explorers Club.
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Krzysztof Ibisz
- Occupations
- politicianjournalistactor
- Biography
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Krzysztof Ibisz is a Polish game show host and television personality. He was a member of Polish Beer-Lovers' Party and a Deputy in the Polish Sejm from 1991–93.
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Anna Mucha
- Occupations
- actor
- Biography
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Anna Maria Mucha is a Polish actress. She is best known to Western audiences as Danka Dresner in Steven Spielberg's 1993 film Schindler's List. In Poland, she is known for her regular role in the soap opera L for Love (2003–present).
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Ryszard Kapuściński
- Occupations
- writer
- Biography
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Ryszard Kapuściński was a Polish journalist, photographer, poet and author. He received many awards and was considered a candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Kapuściński's personal journals in book form attracted both controversy and admiration for blurring the conventions of reportage with the allegory and magical realism of literature. He was the Communist-era Polish Press Agency's only correspondent in Africa during decolonization, and also worked in South America and Asia. Between 1956 and 1981 he reported on 27 revolutions and coups, until he was fired because of his support for the pro-democracy Solidarity movement in his native country. He was celebrated by other practitioners of the genre. The acclaimed Italian reportage-writer Tiziano Terzani, Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez, and Chilean writer Luis Sepúlveda accorded him the title "Maestro".
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Witold Marian Gombrowicz
- Occupations
- short story writerplaywrightpoet lawyerdiaristwriter
- Biography
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Witold Marian Gombrowicz was a Polish writer and playwright. His works are characterised by deep psychological analysis, a certain sense of paradox and absurd, anti-nationalist flavor. In 1937, he published his first novel, Ferdydurke, which presented many of his usual themes: problems of immaturity and youth, creation of identity in interactions with others, and an ironic, critical examination of class roles in Polish society and culture.
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Julian Tuwim
- Occupations
- children's writertheatrical directorwriterplaywrighttranslator
- Biography
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Julian Tuwim, known also under the pseudonym Oldlen as a lyricist, was a Polish poet, born in Łódź, then part of the Russian Partition. He was educated in Łódź and in Warsaw where he studied law and philosophy at Warsaw University. After Poland's return to independence in 1918, Tuwim co-founded the Skamander group of experimental poets with Antoni Słonimski and Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz. He was a major figure in Polish literature, admired also for his contribution to children's literature. He was a recipient of the prestigious Golden Laurel of the Polish Academy of Literature in 1935.
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Kornel Morawiecki
- Occupations
- politicianuniversity teacherdissidentphysicisttrade unionist
- Biography
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Kornel Andrzej Morawiecki was a Polish politician, the founder and leader of Fighting Solidarity (Polish: Solidarność Walcząca), one of the splinters of the Solidarity movement in Poland during the 1980s. His academic background was that of a theoretical physicist. He was also a member of the 8th legislature of the Sejm, of which was also the Senior Marshal on 12 November 2015. His son Mateusz Morawiecki was the Prime Minister of Poland from 2017 to 2023, as well as a former chairman of Bank Zachodni WBK.
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Bolesław Prus
- Occupations
- short story writerprose writerwriternovelistjournalist
- Biography
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Aleksander Głowacki, better known by his pen name Bolesław Prus ( Polish: [bɔˈlεswaf ˈprus] ), was a Polish novelist, a leading figure in the history of Polish literature and philosophy, as well as a distinctive voice in world literature.
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Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska
- Occupations
- politicianfilm producer
- Biography
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Małgorzata Maria Kidawa-Błońska is a Polish politician, film producer, and sociologist currently serving as Marshal of the Senate. She was Marshal of the Sejm from 25 June 2015 to 11 November 2015 at the end of the Seventh term's composition of the lower house, after which being voted a Deputy Marshal of the Eighth and Ninth term, each time nominated by the opposition party Civic Platform, under the marshalcy of Marek Kuchciński and Elżbieta Witek, respectively. She is first to serve as the chairperson of both houses of the Polish Parliament.
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Barbara Nowacka
- Occupations
- politiciancomputer scientistprogrammer
- Biography
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Barbara Anna Nowacka is a Polish politician who has served as Minister of National Education since December 2023. In October 2015 she became leader of the United Left coalition for the 2015 Polish parliamentary election, bringing together Labour Union, Your Movement, the Democratic Left Alliance, the Greens, and the Polish Socialist Party. Nowacka is the daughter of the late Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Policy Izabela Jaruga-Nowacka. Since 2016 she has been the leader of the Polish Initiative.
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Irena Szewińska
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- Studied in 1970
- Occupations
- athletics competitorsports officialsprinter
- Biography
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Irena Szewińska was a Polish sprinter who was one of the world's foremost track athletes for nearly two decades, in multiple events. She won a total of seven Olympic medals including three golds. She is the only athlete in history, male or female, to have held the world record in the 100 m, the 200 m and the 400 m events. She was voted the Polish Sports Personality of the Year four times. In 2016, she was awarded Poland's highest decoration, the Order of the White Eagle.
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Adam Michnik
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- 1964-1968 studied study of history
- Occupations
- trade unionistjournalisthistoriandissidentwriter
- Biography
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Adam Michnik is a Polish historian, essayist, former dissident, public intellectual, as well as co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Polish newspaper, Gazeta Wyborcza.
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Krystyna Pawłowicz
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- In 1976 studied jurisprudence
- Occupations
- university teacherpoliticianjuristlawyer
- Biography
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Krystyna Pawłowicz is a Polish jurist and political figure. In the years 2007–2011, Pawłowicz was a Justice of the State Tribunal. She was a member of the Sejm (7th and 8th term) and was part of the National Council of the Judiciary. Pawłowicz is a judge of the Constitutional Tribunal since 5 December 2019. She has taught at the University of Warsaw and the School of Public Administration in Ostrołęka.
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Magdalena Ogórek
- Occupations
- non-fiction writerjournalistpresenterhistorian of Modern Ageuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Magdalena Agnieszka Ogórek is a Polish TV presenter and politician. In 2015 she was a presidential candidate of Democratic Left Alliance.
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Jan Karski
- Occupations
- writerteacherjurist
- Biography
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Jan Karski was a Polish soldier, resistance-fighter, and diplomat during World War II. He is known for having acted as a courier in 1940–1943 to the Polish government-in-exile and to Poland's Western Allies about the situation in German-occupied Poland. He reported about the state of Poland, its many competing resistance factions, and also about Germany's destruction of the Warsaw Ghetto and its operation of extermination camps on Polish soil that were murdering Jews, Poles, and others.
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Jan Żabiński
- Occupations
- physiologistzoologistethologist
- Biography
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Jan Żabiński and his wife Antonina Żabińska (née Erdman) (1908–1971) were a Polish couple from Warsaw, recognized by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations for their heroic rescue of Jews during the Holocaust in Poland. Jan Żabiński was a zoologist and zootechnician by profession, a scientist, and organizer and director of the renowned Warsaw Zoo before and during World War II. He became director of the Zoo before the outbreak of war but during the occupation of Poland also held a prestigious function of the Superintendent of the city's public parks in 1939–1945. A street in Warsaw is named after him.
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Mariusz Błaszczak
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- In 1995 graduated with magister degree in study of history
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Mariusz Błaszczak [ˈmarjuʂ ˈbwaʂt͡ʂak] is a Polish politician, historian, and local government representative. Błaszczak has served as Minister of National Defence of Poland from 2018 to 2023.
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Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński
- Occupations
- prose writerwriterrebeldraftspersonsoldier
- Biography
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Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński, was a Polish poet and Home Army soldier, one of the most well known of the Generation of Columbuses, the young generation of Polish poets, of whom several perished in the Warsaw Uprising and during the German occupation of Poland.
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Jan Olszewski
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- 1949-1953 graduated with magister degree in law
- Occupations
- politiciantrade unionistjuristlawyerwriter
- Biography
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Jan Ferdynand Olszewski was a Polish conservative lawyer and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Poland for five months between December 1991 and early June 1992 and later became a leading figure of the conservative Movement for the Reconstruction of Poland.
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Tadeusz Mazowiecki
- Occupations
- politiciantrade unionistwriterjournalist
- Biography
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Tadeusz Mazowiecki was a Polish author, journalist, philanthropist and politician, formerly one of the leaders of the Solidarity movement, and the first non-communist Polish prime minister since 1946, having held the post from 1989 to 1991.
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Władysław Bartoszewski
- Occupations
- non-fiction writerjournalistacademicuniversity teacherhistorian
- Biography
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Władysław Bartoszewski was a Polish politician, social activist, journalist, writer and historian. A former Auschwitz concentration camp prisoner, he was a World War II resistance fighter as part of the Polish underground and participated in the Warsaw Uprising. After the war he was persecuted and imprisoned by the communist Polish People's Republic due to his membership in the Home Army (Armia Krajowa, AK) and opposition activity.
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Jacek Kaczmarski
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- In 1980 studied Polish studies
- Occupations
- writersinger-songwritercomposerprose writerpoet
- Biography
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Jacek Marcin Kaczmarski ['jat͡sɛk kat͡ʂˈmarskʲi] was a Polish singer, songwriter, poet and author.
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Jan Brzechwa
- Occupations
- screenwriterlawyerpoet lawyerwritertranslator
- Biography
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Jan Brzechwa was a Polish poet, author and lawyer, known mostly for his contribution to children's literature. He was born Jan Wiktor Lesman to a Polish family of Jewish descent.
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Alicja Majewska
- Occupations
- singer
- Biography
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Alicja Majewska is a Polish singer. From 1971 to 1974, she was a member of the band Partita as vocalist. In 1975, she received the main award at the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole. She was also awarded a Grand Prix at the 1980 festival in Rostock, and was honored in Havana (1985). She received the "Gloria Artis" medal.
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Adam Bodnar
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- In 2000 graduated with magister degree in law
- Occupations
- legal scholarpoliticianhuman rights activistjuristlawyer
- Biography
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Adam Piotr Bodnar is a Polish lawyer, educator, human rights activist and politician who currently serves as Minister of Justice. He was the 7th Polish Ombudsman from 2015 until July 2021.
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Juliusz Machulski
- Occupations
- screenwriterfilm directorfilm produceractor
- Biography
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Juliusz Machulski is a Polish film director, screenwriter, producer and actor. Son of noted actor Jan Machulski, he became notable for his comedies ridiculing the life in communist-ruled Poland of the 1970s and 1980s. He is a member of the European Film Academy and the founder of the Zebra Film Studio. In 2014, he was awarded the Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.
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Tomasz Lis
- Occupations
- journalisttelevision presenter
- Biography
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Tomasz Rafał Lis [ˈtɔmaʂ ˈlis] is a Polish journalist and former TV anchor of “TVN Fakty” ("TVN Facts") and “Wydarzenia” ("Events").
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Zbigniew Herbert
- Occupations
- authorpoetessayistwriterplaywright
- Biography
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Zbigniew Herbert was a Polish poet, essayist, drama writer and moralist. He is one of the best known and the most translated post-war Polish writers. While he was first published in the 1950s (a volume titled Chord of Light was issued in 1956), soon after he voluntarily ceased submitting most of his works to official Polish government publications. He resumed publication in the 1980s, initially in the underground press. Since the 1960s, he has been nominated several times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. His books have been translated into 38 languages.
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Wojciech Młynarski
- Occupations
- singertheatrical directorcabaret performertranslatorfilm actor
- Biography
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Wojciech Młynarski was a Polish poet, singer, songwriter, translator and director. A well-known figure on the Polish musical scene, he was most famous for his ballads and what is known as sung poetry, as well as for his collaboration with numerous vocalists and cabarets. He wrote lyrics to more than 2,000 songs, a small fraction of which he sang himself. His songs received a total of 25 "Karolinkas", which are the main awards of the Polish Song Festival in Opole, the most important Polish song festival, occurring annually since 1963. He also composed music to some of his songs. He is considered an icon of Polish culture.
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Leszek Kołakowski
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- Graduated with doctorate
- Occupations
- philosopherhistorianpedagoguewriteruniversity teacher
- Biography
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Leszek Kołakowski was a Polish philosopher and historian of ideas. He is best known for his critical analyses of Marxist thought, such as in his three-volume history of Marxist philosophy Main Currents of Marxism (1976). In his later work, Kołakowski increasingly focused on religious questions. In his 1986 Jefferson Lecture, he asserted that "we learn history not in order to know how to behave or how to succeed, but to know who we are".
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Kaja Godek
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- Studied English studies
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Kaja Godek is a Polish ultra-conservative activist and leader of the foundation Życie i Rodzina ("life and family"). She proposed a law to ban the abortion of fetuses with birth defects or high probability thereof (Stop aborcji) in 2013 and a law to ban LGBT marches (Stop LGBT) in 2021.
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Kamila Skolimowska
- Occupations
- hammer throwerathletics competitor
- Biography
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Kamila Skolimowska was a Polish hammer thrower. She is best known for her gold medal in the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics, which made her the youngest Olympic hammer champion, as well as for her two medals from the European Championships. Her personal best throw, and former Polish record, was 76.83 metres, achieved in May 2007 in Doha. She died on 18 February 2009 in Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal at the Polish national team training camp.
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Adrian Zandberg
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- In 2002 graduated with magister degree in study of history
- Occupations
- politicianhistoriancomputer scientistuniversity teacherchild actor
- Biography
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Adrian Tadeusz Zandberg [ˈadrian ˈzandbɛrk] is a Polish historian, computer programmer, doctor of humanities, and left-wing politician serving as a member of the Sejm for Warsaw I. He is one of the co-leaders of Partia Razem.
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Krzysztof Zanussi
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- In 1959 studied physics
- Occupations
- screenwriterwriterfilm directorfilm producer
- Biography
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Krzysztof Pius Zanussi is a Polish film and theatre director, producer and screenwriter. He is a professor of European film at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland where he conducts a summer workshop. He is also a professor at the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School of the University of Silesia in Katowice.
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Jacek Kuroń
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- 1955-1964 graduated with magister degree in study of history
- Occupations
- opinion journalistpoliticianwriterhistoriantrade unionist
- Biography
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Jacek Jan Kuroń was one of the democratic leaders of opposition in the People's Republic of Poland. He was widely known as the "godfather of the Polish opposition," not unlike Václav Havel in Czechoslovakia. Kuroń was a prominent Polish social and political figure known for his efforts at reforming societies under the control of the Soviet Union. As an educator and historian, he first postulated the concept of a de-centered movement that would question the totalitarian system and its personality cult. Kuroń started out as an activist of the Polish Scouting Association trying to educate young people that would take charge of the future; he later co-founded with Antoni Macierewicz the Workers' Defence Committee or KOR, a major dissident organization that was superseded by Solidarity in August 1980. After the changes in independent Poland, he ran for president supported by the likes of Jan Karski and served twice as Minister of Labour and Social Policy. Kuroń was the father of chef Maciej Kuroń.
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Włodzimierz Czarzasty
- Occupations
- businesspersonpoliticianpublisher
- Biography
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Włodzimierz Czarzasty is a Polish politician who serves as the co-chairperson of the New Left party (Nowa Lewica). He has been serving as a Deputy Marshal of the Sejm since 12 November 2019.
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Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- 1968-1972 graduated with magister degree in jurisprudence
- Occupations
- university teacherpoliticiandiplomatjuristfarmer
- Biography
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Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz is a Polish politician who served as Prime Minister of Poland for a year from 7 February 1996 to 31 October 1997, after being defeated in the Parliamentary elections by the Solidarity Electoral Action (AWS). He was born in Warsaw.
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Jacek Sasin
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Jacek Robert Sasin is a Polish politician and former local government official.
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Anna Grodzka
- Occupations
- politicianactivist
- Biography
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Anna Grodzka is a Polish politician. A trans woman, she was elected to the Sejm in the 2011 Polish parliamentary elections as a candidate for the left-liberal Palikot's Movement, and was the first openly transgender Member of Parliament in Poland, and the third openly transgender member of a national parliament worldwide, after Georgina Beyer (in office 1999–2005) and Vladimir Luxuria (2006–2008). She was believed to be the only remaining transgender member of parliament until Nikki Sinclaire (in office 2009–2015) outed herself in November 2013.
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Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- In 1975 graduated with magister degree in law
- Occupations
- economistbankeruniversity teacherpoliticianjurist
- Biography
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Hanna Beata Gronkiewicz-Waltz is a Polish politician and lawyer, Professor of Jurisprudence and politician who served as the city mayor of Warsaw between 2006 and 2018. She is the first and so far only woman to have held this position.
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Alfred Tarski
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- Studied in 1918-1924
- Occupations
- mathematicianphilosopher
- Biography
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Alfred Tarski was a Polish-American logician and mathematician. A prolific author best known for his work on model theory, metamathematics, and algebraic logic, he also contributed to abstract algebra, topology, geometry, measure theory, mathematical logic, set theory, and analytic philosophy.
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Joseph Rotblat
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- In 1938 graduated with doctorate in physics
- Occupations
- physicist
- Biography
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Sir Joseph Rotblat KCMG CBE FRS was a Polish and British physicist. During World War II he worked on Tube Alloys and the Manhattan Project, but left the Los Alamos Laboratory on grounds of conscience after it became clear to him in 1944 that Germany had ceased development of an atomic bomb.
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Hanna Lis
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
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Hanna Lis, née Kedaj is a Polish TV journalist.
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Katarzyna Pakosińska
- Occupations
- actorfilm actor
- Biography
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Katarzyna Pakosińska is a Polish actress, comedian and former member of Polish cabaret group Kabaret Moralnego Niepokoju.
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Janusz Palikot
- Occupations
- businesspersonpolitician
- Biography
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Janusz Marian Palikot is a Polish politician, activist and businessman. Palikot studied philosophy and became wealthy as a businessman who dealt with crates and distilled beverages. He was elected to Sejm on 25 September 2005 in the 6 Lublin district, running on the Civic Platform list, and was re-elected in 2007.
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Max Kolonko
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
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Max Kolonko is a Polish-American journalist. He won the Kisiel Prize for journalism in 2015.
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Stanisław Wojciechowski
- Occupations
- mathematicianpolitician
- Biography
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Stanisław Wojciechowski was a Polish politician and scholar who served as President of Poland between 1922 and 1926, during the Second Polish Republic.
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Piotr Gliński
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- 1973-1978 graduated with magister degree in economics
- Occupations
- ecologistsociologistuniversity teacherpoliticianpedagogue
- Biography
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Piotr Tadeusz Gliński is a Polish sociologist, professor, university lecturer and politician. He served as president of the Polish Sociological Association from 2005 to 2011. He was the nominee of Law and Justice for Prime Minister of Poland in 2012 and again in 2014. In the cabinet of Beata Szydło, he served as the First Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. He continues to serve in his Ministry in the government of Mateusz Morawiecki.
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Hubert Urbański
- Occupations
- journalistfilm actoractor
- Biography
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Hubert Kirił Urbański is a Polish actor, journalist and presenter of Warner Bros. Discovery's TVN of Bulgarian origin.
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Bronisław Geremek
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- In 1954 graduated with magister degree in study of history
- Occupations
- politiciantrade unionisthistorian of Modern Agemedievalistwriter
- Biography
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Bronisław Geremek was a Polish social historian and politician. He was an opposition activist in the Polish People's Republic and participated in the Polish Round Table Agreement.
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Halina Frąckowiak
- Occupations
- composersinger
- Biography
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Halina Maria Frąckowiak is a Polish pop and rock singer, composer and author. She is a Legend in Poland. She rose to fame during Poland's 1970s funk scene. In 1974 she released her first album "Ide" on Warner Music / WMI. After wards she released albums such as "Geira" in 1977 which reflected the atmosphere and style of Poland.
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Zygmunt Krasiński
- Occupations
- philosopherwriterplaywrightpoet
- Biography
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Count Napoleon Stanisław Adam Feliks Zygmunt Krasiński was a Polish poet traditionally ranked after Adam Mickiewicz and Juliusz Słowacki as one of Poland's Three Bards – the Romantic poets who influenced national consciousness in the period of Partitions of Poland.
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Piotr Ikonowicz
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- 1975-1980 graduated with magister degree in jurisprudence
- Occupations
- translatoropinion journalistvolunteerpoliticianjournalist
- Biography
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Piotr Igor Ikonowicz [ˈpiɔt iɡɔr ˈikɔnɔvit͡sz], born on May 14, 1956, in Pruszków near Warsaw) is a Polish politician.
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Sławomir Petelicki
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Brigadier General Sławomir Petelicki was the first commander of the Polish special forces unit GROM from July 13, 1990, until December 19, 1995. Later, he was the head of the Foundation of Former GROM Soldiers.
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Joanna Jabłczyńska
- Occupations
- legal counselorvoice actorsingeractor
- Biography
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Joanna Natalia Jabłczyńska is a Polish actress and singer. Joanna is singer, lawyer, legal advisor, ambassador of many charity actions (especially for children), initially a presenter of youth programs.
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Monika Jaruzelska
- Occupations
- politicianjournalistfashion designerYouTuberwriter
- Biography
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Monika Anna Jaruzelska is a Polish journalist. She is the daughter of former Polish President Wojciech Jaruzelski and his wife Barbara Jaruzelska.
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Grzegorz Miecugow
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
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Grzegorz Miecugow was a Polish media personality of Armenian-Georgian descent. He had an extensive career as a journalist, newscaster, editor, and columnist.
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Agata Passent
- Occupations
- journalistGermanist
- Biography
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Agata Maria Passent is a Polish journalist and writer.
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Małgorzata Gersdorf
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- In 1975 graduated with magister degree in law
- Occupations
- university teacherlegal scholarjuristjudge
- Biography
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Małgorzata Maria Gersdorf is a Polish lawyer and judge who served as the First President of the Supreme Court of Poland. She was appointed in 2014 and her six-year term ended on 30 April, 2020.
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Daniel Passent
- Occupations
- translatoropinion journalistwriterdiplomatjournalist
- Biography
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Daniel Passent was a Polish journalist and writer. He was the author of the En passant blog, which was appearing as a column in a Polish weekly Polityka.
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Hilary Koprowski
- Occupations
- virologistimmunologistphysician
- Biography
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Hilary Koprowski was a Polish virologist and immunologist active in the United States who demonstrated the world's first effective live polio vaccine. He authored or co-authored over 875 scientific papers and co-edited several scientific journals.
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Stefan Michnik
- Occupations
- judgelibrarianlawyer
- Biography
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Stefan Michnik was a military judge of the Soviet-dominated regime in post-World War II Poland, and a captain in the communist Polish People's Army. He was involved in the politically-motivated arrest, trial, imprisonment and/or execution of a number of Polish anti-communist fighters and activists. Many of those persecuted by Michnik also fought against Nazi Germany during World War II, as members of the Polish resistance.
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Małgosia Bela
- Occupations
- modelactor
- Biography
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Małgosia Bela is a Polish fashion model and actress. She made her debut as a runway model for Comme des Garçons, Givenchy, and Balenciaga in 1998, and appeared in various photoshoots for Vogue. In 2004, she made her film debut in the Polish film Ono, and in 2018 appeared in Luca Guadagnino's remake of Suspiria.
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Edward Stachura
- Occupations
- writertranslatorsinger-songwriterpoet
- Biography
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Edward Stachura [ˈɛdvard sta'xura] was a Polish poet, writer and translator. He rose to prominence in the 1960s, receiving prizes for both poetry and prose. His literary output includes four volumes of poetry, three collections of short stories, two novels, a book of essays, and the final work, Fabula rasa, which is difficult to classify. In addition to writing, Stachura translated literature from Spanish and French, most notably works of Jorge Luis Borges, Gaston Miron and Michel Deguy. He also wrote songs, and occasionally performed them. He died by suicide at the age of forty-one.
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Dorota Wellman
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
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Dorota Wellman is a Polish journalist, television and radio personality and television producer. She graduated in Polish studies and Art history from University of Warsaw. Wellman debuted in 1980s in Solidarity Radio and later in Radio Eska. Since 2006 she is known for presenting TV programme Dzień Dobry TVN.
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Maciej Wąsik
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- In 1994 studied archaeology
- Occupations
- politicianarchaeologistofficial
- Biography
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Maciej Roman Wąsik is a Polish politician who served as Secretary of State of the Ministry of Interior and Administration from 2019 to 2023, under Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
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Jeremi Przybora
- Occupations
- screenwriterlyricistdirector of radio dramadirectorpresenter
- Biography
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Jeremi Przybora was a Polish poet, writer, actor and singer. He created the TV-series "Kabaret Starszych Panów" (Elderly Gentlemen's Cabaret) with Jerzy Wasowski and performed ballads and sung poetry, a popular music genre in Poland.
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Anna Wendzikowska
- Occupations
- journalistfilm actoractor
- Biography
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Anna Danuta Wendzikowska is a Polish actress, journalist and television presenter. She was a correspondent of Dzień Dobry TVN from 2007–2022.
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Bogusław Wołoszański
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- 1967-1971 graduated with magister degree in jurisprudence
- Occupations
- journalisthistorian
- Biography
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Bogusław Wołoszański is a Polish journalist, author, populariser of history, and politician. He is well known as the author of historical books and the originator and creator of the TVP1 television program "Sensations of the 20th Century." Wołoszański serves as MP for the 10th Sejm.
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Wanda Wasilewska
- Occupations
- screenwriterpoliticianwriterplaywrightediting staff
- Biography
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Wanda Wasilewska, also known by her Russian name Vanda Lvovna Vasilevskaya (Russian: Ва́нда Льво́вна Василе́вская) (21 January 1905 – 29 July 1964), was a Polish and Soviet novelist and journalist and a left-wing political activist.
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Anna Maria Żukowska
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- Graduated with master's degree in legal science
- Graduated with bachelor's degree in English studies
- Occupations
- juristpolitician
- Biography
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Anna Maria Żukowska is a Polish politician and jurist. Since 2019, she has been a member of the Sejm. She is a member of the New Left party and leader of The Left parliamentary group.
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Rafał A. Ziemkiewicz
- Occupations
- opinion journalistwriterscience fiction writerjournalist
- Biography
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Rafał Aleksander Ziemkiewicz is a Polish political and science fiction author and right-wing publicist. Winner of the Janusz A. Zajdel Award (1995, 1998 in novels category and 1996 for short stories).
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Gustaw Herling-Grudziński
- Occupations
- writerliterary criticpoetjournalist
- Biography
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Gustaw Herling-Grudziński was a Polish writer, journalist, essayist, World War II underground fighter, and political dissident abroad during the period of Soviet and communist rule. He is best known for writing a personal account of life in the Soviet Gulag entitled A World Apart, first published in 1951 in London.
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Joanna Mucha
- Occupations
- politicianeconomist
- Biography
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Joanna Mucha is a Polish liberal politician, economist, member of the Polish Sejm, academic teacher, doctor of economics and from 17 November 2011 to November 2012 Minister of Sport and Tourism of Poland in the government of Donald Tusk. In 2001 she graduated from University of Warsaw.
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Andrzej Pilipiuk
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- Studied archaeology
- Occupations
- writerscience fiction writer
- Biography
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Andrzej Pilipiuk, Polish humoristic science-fiction and fantasy author. He debuted in 1996 with short story "Hiena", which featured the first appearance of Jakub Wędrowycz, an alcoholic exorcist. Since that time, Pilipiuk has written several dozen other short stories about that character.
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Ludwik Dorn
- Occupations
- politiciantrade unionistsociologist
- Biography
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Ludwik Stanisław Dorn was a Polish conservative politician, who served as Deputy Prime Minister and member of Sejm elected on 5 November 2007.
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Artur Andrus
- Occupations
- poetsinger-songwriterPolish scoutjournalist
- Biography
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Artur Józef Andrus is a Polish journalist, poet, singer-songwriter and cabaret artist. He is best known for his radio shows at Polskie Radio Program III, and as a master of ceremonies during various TV shows.
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Michał Kamiński
- Occupations
- writerpolitician
- Biography
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Michał Tomasz Kamiński is a Polish politician and a member of the Senate with the Union of European Democrats. He was chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists in the European Parliament from July 2009 until March 2011.
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Andrzej Rzepliński
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- In 1971 graduated with magister degree in law
- Occupations
- university teachercriminologistlawyerjudgejurist
- Biography
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Andrzej Rzepliński is a Polish lawyer, Professor of Jurisprudence, human right expert, member of International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, a judge of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal from 2007 and its president from 2010 to 2016.
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Joanna Lichocka
- Enrolled in the University of Warsaw
- Graduated with magister degree in Polish studies
- Occupations
- journalistpolitician
- Biography
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Joanna Lichocka is a Polish journalist and politician serving as a member of the Sejm since 2015. She has been member of the National Media Council since 2016.
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Aleksander Kamiński
- Occupations
- historian
- Biography
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Aleksander Kamiński, assumed name: Aleksander Kędzierski. Also known under aliases such as Dąbrowski, J. Dąbrowski, Fabrykant, Faktor, Juliusz Górecki, Hubert, Kamyk, Kaźmierczak, Bambaju was an educator, co-founder of Cub Scouts methodology, and soldier of the Home Army. He was one of the ideological leaders of the Grey Ranks and chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Polish Scouting Association.
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Jerzy Giedroyc
- Occupations
- journalistpoet lawyerpolitical activist
- Biography
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Jerzy Władysław Giedroyc was a Polish writer, lawyer, publicist and political activist. For many years, he worked as editor of the highly influential Paris-based periodical, Kultura.
