Aleksander Krawczuk
Aleksander Włodzimierz Krawczuk was a Polish historian of antiquity, essayist, academic teacher, professor of humanities, Minister of Culture and Art from 1986 to 1989, member of the Sejm during its first and second terms.
Life
A graduate of Secondary School No. 4 in the Podgórze district of Krakow. During World War II, he was a soldier in the Home Army's “Żelbet” partisan group. In 1949, he graduated in history and classical philology from the Faculty of Philosophy and History at the Jagiellonian University and took up a research position at the Department of Ancient History at the Jagiellonian University as an assistant to Ludwik Piotrowicz. In addition, from 1957 until he took up the post of minister in 1986, he worked at the Higher School of Pedagogy in Krakow; he also lectured at the Higher School of Pedagogy in Rzeszów. In 1960, he obtained his doctorate on the basis of his dissertation Kolonizacja sullańska . He obtained his habilitation in 1963 on the basis of his work entitled Virtutis ergo. Nadania obywatelstwa rzymskiego przez wodzów Republiki. From 1980 to 1986, he headed the Department of Ancient History at the Jagiellonian University. In 1985, he received a professorship in the humanities.He studied ancient history and popularized topics related to antiquity. He co-hosted the television documentary series Antyczny świat profesora Krawczuka. He published numerous scientific works and popular science books, which were translated into several languages. He was a member of the Polish Writers' Union and served as president of its Krakow branch from 1986 to 1987. He was also president of the Krakow branch of the Polish Culture Foundation and a member of the Polish Authors' Association.
From 1986 to 1989, he was a member of the National Grunwald Committee. During the same period, he served as Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in the governments of Zbigniew Messner and Mieczysław Rakowski. From 1991 to 1997, he was a member of the Sejm for the first and second terms on behalf of the Democratic Left Alliance. In later years, he was counted among the supporters of the Przyjazny Kraków association associated with Jacek Majchrowski.
On the occasion of his 100th birthday in June 2022, the Historical Museum of the City of Krakow organized an exhibition entitled “Aleksander Krawczuk, One Hundred Years...” at the Krzysztofory Palace.
Krawczuk died on 27 January 2023, at the age of 100. He was buried in Rakowicki Cemetery.
Personal life
Son of Dymitr and Maria. He was the father of historian Wojciech Krawczuk.Awards and distinctions
- Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta
- Gold Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis
- City of Kraków Award
- Kowadło Kuźnicy