Roman Pisarski

(1912–69, pseud. Józef Wolski, Erpe, Szczupak) – a writer, author of children’s books, editor, teacher and writer of radio plays. In 1958, he became a member of the Polish Writers’ Union.

He was born in Stanisławów (presently Ivano-Frankivsk, in western Ukraine) as the second child of Alfred Pisarski and Bronisława Wolska. His father was a high-ranking railway worker, regularly travelling for business and working in delegations, which meant the family often moved from place to place. The future writer finally graduated from secondary school in 1932, from the Stanisław Staszic 3rd State School in Stanisławów. The same year, he began his studies – for two years he pursued classical philology, briefly transferred to Bohemian studies, and ended up in Polish literature. In 1939, he abandoned his studies, however, and never took his diploma.

During World War Two he fell into different kinds of jobs: as a sewer worker in the Municipal Waterworks, a lumberjack in the Suchorów lumber mill or a labourer in the Chervoni Metalist locksmith plant. He also fed the lice at the Rudolf Weigel Institute, which saved him from being killed by the Nazis; it exempted him from a round-up (the other captives were shot).

After the war, Pisarski initially worked as a teacher. He taught Polish, history and an introduction to philosophy. He also returned to Polish studies, continuing at the Jagiellonian University as an extramural student (in 1946 he took his MA). In 1952, he forged contacts with the Polish press, abandoning his teaching position and thereafter living off his creative work. In 1958–63, he ran a programme called ‘Doktor Mów Dobrze’ (Speak Well, Doctor), on language culture and popularising proper usage.

Pisarski is now chiefly known as the author of a popular story ‘O psie, który jeździł koleją’ (About a Dog Who Rode by Train), though his range of works goes much deeper. He made his debut in May 1939 with the poem ‘Granica’ (‘The Border’) in Kurier Literacko-Naukowy. He published trifles in the satirical magazine Koncyder, articles in Głos Wielkopolski and a column in Gazeta Pomorska, he also ran pieces for children in such magazines as Świerszczyk, Miś, Płomyk and Płomyczek.

Pisarski’s first book, ‘Pierwiastek ludowy i społeczny w piśmiennictwie polskim’ (The Folk and Social Element in Polish Writing), was published in 1948. In the following years he published numerous books for children (including ‘Port i morze’ [Port and Sea], ‘Na stoliczku chleb w koszyczku’ [Bread in a Basket on the Table] and ‘W zaczarowanym sklepie’ [In the Enchanted Shop]). In 1953, the Ziemi Pomorskiej Theatre in Bydgoszcz staged Pisarski’s only play, ‘Piernikarze w Toruniu. Opowieść sceniczna w trzech aktach’ (Bakers in Toruń: A Tale for the Stage in Three Acts). Yet much of this author’s legacy is in his poems for children and educational works on history, stories and folk legends, and the rules of Polish grammar.