On October 29, we celebrate the birth anniversary of Mieczysław Jastrun, a poet who left a profound mark on 20th-century Polish literature with his reflective and philosophical works. Born in 1903 in Korolówka, his early years were shaped by a Jewish heritage and the upheavals of the Polish-Bolshevik War. He started his literary journey in the 1920s, debuting in the magazine Skamander, and later pursued studies in literature and philosophy at the Jagiellonian University, laying the foundation for a lifelong engagement with poetry.
World War II was a turning point for Jastrun, who fled to Lviv and later returned to Warsaw, where he became involved in the resistance and underground education. These experiences deepened his poetic voice, often grappling with human suffering and ethical dilemmas. After the war, he joined the socialist movement but grew disillusioned with increasing censorship, becoming an advocate for freedom of expression and signing the “Letter of 34” in protest against the restrictions on intellectual life.
Jastrun’s poetry, known for its introspective and philosophical nature, explores themes of time, memory, and existence, with works like Strumień i milczenie (1937) and Genezy (1959) standing out. He was also a notable translator, introducing Polish readers to international voices like Rainer Maria Rilke and Friedrich Hölderlin, thereby enriching the country’s literary landscape.
Despite political changes, Jastrun remained a prolific writer and educator, teaching contemporary poetry at the University of Warsaw and continuing to publish until his death in 1983. His later works reflect a deep contemplation of life’s impermanence and the pursuit of authenticity in art.
Today, Jastrun is remembered as a poet who not only captured the existential struggles of his time but also stood for artistic integrity and intellectual freedom. His legacy endures as a testament to literature’s power to inspire reflection and resist oppression.